Why would anyone want to be a teacher?

[Riprorin]

I'm not sure how representative this forum is of today's kids, but if it is why would anyone want to go into the teaching profession?

Would you want to spend you career dealing with a bunch of disrespectful, spoiled brats?

Hopefully, this forum isn't a representative sampling. It's probably mostly just a bunch of little pimply faced geeks with well-to-do parents who shell out $40 a month for DSL or a cable connection and buy them the latest and greatest hardware.

If you don't believe me, check out this thread: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=38&threadid=702663

 

[StinkyMeat]

First of all you have the wrong idea about anandtech-ers...
Second of all, teaching is a very rewarding profession. I might go into it myself....
There is a huge need for teachers these days because of folks like you who see no point in it. Teaching is one of the most important jobs out there right now.

 

[ImTyping]

This forum is full of spoiled, disrespectfull adults. Don't you forget it, you rat-bastard, or I will go out and throw a fit in my Porsche!

 

[bigdog1218]

i know the teachers at my high school loved it, they worked 180 days, starting salary was about 55,000, with most teachers getting around 70,000

 

[Tripleshot]

It's the definition of a labor of love. A well respected profession.

And this forum is a representitive sampling of a wide and diverse range of people who have different moral,ethical,poilitcal,relegous, ethnic,cultural backgorunds, and have the relative freedom to express their views based on their life experinces. WE applaud that.

You even get to get flamed here for being a real tard. Isn't that nice?

 

[McPhreak]

Well, there's 2 ways you can look at it.

1) Why go into the profession when the kids are just a bunch of spoiled brats.

2) Why not go into the profession where you can actually make a difference in converting that bunch of spoiled brats into productive kids.

In other words, there are those who tend to distance themselves from adversity and not deal with it, and those who recognize that it's there and are willing to spend their lives fighting it. My guess is, you would probably be in the first category.

 

[yakko]

My question is why would anyone want to work at all?

 

[Ornery]

You said it, bigdog. And the teachers here in Ohio and many other states don't have to pay into our wretched Social Security system either! Isn't that special? :frown:

 

[John]

<< My question is why would anyone want to work at all? >>



So I can support my hobbies.

 

[WageSlave]

my wife has been a teacher for 2 years... she wont make 55,000$ until its almost time for her to retire... there are only a few places in the country that pay that high, and in most, if not all, the cost of living is so high, that it negates the high salary.... many people have esrious misconceptions about a teachers life. It is RARELY financially rewarding, and for the most part you are not appreciated but the kids, or their parents. There are some really great moments, but teachers put up with a lot of crap. And the huge summer vacationthinkg is a myth.. most teachers have to spend it working another job, in order to pay for the required graduate classes the state forces them to take (not saying that is bad) but they get little if no financial assitance for them.

 

[Vincent]

Teaching can be rewarding. It's a great feeling when you're able to see students learn.

 

[WageSlave]

and I would like to know where public school teachers make 70,000$? I am almost postivie you are wrong. that is the EXTREME rarity and highend for a school district to pay.

 

[McPhreak]

<< my wife has been a teacher for 2 years... she wont make 55,000$ until its almost time for her to retire... there are only a few places in the country that pay that high, and in most, if not all, the cost of living is so high, that it negates the high salary.... many people have esrious misconceptions about a teachers life. It is RARELY financially rewarding, and for the most part you are not appreciated but the kids, or their parents. There are some really great moments, but teachers put up with a lot of crap. And the huge summer vacationthinkg is a myth.. most teachers have to spend it working another job, in order to pay for the required graduate classes the state forces them to take (not saying that is bad) but they get little if no financial assitance for them. >>



I have to agree with WageSlave. I don't know where your teachers are working, but I actually asked my teacher what she made a few years back when I was in high school and she said something on the order of 25-30k and this is in the Bay Area where property is astronomically expensive. Most end up having to live in Santa Cruz and commute to school.

 

[McPhreak]

<< and I would like to know where public school teachers make 70,000$? I am almost postivie you are wrong. that is the EXTREME rarity and highend for a school district to pay. >>



Maybe a private school thing? I don't know. Most Public University Professors don't even make that much.

 

[Riprorin]

<< In other words, there are those who tend to distance themselves from adversity and not deal with it, and those who recognize that it's there and are willing to spend their lives fighting it. My guess is, you would probably be in the first category. >>



I'm dealing with it by supporting my local public school with my tax dollars and spending my hard earned money to send my kids to catholic school. It's expensive but it's worth it to keep them away from the idiots in the public school system and to have them in a disclipined, loving enviroment which reinforces the values we teach at home.

By the way, I applaud anyone who goes into teaching. I particulary applaud the teachers in catholic schools who are especially poorly paid. For them, it's likely truly a labor of love, although it is a lot better environment than the public schools so that's probably an attraction for some.

 

[McPhreak]

<<

<< In other words, there are those who tend to distance themselves from adversity and not deal with it, and those who recognize that it's there and are willing to spend their lives fighting it. My guess is, you would probably be in the first category. >>



I'm dealing with it by supporting my local public school with my tax dollars and spending my hard earned money to send my kids to catholic school. It's expensive but it's worth it to keep them away from the idiots in the public school system and to have them in a disclipined, loving enviroment which reinforces the values we teach at home.

By the way, I applaud anyone who goes into teaching. I particulary applaud the teachers in catholic schools who are particularly poorly paid. For them, it's likely truly a labor of love, although it is a lot better environment than the public schools so that's probably an attraction for some. >>



Hmmm...interesting view to say the least.

 

[Hoeboy]

Well I decided to ditch Civil Engineering and become an elementary school teacher. C/E pays more and you don't have to deal with "spoiled brats" but why did I decide to teach? Because your love of seeing kids learn and knowing you played a contributing part in their life outweighs ANY other negative aspects of teaching.

I don't blame you for asking such an ignorant question because obviously only those who want to become teachers know what I'm talking about.

 

[toph99]

because it can be a fun job. If the teacher treats the students as equals instead of as a superior, they will be liked and respected. Those are the easiest teachers to get along with, and the ones who's classes you want to do well in so that you don't lose your respect for them. If you come down hard on the kids, they will not like you, and do everything possible to make you dread having to teach that class. Most kids aren't as spoild and rotten as you percieve them to be, their attitude towards the teachers all depends on how the teachers treat them. Of course their are exceptions, but you also have to deal with idiots and morons no matter what field of work you go into.

 

[Riprorin]

<< I don't blame you for asking such an ignorant question because obviously only those who want to become teachers know what I'm talking about. >>



It was rhetorical question. As I've said, I applaud people that go into the profession. It's just too bad that teachers have to deal with disresptful kids and parents that don't back them up.

It's probably why a lot of top notch people aren't attracted to the field.

That's a pity for everyone.

 

[foolanger]

without teachers how would you be where you are today??

 

[Ornery]

The average teacher's salary across the United States in 1998 was $40,582.00. About $28.00 per hour plus benefits and fancy retirement, because the Social Security program isn't good enough for them, apparently.

My dad retired from teaching, so I know how much time had to go into lesson planning etc. They don't have a class full of kids for each of the 8 hours at school, if they're even at school 8 hours, so that time can be used as they choose for planning or grading etc..

 

[Zenmervolt]

<< The average teacher's salary across the United States in 1998 was $40,582.00. About $28.00 per hour plus benefits and fancy retirement, because the Social Security program isn't good enough for them, apparently.

My dad retired from teaching, so I know how much time had to go into lesson planning etc. They don't have a class full of kids for each of the 8 hours at school, if they're even at school 8 hours, so that time can be used as they choose for planning or grading etc.. >>

Your father is luckier than my mother then. She's an elementary teacher and she gets to work at about 7am and leaves at about 5pm. There are numerous days when she's not home until 7pm. She comes home with wonderful stories about having to deal with her union, how the administrators have no idea about actual teaching, and how parents today don't give a damn how their children behave. I think that the teachers' retirement program has to do with the fact that they are state employees and therefore technically civil servants, but I'm not sure.

ZV

 

[ohtwell]

I am studying to be a teacher right now. I want to be a 2nd or 3rd grade teacher.

I love children.

 

[bugsysiegel]

I would like to get into teaching to enjoy summer vacations again.

 

[johnjohn320]

Ouch, Ripirion. If you wanted to complain about today's youth, you could find much better examples than myself. But whatever, I won't merge the two threads...

By the way, as long as we're talking about youth...you might want to go back to English class. Hopefully they probably aren't an accurate representation???