Teacher walkout cancels classes in W.Va.

[LiberalNation]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070314/ap_on_re_us/teacher_walkout;_ylt=ArKjWpnFlyvR9b5tzgbCmvJvzwcF

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Teachers demanding better pay refused to show up for work Wednesday and forced the cancellation of classes in at least 12 counties.

Lawmakers last week approved a 3.5 percent pay raise for the state's nearly 20,000 teachers, but the educators' union said it was not enough to keep West Virginia competitive with the rest of the country.

West Virginia teachers' salaries now rank 47th in the nation, according to the West Virginia Education Association. State officials said the average teacher earned $41,388 last year and has about 18 years of experience.

Local union president Gayle Allen said the lawmakers boosted teacher salaries an average of $1,400 a year in Hampshire County.

"We're going to be the lowest paid county in the state," Allen said. "We have so much trouble retaining and recruiting highly qualified teachers as it is. We have a real hard time getting teachers to even apply here."

Not all education advocates supported the one-day walkout.

"It's hard to think that you're going to accomplish something after the legislative session is over," said Jackee Long, president of the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association.

"We got a good raise, we would have liked to have gotten more, but a 3.5 raise in pay — we'll take what we got this year and try harder next year," Long said.

WVEA President Charles Delauder said the protest is important "because it focuses everyone's attention on the need for quality educators in our classrooms."

Gov. Joe Manchin spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg said the walkout would not prompt immediate changes.

"The governor has been consistent in telling the leadership of both teacher organizations that he will not be calling a special session on teacher compensation this year, so if that was the thought process behind today's walkout, that's unfortunate," she said.

Teachers staged an 11-day strike in 1990, in a successful bid to change their salary ranking from 49th in the nation. That year, teachers received a $5,000 increase over three years. In 1980, nearly 7,000 teachers walked out for one day to protest a $950 raise.

It was not immediately known how many teachers participated in Wednesday's walkout.

[5stringJeff]

Fire them.

[LiberalNation]

Then you wont have any teachers which would be worse for the students education than this walkout.

Our teacher did something like this last year, while not in our county, our teachers just wore all back because they didn't want to walk out but most of the rest of the state teachers did demanding better insurance. How else are they gona get better pay.

[5stringJeff]

Then you wont have any teachers which would be worse for the students education than this walkout.

You'll still have teachers. There are plenty of people who want to teach, and plenty of current teachers who are way past their prime.


How else are they gona get better pay.

Teachers have one of the most powerful labor unions out there - the NEA. They lobby for teachers in all 50 states.

Or, even better, allow for school choice and school vouchers, and make teachers earn pay raises.

[LiberalNation]

You'll still have teachers. There are plenty of people who want to teach, and plenty of current teachers who are way past their prime.

I don't know about, half my teacher don't want to teach/constantly complain to us about their pay, ect and many new teachers I've seen have been run off in a year.

[shattered]

I don't know about, half my teacher don't want to teach/constantly complain to us about their pay, ect and many new teachers I've seen have been run off in a year.

If teachers are complaining to their students about their pay, they need to be fired. And, if they don't want to teach, what the hell are they doing standing in front of a class shaping young minds?

[LiberalNation]

Some have shown us their pay checks/receipts. I can see their point. You need a masters to teach in Kentucky. They don't make all that much for having that much education and they have to deal with teenagers all day.

[5stringJeff]

All the more reason to privatize education. Teachers can get paid according to their actual worth, not what the DOE and state superintendents thinks they ought to be paid.

[shattered]

Some have shown us their pay checks/receipts. I can see their point. You need a masters to teach in Kentucky. They don't make all that much for having that much education and they have to deal with teenagers all day.

Check stubs? Again, grounds for instant firing. Sounds like those "teachers" (and I use the term loosely) only got such jobs because they thought they could do a minimal amount of work, and receive the maximum amount of pay.

[LiberalNation]

Lol you'd have to fire nearly ever teacher than. Than what would you do about teachers.

[shattered]

Lol you'd have to fire nearly ever teacher than. Than what would you do about teachers.

I think Jeff covered it pretty well in post 8. Pay them according to their WORTH. Then you'd see who the real teachers are - the ones that actually give a shit.

[KitchenKitten99]

You'll find that most of the teachers that are complaining about these things, are those who are afraid to venture out past the education system, but chose the profession, becauses they saw it as a way to get paid to stay in school, and perpetually retain their own youth, as well a have summers off instead of working all year round like most people do, and not have to really produce results. Then if the results aren't what they should be, they blame it on lack of funding rather than their abilities and student accountability.

[Mr. P]

Fire them.

Exactly what I was going to say!

[Birdzeye]

Check stubs? Again, grounds for instant firing. Sounds like those "teachers" (and I use the term loosely) only got such jobs because they thought they could do a minimal amount of work, and receive the maximum amount of pay.

That has to be one of the most ridiculous comments I've heard about teachers. I have several friends and relatives who are teachers, and they work their butts off, looooong hours outside the classroom grading papers and preparing lesson plans, and for all that work their pay sucks.

Their union is nowhere near as powerful as you'd have us believe. In some states there are laws that allow school systems to fire teachers for striking, and that limits their power to bargain over pay and working conditions. The net result is that teachers get paltry raises as well as huge increases in teacher:pupil ratio. (That's more papers to grade after hours.)

And since when is complaining about pay grounds for firing? Complaining about pay is a universal sport.

[KitchenKitten99]

That has to be one of the most ridiculous comments I've heard about teachers. I have several friends and relatives who are teachers, and they work their butts off, looooong hours outside the classroom grading papers and preparing lesson plans, and for all that work their pay sucks.

Their union is nowhere near as powerful as you'd have us believe. In some states there are laws that allow school systems to fire teachers for striking, and that limits their power to bargain over pay and working conditions. The net result is that teachers get paltry raises as well as huge increases in teacher:pupil ratio. (That's more papers to grade after hours.)

And since when is complaining about pay grounds for firing? Complaining about pay is a universal sport.

Teachers make probably 2-3x what I make, yet we own a 3br 2ba rambler and our cars are paid for...

[Birdzeye]

Teachers make probably 2-3x what I make, yet we own a 3br 2ba rambler and our cars are paid for...

Well good for you. So do you have a master's degree (typical requirement for teacher certification) and does your job require you to continue "professional enhancement" training? These things cost money.

Do you also work 70+ hour weeks like teachers?

[Birdzeye]

From the thread parent's link:


"We have so much trouble retaining and recruiting highly qualified teachers as it is," local union president Gayle Allen in Hampshire County. "We have a real hard time getting teachers to even apply here."

[krisy]

Of all people,teachers are "smart" enought to know when they get into this profession,that the pay isn't the greatest. It's their choice. They do deserve raises,like everyone else,but fro Pete's sake,they get summers off,all holidays,AND weekends.

And I do not believe most of them work 70 hours a week. There are a lot of people who do harder work and make less money.

[CockySOB]

Check stubs? Again, grounds for instant firing. Sounds like those "teachers" (and I use the term loosely) only got such jobs because they thought they could do a minimal amount of work, and receive the maximum amount of pay.

Agreed. They probably thought that they'd have weekends, holidays and summers off to do whatever they want. That ain't the case.

An no LN, teachers in Kentucky only need their baccalaureate degree and the appropriate certification to teach at a primary or secondary institution. Usually that certification process begins when the student enters a four-year program in Education. Kentucky requires that anyone seeking a teaching certificate meet both student teaching and educational testing requirements, like most other states. A Master's degree is not a requirement.

For reference, feel free to visit the Kentucky Education Professionals Board
http://www.kyepsb.net/

And for current teaching vacancies in Kentucky
http://apps.kde.state.ky.us/keps/job_search/index.cfm

[krisy]

I also gotta agree with shattered. Teachers have absolutely no business whining to the kids and showing them pay stubs.

One year when I was in high school,a badly needed levy failed for the schools. The whole next day,our teachers yelled and whined at US,because a lot of parents didn't vote,and the ones that did,voted the levy down. My mom was pretty mad. Leave the students out of the financial aspect of it.

[LiberalNation]

An no LN, teachers in Kentucky only need their baccalaureate degree and the appropriate certification to teach at a primary or secondary institution. Usually that certification process begins when the student enters a four-year program in Education. Kentucky requires that anyone seeking a teaching certificate meet both student teaching and educational testing requirements, like most other states. A Master's degree is not a requirement.

For reference, feel free to visit the Kentucky Education Professionals Board
http://www.kyepsb.net/

And for current teaching vacancies in Kentucky
http://apps.kde.state.ky.us/keps/job_search/index.cfm
but it is if they want to continue teaching after x years or get a raise in pay. This from teachers I've talked to.

[Birdzeye]

Of all people,teachers are "smart" enought to know when they get into this profession,that the pay isn't the greatest. It's their choice. They do deserve raises,like everyone else,but fro Pete's sake,they get summers off,all holidays,AND weekends.

And I do not believe most of them work 70 hours a week. There are a lot of people who do harder work and make less money.

The teachers I know spend a good part of that summer "vacation" on the professional enhancement required to keep their teachers' certifications, and their weekends on -- grading papers and lesson plans.

And don't ever tell a teacher you don't believe he/she works 70+ hours/week. You might not like the response you get.

[Mr. P]

but it is if they want to continue teaching after x years or get a raise in pay. This from teachers I've talked to.

If they want a raise in pay they should have yer butt in class instead of posting on the net this time of day..maybe it's lunch time?

[Nukeman]

You know I hear this same spiell every year from some state or another. The poor teachers and thier lack of pay.

Well break down how many hours a teacher is required to work during the school year.

1. 180 days
2. 6.5 hr of contact time
3. total 1170 hours a year.

a normal worker in a full time job.

1. 260 days/year thats 80 more than teachers
2. 8.5 hours at the job
3. total of 2210 hours a year.

So even if a teacher is working 70 hour weeks (I highley doubt for I never see them at the school after 3:00pm) then they are only working as much as a normal person who works all year.

To answer some of your questions a great deal of jobs require continuing education for employment not to mention state and national registrations/liscensure that cost money. Non of which is payed for by the companies. Ohh I'm sure you can find some that will but the vast majority dont.

Now besides the yearly salary which is comperable for a full time employee lets get into some of the benefits.

Retirement, not only are teachers eligible for SS but they are also given a retirement package that they do not pay into. How many companies or employees can say the same.

Health insurance, most teachers have better health insurance than the people working at thier local hospital. Trust me, this I know very well.

As for having to further thier education they at least have the summers off and lets not forget the proffessional days that are scatterd throughout the year. Most of us have to find time of our own to continue our education (at night, weekends, etc..).

Teachers can just keep thier whining and bitching to themselves, lots of people have it much worse but dont complain like the teachers..

[Nukeman]

The teachers I know spend a good part of that summer "vacation" on the professional enhancement required to keep their teachers' certifications, and their weekends on -- grading papers and lesson plans.

And don't ever tell a teacher you don't believe he/she works 70+ hours/week. You might not like the response you get.

At least they have the freakin summer to do that with most of who still need to do that dont have the particular benefit now do we

Ohhh I'll say it right now THE VAST MAJORITY OF TEACHERS DO NOT WORK 70 HOURS A WEEK!!!!!!
that is pure horse piss and you know it... Like I said in my earlier post even if they did than they would only be working what a typical fulltime employee does..

[Birdzeye]

You know I hear this same spiell every year from some state or another. The poor teachers and thier lack of pay.

Well break down how many hours a teacher is required to work during the school year.

1. 180 days
2. 6.5 hr of contact time
3. total 1170 hours a year.

a normal worker in a full time job.

1. 260 days/year thats 80 more than teachers
2. 8.5 hours at the job
3. total of 2210 hours a year.

So even if a teacher is working 70 hour weeks (I highley doubt for I never see them at the school after 3:00pm) then they are only working as much as a normal person who works all year.

To answer some of your questions a great deal of jobs require continuing education for employment not to mention state and national registrations/liscensure that cost money. Non of which is payed for by the companies. Ohh I'm sure you can find some that will but the vast majority dont.

Now besides the yearly salary which is comperable for a full time employee lets get into some of the benefits.

Retirement, not only are teachers eligible for SS but they are also given a retirement package that they do not pay into. How many companies or employees can say the same.

Health insurance, most teachers have better health insurance than the people working at thier local hospital. Trust me, this I know very well.

As for having to further thier education they at least have the summers off and lets not forget the proffessional days that are scatterd throughout the year. Most of us have to find time of our own to continue our education (at night, weekends, etc..).

Teachers can just keep thier whining and bitching to themselves, lots of people have it much worse but dont complain like the teachers..

You clearly aren't listening. I've pointed out how teachers work lots of hours outside the classroom, grading papers, preparing lesson plans, and even contacting parents about issues with their kids. At least the teachers I know do.

Then, during the summer, they usually spend part of that "vacation" taking the courses required to maintain certification. At least the teachers I know do.

How can you not give them credit for the hours they put in after class, even if they're doing the paper grading in their own homes after hours?

[Birdzeye]

At least they have the freakin summer to do that with most of who still need to do that dont have the particular benefit now do we

Ohhh I'll say it right now THE VAST MAJORITY OF TEACHERS DO NOT WORK 70 HOURS A WEEK!!!!!!
that is pure horse piss and you know it... Like I said in my earlier post even if they did than they would only be working what a typical fulltime employee does..

Care to prove it? Remember, they put in lots of hours after class, and you should give them credit for those hours when tallying up the total number of hours they put in, including evenings, weekends and summers.

[Nukeman]

You clearly aren't listening. I've pointed out how teachers work lots of hours outside the classroom, grading papers, preparing lesson plans, and even contacting parents about issues with their kids. At least the teachers I know do.

Then, during the summer, they usually spend part of that "vacation" taking the courses required to maintain certification. At least the teachers I know do.

How can you not give them credit for the hours they put in after class, even if they're doing the paper grading in their own homes after hours?

And obviously your not listening because if a teacher actually did work 70 hour a week than they would be in line with a typical full time employee that works all year......

Ohhh I dont get a "summer vaction" I work all summer and take classes at night to maintain my liscening and certifications.

If they are working after hours great for them but once again they are only putting in the same number of hours as a typical full time employee.. Do you understand that point or not???

[Nukeman]

Care to prove it? Remember, they put in lots of hours after class, and you should give them credit for those hours when tallying up the total number of hours they put in, including evenings, weekends and summers.
Prove to me they are actually working while away form school!!! The burden of proof is not on me. Have them record thier total number of hours and get back to me.

I for one work a vast number of weekends and evenings with no extra pay. I also DONT GET SUMMER OFF OR 2 WEEKS AT CHRISTMAS OR A WEEK IN THE SPRING Plus I have to work on a number of holidays throughout the year. I'm not bitching I dont get payed enough and I still get what an average school teacher makes.. Hard for me to feel sorry for them..

[avatar4321]

Then you wont have any teachers which would be worse for the students education than this walkout.

Our teacher did something like this last year, while not in our county, our teachers just wore all back because they didn't want to walk out but most of the rest of the state teachers did demanding better insurance. How else are they gona get better pay.

Trust me there are plenty of people out there looking for teaching jobs.

[Sitarro]

You clearly aren't listening. I've pointed out how teachers work lots of hours outside the classroom, grading papers, preparing lesson plans, and even contacting parents about issues with their kids. At least the teachers I know do.

Then, during the summer, they usually spend part of that "vacation" taking the courses required to maintain certification. At least the teachers I know do.

How can you not give them credit for the hours they put in after class, even if they're doing the paper grading in their own homes after hours?

Are you trying to tell us they work 10 hours a day 7 days a week or is it 14 hours a day 5 days a week? The actual school day is how long - lunch.....6 hours? So we are suppose to believe they average an extra 8 hours of work to grade papers and lesson planning? Aren't the lessons basically the same year to year? Do they give tests every day? Please, teachers are in general some of the biggest professional whiners on the planet. I can look back with the knowledge of 53 years of life and tell you that I may have had 6 decent teachers in primary -high school and maybe 3 in college, most were awful at their jobs and some were certifiable loons.

[krisy]

Are you trying to tell us they work 10 hours a day 7 days a week or is it 14 hours a day 5 days a week? The actual school day is how long - lunch.....6 hours? So we are suppose to believe they average an extra 8 hours of work to grade papers and lesson planning? Aren't the lessons basically the same year to year? Do they give tests every day? Please, teachers are in general some of the biggest professional whiners on the planet. I can look back with the knowledge of 53 years of life and tell you that I may have had 6 decent teachers in primary -high school and maybe 3 in college, most were awful at their jobs and some were certifiable loons.


There are some loonys out there. I had this black woman in high school for English. She literally spent the year talking about white people and them holding blacks down. She also acredited just about every invention a white person made,to a balck person.

Some of them can be lazy as well.When I ask my son why he didn't ask the teacher for help when he doesn't understand his homework,he tells me he did ask for help,and the teacher got aggravated. This burns me up. When I was in school,the teachers literally walked around the room after giving an assignment and made sure each child understood what he or she was doing. I never saw one get aggravated.....at least they didn't show it.

With all that said,there are many good teachers out there. My daughter has an excellent kindergarden teach right now. The woman is amazing. Every week i'm very happy to see how much my daughter has picked up.

[CockySOB]

but it is if they want to continue teaching after x years or get a raise in pay. This from teachers I've talked to.

Actually most teachers' union contracts require continued education as a condition for automatic pay raises - that's how my contract is set up. I have to earn at least 3 graduate-level credits every 5 years if I want to continue receiving an automatic pay raise each year. There is no stipulation that says I must earn a graduate degree as a matter of continued employment.

Let me put it like this: educators typically have two directions of increasing their salaries - vertically or horizontally. A vertical increase is tied to years of teaching. A horizontal move is attained when certain amounts of graduate credits (professional development points) are earned. Vertical moves are generally minimal and are applied across the board regardless of performance. The horizontal moves can jump your earnings significantly, but require much more work and relate to your improved ability to perform your job.

Here's another thing - those professional development points generally only apply if the teacher provides their own financing for the education. Most educational institutions will provide as a perk, paid professional development experiences, but if the school pays for the experience, then such experience does NOT count towards salary movement.

In my case, I'm now pursuing a graduate degree program (bio-informatics) which I am paying for and which applies to my professional development points for salary movement. My college also is paying for me and a group of my colleagues to attend a professional conference over the summer which by default does not count towards salary movement. But at this conference, the workshop/boot camp I'm attending is sanctioned by the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and if I were to pay the tuition fee for the course myself, I could count the course towards my professional development points and salary movement.

Nutshell version: most educator contracts include a provision for an automatic increase every year they teach provided they perform a minimal amount of self-financed professional development over a given time-frame. If an educator wants to see a larger increase, they must self-finance additional graduate-level coursework, and salary movement occurs when certain landmarks are reached.

Hope this helps.

[Birdzeye]

Are you trying to tell us they work 10 hours a day 7 days a week or is it 14 hours a day 5 days a week? The actual school day is how long - lunch.....6 hours? So we are suppose to believe they average an extra 8 hours of work to grade papers and lesson planning? Aren't the lessons basically the same year to year? Do they give tests every day? Please, teachers are in general some of the biggest professional whiners on the planet. I can look back with the knowledge of 53 years of life and tell you that I may have had 6 decent teachers in primary -high school and maybe 3 in college, most were awful at their jobs and some were certifiable loons.

What does it matter whether they work 10 hours a day 7 days a week or 14 hours a day 5 days a week? They work beyond the "6 hour" school day, and if you think lunch is a time for them to kick off their shoes and knit, think again. There's babysitting to do, of all their unruly students.

And you have heard of homework, haven't you? That's typically a daily routine, and they have to grade each and every homework assignment, something they can't do while they're teaching class, so they take it home and do it there. Think about this: if a teacher teaches six classes per day with 25 students in each class, and gives a homework assignment or test each day, that's 150 assignments/tests per day that the teacher has to grade. Piece o' cake, eh?

No wonder teachers are fed up; not only are they not paid well, despite being highly educated professionals, but you and your ilk treat them with contempt.

[Insein]

Well good for you. So do you have a master's degree (typical requirement for teacher certification) and does your job require you to continue "professional enhancement" training? These things cost money.

Do you also work 70+ hour weeks like teachers?

A master's isnt required by the districts. ITs required by the Unions to justify these ridiculous pay increases. If you fired every teacher today and then said tommorrow that open interviews would be held for a $40,000/ year job with benefits, watch the stampede of young teachers run to the door just to get in.

My girlfriend is a teacher in the Philly School district. She gets paid $39k to start. In the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsbury School district goes on strike nearly every year. Their average salary for their district is $65k. I ask her all the time, would you goto Pennsbury and Work for $40k/yr. She says an emphatic YES because its way better working conditions. Thousands of other young teachers agree.

These unions understand that there are plenty of young qualified teachers to fill these jobs. Thats why they establish these contracts to force districts to keep unqualified aging employees at high salaries and require new ones to meet ridiculous standards like having a Masters to teach grade school. There is NOTHING you learn in college at any level that can prepare you for what goes on in a classroom. Ask any teacher. They didnt learn a damn thing in school that they brought to the classroom. Its all about experience and adapting.

So why then are teachers required to have Masters degrees to teach any level of student? The only level that should require a masters is if you want to become a college proffessor which ironically is the lowest paid of the teaching profession. ITs all a scam and the unions dont give a fuck about people's property taxes going through the roof cause they are raking in the dough off of union dues from their overpaid teachers.

[Insein]

There are some loonys out there. I had this black woman in high school for English. She literally spent the year talking about white people and them holding blacks down. She also acredited just about every invention a white person made,to a balck person.

Some of them can be lazy as well.When I ask my son why he didn't ask the teacher for help when he doesn't understand his homework,he tells me he did ask for help,and the teacher got aggravated. This burns me up. When I was in school,the teachers literally walked around the room after giving an assignment and made sure each child understood what he or she was doing. I never saw one get aggravated.....at least they didn't show it.

With all that said,there are many good teachers out there. My daughter has an excellent kindergarden teach right now. The woman is amazing. Every week i'm very happy to see how much my daughter has picked up.

You also have to understand that while there are lazy teachers, kids are freaking liars. My girlfriend goes through hell for her kids. She spent nearly $2000 on them last year in supplies. She spends hours grading papers, helping them out, keeping them in line. Then when she thinks shes on good terms with a kid, she finds out from a parent that the kid tells them you dont give homework, or you yell at everyone, or you make fun of kids, or this or that. Kids are liars flat out. They always were. Its just that parents used to be more cynical of it then they are now.

[LiberalNation]

If they want a raise in pay they should have yer butt in class instead of posting on the net this time of day..maybe it's lunch time?
Nah I didn't go to school today. It was a half day and I had a doc appointment in the morning so mom sayed not to worry about going.

I only get to post during home room which is in the middle of the day after 3rd period and during a class if we are in one of the computer labs. Plus during lunch when the library is open but it hasn't been for the last two weeks.

[LiberalNation]

And you have heard of homework, haven't you? That's typically a daily routine, and they have to grade each and every homework assignment, something they can't do while they're teaching class, so they take it home and do it there.

my teachers don't you just get a check for completing it or a zero for not. Shit it takes months sometimes to get a test graded and back to you. Of course it all depends on the teacher, some I have are really good getting your stuff graded but some it takes forever or they don't give hardly any grades because they don't want to grade them. Also most teachers even have you trade papers grade your tests yourself.

[LiberalNation]

Kids are liars flat out.
True but some teachers are just crap. I have one teachers does nothing but scream at us all day and tell us what failures we are. Try to ask her a question and she'll bite your head off because she's busy and you're distracting her.

[LiberalNation]

Hope this helps.
Interesting, thanks for the info Cocky.

[krisy]

You also have to understand that while there are lazy teachers, kids are freaking liars. My girlfriend goes through hell for her kids. She spent nearly $2000 on them last year in supplies. She spends hours grading papers, helping them out, keeping them in line. Then when she thinks shes on good terms with a kid, she finds out from a parent that the kid tells them you dont give homework, or you yell at everyone, or you make fun of kids, or this or that. Kids are liars flat out. They always were. Its just that parents used to be more cynical of it then they are now.

Insein, Altho I do know that kids lie,the teacher in question in somewhat famous for this. I've talked to her on the phone and she was quite pleasant,and seemed to have his best interests at heart. I've heard that in the classroom,she can be a real pain in the but. This is something in particular that my son would have no reason to lie about. He has admitted before when he didn't ask for help. It's not something he will get in trouble for or something. SHe is retiring this year after 30 years of teaching. I applaud her. I just don't think a teacher should ever act annoyed when a student needs help. That is the whole point of their job. I will give her this tho......some of the kids in that school are absolutely horrible. Some of the stories I have heard from my son and neighborhood kids. I gotta give the teachers credit for putting up with that.

[LiberalNation]

Of course they're pleasant to adults. I swear I think some people become teachers so they can have "power" over others and treat people like crap without consequence. Many teachers do treat kids like crap because they know there’s nothing the kid can do about it. We have no power unless we get our parents involved which you have to do to get anything done because the admin just ignore the students or threaten them. If an adult in the workplace treated is fellow employees the way some treat kids they would be fired.

Even good teachers do it because they get treated like crap by "some" kids and take it out on all of us.

[Abbey Marie]

The teachers I know spend a good part of that summer "vacation" on the professional enhancement required to keep their teachers' certifications, and their weekends on -- grading papers and lesson plans.

And don't ever tell a teacher you don't believe he/she works 70+ hours/week. You might not like the response you get.

Our district closes the schools at least one day each month to give teachers professional training. Where is the hardship there?

Anytime I see a discussion of teachers' salaries, I wish someone would calculate what that salary really is, since it is for 9 months' work, not the 12 months the rest of us work for our annual salary. Then we can start to compare salaries.

[Abbey Marie]

my teachers don't you just get a check for completing it or a zero for not. Shit it takes months sometimes to get a test graded and back to you. Of course it all depends on the teacher, some I have are really good getting your stuff graded but some it takes forever or they don't give hardly any grades because they don't want to grade them. Also most teachers even have you trade papers grade your tests yourself.

My daughter talks about kids trading and grading each other's papers too. I wonder if this a growing trend.

[LiberalNation]

My daughter talks about kids trading and grading each other's papers too. I wonder if this a growing trend.
Might be, I don't mind. Students grading sometimes help you out and it's not like they go back and check them.

[KitchenKitten99]

does your job require you to continue "professional enhancement" training? These things cost money.

Do you also work 70+ hour weeks like teachers? I do in-home daycare, and the hours I work every day from 7am to 6pm WITH kids, and about an hour or two later cleaning up and setting up for the next day, and to keep my license, the county (state, really) does require me to do the following: CPR infant & toddler, which is about 12 hours, and about $60, Minimum 12 hours training in child development, that I have to pay for, and that averages $150-200 total depending on the class subjects. I have to have a separate homeowner's clause in my policy that runs about $400 a year for a $1m umbrella, My license itself costs $275/year, and my home has to be inspected annually by my county licensor. Personally, I think I am held to a higher standard than actual teachers. And even though what I do doesn't require a master's degree, but I could easily teach any subject related to history, finance & money management, business management, art & crafts, health & nutrition, sex education (see 'announcements' section for my post-if you're 18), driver's education, cooking & culinary arts, basic landscape and horticulture, and basic DIY home repairs. I could easily teach these things because I have personal experience in them, much more so than many teachers, even with a master's degree. Honestly, I would rather someone who actually has a 'been there, done that' under their belt teach me than a piece of paper that says they sat through classes and wrote papers on things they read out of books or just quote others who have actually done the field studies.

If they can't adjust their lifestyle to fit their income, then they need to start looking for a job that pays they think they deserve.

Oh wait, that would require work...

[Abbey Marie]

Might be, I don't mind. Students grading sometimes help you out and it's not like they go back and check them.

It's ok with me, except when she has to write about something personal, like, "The day my mother went off the deep end", or "I found out what mom & dad are doing in the bedroom", and some other kid gets to read it.
:coffee:

[Mr. P]

My daughter talks about kids trading and grading each other's papers too. I wonder if this a growing trend.

That has been going on along time down here.

[Insein]

True but some teachers are just crap. I have one teachers does nothing but scream at us all day and tell us what failures we are. Try to ask her a question and she'll bite your head off because she's busy and you're distracting her.

True. But what also happens is that my GF's kids hate her cause she actually tries to teach them. The waste teacher that shes teamed with lets them do whatever they want so they like her but they lie to their parents and say my GF is terrible because she yells at them when they are bad and makes them do work. Dear god imagine that, lol.

[KitchenKitten99]

That has been going on along time down here.

I did it in school. I hated grading the papers of other kids. Only because I felt my grades were not the business of anyone else. Especially if I didn't do well on a test, it was just one more thing to give one of the mean girls ammo to tease and harass me about.