In the United States, educators are valued for being more than just a teacher by society. Educators not only nurture and enrich student’s minds, but they are also preparing them for the future. They are the stepping stones to the student’s pathway of success. Yet, K-12 teachers around the country, with the exception of the East Coast, are often overworked, overwhelmed, and usually underpaid, due to the lack of funding, for the dedication and time that is required to succeed in their profession, but some areas of the country, for example Rhode Island, do over pay teachers.
According to Dana Goldstein, author of The Teacher Wars, “50 percent of all beginner teachers choose to leave the profession in the first five years” (7). This is either due
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Texas is not the only state to face the lack of education funding, but they are one of the most severe in the United States. By forgoing 65,000 school employees, teachers are forced to take on different roles, different classes, and more students. Already underpaid teachers, are now forced to have more responsibility at the same pay. When schools also have reductions, raises are usually not foreseeable in the near …show more content…
According to Allie Bidwell, writer for US News, studies show that nearly “16.1 percent of teachers hold additional jobs…and in some states it closer to 25 percent” (Many Teachers). Having seconds jobs, and maybe even third jobs for some, can be difficult. It will often cause teachers to become tired, irritated, overwhelmed, and overworked to their limit. Teachers struggle to earn every penny that they make. Meanwhile, Americans value athletes, musicians, and actors higher. Americans will not hesitate to go the movies, pay for a concert, or go to a sporting event. Teachers are providing education and preparing students of the next generation to succeed and better the lives of everyone. Yet, society as a whole is uncertain about providing more funding for their local school districts. Without the backing of the local community, teachers will never be able to devote all their time to just one job and focus on enhancing their students’
School funding for public schools has collectively been cut by $7.6 billion since 2002, forcing schools districts in Georgia to a tipping point. The 2001 recession had a major effect on Georgia’s fiscal condition, which consequently had a major effect on the financing of K-12 education in Georgia. School budgets are used to describe a district’s plan for the upcoming year as pertaining to anticipated revenues and expenditures. Each district’s budget heavily relies on the amount of money they receive from the state’s general fund and since that number has significantly dropped in recent years schools are not able to provide the best education for our students. The budget for public schools in Georgia should be increased because teachers are losing their jobs and schools are being forced to eliminate valuable programs that are instrumental in the education of our youth.
High school teachers’ average salary varies across the world. The United States is said to be one of the richest countries in the world, yet our teachers are being paid one of the lowest amounts. The Education Intelligence Agency, author of the article “Ohio Teacher Overcomes Union’s Tolerance” published an International Teacher Salary Report ranking the fifty states by “how much the average salary exceeded per capita personal income.” According to the Education Intelligence Agency Ohio’s percentage rate is only fifty- five point one percent. According to the Education Intelligence Agency the lowest state percentage is in South Dakota at twenty- three point six percent and the highest state percentage is Alaska at one hundred and one point five percent. Teachers are a very important part of our society. Teachers’ jobs consist of more than just sitting behind a desk for nine months and having paid summers off. There are many extra tasks that teachers have that most people don not consider. Teachers in public schools work hard for a low salary and should be more appreciated; public school teachers shape the world’s young people, serve as role models, and work long hours.
I spent my volunteer experience with Dr. Geis’ special needs classroom at County Elementary School; and throughout my participation, the most defining observation was that of the teachers and staff members. Naturally, some employees are better than others at fulfilling tasks. However, as time passed, I noticed that certain employees had difficulty starting each day fresh, free of the pressure and tension that may have accumulated from the previous day. I only volunteered a couple of times a week so my ability to wipe the slate clean was easier. Nevertheless, I can understand how taxing and repetitive the process can be for the full length of a school year. According to the National Commission on Teaching about, “one-third of all new teachers leave after three years, and 46 percent are gone within five years” (Kopkowski). The relatively high attrition rate of teachers is known as teacher burnout. Teacher burnout can be attributed to both physical and emotional factors which may include, “classroom disruptions, inadequate salaries, oversized classes, overbearing parents, excessive paperwork, cutbacks in supplies or materials, threats, harassment, assaults, violence, or problems with co-workers or with administrators” (Campbell). The National Commission on Teaching estimates costs up to, “$7 billion a year, as districts and states recruit, hire, and try to retain new teachers” (Kopkowski). Teacher burnout is financially and socially affecting schools, communities, and society. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that may lead to teacher burnout, acknowledge the effects of the issue, and provide solutions to better manage the stress of teaching.
Researchers approaching the study of teacher retention using a cost-benefit theoretical framework from the field of economics believe teachers make choices to stay in their current positions, migrate to new positions in different schools either within or across districts, or leave the profession altogether by weighing opportunity costs. These researchers envision teachers comparing the costs, both overt (salary and benefits) and hidden (working conditions, family ties to the community, etc.), with the benefits of staying in their current positions (Grissom, 2010). When costs outweigh benefits, teachers choose to migrate to new positions or leave the profession.
With the low expectations of teachers, students are limited in their ability to learn. As discussed before, it is difficult to predict how well a teacher will do at their job before they begin working. This creates doubt when hiring anyone, and employers may not know if who they are hiring is the right choice. If teachers are judged by not only the basic requirements met, but also their interpersonal skills and how well they are able to teach in a positive manner, there will hopefully be less mediocre teachers hired. In the same way, both an advanced teacher and an average teacher are paid the same wages, which creates a flaw in education. Even more, there should not be average teachers in the workforce if all teachers are paid the same. Though this harms the advanced teachers, who deserve more than they earn, it also harms the students, as they are taught at a lower level by the inadequate teachers. Gladwell mentions these flaws in his article, but he also explains the traits good teachers should have, which brings a strive forward in this issue. Because of this, it is clear America must be more selective and strict when hiring
Finally, if teachers aren’t paid more, we may have no teachers. It’s common for people to quit their jobs for a new one if they get paid little money for their work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oklahoma pays teachers the least amount of money out of any states in the U.S., and consequently teachers leave their jobs in Oklahoma to teach at other states. With teachers working such long hours and paying for classroom supplies with their own cash, they will feel underappreciated to be getting such a low salary. That will cause many teachers to quit their jobs.
...lso hire good, honest teachers who are willing to help these children succeed. The No Child Left Behind Act, which allows nonprofessionals to receive a teaching certificate at a faster rate, is a good example of those wanting to help these children succeed. States should also take into account the schools that need extra funding, and find a way to provide it to them, whether it be providing a little less to a wealthier school, or helping to hire good teachers for these less fortunate schools.
The most important reason public schools provide an excellent education is that teachers are required to be highly qualified and suited for the job. When asked if public schools were a wise investment for the government Barnard answered,” Yes, not every parent [very few in fact] are trained and suited to educate students”” (Barnard). In particular, they must acquire and maintain a license to teach. In order to earn this teaching certification, they must demonstrate proficiency in all basic skills, study their subject area in depth, and learn effective techniques of instructing all kinds of learners. They also are required to get on-the-job training under the guidance of an experienced teacher. They have to motivate students to learn and have a passion for teaching, maintain their license, and continue their own education and training throu...
When was the last time that you saw a teacher sporting off a brand new Lexus? Or when was it that you heard of a teacher owning a ranch? The answer to this question is probably never. Although material possessions such as owning a luxurious home or driving an extravagant car might be chump change for people like the rich and famous, for teachers this kind of spending is literally an arm and a leg. Even simple necessities are out of reach with a teacher’s salary. The reason for this problem is due to our nation’s budget. Teachers along with others in the school system are underpaid and are not being adequately compensated for their services. Instead of rewarding teachers with higher pay the government is undermining their work. As a result, teachers are unable to buy that expensive car or even pay off that Honda that they bought when they were in college working for their teaching degree. School budgets must be increased immensely in order to insure the educational growth of students and the professional development of teachers. There are four main reasons that are discussed in this paper, as to why more money should be spent on education.
He once said, “Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves.” Mann made education more available to those who lacked it and spent years advocating for tighter state education standards. Nearly 200 centuries later in the United States, public or private schools that are underfunded often find themselves losing their best teachers to better pay and benefits, and as a result, the education level of their students suffers. Paradoxically, even though there is state regulated funding for public schools in America, it is inequitable. This unequal finance means that variation per state is wide and students across the nation do not receive an equivalent
A secure and stable job “attracts many teachers to the teaching profession, and eliminating teacher tenure would hamper teacher recruitment” (“Teacher Tenure - ProCon.org,” 2017). The greater the number of teachers, the more teachers there will be for students decreasing overcrowding in classrooms. It also aids in decreasing unemployment because it will prompt individuals to teach since there is the security of keeping their jobs. Additionally, it “encourages the careful selection of qualified and effective teachers” (“Teacher Tenure - ProCon.org,” 2017). School administrators and higher-ups in the school system look carefully in identifying the best teachers that encourage learning and bring back promising test results to keep to have every child succeed. They want to choose the best out of the best, so their school can continue promoting quality and secure education for students to prosper and exceed in future schooling. Although a teacher tenure is beneficial for the community, it also proves to be very useful for students
Taylor Mali, an American slam poet and teacher, wrote a poem titled, “What Teachers Make”. In this poem, he rhythmically tells about other professions criticizing teachers based on their choice of occupation. While teachers will never earn six figure incomes, they make a difference. Teachers dedicate their lives to leading, inspiring, and educating future generations, all while earning meager pay. Though teachers form foundation of education, their pay does not accurately represent their skills. Using merit pay systems will properly assess how much a teacher should be paid, based on their teaching ability.
There is no more critical role in our current society than that of a teacher’s. Teachers help shape the minds of the future. Tomorrow 's engineers, scientists, politicians, and educators are all greatly influenced by today 's Instructors. Without teachers society would not be anywhere near where it is now, and only a select few would have access to learning. Sadly however important teachers are in human civilization, they are still drastically understated, unrecognized and under paid. Although some people may argue that performance pay is good, performance/merit pay is bad because it will result in teachers doing much less personalizing of the curriculum, and spending that time doing only what things need to teach in order to keep their student’s
Strauss, Valerie. "Why teachers’ salaries should be doubled now." The Washington Post. N.p., 25 Mar. 2014. Web. 5 Apr. 2014. .
In recent years, the cliché image of a teacher has come under attach. Research has shown that teachers often work in an isolated setting in which they are considered experts in their specific area; however they often lack the support and equipment needed to do their jobs effectively. As a result, to the inadequate working environment new teachers often leave the profession within the first five years. These conditions often exist because the educational system fails to prepare our teachers with the proper tools and experience needed to do their job well (U.S. Department of Education, 2010).