Comments on: $125,000 a year for every teacher? Quick, update your resume!

By: Suggested Reading | Clif's Notes

Suggested Reading | Clif's Notes — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:27:43 +0000

[…] $125,000 a Year for Every Teacher? Quick, Update Your Resume! […]

By: Gary Miller

Gary Miller — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:12:46 +0000

As a South Dakota teacher (last in the nation in teacher pay) with 29 years in the classroom, I have to say the $60k looks very good. I agree with Ben. I’d take the $125k and use the extra to get the extras I need. Think I could do that for less than the difference. While it is true I didn’t get into teaching for the money, as I get closer to retirement it sometimes seems like I might have made a poor choice. If I didn’t have a second career in the Nat’l Guard, I could never afford to retire. Time to do something to get and keep good educators!

By: Chad

Chad — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:51:11 +0000

I agree with just about everything the previous comments discussed. Give the technology, give me the support, give me the respect.

As a friend once told me, you can marry more money in a minute than you can make in a lifetime!

By: Paul Wilkinson

Paul Wilkinson — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 07:38:56 +0000

Or you could work in NZ where we have the worst of both worlds!! Little technology, incredible hours, ridiculous levels of responsibility, little support, and about 60,000 (NZ) if you are lucky.

But hey! We aren’t in it for the money. I’d still stick with the thrill of seeing significant changes happening in the lives of the children I interact with. When a non reader suddenly wants to read, that is worth it.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:17:43 +0000

I’d take less money and all the extras, but I also want respect for what I do. I can live with less money (and of course I do). However, I find it very frustrating that teachers are treated so poorly. As individuals people are often impressed by the career choice, but as a society we clearly do not value it. I would rather see that change than the salary.

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:27:33 +0000

Since I make considerably less than either of the two amounts, I’ll gladly take the 60 grand and all of the support that comes along with it.

And for 125K, I think I might just go out and hire my own personal para-pro, still make more than I have today, and have enough resources to pile a heap of technology and resources on any problem.

By: Carla

Carla — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:54:23 +0000

Why is it either/or? How about this: technology, classroom aide, respect for professional judgment (autonomy), reasonable hours and duties, AND a 6-figure salary?

Let me dream …

By: Jay

Jay — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:05:00 +0000

This isn’t even a question for me and probably won’t be for many others. If given the choice between more money and less support or less money and more support, I’ll take the less money. Most of us never got into the profession for the money anyway. If I could have access to the latest tech, teacher aides, safe classrooms, etc., it’s really a no brainer. Higher teacher salaries are nice and all, but what’s more money if you’re still miserable because you don’t have the necessary tools or support. I also wonder what’s going to happen to a building who’s principal is still ultimately responsible for the day to day business of the school, still has to evaluate the teachers, deal with student discipline, etc., but is being paid less than the teachers? All the headaches and less pay than the staff you are supervising? That doesn’t sound like a winning formula to me!