Since I was in my twenties I had always thought about becoming a teacher. At first I thought I would enjoy high school, until I recently noticed today’s teenagers intimidate me. Not sure how good I would be if I let them lead the class. After volunteering in my daughter’s school, I realized I enjoyed fourth and fifth graders quite a bit.
So finally the time was now, in my late thirties, to finally follow through on a dream I never pursued. I anxiously called a college advisor in the education department at one of the local universities. The advisor, Miriam, was great. Miriam explained in detail the length of time it would take to become a teacher, the classes required and the financial commitment. Everything seemed perfect!
I was able to envision myself enrolling in school again (I love school and would be a professional student if permitted). The time constraints seemed a bit daunting, but doable and the tuition was not nearly as bad as I had first thought. So hear I was ready to sign up right there and then, until Miriam began to explain to me the difference in starting salaries of teachers with a certification verses teachers with a certification plus twenty credits.
As Mariam’s words came out, “33,000 to start, but with the extra twenty credits you can count on 39,000 to 40,000.” It was a complete and total blur that took over at that point. What? What about the state maximum of 75,000, when do you reach that? How long does that take?
As I hung up the phone and went on with my day, a sinking feeling in my stomach took over. As much I would love to be a teacher, how could anyone afford to support themselves, let alone a family on that salary?
The following weekend my family was over celebrating my birthday. I began to explain the financial plight of teachers to my dad and sister. Each of them looked at me confused, I think surprised at how ignorant I was, and secondly, stunned at how personally I was taking this.
I have a very difficult time understanding how someone will not only go for their four years of college, but they are required a fifth year for certification purposes. Lastly, a prospective teacher can start off at a bit of a higher rate, and I must highlight “a bit” if they earn a masters in education or earn extra credits to apply towards their salaries. Lets just note, would be teachers do not get a tuition break at local universities, instead they pay the same rate as business majors and computer science majors.
I am surprised that someone who spends as much if not more time with our children, than parents do, are so poorly paid and reimbursed for their time. My Dad and sister felt like being a teacher is like being on permanent vacation. They both pointed out that teachers only work 9 months out of the year. They don’t work weekends, and never need to take work home. That to be a teacher is a luxury.
I found myself defending teachers, but I could see that both my sister and dad were not going to budge. They really felt that teachers led some sort of leisurely lifestyle. What was I worried about anyway, I was married to a husband who was able to support our family? The income earned, would just be extra.
What about the single parents who teach? What do they do? How do they get along? It was pointed out that they would not live in my neighborhood (which is nice but certainly nothing fancy), they would not drive my car (a minivan) and they would not have the things I do. It occurred to me my sister and dad were right. The teacher would be forced to live in communities far outside of the immediate metropolitan area, be forced to live in confined quarters, most likely rented, and they would need to metro into work, since they would not be able to afford gas for their car, if they had one at all.
The biggest sore spot, was how would a single parent teacher feed their family? I am not talking about going out to dinner several nights a week, eating steaks and imported exotic fruits, god forbid they even consider anything organic. But simply the staples; bread, flour, milk, cheese, meat, beans, local fruits and vegetables. Their children would be forced into anorexia, or as my dad and sister pointed out on food stamps and school funded meals. What was wrong with that? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. To be a teacher in today’s society, living in a metropolitan area is a luxury. A luxury that a single parent should never consider, only single people who find materialism to be overrated or wealthy individuals who are able to teach for pure fun…
Is there something wrong with this picture or is it just me? If anyone out there is a teacher, has been a teacher or knows a teacher personally I would greatly appreciate your feedback!…or for that matter, if you simply have an opinion on the topic.
8 Comments
I’m sure I’m just opening a can of worms here…but I knew this day would come…where you would take something we said out of context and post it on the internet:) I’ll be interested to hear how horrible dad and I are for thinking being a teacher is a “luxury”. Quite honestly I don’t remember ever saying that.
I think you are still not seeing the point….and honestly I don’t think you can ever truly understand because of the life you’ve had. Maybe joining the workforce will open your eyes to a whole new world. I’m not trying to be rude…but I think you would have a whole new perspective if you were surrounded by working people all day long that don’t live on the plateau. I think Kia was right when she said you live in a bubble up there…but I don’t think you’ll take my word for it because I’ve never lived up there.
You made the comment “It was pointed out that they would not live in my neighborhood (which is nice but certainly nothing fancy), they would not drive my car (a minivan) and they would not have the things I do…”
That just makes me laugh out loud how you can downplay your life so easily, without actually hearing what you are saying. You live in a beautiful neighborhood that is in a rather exclusive area. No…it isn’t Clyde Hill…but come on…it’s definitely a well above average neighborhood. And…you’re right a teacher may have to buy a dodge caravan…rather than a brand new Honda Odyssey with a DVD player and all the perks…I don’t think that is so horrible.
You’re also right…teachers aren’t going to be able to afford your neighborhood on one salary alone…but quite frankly neither could I or 99% of the people I work with. That doesn’t make us poor….it’s just a fact of life: we can’t all afford the nicest neighborhoods, the best commutes, or the biggest homes. That really has nothing to do with being a teacher. Again…most single parents aren’t going to be able to afford to live the life you lead or the life I lead for that matter. It’s a fact of life.
When it comes down to it…I wish teachers could make more…but I also wish nannies, babysitters, etc. made more…but the money has to come from somewhere. And quite honestly I don’t feel that bad for them. What I would say is… maybe you need to look at what a teacher makes per hour and compare that to what I make per hour…or the people I work with….Cuz at the end of the day when you add in the time we spend on the weekends, on vacation, etc. checking our blackberries or answer emails from our laptop our hourly rate doesn’t seem so great anymore and may even equate to less than a teacher. Not really sure though I haven’t actually done the math…nor do I think I want to:)
Just my two sense though….
I think the above person missed the point entirely. They spent too much time worried about what plataue housewives lives are like.
I understood the writer to be talking about the minimum it would take to get by with a family. Housing, car, food and the basic needs of a family. It is my understanding that it would be near immpossible to support your children, daycare expenses, food and other stuff on the above amounts of money.
I think someone above is jealous…but that is just another housewifes opinion….
I agree with you Jill. Teachers are paid poorly, especially when you consider they are spending most of their time with our children. And I know that many of them do take their work home with them. Whether it be papers for grading, or coming up with ideas for new lessons, there is always something happening in their classrooms that takes extra time and consideration, time they don’t have during the day while they are teaching our kids. You would think that the powers that be, that are determining a teacher’s salary, would take that in to consideration.
Anyone I know that has children would agree that their kids are the most important part of their lives, so if we are entrusting our children to teachers everyday, shouldn’t we ensure that we are paying these people what they are worth?
That’s my two cents worth!
People don’t choose to become teachers to make money. People choose to become teachers because they want to influence young minds and have an impact on our youth. If the author were to become a teacher after reading this, I wouldn’t want her teaching my kids because I feel like she’s only there to make money. Her focus isn’t on educating my child to the best of her abilities. The author may be a great person, but teaching is not right for her.
I think she is being a bit naïve in saying she didn’t realize pay scales for teachers…doesn’t she watch the news? Every year there is another strike in another school district because of teacher pay. Because of teacher pay??? Are you kidding me? You work 9 months out of the year. You never have to work on a weekend. You have probably never worked past 5pm a day of your teaching career. Spring break, winter break, snow days and “parent/teacher days”. What “corporate America” job has that kind of a schedule? Now I’m not saying that a teacher doesn’t work hard. Again, I’ll repeat that because I think someone will miss that I said this…I’m not saying a teacher doesn’t work hard. I’d hate to put up with 30 snot nosed kids…but that’s what they chose to do.
Lets look at the money. In a perfect world, we’ll assume an 8 hour work day (especially for an elementary school teacher because they have lunch breaks and recesses to use to do their “home work”) and a 9 month schedule. On $33,000 a “year” that amounts to $22.92 per hour. On $40,000 a “year” that amounts to $27.78 an hour. Of the state maximum $75,000 that the author mentions, that is $52.08 per hour. Not bad for a teacher who gets three months off during the summer…who of you out there would love to be paid $52.08 per hour and get 12+ weeks of vacation every year? You don’t have to worry about checking your blackberry after hours…no business trips…no corporate BS. Not bad if you ask me.
The bottom line is this, and I think your dad and sister would agree in my saying that you don’t become a teacher to make money and support a family. If you’re a single mom and have three kids, would being a teacher be the best option? Probably not, unless that is what you dreamed of doing, but then you would find a way to adjust your life to live within your means.
As I suspected…I think I opened up a can of worms with my first comment. After reading the comment from the “Plateau Housewife” I thought it might be best if I clarify the point I was trying to make before I spark more comments.
#1 I want to start off by apologizing if anyone felt I was slamming the residences of the Plateau or Clyde Hill for that matter. That was truly not my intention and I have no ill or jealous feelings for those that live in that area, regardless of their economic or financial status. I was simply using these locations as examples.
#2 The true purpose of my original comment was to merely provide some clarity regarding a conversation my family had “off the record” that I felt was taken out of context and posted to the internet for all to blast.
#3 The purpose of my original comment was not to say that teachers are not underpaid or in some way have an easy job to do. I really believe that most would agree, including myself, that teachers are underpaid. From my perspective this was not the issue my dad and I were discussing with my sister (the author). We were simply trying to explain that if you are a single parent teacher with three kids you may have to adjust your lifestyle to support your family within your means. When my sister made the comment “It was pointed out that they would not live in my neighborhood (which is nice but certainly nothing fancy), they would not drive my car (a minivan) and they would not have the things I do.” I just wanted to clarify the point my dad and I were trying to make: that single parent teachers would not be able to live the same life as her. And to be fair that life includes living in a rather large home, in a somewhat upscale area, with great schools, where the homes are valued between $500K and $1.25 million…on average; where her minivan was bought brand new with all of the bells and whistles. My comment really had nothing to do with living on the Plateau because this life could occur in any city from Issaquah, to Renton, to Bothell, to Bellevue (for all you Washingtonians). And in no way was this a slam against my sister for her lifestyle because she is one of the most amazing people I know with a great life that she deserves (hands down). However, in America this life would be considered upper middle class and (although I can’t quote an exact %) I would guesstimate at least 85% of Americans are middle to lower class. So yes, I agree a single parent teacher would not be able to live in an upper middle class neighborhood without child support/alimony or a hefty inheritance. Instead they would have to adjust their life to live within their means. Meaning they may have to live in a smaller home or condo in a less than desirable neighborhood by some standards. They may have to buy a used vehicle without the DVD player…but so would most of Corporate America if they were single parents raising three kids on their own. And to say that children of single parent teachers would be “forced into anorexia” is just a bit on the dramatic side.
#4 This brings up another point that was brought up in our discussion that my sister just happened to leave out. People don’t typically become teachers for the money. They do it because they have a passion to educate our youth….the foundation of our future. If you were a single parent with 3 kids you would probably choose a different profession or find a way to live within your means on a teacher’s salary. Is that unfortunate? Definitely…but again that wasn’t the point we were trying to make.
#5 When I made the comment about Teachers not working after hours…that was really a generalization on my part…which I probably should have made clear. My best friend is a teacher and she is the first to admit that her workload and daily schedule is different than mine…being in Corporate America. She is typically in at 7 a.m. and home by 3 p.m. with no work on the weekends or after hours. Of course there may be times she is required to work additional hours. Additionally, she has learned to manage her time by working straight through her lunch and free period to ensure that she can leave her work “at work”. But again my intention was not to imply that she doesn’t work hard each day and her profession is any less worthy than mine. She is an amazing individual to be able to do what she does each day for our children. I know I could never do what she does and I appreciate her commitment to our children’s education. And for the record…I don’t ever remember saying, nor do I believe, that being a teacher is like “being on a permanent vacation”. Again, just trying to provide some clarity to a conversation taken completely out of context.
#6 Yes…I know this is long winded…I promise this is my last point. In regards to the comment about being jealous I think that it is rather unfortunate that this person doesn’t know me. If they did or knew my friends and family I think that it would be obvious that I am very fulfilled in my life. I am so fortunate to have recently sold my home in a nice neighborhood and have the opportunity to build a new home in another beautiful area. I am in no way ashamed of the amazing life I lead. I’m so thankful that I have a great career and the ability to provide for my family. And most of all I am so blessed to have a wonderful family that is happy and healthy. My intention was not to give off the impression that I have underlying feelings of jealousy or resent for Plateau Housewives. Quite honestly the only housewife I know on the Plateau is my sister and I think she has a tough job being a stay at home mom and have nothing but the utmost respect for what she does.
Okay…that’s my final thought. Phew…maybe I should write my own blog…I apparently have a lot to say:)
Wow, what interesting reviews of the article. I would like to ask everyone if they actually read the article or if it looks like a few are still carrying on about a conversation that most of us are not privy too?
The aurthor admits she was ignorant to the real salaries of public teachers. Why are you attacking her current lifestyle and still under the assumption that is what the article is about? The aurthor states the minimum it would take to get by, the minimum. Can you read? I think the little sister has some jealousy issues along with being a bit insecure about herself.
The average Joe, please you are average at best. I like your skewed numbers to try to make it appear teachers are making bank. But lets be real, did you forget to subtract school supplies out of the teacher’s own pocket books, student tutoring after school, grading papers and preparing lesson plans? Lets not also forget teachers are required constant certifications and more schooling which also comes out of their pockets. I find you to be a complete hypocryte. Let me ask you, would you refuse treatment from your surgeon or ER doc because they were not practicing for the pure love of medicine, but atucally only practicing to pay off their cabin on the lake and BMW parked outside?? Please, we all know how you would honetly answer that!
Lastly, this site is cute and the articles are sweet. But come on, you need to offer something to get the readers in. Give us more of your opinions,sell me on somthing talk trash or sex. I found this article to be the only worthy of leaving a comment on. Until you revise this site, the only people I could refer here would be my teenage daughter and my 76 year old mom.
Thats right Carol…because every school teacher in America pays for their own school supplies, offers after school tutoring and changes each of their lesson plans every year. PLEASE! What dream world do you live in? There may be a handful of teachers who go the extra mile (and it seems they’ve all had movies made about them) but you know as well as I do that a lot of the teachers dont go that extra mile. But why should they? We all agree that they are way underpaid…but are you willing to pay higher taxes in order to give teachers a pay raise?
As far as comparing a surgeon/ER doc to a teacher…are you being for real??? Of course I would rather be treated by a doctor who practices for the love of medicine…who wouldnt??? But the reality is that most people get into that profession for the money. The same can’t be said about teachers. Besides, I’d feel better knowing that my heart surgeon had a BMW parked out front and a lakeside cabin versus having a ‘84 Honda and renting a studio apartment in the ghetto. A good doctor is going to command a better salary.
Lastly, I think you missed everyones point. Its pretty clear that the article writer seems to be in a pretty good situation and that she wanted to pursue teaching “because she could”. No one is/was attacking her lifestyle. I’m sure that if she is happy with what she has, everyone here is happy for her. What stood out to me was that it seemed as if she wanted to do it for the money.
Who do you want teaching your kids? The teacher who wants to make a difference in your kids lives? Or the teacher who just wants $100,000 per year? Cause I can say that this article probably wouldn’t have been written had the adviser told the author that average salaries for teachers in their first year was $75,000. Not to “lead on” that the author is all about money, as again, it sounds as if she is doing pretty well for herself…I’m just pointing out that this was written because of money.
Hey Jill- Fun to read your thoughts. Joc told me about this and being a teacher myself, I have to add in my two cents.
I have taught for 8 years. Some great, some well.. not so great. Some years I have actually thought about joining corporate America. Then I have had some years, like this past one, where I cried saying goodbye to the thoughtful and intelligent 6th graders I had supported and nurtured all year long. I loved these kids and I loved helping them learn and become better versions of themselves.
I see teaching as like many other jobs- I love it half the time and the other half I wish I were home with my kid! I continue in this job for the days when a parent tells me of the difference I have made. I continue to teach knowing that I may impact at least one kid each year. I DON’T stay for the money. But to be honest, it shouldn’t be news that us teachers make crap pay. We spend 40 hours a week with your children and I made more bartending… But, in the words of my father-in-law “it is what it is”. I joined this profession and did not do so blindly.
I know Joc quite well and I believe that she has respect for what I do and cannot imagine she would ever think as a teacher I am on a permanent vacation.
However, I have boasted that in my 8 years I have fine tuned my art of teaching so I take home minimal work. That doesn’t mean that I don’t ever work on a weekend. In fact, it is August and I spent most of last week in my classroom cleaning and reaarranging. Come December I will spend hours at night and on weekends on the phone with parents and kids in regards to our school musical. But I do get all of July and August, a week in Spring and two in December all to myself, my husband, and my son. I am guaranted weekends and if I need to, I can be home by 3pm everyday. It is nice to know that when my son is in school I will be there to pick him up from the bus stop.
Do we live on the Plateau? No. We couldn’t afford it. We do live in a great, young community with amazing neighbors and friends and I am home with my son after his afternoon nap everyday. Could I ask for more? Sure I would love a pay raise? Who wouldn’t? What a silly question!