The other day I woke up to read the usual headlines that come to me through my variety of listservs, usual sources that tell me about how ipads are being used in classrooms, struggles and successes schools are having with reform ideas like standards based grading and STEM. I find them interesting. I like staying involved in ed reform and innovation.
Imagine my surprise when I looked through my list and saw a new report from the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute which clearly detailed how easy it is to become a teacher, the "easiest degree" to earn. Then later, I was driving to work, and low and behold, the report was on NPR. So, I thought I would do what I could to dispel this myth.
Last year I made $65,000, which included my $2,100 debate stipend. That's right. I have taught 18 years and made $65,000. Oh, and by the way that's my gross. It doesn't take into consideration the $4,200 I pay for my Cadillac health insurance plan that covers myself and my adult son who recently graduated from university with $21,000 in debt that I'm pay off while pay off my own o$40,000 student, which spiraled into $60,000 during my first five years of teaching when I qualified for food stamps and had to defer my payment.
Now let's turn our attention to the time I put in. 140 hours per month in the classroom, 66 hours per month grading papers, planning lessons, running copies, teaming with my colleagues,etc. So, for my 1,760 hours of work I think that I make about $37.00 per hour, I didn't count the debate stuff, since that's paid for out of another stipend. $37.00 per hour. Oh, and I forgot, I nearly always spend two to four weeks every summer taking classes, like AP training or other professional development, umm that's about another 40 hours of work. Now I'm down to $36.00 per hour. Oh, but I'm not taking into considering my extra bonus for job security, ummm, not sure how to figure that, give me a second...job security. Ok, they have me. I don't have any idea how to measure the benefit of job security. I may not be worried about losing my job, but I haven't gotten a pay raise in the last three. So, maybe I should just shut up and be glad I have a job, which is exactly what they want us to do.
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