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iwishiwasthere

Beach Fanatic
Jul 12, 2005
2,875
36
Tennessee
Are you teaching somewhere in Florida now?


I wish!!!! Thus my screen name:D I live in Tennessee. It amazes me at the pay variations in different areas. I can drive 30 miles and make $8,000 more a year.
 
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Teresa

SoWal Guide
Staff member
Nov 15, 2004
30,893
9,500
South Walton, FL
sowal.com
when I say the education system needs an overhaul from the bottom up, I mean educators need to be allowed to plan and teach, first and foremost, instead of doing endless paperwork (I won't even get into the testing here). of course professionals do work overtime quite often without extra pay. they are not hourly employees. this is part of the deal. but it needs to be within reason, and not a daily requirement to work late after a full day of teaching. I think teachers need a full year salary. summer time should be used for planning and preparing for the coming year, meeting with educators, parents, training, etc. setting up information systems to help manage your paperwork,etc. some secretarial assistance would be marvelous. and teaching assistants, and/or interns, of course.

some private schools are able to provide some or all of the above and more. their pay isn't necessarily any better, but their conditions are. some teachers, given support and resources, are able to leave at 3:00, and have a normal life. with some long days, and weekends here and there. and of course, working pretty much full time through the summer to keep up with their preparations.

I don't like to compare teacher salaries to doctors and athletes or actors. completely different job. private sector v. public sector. completely different requirements, education, experience and risks. I wouldn't take away what those career individuals have achieved - it's just what it is. Education is a wonderful endeavor - and you must really want to do it day in and day out. I've seen it work so well for highly organized teachers who stay proactive, and have teaching assistants and interns.

I too taught & directed for several years at a university funded program for special education students. full time/year round. lots of assistants, a secretary and lots of IEP's and state requirements! it was a great and wonderful time of my life - and very very demanding but in a good way. I gained so much. and I found a really good paying job after. outside of education. still taught some at junior colleges on the side, and used teaching/planning/directing skills in many other ways.


Teachers are some of the most important people helping to shape all of our lives. I am all for paying teachers $50K and up, depending on experience, educational level and effectiveness in the classroom. A teacher who is "all that" should make at least $80K, IMO. In an ideal world, this is what a professional educator would make. The best of men and women would work in the field full time - it is certainly a full time career - why wouldn't one be paid as such?
 
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wrobert

Beach Fanatic
Nov 21, 2007
4,132
575
63
DeFuniak Springs
www.defuniaksprings.com
I wish!!!! Thus my screen name:D I live in Tennessee. It amazes me at the pay variations in different areas. I can drive 30 miles and make $8,000 more a year.

Sometimes it is that way here. The bottom and the top are about equal, but the time to get from one to the other is different. So people can leave and drive to adjoining counties and get large raises. But lately it has been going back the other way. Walton County is paying quite a bit better these last four years. But it still is a paltry amount when you look what other salaries have done and you consider the education and training required.

I am just trying to see where we should be setting our goals. At least with a goal, progress and accomplishments can be measured. As it is we just try to keep paying more every year.
 

florida girl

Beach Fanatic
Feb 3, 2006
1,453
67
Santa Rosa Beach
As far as comparing athlete?s salaries to teacher?s salaries, athletes bring in much more money for those betting on the game, and thus are "valued" more. That's where their priorities lie. I think the teacher tenure should be reevaluated, many on tenure are openly ridiculous in their teaching behavior, and it is almost impossible to get rid of them, unless they commit a felony. Even then, I think they put them in some kind of office position! SoWal has grown by leaps and bounds and has hired many new teachers, although I don?t think all are really cut out for it.
 

iwishiwasthere

Beach Fanatic
Jul 12, 2005
2,875
36
Tennessee
I am just trying to see where we should be setting our goals. At least with a goal, progress and accomplishments can be measured. As it is we just try to keep paying more every year.[/QUOTE]

It seems that Walton County has a good group of concerned citizens, and this board provides one way to get feedback. Nice question.

As far as comparing athlete’s salaries to teacher’s salaries, athletes bring in much more money for those betting on the game, and thus are "valued" more. That's where their priorities lie. I think the teacher tenure should be reevaluated, many on tenure are openly ridiculous in their teaching behavior, and it is almost impossible to get rid of them, unless they commit a felony. Even then, I think they put them in some kind of office position! SoWal has grown by leaps and bounds and has hired many new teachers, although I don’t think all are really cut out for it.


Tenure certainly has its drawbacks. Often teachers become apathetic or discontented. Those seem to be the ones that need the benefit of a tenure restructuring. I see way too many teachers that need to change occupations.
 

Teresa

SoWal Guide
Staff member
Nov 15, 2004
30,893
9,500
South Walton, FL
sowal.com
I am just trying to see where we should be setting our goals. At least with a goal, progress and accomplishments can be measured. As it is we just try to keep paying more every year.

It seems that Walton County has a good group of concerned citizens, and this board provides one way to get feedback. Nice question.




Tenure certainly has its drawbacks. Often teachers become apathetic or discontented. Those seem to be the ones that need the benefit of a tenure restructuring. I see way too many teachers that need to change occupations.[/quote]

burn out tends to be pretty high in teaching, it seems. :wave: how long have you taught iwiwt?
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,039
1,984
As far as comparing athlete?s salaries to teacher?s salaries, athletes bring in much more money for those betting on the game, and thus are "valued" more. That's where their priorities lie. I think the teacher tenure should be reevaluated, many on tenure are openly ridiculous in their teaching behavior, and it is almost impossible to get rid of them, unless they commit a felony. Even then, I think they put them in some kind of office position! SoWal has grown by leaps and bounds and has hired many new teachers, although I don?t think all are really cut out for it.


Why?
 

Allifunn

FunnChef - AlisonCooks.com
Jan 11, 2006
13,635
289
St Petersburg
I don't like to compare teacher salaries to doctors and athletes or actors. completely different job. private sector v. public sector. completely different requirements, education, experience and risks. I wouldn't take away what those career individuals have achieved - it's just what it is. Education is a wonderful endeavor - and you must really want to do it day in and day out. I've seen it work so well for highly organized teachers who stay proactive, and have teaching assistants and interns.
I am not trying to compare salaries, I am simply pointing out that most Americans would rather pay 35$ a seat to go to a professional game and watch people beat eachother up, than pay teachers a decent salary, the ones who are educating the future of this country. Priorities are totally screwed up. We would rather allow our kids to mindlessly watch actors on the screen that are so screwed up that they can't even form intelligent sentences unless they are reading a script.
Role models.....we are expecting educators to be role models for our kids, but most kids have no respect for their teachers, their role models are actors and sports figures that, in most cases, not all, are uneducated themselves.
How about donating that 35$ to education? I know that we pay education taxes...and we really think that is enough?
I think Punzy has some good comments...having been there first hand.
I did my student teaching many years ago, and became a substitute teacher. There is no way I could have put up with what teachers are required to do. I commend all teachers, they are a very special breed
Please keep in mind that I am speaking of SC schools. I think it is sad when I hear my teens talk about some of their teachers...so many kids have lost respect for the school system, and I do believe that much of this is due to the fact that the school system itself does not allow teachers the respect that they are due. (ie...salaries that compensate them fairly)
 
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