By Jessie

May 11, 2006 4:51 PM | Link to this

I am one of those “used-to-be” teachers who got out after 4 years of hating what I was doing. I graduated with a music ed degree a came to Dayton ready to take on the world. Well, that changed quite rapidly seeing as not once during my college career was I taught how to deal with kids with no self-control, parents who do not make their children take responsibility for their actions (and parents who don’t take responsibility for their own actions), administrators who could care less about real issues within their schools… I could go on and on. The problem for me wasn’t the money (I think we would all like to be making more than we do no matter what our profession) - it was the lack of support, from both parents and administrators. I loved the kids I taught and loved teaching them but everything else that went on was so incredibly frustrating! I couldn’t find time in the day to teach everything that the state wanted me to teach, while at the same time making sure the kids weren’t killing each other, calling parents telling them their kid tried to kill the other kid, having that parent call me a liar, take the kid to the principal, to only have the principal make the kid sit in a chair for 10 minutes and then return to the classroom where, once again, he tried to kill yet another kid. I was exhausted by the end of the day from nothing that had to do with teaching! And don’t even get me started on the multitude of proficieny tests!!!! Teachers today are not only attempting to teach kids state mandated material but also what the kids parents should have taught them from birth. Trust me when I say that I have seen my share of inept teachers but for the most part, teachers are giving it their all - parents, it’s time to step up and take some responsibility for YOUR kids!!

By Karen

May 10, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this

Maybe people don’t stay in teaching because of the 23 minute lunches and inability to take a bathroom break when one would like to because one has responsibility for 25 other people who are capable of hurting themselves and each other in the blink of an eye…There are many jobs that have much greater stressors than these, but maybe it’s not always the money that makes people leave. (Though I do believe that teachers are woefully underpaid given what they are tasked to do.)

By Oldprof

May 10, 2006 11:31 AM | Link to this

If the problem is “how to get more new teachers to stick with the profession” then Dave, answer #1 is “more money”. Also answers 2-5. Now, if the question is “how to improve teacher quality” then your point about initial screening is well taken—and true for just about every service profession today, unfortunately.

By Mary

May 10, 2006 8:53 AM | Link to this

Old prof, I actually agree with some of your observations, particularly about administrative overhead while classroom sizes in schools and colleges mushroom. The professor who wrote “Beer and Circus” blames some of it on big time sports, and that is apparently where a lot of education money goes. I graduated high school almost 40 years ago also, so I guess that makes me “old Mary” if your are “old prof”.

By Dave

May 9, 2006 10:44 PM | Link to this

Oldprof, I’m afraid I must disagree with you — somewhat. More money is part of the answer, but it’s not THE answer. Some folks who go into teaching should never have been there to begin with. Some teachers don’t have the classroom tools to survive in teaching. Some experienced teachers burn out and need a change. And the best thing the legislature could do is get out of the way and let the teachers teach!

By Oldprof

May 9, 2006 8:55 PM | Link to this

The answer is more money for teachers. Where will it come from? Let’s compare: about 40 years ago I graduated from a high school in a community of 20,000. We had one superintendent, one principal per school, one secretary per school (2 in high school); in my sophomore year they had to appoint a FT “Title II administrator” and in my senior year the HS got an assistant principle. Compare that to any similar community today: they’ll have superintendent, 3 asst. superintendents, three grants writers, several title admins., five or six curriculum leaders, an “athletic director” who does little to ward off the obesity epidemic, and a public relations officer. Let’s compare another: back then, as a student in a community college of 1500 FTE enrollment, we had one president who had a secretary, one secretary who did student affairs and financial aid, and a small registration office led by a “director.” Now, a similar CC will have president, 4 or 5 VPs, several deans, a financial aid department of 5 or 6, a similar sized student affairs office. See where the money’s going??? Conclusion: we certainly need good administrators who can observe, assess, guide and discipline faculty. We do NOT need administrators to generate programs and reports that aren’t proven to improve learning. And finally, we need legislators who do THEIR jobs, which is to set tax rates so that needed public services (including fire, police, health) are properly funded.

By Mary

May 9, 2006 1:38 PM | Link to this

Rightly or wrongly, correctly or incorrectly, I get the impression salary dollars are shifted heavily toward those with longevity. The beginning teachers are possibly underpaid and then the public is mislead that all teachers are underpaid. Correct me if I am wrong. I think the media could do a better job of investigating and presenting the real pay issues and circumstances for teachers. My impression is there might be a pay distribution problem. The public seems to invest very generously in pay and benefits for teachers overall. I think the public is being misinformed and spun on the pay situation. One study mentioned in USA Today maybe about 3 years ago pointed out teachers are averaging hourly pay equal to or better than engineers and accountants. I think the study was done by a profesor of economics at a university in Missouri or somewhere else in the middle of the country.

By carrie

May 9, 2006 1:07 PM | Link to this

Teachers are unable to make it for the same reason many of us are struggling: the rising cost of a 4 year degree. The average graduate enters the workforce with $20,000 in debt. Many of us owe much more than that. If we are fortunate enough to even find a job, the entry level jobs we go into don’t pay us enough to cover our loan payments plus the cost of living. Many people find they make more money waitressing full time than actually using their degree.