What's bugging you? (2016)

[TURBO]

 

Even if we do head for a teacher shortage I don't think it would be for some of the reasons you are mentioning. The biggest problem threatening the number of applicants has nothing to do with what the job entails, but how they become qualified.

 

I disagree with part of what you are saying, and agree with a small portion. Lack of pay is part of the reason for a shortage, sure, but you can bet the conditions in education and what teaching entails these days will for a fact have a large part in the shortage that is inevitable. Benefits are becoming nothing special, which used to be the saving grace for people wanting to enter a profession for far less pay than the average college graduate.

 

So many people seem to have an ax to grind against teachers, which used to be a pretty noble profession. Now it seems to be a profession for suckers who enjoy being made into villains on a daily basis by the media, parents, and politicians.

 

Very similar to law enforcement, another profession I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole now-a-days.

[1992casey]

I think that this is a good time to quit while we're ahead and move on to other discussion.

What I meant was that while this has been an interesting discussion, given the politics, we should now bring it to an end.

[AKCheesehead]

I hear ya Casey, but must chime this in: I taught in Wisconsin for 2 years, and moved up here in 08 to try something new for a couple of years. Given the state of things back in Cheeseland, my Wisconsin teaching days are over with.

[DHonks]

In Arizona our teachers begin at $35,000 in most districts. Getting a masters is a minimal pay increase, and actually results in losing money for 8 years before getting ahead. Some of my friends couldn't find teaching jobs in Wisco and looked elsewhere, because there were too few teachers retiring when they reached retirement age. Don't get me wrong, I hope Wisconsin teachers never have it like we do in Arizona, but they never realized how fortunate they were--and continue to be. I have friends there in their early 30s making far more than I could make if I were to have 25 years of experience, 3 Masters degrees, Nationally Board Certified, and coach 3 varsity sports. In my district, a teacher cannot make $50,000. When my friends complained about going from $60,000 (but contributing nothing to their pension) at age 30 to making $63,000 at age 31 (with 50% contribution to pension), I understood they felt wronged and had to budget differently. I currently have one friend in rural Wisconsin teaching 90 middle schoolers and making $85,000 with--as her husband calls it--the absolute best health care package anywhere. Good for her, and she's never complained, too.

 

edited to sound less political.

[Invader3K]

Oh, and by the way, teachers do have summers off, but that is not contracted time, so those summer vacations that so many covet are unpaid. Great benefits? You must be talking about pre act 10, those great benefits that you speak of are dwindling by the year, and there is nothing that teachers can do about it. Just another reason there are fewer and fewer young people going into teaching. I don't blame them, I would never enter the profession in the current atmosphere. NEVER!

 

Yeah, I can't imagine anyone encouraging a young person to go into public education right now.

 

I know a young lady who did great academically in high school. Great in sports, very involved, etc. She was actually our son's first babysitter. Great with kids, loves kids, etc.

 

She very seriously considered pursuing a teaching degree, and she would have been a great teacher. With all the negativity over the past few years, though, she saw the writing on the wall. She went to school in Minnesota, got a business degree, and is working for a company in the Twin Cities. The biggest kicker? Her mom is a public school teacher. That's just one anecdote, but I can see more and more examples like that happening unless the discourse changes in our state.

[MrTPlush]

I hope Wisconsin teachers never have it like we do in Arizona, but they never realized how fortunate they were--and continue to be.

 

Saying one is better than Arizona when it comes to anything public schooling related isn't saying much. "Hey guys we aren't in last place!"

 

In reality though Wisconsin is not that bad. Statistically they are still a middle of the pack state in most aspects of the job. If they want to know what bad is they should take a stroll down south or into a big city. Then they will really know how some have it.

[fondybrewfan]

I don't envy the teacher profession. I think the combination of pay, job security, benefits, time off, etc is still pretty attractive but a bit weaker than 5 years ago. But I absolutely could not handle the combination of trouble maker kids and/or jerk parents. Kind of like coaching I guess.

 

The one thing the private sector has going for it that the public sector really does not is upward mobility. In the private sector you can improve your pay and benefits quickly If you find the right company and work hard. In the public sector you can work your butt off and no matter what your annual raise is going to be peanuts. Again their are trade offs but without the possibility of maybe a 5%+ raise it would be harder to get myself motivated.

[MrTPlush]

With all the negativity over the past few years, though, she saw the writing on the wall.

 

That teaching doesn't pay? Sounds like she just chased the money. She could have easily pursued a teaching degree and moved to Minnesota, the place she ended up moving to, to teach.

[FVBrewerFan]

With all the negativity over the past few years, though, she saw the writing on the wall. She went to school in Minnesota, got a business degree, and is working for a company in the Twin Cities. The biggest kicker? Her mom is a public school teacher. That's just one anecdote, but I can see more and more examples like that happening unless the discourse changes in our state.

 

As you said, that's anecdotal. I also know kids who were thinking about education major, and changed their minds. But it had nothing to do with discourse. They figured out they had different interests, and in a couple cases realized how difficult it was to get a job in a district after graduation.

 

There are hundreds of kids graduating every year with education degrees that end up in day care centers, or doing something else entirely because there aren't enough positions open. So we are a LONG way from worrying about a teacher shortage. It's too bad really. These younger people are still inspired and would probably be great teachers, but are being blocked by older, jaded teachers who should probably retire or move on to a different career if they're so unhappy.

[CheezWizHed]

My son has had a rapid eye blink issue on and off for about a year. Eye doctor thought it was a dry eye situation. Now, he tends to twitch where both his eyes blink and his arms twitch. Its happened quite a bit this weekend and we are taking him to the doctor this week.

 

He is twelve and I'm hoping its more puberty related, but fearing its epileptic.

[1992casey]

Good luck to your son, CheezWizHed. I hope it turns out to be something relatively simple.

[TURBO]

These younger people are still inspired and would probably be great teachers, but are being blocked by older, jaded teachers who should probably retire or move on to a different career if they're so unhappy.

 

Knock it off already. You are not speaking from experience, you are speaking from ignorance.

 

I will no longer be commenting on the subject, for fear of this getting out of hand...

[NeedMoreFans]

who should probably retire or move on to a different career if they're so unhappy.

 

This has happened in the past 5 years, big time. We had 13 teachers retire last year, I think 8 or 9 the year before, and another 8-10 the year before that. A couple of our departments have had 80% turnover over the past 5-6 years. Some of that are people leaving the profession for other ventures, but well over half have been due to retirement.

[DHonks]

Again their are trade offs but without the possibility of maybe a 5%+ raise it would be harder to get myself motivated.

 

My friends in Wisconsin have all had annual raises of over 3.5% every year of their careers. That's a hell of an automatic pay raise.

 

I love teaching and coaching, and enjoy what comes with it. I just have a hard time listening to complaining when they have a pretty good situation. Yes, Arizona is particularly tough on us, but that's also part of my complaint with the current system. Many states will not honor or match my teaching credential. It's amazing that public universities and unions have created stupid policies/rules that prevent teachers from moving across the country and finding jobs.

[CheezWizHed]

Good luck to your son, CheezWizHed. I hope it turns out to be something relatively simple.

 

Thanks. It was pretty prominent this weekend and got me very concerned. I did a little WebMD search and have a little better idea what it might be. One of the main contributors was stress and lack of sleep.

 

Then my wife sent me a message this morning to let me know that both of my older boys (age 10 and 12 share a room) have been staying up late and playing games on their tablet for quite a while. My son with this issue has been exhibiting major sleep problems recently (falling asleep in the middle of the day, when we drive places, etc..). We thought it was a puberty thing again, but seems to be game related.

 

So hopefully, if we fix that, the problem will go away also. And now, I'll be getting extra chores done around the house with their punishment.

[TURBO]

 

My friends in Wisconsin have all had annual raises of over 3.5% every year of their careers. That's a hell of an automatic pay raise.

 

 

Ughhhh! That is false, please, if you are going to comment, get your facts straight. Ok, this is the last time I comment, I promise...

[MrTPlush]

 

My friends in Wisconsin have all had annual raises of over 3.5% every year of their careers. That's a hell of an automatic pay raise.

 

 

Ughhhh! That is false, please, if you are going to comment, get your facts straight. Ok, this is the last time I comment, I promise...

 

You know his friends or something?

[FVBrewerFan]

These younger people are still inspired and would probably be great teachers, but are being blocked by older, jaded teachers who should probably retire or move on to a different career if they're so unhappy.

 

Knock it off already. You are not speaking from experience, you are speaking from ignorance.

 

I will no longer be commenting on the subject, for fear of this getting out of hand...

 

No, I'm speaking from experience actually. Having children in various public schools in the Milwaukee area, then the Fox Valley. My wife taught in public schools, then was a substitute for years in various districts. Still have close friends and family members who are public school teachers. So yea, I'm qualified.

 

With that said my "jaded teachers" was not directed at you, I apologize if you took it that way. I agree on dropping the subject. In fact, I did when a Mod asked us to do so. But then another Mod commented after that, so I figured the topic was still open as long as we keep it civil. Not sure that will be possible though.

[CheezWizHed]

FYI, this conversation has been teetering on the edge of being locked or deleted for a bit now. Its probably best that we return "What's bugging you" to its normal intended use and drop the teacher discussion now.

[Invader3K]

At this point I think folks should go over to the BF Political Scene website if they wish to continue this discussion, where it would probably be more appropriate.

[FVBrewerFan]

Don't get me started on the obscene pay and benefits package available for BF.net moderators.

[1992casey]

Yesterday, I went to the gas station to put air in my tires, and there was a semi parked in front of the air machine. You can't ask a semi driver to move his vehicle like you could ask the driver of a Ford Focus. So I went a few blocks away to another station. I usually avoid that station for air because the machine is next to a marked parking place. Not surprisingly, I had to wait for someone who was buying coffee or cigarettes or whatever. I don't mind waiting when someone's getting air or using the vacuum; that's to be expected. But it's a drag when someone's parked there for some other reason.

 

It bugs me just as much that this car needs air so frequently. I actually have a calendar reminder set up to tell me it's time to go get some. Plus, I'll get air before any overnight trip. My other vehicle literally never needs air.

[CheezWizHed]

My son has had a rapid eye blink issue on and off for about a year. Eye doctor thought it was a dry eye situation. Now, he tends to twitch where both his eyes blink and his arms twitch. Its happened quite a bit this weekend and we are taking him to the doctor this week.

 

He is twelve and I'm hoping its more puberty related, but fearing its epileptic.

 

FYI, my son's doctor appointment went pretty well with the doctor thinking it was more puberty related. And after sharing this story with a friend of mine, he related that his grandson had the same thing and grew out of it.

[1992casey]

That's great news. It's natural to fear the worst. I'm glad it turned out to be something that isn't a great cause for concern.

[LouisEly]

Not sure what you mean by twitch versus blink. My eyelids will occasionally twitch uncontrollably (but not blink), as will my triceps and knee, usually related to stress and lack of sleep.