ok. i've read the whole thread. many people made great points on both sides of the argument, but some people just sounded foolish.
do people really think all elementary teachers do is play with kids all day and teach them "2+2"? give me a break. i've taught K, 2nd, 4th, remedial math and academic enrichment. never once have we played all day. people don't understand that teaching young children new concepts takes an enormous amount of time and effort. go to someone who speaks chinese and have them tell you how to sing a song in chinese. have them tell you several times, and then have them write it in chinese for you. since they taught it to you you should get it right away, right? it should be a piece of cake, right? maybe it's not the best example, but that's what it's like teaching sometimes. most material is completely FOREIGN to most kids and takes teaching it several different ways. then repeating it several other ways.
i am constantly learning new ways to teach. i have one girl with CP in my class. no matter what i do, it's very hard for her to retain what i teach her. so i keep at it. and keep at it. and try new ways to teach her. and call her in for extra help before and after school. and contact her mom for conferences to teach her how to teach the girl at home. and that's just one kid. add in the child who is emotionally disturbed, the one who is low tone and literally can't keep himself in a chair or hold a pencil, the one who is already reading on a 5th grade reading level in 2nd grade, the one who refuses to do work and throws things around the room, the one who is violent and choked a kid 2 weeks ago, etc. and yet i am expected to teach all of these INDIVIDUALS with INDIVIDUAL needs in one day. am i a saint, maybe
. maybe not. but i am paid to do my job and do it well and i take that very seriously.
people who don't teach have no idea how long it takes to make and create fun and interesting lessons. for my daily centers (45 min a day) it takes over 5 hours of planning time. then math (about 2 hours planning time), social studies (8-10 hours planning time), science, guided reading, writing, etc... you get my point. and that's PER WEEK. i don't just open a text book and read from it (although i DO admit there are some teachers who do do that and they are a disgrace).
anyone who is in the long island area who would like to shadow me for a day or 2 is WELCOME to come. contact me and you can watch exactly what i do. and you can help me if you wish. i'm serious--the invitation is open. i guarantee you'll have a new respect, as i probably would if i shadowed you for a day.
i had a friend who worked in Bloomingdale's corporate offices in manhattan who used to help out in my classroom a few times. this is a CAREER woman who was making about 85-100K a year. she came to my 4th grade class and shadowed me i think 4-5 times. she was amazed at what went on and definitely had a new appreciation for teachers (she's an AEPhi by the way!). i had her "teach" math one day (i think it was long division) and she couldn't do it. now before you say "you are trained to do it", no i'm not. i never took a class in teaching long division. i figured it out on my own and with the help of colleagues. yet even with my help, she couldn't do it.
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my point is that everyone has a hard job. everyone deserves to get paid what they're worth. and everyone has a different level of skill and education. stop judging people based on what you think you "know" to be fact about a profession. unless you experience it, you don't know.
oh---and i know many lawyers who make several hundred thousand dollars a year. my uncle works in new paltz, ny (a small town ) and makes over $700K a year. at least. and i have yet to see him go back for any classes each year.
stop judging others. i wish i could make $700K a year, but know it's impossible because i chose a profession i love, not one where i'll become rich.
and i sure as hell deserve my $60K a year. for anyone who doesn't think i do--come to my classroom. i can't wait to move out of my parents' home and buy my own. but unfortunately with my measly salary, i have many years to save up.