What a way to feel valued as a teacher...

[PepsNick]

I don't know if I can give you advice but this is so horrible and I appreciate all that you and other teachers do- you all are amazing.

All I can say is that it will get better, no matter what.

 

[michickenwrangler]

soap&eggs :

I.M.O. my sister is a special needs child teacher in wi...for many years led mom dad..me..other family members.. to believe she has not had raise since 1993..& pays own health insurence. i believed her. originally i listened & took pity..support my sister who was a underpaid teacher..you bet ! i even voted for gov. walker....i made a big mistake in saying.." all over paid govt workers "...Bam !!! i got lextured & same quotes ive seen written on here when others dared to make their opinion known..if you never did the job you shouldnt comment unless you know what you are talking about,ect ect..i was told same things..also alot more nasty stuff..next day i did what i have never considered doing..checked on line for teachers wages for her school....talk about being shocked !!! most factory workers in area make approx $30,000 - $50,000 pay own insur ...her salary wages are over $85,000..plus free pention,plus she pays less then $5. a month for health insur.....plus any other benifits given..granted her job is tough & long hours..but so is mine..nurses aides, farmers..babycare workers..ect ect ect..for many yrs when my kids were younger i worked 3 jobs..at once..2 were farm work which did not even have to pay you minum wage and i worked groc store 38 hrs a week...husband had fact job...what blows my mind is the lies she told family..about her low wages..i paid her health insur for family ..i couldnt afford our own .i just found out also from another sister..my teacher sisters husband..makes $350. an hour for his profession....i have never complained of much in life..this is the life i chose..but for her and many others who are getting that pay from us..shame on them..if you are a professional with contracts for us small little no bodies paying your insur & pens. you are called a teacher or govt worker..if you need a helping hand in tough times..its called welfare & called lazy...yep it pays to go to college so others will pay your life stlye..

Please use paragraphs. It makes rants much easier to read.

In Michigan, UAW factory line workers for decades have been making far more than teachers or professors and the UAW workers have much better benefit packages. These UAW employees until recently did not have to even have a high school diploma and made $50,000+ with excellent benefits, paid vacations & sick times, 2 weeks off every summer for retooling, double and triple time pay, vehicle discounts, and on and on.

Are you sure you looked at the right column for the pay scale? Long term teachers with masters degrees or doctorates certainly make excellent money but it takes a long time and a lot of money in continuing education to get there. Only a few teachers in our district make anywhere close to that and they have been there almost 30 years, are certified to teach multiple subjects and have masters degrees.

Also because of the budget issues in many districts, teachers pay a lot of out of pocket costs for classroom supplies and materials.​

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Quote:
No colitis! Noooo! Tonite I hope to watch this online, it just got released: http://www.amazon.com/Waiting-for-Superman/dp/B004JRH8NW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1298163144&sr=1-1

Maybe watch it with me? I know colitis is part of stress, but feeling in control of your future can relieve the stress, and "misery loves company" can be soothing, to feel less alone in your struggle. The nation is aware of our education crisis, and people are beginning to step up and help. This documentary includes the former Washington DC chancellor of education Michelle Rhee, who is on an inspirational quest to fix it.

I've been panicking myself, and wanted to go out to watch this movie for months! But the care of our special kids has taken its toll on our ability to get out to see a movie. Tonight, we will try.

 

[soap&eggs]

Quote:
Please use paragraphs. It makes rants much easier to read.

In Michigan, UAW factory line workers for decades have been making far more than teachers or professors and the UAW workers have much better benefit packages. These UAW employees until recently did not have to even have a high school diploma and made $50,000+ with excellent benefits, paid vacations & sick times, 2 weeks off every summer for retooling, double and triple time pay, vehicle discounts, and on and on.

Are you sure you looked at the right column for the pay scale? Long term teachers with masters degrees or doctorates certainly make excellent money but it takes a long time and a lot of money in continuing education to get there. Only a few teachers in our district make anywhere close to that and they have been there almost 30 years, are certified to teach multiple subjects and have masters degrees.

Also because of the budget issues in many districts, teachers pay a lot of out of pocket costs for classroom supplies and materials.

Yes i am sure i read correct column for her level. sorry for rambling rants...try typing off small phone..will see how easy it isnt for complete ,proper sentences when you hhave to push each key several times..

 

[soap&eggs]

there is a difference of factory labors pay & benifits compareed to teachers..wi. teachers are union. their pay comes from tax payers..not private businesses as factory workers...even some of jobs require you to pay for suppies..tools of job..which is same as continuing education for teachers.. both are able to use as tax write off are they not?

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
Propaganda garbage...

What is the agenda? To close public schools and only have private schools?
Sure some teachers get paid more than they are worth, surely some administrators get paid to high... but that is simply not true. I have family members, and acquaintances that teach in the state, some that teach in Milwaukee..... They make no where near that......

They work 6 days a week. (For those of you that do not know it. Class time is only part of the job, preparing for class takes great effort and time...)
Sure their benefits could use a bit of a trim like most of the rest of us have hard times these days..


Mahonri, get a better source...

You lived there, did you not know any teachers? Did they make 100K?

 

[maizey]

Quote:


If the teachers suffer, the kids will suffer,society suffers. I'd like to see schools proceed as normal when they cut as many jobs as they threaten to. It won't be school anymore, it will be a holding tank. Learning will NOT happen. They might as well just shut the doors and go home. Good luck home schooling, that's the only way kids will be learning if these cuts happen.

 

[WyandotteTX]

Fruit....back to your original post.
I dont have a problem with cutting extracurricular activities to a certain degree but not just athletics...all of them. Athletics included, I think alot of these programs have gone overboard with the amount of money and time and school resources alotted to them. Texas High School Football is a BIG business and lots of people and organizations make millions of dollars from it with taxpayers footing the bill for staff and facilities.....it is such an ingrained part of Texas culture it will be hard to change but even that may be supremely effected.
Also, unfortunately, I am having the same colitis issue as you are. Except mine started after Thanksgiving in the playoffs and isnt going away with all of this other stress piled on......

 

[babylady4]

THIS is what ticks me off with the Union argeements.....

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/021111aaa.html

You want to save money in your budgets? Eliminate just Football from the sports programs and run Pop-Warner football instead. Save on insurance, uniforms, equipment, bussing the kids everyplace...... let the parents of the kids who want to be in football pay for it.

I am living throught his mess in WI and it is terrible. The Senators should be re-called, arrested and thrown in jail; the teachers should be fired and the doctors writing them medical excuses should have their licenses pulled. My kids have different subs every day, students having walk-outs; thankfully none of my kids schools have closed. If they did I would be sending the district a bill for lost wages and babysitting fees for having to stay at home with my kids! All they are teaching our kids is that if youthrough a big enough hissy fit you might just get your way, and if you don't want to do something just run away and that will fix your problems.

Nobody has come up with any kind of alternative plan on dealing with the budget mess; it is all take take take and no give. Frankly I am tired of the state employees 'having their cake and eating it too'. EVERYONE has been hit in the wallet and we cannot keep supporting those who do not contribute. If this does not go through the next step is layoffs; so which is better? A job with a reduced salary by a hundred or so a month or no job at all?????

 

[FruitChicken]

I took a break from writing a test and checked back here, and I'm disturbed by a trend I am seeing...

I originally asked what I should consider doing since it looked like I might be losing my job. I also expressed some hurt at this and some mild outrage about things that were being cut and not cut. However, it turned into a "bash teachers" vs. "martyr teachers" discussion with a lot of folks.

I am not complaining about the job I chose in the slightest. I am VERY grateful for the job I have. I live well on my salary. It allows me to be a homeowner of a small house without depending on someone else. The hours are structured for me. I took a free health plan with a very high deductible to keep costs low. I ENJOY the job. I love my coworkers, I love most of my students, and I want them to succeed, hence the frustration I expressed in some previous posts.

However -- I am seeing tons of animosity here -- lying siblings, bad fiscal years at the farm, outsourcing, bad experiences with educators, implications that I "deserve" to lose my job because kids are performing poorly in science, factory workers' wages, union controversy, overinflation of teacher's salaries, martyrdom of teachers, etc.

Look back at what I originally posted -- I was asking for advice on how to prepare for the worst. I was hoping to hear from people in regards to self-sufficiency (considering this is an agricultural board), ways of cutting budgets, and their own experiences with losing a job and having to move, or changes to alternate career paths.

I am really sorry a lot of you have had bad experiences. I've had bad ones too, which is why I was homeschooled and which is also why I will homeschool my own kids one day to be honest. But please, I just need to hear how you got through unemployment, sudden moves, changes in budget, etc. Please?