OT: Anyone else here really hate their job

[Lula]

clearly chicago is the place to teach. our students' school day is 8:20-3:20, my day when i slack is 8-4. every other tuesday is 7-4.

again, not looking for sympathy just defending my profession. there are whiners in all aspects of life. we choose our careers. i chose to teach and love doing it. i simply would like to make my expenses without too much stress. i live a very modest life, ask stu, he's seen my apt. you people are looking at one side while ignoring the other.

[Angiekay]

[Yeah...but they make a TON more than teachers do...it takes 20+ years to get to the $70K-$80/yr range in the teaching profession...you can step out off college in other fields and in some cases make that much .

A nurse in Pittsburgh right now steps out of school in a $25/hr job...long hours for sure, but they are well ahead of what a first year teach makes.

Baloney. My boyfriend just graduated with a surgical tech degree. After working the past two months for NOTHING while be does his clinicals, he'll be working 4, 12 hour days and every other weekend on call...making $32,000.

[S2M]

I can recall a professional athlete complaining about not getting a 40 million contract, being offered only 32 million....saying, 'Man, you are taking food off my family's table. My kids gotta eat!'

At some point, enough is enough. If a teacher is making 40K a year, why can't he/she survive on that? And if a spouse is working also, it is even worse when this person gripes. Ever hear of living within your means?

[Tito]

you too can become a teacher. go back to school, pass the required exams and appy for your credential.

That's the other problem - Go through all the hurdles to become a teacher. We should make it easier for one to become a teacher. A lot of people in the private sector would not mind becoming teachers (at least just teach a class that they would specialize in i.e. chemist teaching a high school chemistry course). Instead, you have to take these additional courses and then get certified,etc. Real world experience is far better than anything you could learn in a book.

Although, not two of my favorite people, Newt Gingrich talked about this well and just recently I heard Jon McCain bring up something similiar.

[Saint John]

8 months of work (9 months of school minus Christmas and Spring break equals 8 months).

my school year- sept - june. vacation july and aug with 10 days for christmas break and 5 for spring break. not exactly a 4 month vacation.

Chicago Public Schools ended June 13th and don't start again until September 2nd. That's 80 consecutive days off+2 weeks sick time+2 weeks for Christmas+the 5 or so holidays that schools get off that no one else does+5 days for Spring break. That's over 100 days off. Factor in "professional" and "devolopmental" workshop days where they basically don't do anything, and don't have students, and you're somewhere right around 4 months.

[Lula]

the amount of college/cost is far greater than the financial return. i don't think asking to make enough money to meet your expenses is out of line. also, i don't know of another profession where personal finances are used regularly to aid in success of the client without compensation. in order to move up the pay scale we have to continue to take classes, at our cost. don't be so quick to slam teachers, most of us work really hard and truly do care about the success of our students.

You're arguing on a different point - the cost of education. I agree it is way too high which makes salaries (especially ones just out of school) pale to the cost of education. Many people have this debate with themselves - why did I go to college and pay XX,XXX a year to make this.

arguing on a differnt point? how do you figure? i'm pointing out the cost of becoming a teacher is much greater than the return. not complaining, you have to go to college to be a teacher, which was my chosen field.

we all choose our paths for the most part. i'm a happy woman. i love my job, at least the teaching part of it. paper work, discipline, politics, counselor, maid.... those are not the parts i like and they take away from teaching.

[Tito]

Again...do you know the kind of hours teachers put in?? Do you know what they have to deal with, kids being how they are today.

You can't pay them enough.

Stu,

They are NOT the only ones working overtime and with stress. I've worked 60-70 hours/wk. before (obviously not at this job though ) and have family members work upwards of 95 hrs/wk. I understand kids can be little c-cksuckers but we have people we don't like working with too. Everybody wants to make more money.

Everytime I have these debates with someone, I usually hear (or something comparable) which you stated off the bat, "As the husband of a teacher I couldn't disagree more. " I just had a debate like this with my boss a couple of weeks ago. His daughter became a teacher a couple of years ago in a 'so-so" school shall we say. Unfortunately, he's changed his tune as well. If you are teaching in a tough school district, I understand that's a pain in the ass and I may be willing to throw them a couple of extra dollars for it. Beside that, I understand one's first few years can be rough. But once past that (and you get tenure) and one develops a rhythm it eases up. Not saying it's easy but you develop a rhythm.

[Lula]

you too can become a teacher. go back to school, pass the required exams and appy for your credential.

That's the other problem - Go through all the hurdles to become a teacher. We should make it easier for one to become a teacher. A lot of people in the private sector would not mind becoming teachers (at least just teach a class that they would specialize in i.e. chemist teaching a high school chemistry course). Instead, you have to take these additional courses and then get certified,etc. Real world experience is far better than anything you could learn in a book.

Although, not two of my favorite people, Newt Gingrich talked about this well and just recently I heard Jon McCain bring up something similiar.

i became ateacher through a program designed to get working professionals back in the clasroom. l.a. teaching fellows, now defunct. good program, but you still have to qualify and go through a teacher ed program. i was in publishing prior to becoming a teacher.

[Sarah]

outside of teaching, a history degree isn't in huge demand and everybody wants experience so they won't give me a chance.

I hear you. I regret being a Humanities major.

Right now I work at UCLA, but on a temp job. Now, because of CA being THE BEST STATE EVER, Arnold signed an order that all state workers now get paid $6.55/hr (lower than CA's minimum wage) and that all temps and part timers are let go, at least until legislators decide on a budget plan. UCLA is still paying us normal wages, but for how long... plus I can't find another job, mostly because no one will wait until October or December. Even when I was about to graduate in June, no one would wait until July for me. Fucking sucks.

[Sassie]

I have a great job. I am a paralegal and work for an attorney. Recently he has sent me to California and Oregon and in a week I am going to Georgia to do some research on a new account. My boss is always nice to me. He pays me unbelievably well. And when I don't have anything to do they don't mind at all that I come to MR or do my email or whatever I want to do. I love all the women I work with. We work together and if anybody needs time off we cover for each other. It's a great job. I am lucky!

[Liam]

Gotta say that I LOVE bartending. Aside from playing guitar, it's the BEST thing I could think of for me to do. It's something I KNOW I'm good at, and it's a little more lucrative than trying to be a rock star.

[Saint John]

Gotta say that I LOVE bartending. Aside from playing guitar, it's the BEST thing I could think of for me to do. It's something I KNOW I'm good at, and it's a little more lucrative than trying to be a rock star.

I did it for 7 years, paid my own health insurance and loved it!!! That said, I was never once, and I mean once, drunk or even tipsy on my shift. That was one of my points of contention with the other bartenders. No one should ever be allowed to drink on their job...unless of course they're a pilot.

[Saint John]

[because of CA being THE BEST STATE EVER

I really hope you were being facetious.

[stevew2]

I am a piano tuner, every time gas goes up 5 cents, I get fucked ,no calls,

You should've applied to be Cain's roadie! That would've been a trip.


Can you tune a fish?

Na he would want me to tune his organ,and take care of his kittie {if ya know what I mean}and organs dont need tuning

[DrFU]

I worked in the Chicago Public Schools system for 4 years a s a substitute and I can categorically say that teachers are WAAAAAY overpaid, costantly bitching and under qualified. My one point of sympathy is with the parents. What a bunch of terrible parents society now has. My parents never questioned the teachers. I knew if a call was made home that my ass was grass and I'd be in the house for at least a week. You call parents today and they come to the school for a meeting as if you've sodomized their child with a fucking lightpole. They're angry, confrontational and some are jsut scary. Most believe that there's NO way their child could have done what is being alleged.

That said, I've met some great educators that are trapped with that stupid fucking union wage garbage. Union wages and scales ("tracks" as they're called in Chicago) make it so it's to your advantage to do the least amount of work as possible. You get paid by how many years you have taught rather than by merit. What a bunch of garbage. I've seen teachers with 20 years in that are completely burned out, have become shitty teachers and are still teaching because they are now making 70-80k a year for 8 months of work (9 months of school minus Christmas and Spring break equals 8 months). The teacher's union needs to be destroyed immediately. It has made our teachers lazy and our kids dumb. It's an evil entity.

Here I used to think you were smart...why don't you try this rant in Cleveland so I can watch my 5'1" wife kick your ass all over the place! LOL

What would her point(s) of contention be, Stu? And thanks for the warning, man!!! Am I gonna look funny wearing a cup and mouthpiece at the Journey show?

ROFLMAO! I will PAY YOU MONEY...COLD HARD CASH...to wear a cup and a mouth piece!!!!!!!! The bone of contention is the pay...read my post to Tito...it will explain it in detail.

Let me preface by saying that I was talking specifically about the Chicago Public Schools system. Stu, teachers here start at $40,000!!! Moreover, teachers with 20 years make at least $60-65k. Most that I knew made 70-80k. And there's prime opportunity to make more by working summer school, Chicago's after-school program or the laughable 1 hour before-school program. As far as grading papers, etc goes; in Chicago you're given one class off per day to do such work (40 minutes). Is it all the time you need? No, but I know that the majority of teachers I worked with took little or no work home...besides, it's only a 6 hour and 15 minute work day in the first place (8:15-2:30)!!! For me and most teachers I knew it was nice to wake up at 7am and be home by 3!!! And that's what most do, and they make a helluva lot of money doing so!!!

This wrongheaded drivel may be the beginning of the end of a beautiful friendship...sigh...

[Liam]

Gotta say that I LOVE bartending. Aside from playing guitar, it's the BEST thing I could think of for me to do. It's something I KNOW I'm good at, and it's a little more lucrative than trying to be a rock star.

I did it for 7 years, paid my own health insurance and loved it!!! That said, I was never once, and I mean once, drunk or even tipsy on my shift. That was one of my points of contention with the other bartenders. No one should ever be allowed to drink on their job...unless of course they're a pilot.

Well...I can't say I never got drunk on a shift...my regulars always bought me a shot or a beer when they got theirs. I was ALWAYS able to do what I had to, though. My register was NEVER off (Give or take .25 here and there).
It's just something I've had a shitload of fun doing.

[Saint John]

I've been in every type of classroom from pre-k to 8th grade in a very low income part of the city. Teaching was easy to me...period. I do think it was much harder for women, though. Being 6'3 and 225 I think I instantly commanded more respect where as I saw women, many of whom were far better educators and far better schooled in discipline routines, struggle with students that misbehaved merely because of their size and gender. And I always aided them with punk students.

[Liam]

And I always aided them with punk students.

That's 'cause they knew you really were a pussy anyway. j/k

[yulog]

Hell....I'd pick fly shit out of pepper for 10 weeks vacation!

[Tito]

I have a great job. I am a paralegal and work for an attorney. Recently he has sent me to California and Oregon and in a week I am going to Georgia to do some research on a new account.

That's another good point (which was brought up in the article I included) teachers do NOT have to travel. Most jobs there is at least some travel.

Let's not forget another key point here, as a whole the U.S. Education system is failing. Tough (if not ballsy) to ask for more money when the system is failing. In fairness, not all or even a majority of it's the teachers fault.

[Saint John]

And I always aided them with punk students.

That's 'cause they knew you really were a pussy anyway. j/k

As hard as it was, and at times it was almost impossible, I never put my hands on a kid. Though some of them were pretty much the same size as me!!! We had a couple of 15 year old kids that were huge, man. Tough, inner-city kids that were extremely confrontational. Now bartending is a different story. I have a few old police reports I could probably dig up that outlined some of those adventures!!! Tito has seen the zoo I used to work at.

[Tito]

I've been in every type of classroom from pre-k to 8th grade in a very low income part of the city. Teaching was easy to me...period. I do think it was much harder for women, though. Being 6'3 and 225 I think I instantly commanded more respect where as I saw women, many of whom were far better educators and far better schooled in discipline routines, struggle with students that misbehaved merely because of their size and gender. And I always aided them with punk students.

...and didn't speak english.

[txfirefighter]

Linda:

Are you in freaking Bejing???????



You didn't mention this as part of the summer concert tour!!!!

[Saint John]

I've been in every type of classroom from pre-k to 8th grade in a very low income part of the city. Teaching was easy to me...period. I do think it was much harder for women, though. Being 6'3 and 225 I think I instantly commanded more respect where as I saw women, many of whom were far better educators and far better schooled in discipline routines, struggle with students that misbehaved merely because of their size and gender. And I always aided them with punk students.

...and didn't speak english.

We had a TON of ESL (English as a Second Language) kids. Made me sick that they were basically taught in Spanish and the problem of them not speaking English was just being perpetuated. But then again, everything is in Spanish anyway so why even fucking bother teaching them English?!?!

[7 Wishes]

Three majors, a 3.5 GPA, and I found myself selling ripoff brands of designer perfumes and colognes door-to-door three years after graduation.

So of course I use my music education to teach my voice students, but I got a PT certification in three months, and between giving lessons and my studio, I make more than $70 k a year - twice what I made in traditional "career" fields. Bah.

[Tito]

Now bartending is a different story. I have a few old police reports I could probably dig up that outlined some of those adventures!!! Tito has seen the zoo I used to work at.

There were some characters that's for sure.

[Rhiannon]

Three majors, a 3.5 GPA, and I found myself selling ripoff brands of designer perfumes and colognes door-to-door three years after graduation.

When I first moved to Charlotte, I got sucked into that sort of thing, too. Needless to say when I was offered a third-shift Scan/Receiving job at a Grocery Store 1 mile from where I was living, I went with that instead. I love making commission, and sales is fun if you're good at it, but I'll take a guaranteed base any day over straight up percent of profit.

[DrFU]

Linda:

Are you in freaking Bejing???????



You didn't mention this as part of the summer concert tour!!!!

Nah; wish I was. I was there 18 months ago and took that pic when my group visited Olympic headquarters. We were working on arrangements for Sports Management students from my college to work as interns for the games. I AM waiting for the games to start--on TV; I'll be glued to the set.

[Maui Tom]

Linda:

Are you in freaking Bejing???????



You didn't mention this as part of the summer concert tour!!!!

Nah; wish I was. I was there 18 months ago and took that pic when my group visited Olympic headquarters. We were working on arrangements for Sports Management students from my college to work as interns for the games. I AM waiting for the games to start--on TV; I'll be glued to the set.

Just have plenty of San Miguel....

[Saint John]

Until you ladies just mentioned it I didn't even realize The Olympics are this year. When do they start?