education for the better or worse?

[reasonfreedom]

www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-04/states-luring-veteran-professors-to-retire-as-budget-cuts-loom.html

Reading this article I believe it is necessary for them to cut eventually. Now I see why my brother quit his teaching career( first time I have seen him quit anything in his life). He wasn't looking for the money that came with the field, he had an actual passion to teach the youth. He said that as a new teacher that was wanting to give the children the best educational experience he felt like he was working 2 jobs and getting burned out only to be limited on the most effective ways to teach. Most of the experienced teachers said they would not be able to handle his work load at that early stage of their career. My brother said even though he was being enthusiastic about his workload, that it was not much different from other new teachers.

With the constant rise in the cost of living, I am glad that teaching was not my passion and yet sad for those whom it is. I can't speak for all, but my food cost, rent and taxes(utility mainly and some sales) had increased the past 2 years. My company hasn't handed out any raises the last 2 years. The funny thing is they had record profit quarters and they gave the excuse that it was because the economy was so bad. I just wonder how the elementary or high school teachers are going to afford making special projects for their students(which they have to pay for by the way), if they will barely be able to live. It the professors are going to start out around 55k, the teachers in the lower academic school must be getting scraps.

[moneywhisperer]

In our HCOLA the new teachers start at about $36K salary (ouch). It kills me that this is DD#2's passion. She has to do 3/4 of her Masters to teach in high school here, so it is about $120K for the 6 years of schooling. Ouch-Ouch-Ouch

I went to work for $s and while it has is benefits I spend far too much time at work for something I'm not passionate about. So I swung the pendulum the other way for the kids (maybe too far) and insisted that they study and plan careers in fields they will be fulfilled by.

Ah well, maybe before she finishes the graduate degree they'll realize that a masters may be overkill for a teacher . . . since they'll never pay them competitive wage!

[Deleted]

I see both sides of the issue

There are GREAT teachers out there...who need to be fairly compensated for educating and motivating our children

Then there are the ROAD teachers...(retired on active duty) just pulling down the check, and not giving a damn about any of the kids

We need to pay the good ones...and be able to eliminate the bad ones. And this is ONE area where i dont mind my taxes going up to get it done.

As the saying goes..." a young mind is a terrible thing to waste"

We need to educate our youth as they WILL be our future

[wyouser]

are there any numbers anywhere as to the number of qualified teachers that have been lost due to the salary issue? Around here a married teacher with 2-3 kids will qualify for food stamps.

[reasonfreedom]

Jan 4, 2011 18:13:23 GMT -5 wyouser said:

are there any numbers anywhere as to the number of qualified teachers that have been lost due to the salary issue? Around here a married teacher with 2-3 kids will qualify for food stamps.

Wow, I live in western South Carolina and know plenty of waitresses/distribution workers that are single mothers with 1 child that can't get food stamps. What state you live in? Maybe I will tell them to move there