Originally posted by: joshsquall
Originally posted by: RaistlinZ
You're thinking that they work from 8am-3pm and that's it. Wrong. They put in hours outside of the classroom everyday getting ready for the next days lessons. Not to mention grading tests, reports, quizzes, etc once they get home.
And I doubt most teachers sit on their assess all summer either. They're probably either teaching a summer course or two, or taking classes and refresher courses themselves. Considering the hours they put in outside of the classroom and the amount of crap they have to put up with, $42,000/yr is nothing IMO.
I don't think you know many teachers very well, or you know pretty inefficient teachers. After 1-2 years, a majority of teachers have their lesson plans created which they will use for the next 10-15 years (obviously this can vary based on the volatility of subject matter and social trends). Most teachers also do not spend hours every night at home grading assignments. Most schools have teachers actually teaching during 50-80% of the day. During the time that students aren't being directly taught or supervised (ex. during in class written assignments, films, resource classes, lunch, planning period, study hall, etc.), most teachers get their grading done. My SO and her mother are both special ed teachers, one of the most demanding specialties in terms of individualized lesson plans and IUPs, and they rarely have work to bring home. I, on the other hand, as a developer work until 7pm each evening and routinely put in 12 hour days when preparing for a deadline.
A majority of teachers don't sit on their asses all summer. They clean, garden, play with their kids, etc. If they do choose to teach a summer course or two, they are being paid for it. I go to technical training several times a year - I think teachers can handle their continuing education courses.
$42K a year at 7 hours a day for 9 months of the year is equal to around $32 an hour. I feel so horrible for teachers.