Are teachers raising our children? Are teachers under paid and over worked? read details.. I am not a teacher!

Question

After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching
prospect
>said,
>Let me see if I've got this right:
>
>You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their
>disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their
dress
>habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for
>learning.
>
>You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs
and
>sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem
and
>personal pride.
>
>You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship,
sportsmanship
>and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and
apply
>for a job.
>
>You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of
antisocial
>behavior, and make sure that they all pass the state exams.
>
>You want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of
their
>handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents by letter,
>telephone, newsletter, and report card.
>
>You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a
bulletin
>board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies
me
>for food stamps.
>
>You want me to do all this and then you tell me
>...........................I CAN'T PRAY ?

Answer 1

As for prayer I prayed when I was in school I just did it in silence, but I think they should let the kids pray. With the number of single parents raising kids these days the schools do seem to raise the kids and the schools teach the kids their set of values as a result. I think teachers union should be taken away. Think about it, it is the only white collar job with a blue collar union. Strikes disrupt kids lives and teachers only work 9 months in a year. In PA for example the teachers are the highest paid but the kids are ranked like 47 out of 50 states on test results and grades. This proves that it is not money that makes the grade. We need good teachers which the jobs are hard to get unless you know somebody or you have to move to California ,New York, and Florida where the schools are more violent. They can't get teachers in those schools. Tenure is a joke, not one teacher in the US has every been let go after there 3 year probation period; once a teacher gets tenure it is almost impossibe to fire them no matter what they do, and if they do something to get fired it usually takes years of paid leave before there let go. Teaching is one of the most graduated courses in colleges and there are a lot of good teachers that are not getting hired because of the union. I think my job is more stressful than a teachers and I make less than a teacher, so I don't want to hear them complain no longer. Police are the ones that should be complaining. People hate cops and they make way less than teachers, oh and they get shot at. Oh and I love teachers I just think the system needs changed and I don't think teachers are underpaid overall maybe in some areas; I don't like how certain districts are neglected. The average teacher salary in the U.S. is $47,000.00 a year. A way for the salary to go up is if more kids in the US got better grades that would make a better workforce that makes more money and everybody knows that the teachers salaries are based on the wealth of the area so teachers get what they teach. In PA for example 77% of all homes taken away from people for not being able to pay their property taxes are from the retired community that have their homes payed off. Maybe the teachers union should go on strike for those poor retired people that can't pay those high property taxes on homes that are paid off and sometimes built by those peoples own hands.

Answer 2

As a teacher, I can tell you that is only the tip of the iceberg. What many people don't realize is there is NO THREE MONTHS off... it's more like 7 weeks where we are expected to attend summer workshops or teach summer school or tutor. Also, forget going home at 3:30.... it's more like 6:00 or 7:00. In the business world, if you do an outstanding job, you get a bonus. A teacher gets a complimentary sweet roll. But still, we're here... in spite of the ridicule... because we make a difference. And we know it, and so do the kiddos. We're the only parents some of them have.

Answer 3

HI I think that children should be taught in the home but our economy just does not allow a parent to stay home and train our own children, the outside world does not have an affection for our kids as we do and leaving it up to a teacher who probably hates their job or is sick of their job is wrong. Yes they are under paid and too many kids per class room but God expected parents to raise their own kids and not to leave it up to some one else. it is part of our God given parental responsibility but the world doesn't allow for us to perform our duty to our family. So we are left we government regulations on how our children should be educated but something that parents do not know is that we have more control than they would let us know. Each school is budgeted with about 10 to 20 thousand per studend a year and you can petition the school board for this funding allotted to your child and put them where you want such as a private institution, it takes some work but can be done and you'd have more of a say in the education of your child. some public schools are just not fit for some children and exceptions can be made, not all kids fit in the same nut shell.

Answer 4

Absolutely. Our teachers are way underpaid, and parents are way neglectful of things they should be teaching at home, they consider thier busy lives to have precedence, and the teacher is supposed to straighten all out. On top of what she is supposed to do, I can't tell you how many times I saw the teacher I knew growing up doing things like brushing out a little girl's hair when her mother sent her to school that way, or buying a little boy lunch because the parents didn't send any, and didn't send him with lunch money either, not to mention all the times she has to console a student who is having a problem or something, teachers do alot of things that go way beyond the call of duty. But she can pray, just can't make her students pray the same way as she does, but there is no reason why she can't do so to herself, when she gets a little quiet time during the day, like at lunch or between classes or whatever, she just can't tell others how or when to, nor should she, that is one thing that really must be attended to by the parents if they want thier children to share thier values. One thing I consider a hoot, is the number of people who assume that if organized prayer led by the teacher were allowed in school, it would be a Christian prayer. What would you do if your child's teacher were Jewish, or Buddhist, or Pagan, would you still be so eager to have the teacher teach your kid how to pray? If you wouldn't want it done to you, why do you think it should be done to other people's children, when they might not view things the same way? The golden rule applies here, and it's a good one to follow, and you should be taking care of your child's spiritual education any way. Or they will come to me and start asking me questions about Pagan religions. And then I tell them to come back when they turn 18, until then they should listen to thier parents and allow them to guide thier spiritual education.
One thing that is a big shame, is it pays alot better to be a stripper, than to be someone our future is handed to every day, to shape them, teach them, protect them, and whatever else a teacher does all day. Strippers just further the exploitation of women in the world. Something really wrong there, when we put such a low price tag on something so valuable as a teacher.

Answer 5

I am a Christian, but do indeed believe in separation of Church and State. I am also a teacher. I can certainly teach Judao/ Christian principles without mention of any one dogma or scripture. This is fine to me.

My biggest challenge outside of the classroom is getting friends, family, and well... STRANGERS to understand the stress of my career, the importance of it to society and the highest level of professionalism and education required to maintain my job.

I cannot tell you how many times I have had to respond to the ignorant comment, "Yeah, but you get summers off!" People forget that teachers DONT GET PAID FOR THE TWO MONTHS "OFF" IN THE SUMMER! They also don't realize just how hard teachers often work during those summer months: continuing their own professional development (paid for out their own pockets), revamping curriculum, organizing classrooms and planning for the upcoming school year.

Yes the pay is extremely low. I'll be able to retire when I'm 104! I often deny myself many of life's necessities to continue this career that I do love. The spiritual rewards indeed outweigh the monetary ones. But let me tell you, it ISN'T easy. If it was, everyone would be doing it.

What a great day it will be when we as a society begin to honor our teachers, and place less emphasis on pointless wars, professional sports teams, and selfish wealth.

Answer 6

That's what happens when your economy is so bad that both parents are working 2 jobs, sometimes more. Just keep plugging along and try to make a difference in these kids' lives that they probably are lacking at home.

Answer 7

the food stamps part is exaggerated, but yeah, pretty much. (although all the teachers and school employees share the load of these responsibilities)
but it's not like they don't know that before becoming teachers. they do it because they love it, and love making a difference in children's lives--that is their payment. for most, that is enough. (it wasn't for me, i didn't have the patience! but most teachers are darn near saintly!)

Answer 8

I definately think our teachers today are not getting the fairest pay they deserve, you have a very good point! They teach our children what they need to know to grow and become great smart adults. they are our future and the source of their education are people who dont get what they deserve.

Answer 9

I am a teacher and prayer is the only way we get through the day.

Answer 10

yes, yes, and yes. and educational assistants have it worse. they get all the difficult kids, have very little support, and are paid much, much less than teachers are. and teachers can pray in school, just like everybody else can. they simply must do it silently and by themselves.