I went broke teaching your kids...

[Chocolate Lover]

Oct 16, 2015 10:16:57 GMT -5 mojothehelpermonkey said:

Oct 16, 2015 9:58:02 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

That's only what you'll get in a HCOLA, you don't make that much cutting meat where I live. Still better than average but not that much. And she left out the worst thing about being a meat cutter, working in a refrigerator all day.

I know what that is like from working in a cold room in a lab. Maybe meat cutting is not for me.

It sure couldn't be for me, I get cold at just under 70 degrees. I'd be all kinds of miserable.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Oct 16, 2015 9:12:57 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

...:::"$17,000 in property taxes?":::... and ...:::"Childless folks are paying for two of his kids to go to public school and he is whining":::...

Welcome to NY!  The tax/kids spiral feeds itself.  When I was young, most of my friends were from 1 or 2 kid families.  After we all grew up and moved on, families with 4 or 5 young kids started moving in.  Of course that puts more strain on the schools, which ups the price.  So the empty-nesters get sick of paying for things their kids don't use, and leave.  Making more room for larger families...

Ok, but wait, it is NOT a zero sum game for the no-kids/empty-nester property owners.

Good schools benefit ALL property owners no matter how many kids they have and even if they have none.  Compare the market values of comparable properties in towns with good schools and towns with less-than-stellar (not even poor) schools to see this is true.  

And, yes, good schools cost money.  The cost of good schools that support strong real estate market values is paid through real estate taxes.  Quid pro quo, really.

And, for purpose of this discussion, I will not go into the cost of federally-mandated educational costs that go unfunded or, at least, underfunded and are therefore borne unfairly, and in violation of federal law, by the local taxpayers.  *SOME* of those federally-mandated initiatives and programs are pork.  Some, like special ed, are necessary to help struggling kids become self-sufficient adults.

Let's also look at the cost of healthcare for municipal employees.  Who wants to tell the police and fire departments in their town that health care is being cut in favor of lower taxes for the town's residents?  Benefits for ALL municipal employees -- absolutely necessary to attract and retain qualified personnel who usually earn below-private-sector-salaries -- impact local property tax rates at a much higher rate than a few families with a couple of extra kids.  And strong, competent, public services also bolster real estate values.  
 
My point is that property taxes are, plain and simple, a complicated web of give and take.  

[mojothehelpermonkey]

I would pay extra to live in an area with good schools that have high attendance rates and low dropout rates just so I wouldn't have to deal with annoying teenagers being out in public too much during the school year.

[grumpyhermit]

Except he's still not going broke because he's a teacher like he contends. In his own words:

I now make well more than double the $48,000 I did when I started at the school in 2001, breaking through to the sixth figure in my salary shortly after my promotion. I am — by most measures of most jobs — well paid. Alas, I deploy my assets as soon as they appear.

It's not that he's poorly paid; he isn't. When you factor in his wife's salary they are likely in the $150k (on the low side). Of course your salary isn't going to go very far if you insist on living in a HCOLA, in a nice house with high taxes, and send your kids to private school.

Most people that spend all of their money before it hits their account feel poor. Choices matter. He has chosen to make himself cash strapped via his lifestyle choices. His salary isn't the issue, how he spends it is.

[The Captain]

Oct 16, 2015 12:23:19 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

I'm going to defend him a little bit.   Please don't hurt me!

If he really believes in the quality of education at the school where he is teaching I can see why it would be difficult to give up that opportunity for his kids, even though it's really expensive.  From his comments he said that the local school was very good for his disabled child - it may not be the best for his other children. 

OTOH - between fuel, housing, tuition, kids activities, medical costs, a lot of his expenses were determined when he decided to provide a certain lifestyle for four kids. When I look at the middle class families I know there is a definite difference in what only kids gets vs, two or three.  When you have four and try to give them everything it's not a big surprise to feel broke.

(Captain leaps and pounces on Anne81, crying out "ATTACK")

Carry on.

[Chocolate Lover]

Oct 16, 2015 12:23:19 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

I'm going to defend him a little bit.   Please don't hurt me!

If he really believes in the quality of education at the school where he is teaching I can see why it would be difficult to give up that opportunity for his kids, even though it's really expensive.  From his comments he said that the local school was very good for his disabled child - it may not be the best for his other children. 

OTOH - between fuel, housing, tuition, kids activities, medical costs, a lot of his expenses were determined when he decided to provide a certain lifestyle for four kids. When I look at the middle class families I know there is a definite difference in what only kids gets vs, two or three.  When you have four and try to give them everything it's not a big surprise to feel broke.

If he's so gung ho about the quality of education then he has a few other choices to make/do differently. He made no concession in his spending for losing that big chunk of cash from what I could tell.

[Deleted]

A Ph.D in American Studies? I don't think this is a YM-approved major.

Sometimes I feel a little guilty that I'm in much better shape financially than my female classmates who majored in education and social work (unless they married someone with a decent income)- but income potential is one of the things you need to consider when choosing a career/major.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

He earns more than I have ever made with a PhD in Molecular Pathology from a highly ranked school. Why did I have to graduate during a recession?

Edit: At least the math and rational thinking skills that I developed in school have left me in a better financial place than this guy.

[trippypea]

When I read the title of the article, I thought it was going to be about the expenses teachers incur for items not covered by the school budget, like tissues and hand sanitizer....

[zibazinski]

My kids both knew that education or any other low paying major was not a career option for them. I won't have them struggle financially the way I did after my divorce. If I hadn't had rentals, I'd have been sunk trying to support myself and two children. 

[debthaven]

I read this article when it came out, before this thread was created. 

Sorry, but the first thing I thought while reading that article was why on earth are they paying that mortgage to live in a neighbourhood with good schools, and then sending their kids to private school?! Yes he teaches there and yes they get a discount. But it still doesn't mean they can afford it. 

Also (this was vague) but he made it sound like his kids (except for the LD one) had always been at that private school. Why not keep them in public schools and then try to transfer them in last year of MS or first year of HS?

Talk about a hamster on a wheel!!!

Sorry but at least on some level, he created this situation for himself. 

[trimatty471]

Oct 15, 2015 12:02:27 GMT -5 alwaysbeoptimizing said:

4. What enrages me about every talk on teacher comp is they never factor in the value of pensions. so he makes six figures (good on it's own), but in addition, he'll get a nice pension with very little contribution versus what i'd have to save, invest, and risk to create that future income stream.



In our local district, teachers whine and moan about paying for healthcare too.

[trimatty471]

Oct 15, 2015 12:17:40 GMT -5 @aj said:

Ummmmm, yeah.

Childless folks are paying for two of his kids to go to public school and he is whining (note I am not personally complaining, just stating that if I am not complaining he sure as f should get called out when he does).

And private school, la de da, personal choice bre, not our problem.

Another rambling point, 17k? In Illinois which is a hair away from NJ on property taxes 17k is a McMansion.

Good point!

[mojothehelpermonkey]

Oct 18, 2015 16:54:14 GMT -5 debthaven said:

I read this article when it came out, before this thread was created. 

Sorry, but the first thing I thought while reading that article was why on earth are they paying that mortgage to live in a neighbourhood with good schools, and then sending their kids to private school?! Yes he teaches there and yes they get a discount. But it still doesn't mean they can afford it. 

Also (this was vague) but he made it sound like his kids (except for the LD one) had always been at that private school. Why not keep them in public schools and then try to transfer them in last year of MS or first year of HS?

Talk about a hamster on a wheel!!!

Sorry but at least on some level, he created this situation for himself. 

They probably just wanted to live in the expensive neighborhood or fell in love with the wrong house, and then used the school reason to justify the poor choice.

[Deleted]

Oct 15, 2015 17:05:40 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Oct 15, 2015 16:48:50 GMT -5 mojothehelpermonkey said:

This was the pay rate for some of the positions that a recruiter was showing me that require at least a BS degree and involve trouble shooting issues with medical devices. I live in a HCOL area too. 

I suspect a teacher will NEVER have to work a weekend or a holiday.   I suspect the 'meat cutter' may feel pressured to work holidays and weekends - for the pay OR to not be seen as "lazy" or "unreliable" by management so he gets the shifts he wants. 

I suspect a "meat cutter" might have to work more than 8 hours in a day - more often than a handful of times during the year  like say a teacher who has to stay 'late' for teacher/parent conferences or 'open house' a couple of times during the school year.  

I'm NOT saying that teachers don't 'work hard' or put in a lot of hours...  There's just trade offs in compensation.   (FWIW:  my local grade schools will have their first full 5 days of school next week.  MY gosh, the teachers are going to be exhausted after having the kids for 5 days straight... it's such a burden).

You are kidding, right, about teachers never having to work weekends?  Or do you only equate "working" with hours you are paid for?

I work EVERY weekend as a teacher.  My husband is pissed lately that I only have time to do schoolwork on weekends.  I agreed to teach a freshman comp (English 101)/dual enrollment class.  The grading is 3X as much as my regular class (6 formal essays a semester vs. 2 formal essays).  

But you are right in that they will never call me in to actually "work" on weekends and get paid for it.  It is all on my own time.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Oct 18, 2015 16:54:14 GMT -5 debthaven said:

I read this article when it came out, before this thread was created. 

Sorry, but the first thing I thought while reading that article was why on earth are they paying that mortgage to live in a neighbourhood with good schools, and then sending their kids to private school?! Yes he teaches there and yes they get a discount. But it still doesn't mean they can afford it. 

Also (this was vague) but he made it sound like his kids (except for the LD one) had always been at that private school. Why not keep them in public schools and then try to transfer them in last year of MS or first year of HS?

Talk about a hamster on a wheel!!!

Sorry but at least on some level, he created this situation for himself. 

Good schools cost money.  The cost is usually reflected in the price of a home in a good school district and in the local tax rate.  If someone -- the author, an empty-nester (whose children probably benefitted from the good schools and who now has the gaul to complain about the cost) or a buyer without kids -- knows up front (or should, anyway) that the house he/she is buying is in a good school district, then he/she doesn't get to complain about the cost.  To do so is simply disingenuous, IMHO.  If you don't want to pay for good public schools, buy your house somewhere else.  

[gooddecisions]

Oct 18, 2015 19:33:39 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

Oct 15, 2015 17:05:40 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I suspect a teacher will NEVER have to work a weekend or a holiday.   I suspect the 'meat cutter' may feel pressured to work holidays and weekends - for the pay OR to not be seen as "lazy" or "unreliable" by management so he gets the shifts he wants. 

I suspect a "meat cutter" might have to work more than 8 hours in a day - more often than a handful of times during the year  like say a teacher who has to stay 'late' for teacher/parent conferences or 'open house' a couple of times during the school year.  

I'm NOT saying that teachers don't 'work hard' or put in a lot of hours...  There's just trade offs in compensation.   (FWIW:  my local grade schools will have their first full 5 days of school next week.  MY gosh, the teachers are going to be exhausted after having the kids for 5 days straight... it's such a burden).

You are kidding, right, about teachers never having to work weekends?  Or do you only equate "working" with hours you are paid for?

I work EVERY weekend as a teacher.  My husband is pissed lately that I only have time to do schoolwork on weekends.  I agreed to teach a freshman comp (English 101)/dual enrollment class.  The grading is 3X as much as my regular class (6 formal essays a semester vs. 2 formal essays).  

But you are right in that they will never call me in to actually "work" on weekends and get paid for it.  It is all on my own time.

I interpreted the post as meaning that teachers don't actually have to physically be at a work location like a meat cutter would. Many, many exempt professionals have to do some unpaid work at home weekends or after hours- whether it's preparing a presentation, travel, research, reports, etc. But not many have to physically be at their work location to get it done.

[Miss Tequila]

Oct 16, 2015 13:36:39 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

A Ph.D in American Studies? I don't think this is a YM-approved major.

Sometimes I feel a little guilty that I'm in much better shape financially than my female classmates who majored in education and social work (unless they married someone with a decent income)- but income potential is one of the things you need to consider when choosing a career/major.

Why would you feel guilty? I don't have any social worker friends but I do have a lot of teacher friends. No matter what anyone claims, they are not all working crazy hours or a lot over the summer. It just doesn't happen in my area. Yes, there are a few teacher conferences and they might have to make calls or do a little paperwork now and then...but not like some would like us to believe. If you annualize their salary to match the kind of hours that I work, they aren't making that bad of a salary...and they don't pay for healthcare and they have a pension...there are trade-offs in every profession.

[Miss Tequila]

Oct 18, 2015 19:33:39 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

Oct 15, 2015 17:05:40 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I suspect a teacher will NEVER have to work a weekend or a holiday.   I suspect the 'meat cutter' may feel pressured to work holidays and weekends - for the pay OR to not be seen as "lazy" or "unreliable" by management so he gets the shifts he wants. 

I suspect a "meat cutter" might have to work more than 8 hours in a day - more often than a handful of times during the year  like say a teacher who has to stay 'late' for teacher/parent conferences or 'open house' a couple of times during the school year.  

I'm NOT saying that teachers don't 'work hard' or put in a lot of hours...  There's just trade offs in compensation.   (FWIW:  my local grade schools will have their first full 5 days of school next week.  MY gosh, the teachers are going to be exhausted after having the kids for 5 days straight... it's such a burden).

You are kidding, right, about teachers never having to work weekends?  Or do you only equate "working" with hours you are paid for?

I work EVERY weekend as a teacher.  My husband is pissed lately that I only have time to do schoolwork on weekends.  I agreed to teach a freshman comp (English 101)/dual enrollment class.  The grading is 3X as much as my regular class (6 formal essays a semester vs. 2 formal essays).  

But you are right in that they will never call me in to actually "work" on weekends and get paid for it.  It is all on my own time.

But you realize that a lot of professions due that, right?  I spent 17 years in public accounting and for four months a year I worked 7 days a week..and I didn't get the summers off to make up for it. 

Teachers act like they are the only profession to work a lot of hours...and quite frankly, I do think that is area specific.  I can tell you that none of my local friends work like you are talking about...and one is an English teacher.  I believe that you work those hours, I just don't think that is the norm or maybe it just  isn't the norm where I live.

[Cookies Galore]

Oct 16, 2015 13:36:39 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

A Ph.D in American Studies? I don't think this is a YM-approved major.

Sometimes I feel a little guilty that I'm in much better shape financially than my female classmates who majored in education and social work (unless they married someone with a decent income)- but income potential is one of the things you need to consider when choosing a career/major.

Why the hell should you feel any guilt for career choices you made? That's just silly, and slightly condescending. Some people choose lower paying fields knowing they are -gasp!- low paying because they actually like the work and/or find fulfillment in the field. You chose a lucrative career, no guilt necessary.

[MJ2.0]

Oct 19, 2015 9:03:20 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Oct 16, 2015 13:36:39 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

A Ph.D in American Studies? I don't think this is a YM-approved major.

Sometimes I feel a little guilty that I'm in much better shape financially than my female classmates who majored in education and social work (unless they married someone with a decent income)- but income potential is one of the things you need to consider when choosing a career/major.

Why the hell should you feel any guilt for career choices you made? That's just silly, and slightly condescending. Some people choose lower paying fields knowing they are -gasp!- low paying because they actually like the work and/or find fulfillment in the field. You chose a lucrative career, no guilt necessary.

Well the only thing that matters is if you make a lot of money.... Duh.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Oct 15, 2015 16:47:23 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Oct 15, 2015 14:06:23 GMT -5 Ryan said:

The middle class today is different than prior years with more expenses being viewed as "necessary".  

But come on....an employee working at a department store, living in a nice suburb of chicago, having a wife that stays home, 6 kids, and sending them all to catholic grade school/HS, and sending 4 of them to college.  I'm sure my mom worked through school, but even so.  The cost of the catholic school alone would exceed the department store worker's salary.  

I actually know someone that lives like someone in the 50's.  1 car, no tv, no cable, no internet, no new clothes, and a husband that works full-time.  They rent a 3 bedroom place in a really run down area, the kids go to public school, and they barely can make ends meet (he's a construction worker).

hate to break it to you - but odds are some of the 6 kids were riding for free at the Catholic Grade school and possibly even the Catholic HS.     Generally the first kid is 'full price'  the tuition goes down for each additional kid.   Back in the 70's my Catholic grade school tuition was discounted to $15 a term - so $30 for a 'school year'.    Yep, I was the last of 4 kids.  I think once my dad died (my mom was a SAHM and managed to live on SS and pension from my dad) I probably went for free... we were 'poor' at that point.

I know my SIL's parents (back in the 60/70s)  managed to put 7 kids thru Catholic gradeschool and then various Catholic HS on his income and then her mom's part time income.  There's no way they were paying full tuition for all the kids--  there was barely a 2 year gap between kids (and a couple of sets of Irish twins<-- sorry I know that's a terrible phrase to use but I can't think of a better euphemism or word to describe two babies born in the same year or within a 12 month period)... that means 7 tuition bills for years and years. 

I'm sure they had discounted tuition and or "scholarships" to cover the costs. 

I dont' think you can compare past "private school" costs to current "private school" costs.

FWIW:  I would have gotten a better education at the local public school than the old dilapidated Private School taught by nuns so old they sometimes dozed off at the lectern while they had us kids recite/read something in rote one after another - or at their desk after they had assigned 30 minutes of 'quiet time' where we were suppose to write out spelling words or the times tables in rote...   

Catholic school tuition was damn cheap until the 80s - at least around here.  My parents put 5 of us though private Catholic schools, mostly on Dad's salary of around $20K a year.  Tuition for my older brother, at one of the best private high schools was $1200 for the full year in 1980.  He graduated in 1984 and it was $1700.  Nowadays, tuition for that school is around $12K.

Sometime in the 80s is when being a member of your parish and paying a token tuition wasn't enough anymore.  I have a vague thought that's when they started trying to give a living wage to their teachers.  I think priests started getting paid and/or no longer living in the rectory started around them too. 

[mojothehelpermonkey]

Oct 18, 2015 19:33:39 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

Oct 15, 2015 17:05:40 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I suspect a teacher will NEVER have to work a weekend or a holiday.   I suspect the 'meat cutter' may feel pressured to work holidays and weekends - for the pay OR to not be seen as "lazy" or "unreliable" by management so he gets the shifts he wants. 

I suspect a "meat cutter" might have to work more than 8 hours in a day - more often than a handful of times during the year  like say a teacher who has to stay 'late' for teacher/parent conferences or 'open house' a couple of times during the school year.  

I'm NOT saying that teachers don't 'work hard' or put in a lot of hours...  There's just trade offs in compensation.   (FWIW:  my local grade schools will have their first full 5 days of school next week.  MY gosh, the teachers are going to be exhausted after having the kids for 5 days straight... it's such a burden).

You are kidding, right, about teachers never having to work weekends?  Or do you only equate "working" with hours you are paid for?

I work EVERY weekend as a teacher.  My husband is pissed lately that I only have time to do schoolwork on weekends.  I agreed to teach a freshman comp (English 101)/dual enrollment class.  The grading is 3X as much as my regular class (6 formal essays a semester vs. 2 formal essays).  

But you are right in that they will never call me in to actually "work" on weekends and get paid for it.  It is all on my own time.

I had some friends a few years ago who were in their first and second years of teaching middle school. They put in some crazy hours between making lesson plans and grading papers. I imagine the lesson planning gets easier as you have more experience, but the grading never stops. They definitely weren't making the money this guy makes, and I suspect most of them will burn out and find a different job before they do.

Edit: I wanted to add that I don't think this guy is an example of teachers being grossly overpaid. I think he is more of an example of someone who cannot manage his money. Now that I think about it, the only one from my group of friends who is still teaching is a math teacher. The English teachers did not survive the reductions in force, and the science teacher quit after getting married and having kids. I remember my science teacher friend cancelling evening plans with me once because one of her students had just confided to her that she was being abused. She couldn't just leave the girl waiting around for the social worker.

[swamp]

Oct 18, 2015 19:33:39 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

Oct 15, 2015 17:05:40 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I suspect a teacher will NEVER have to work a weekend or a holiday.   I suspect the 'meat cutter' may feel pressured to work holidays and weekends - for the pay OR to not be seen as "lazy" or "unreliable" by management so he gets the shifts he wants. 

I suspect a "meat cutter" might have to work more than 8 hours in a day - more often than a handful of times during the year  like say a teacher who has to stay 'late' for teacher/parent conferences or 'open house' a couple of times during the school year.  

I'm NOT saying that teachers don't 'work hard' or put in a lot of hours...  There's just trade offs in compensation.   (FWIW:  my local grade schools will have their first full 5 days of school next week.  MY gosh, the teachers are going to be exhausted after having the kids for 5 days straight... it's such a burden).

You are kidding, right, about teachers never having to work weekends?  Or do you only equate "working" with hours you are paid for?

I work EVERY weekend as a teacher.  My husband is pissed lately that I only have time to do schoolwork on weekends.  I agreed to teach a freshman comp (English 101)/dual enrollment class.  The grading is 3X as much as my regular class (6 formal essays a semester vs. 2 formal essays).  

But you are right in that they will never call me in to actually "work" on weekends and get paid for it.  It is all on my own time.

Every professional puts in some unpaid hours.

It's much nicer to do it at home in yoga pants from the comfort of your couch.

[gooddecisions]

Oct 19, 2015 13:58:28 GMT -5 mojothehelpermonkey said:

Oct 18, 2015 19:33:39 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

You are kidding, right, about teachers never having to work weekends?  Or do you only equate "working" with hours you are paid for?

I work EVERY weekend as a teacher.  My husband is pissed lately that I only have time to do schoolwork on weekends.  I agreed to teach a freshman comp (English 101)/dual enrollment class.  The grading is 3X as much as my regular class (6 formal essays a semester vs. 2 formal essays).  

But you are right in that they will never call me in to actually "work" on weekends and get paid for it.  It is all on my own time.

I had some friends a few years ago who were in their first and second years of teaching middle school. They put in some crazy hours between making lesson plans and grading papers. I imagine the lesson planning gets easier as you have more experience, but the grading never stops. They definitely weren't making the money this guy makes, and I suspect most of them will burn out and find a different job before they do.

I used to teach an 8-5:30 class M-F for 15-20 people, year round. 3 days/week I had to grade each individuals work plus write very specific daily performance evaluations. I got paid $30K/year non-overtime eligible and two weeks paid vacation, no comp time.

That first 6 months, I worked an additional 3-6 hours every day, including weekends reviewing the material for the next day, practicing my lectures, grading, writing the reviews and following up with managers. So, we're talking well over 60 hours every week. Then after about 6 months, I got it down to being able to do almost everything while the class was at lunch or during independent class activities (tests). Yeah, I still had to work through lunch, but I didn't have to work until midnight and weekends anymore.

Just based on my experience I agree with you and find it hard to believe that a teacher is never able to get to a point where they can really minimize the prep and post work and really maximize the school day.

[swamp]

Oct 19, 2015 14:29:32 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

Oct 19, 2015 13:58:28 GMT -5 mojothehelpermonkey said:

I had some friends a few years ago who were in their first and second years of teaching middle school. They put in some crazy hours between making lesson plans and grading papers. I imagine the lesson planning gets easier as you have more experience, but the grading never stops. They definitely weren't making the money this guy makes, and I suspect most of them will burn out and find a different job before they do.

I used to teach an 8-5:30 class M-F for 15-20 people, year round. 3 days/week I had to grade each individuals work plus write very specific daily performance evaluations. I got paid $30K/year non-overtime eligible and two weeks paid vacation, no comp time.

That first 6 months, I worked an additional 3-6 hours every day, including weekends reviewing the material for the next day, practicing my lectures, grading, writing the reviews and following up with managers. So, we're talking well over 60 hours every week. Then after about 6 months, I got it down to being able to do almost everything while the class was at lunch or during independent class activities (tests). Yeah, I still had to work through lunch, but I didn't have to work until midnight and weekends anymore.

Just based on my experience I agree with you and find it hard to believe that a teacher is never able to get to a point where they can really minimize the prep and post work and really maximize the school day.

Especially if you've been teaching the same subject/grade for years. 

[whoami]

Oct 19, 2015 14:10:32 GMT -5 swamp said:

Oct 18, 2015 19:33:39 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

You are kidding, right, about teachers never having to work weekends?  Or do you only equate "working" with hours you are paid for?

I work EVERY weekend as a teacher.  My husband is pissed lately that I only have time to do schoolwork on weekends.  I agreed to teach a freshman comp (English 101)/dual enrollment class.  The grading is 3X as much as my regular class (6 formal essays a semester vs. 2 formal essays).  

But you are right in that they will never call me in to actually "work" on weekends and get paid for it.  It is all on my own time.

Every professional puts in some unpaid hours.

It's much nicer to do it at home in yoga pants from the comfort of your couch.

DH is a pilot and the only time he is paid for is pretty much the time the parking brake is released at the gate to the time the parking brake is set at the next gate.  He isn't paid for the hour before flight he is required to sign in, the pre flight, the 4 hour delays, reading the company messages regarding policy and changing aircraft procedures, the never ending studying for check rides etc.... His pay would be 40% higher if he actually got paid for the time he spent doing his job.

[Deleted]

Oct 19, 2015 14:10:32 GMT -5 swamp said:

Oct 18, 2015 19:33:39 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

You are kidding, right, about teachers never having to work weekends?  Or do you only equate "working" with hours you are paid for?

I work EVERY weekend as a teacher.  My husband is pissed lately that I only have time to do schoolwork on weekends.  I agreed to teach a freshman comp (English 101)/dual enrollment class.  The grading is 3X as much as my regular class (6 formal essays a semester vs. 2 formal essays).  

But you are right in that they will never call me in to actually "work" on weekends and get paid for it.  It is all on my own time.

Every professional puts in some unpaid hours.

It's much nicer to do it at home in yoga pants from the comfort of your couch.

I don't disagree although sometimes you simply have to go into the office.  Projects tend to be too bulky to load up and bring home with you.  We don't have access to our rooms when we aren't teaching in them except when school is out.  We have someone "floating" in there to teach their own class.  Using every room 100% of the time for classroom instruction is considered wise use of resources and saves on an additional high school. 

But I get it now.  Accountants, lawyers, managers, and CEOS never have to work weekends.  Thanks for explaining that one to me.

[MJ2.0]

I just pray that you don't teach reading comprehension. Smh....

[TheHaitian]

Oct 19, 2015 17:10:58 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

I just pray that you don't teach reading comprehension. Smh....

Lol... Thanks for making me spill my drink. I needed a laugh after the day I had.