What's bugging you? (2017-2018)

[DHonks]

Just to update. We get 4 personal days and 10 sick days annually. We can convert 2 sick to personal. After that, we start using sick days. The co-worker has missed the last 6 days for the cruise, and 7 total in the last two weeks. And supposedly she missed 15-20 days in Aug-Oct.

So how does that work? Does she still get paid once her PTO / sick time has been exhausted? Or does some sort of short-term disability coverage kick in?

 

These should all be unpaid days. If it were something chronic, it would be covered as medical leave. Our peeve is the students aren’t being educated, and we think the reason she’s getting away with it is she’s the principal’s niece.

[GAME05]

A co-worker is a tattle-tale, for even the smallest little things. I feel like I'm going to get fired for accidentally taking a 61-minute lunch. I recently got in trouble for forgetting the gate counter readings and making a half-mile trip back to get it.

[zurch1818]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Sorry it took so long to reply. It is helpful to hear what I should do. I will say that my wife has seen every type of specialist, nutritionist, doctor, etc. She even saw an alternative medicine doctor. The doctor was a doctor...but she was a chiropractic. I was thinking it would turn out like the Seinfeld episode. Anyway, nobody has been able to diagnose her with anything. The good news is we know she does not have Celiac's. That disease is something that I would not mess with.

 

For the time being, I will continue to be supportive of her and will continue to urge her to try gluten again in a supportive way. My theory is that her body went into shock when she got back from the peace corps after being in Ukraine for 2 years. I'm guessing the wheat that they have there is very different from the kind we have here and her body would attack it. It amazes me how much unhealthy processed food we have in this country. Anyway, now that she has been back in the country for 5 years, I'm thinking it is time for her to try gluten again.

[DHonks]

my school district says insurance costs are going up 10.8% next year. I know others in AZ have it worse, but I have a friend in Wisco with it so much better. It's amazing how in the same profession, things can be so different.

[TURBO]

Wisconsin teachers have it so good here, that droves of them are leaving for other states...

 

Teacher shortage here in WI is in it's infant stages, but it's going to be really bad in the near future.

[MrTPlush]

Wisconsin teachers have it so good here, that droves of them are leaving for other states...

 

Teacher shortage here in WI is in it's infant stages, but it's going to be really bad in the near future.

 

He lives in AZ. Arguably the biggest joke when it comes to public schooling for years.

 

Anything, sadly, is better.

[NeedMoreFans]

Wisconsin teachers have it so good here, that droves of them are leaving for other states...

 

Or leaving the profession altogether. We had one teacher quit the day before Thanksgiving to take a job elsewhere and another announce he's leaving at the end of the semester. A few other teachers in my school have left the profession in the past two years, but they left at the end of the school year. I'm to the point where I am looking for a new job and would consider leaving mid-year if I found the right job.

[DHonks]

Wisconsin teachers have it so good here, that droves of them are leaving for other states...

 

Teacher shortage here in WI is in it's infant stages, but it's going to be really bad in the near future.

 

AZ had around 4,000 classrooms without certified teachers last year. When I started 12 years ago, our district was actively recruiting in Wisconsin (I had already moved here before becoming a teacher). I knew people that subbed in Wisco for 5+ years because they couldn't land jobs, then moved to other states. Things have changed a lot in a decade.

[DHonks]

Wisconsin teachers have it so good here, that droves of them are leaving for other states...

 

Or leaving the profession altogether. We had one teacher quit the day before Thanksgiving to take a job elsewhere and another announce he's leaving at the end of the semester. A few other teachers in my school have left the profession in the past two years, but they left at the end of the school year. I'm to the point where I am looking for a new job and would consider leaving mid-year if I found the right job.

 

that's pretty awful, but I understand based on here in AZ. My district pays alright in AZ. We received a whopping 14% raise this year, which brings our average salary to just under $48,000. But we also contribute 11.64% to our pensions (11.94% next year). I don't consider leaving...I enjoy it. This year our Association is really hoping we can get the district to return to a salary schedule with steps. Of course there needs to be money from the legislature/governor.

[NeedMoreFans]

To be honest, the reasons that most teachers are leaving now is not due to compensation, rather a combination of student behavior and ever-increasing pressure on us not to fail students (though I argue teachers do not fail students, students fail themselves). The teacher that is leaving said he wants to teach his content and if he does it well, too many kids will fail. So he either has to teach what he wants and get yelled at for kids failing or dumb down the curriculum. One teacher that left at the end of the year last year left because he just burned out from dealing with constant cell phone usage. Others have found jobs that pay just as much outside of education and they don't have the stress anymore.

 

I can never be as entertaining as Snapchat or Fortnite, so it's a constant struggle to keep their attention. Grades aren't enough of a motivator for many kids right now because they can get instant gratification in many other ways. I teach in a school that doesn't want to do anything about it other than tell us what we can't do (I'm not allowed to take a phone). I've also been accused of not being engaging and welcoming enough, which is why chronic hall wanderers never come to my class, according to administration.

 

These problems are pretty widespread across schools, which is a big reason why a lot of people are simply getting up and walking out.

[TURBO]

ACT 10 changed the landscape for teachers. It can't be denied. It also changed the landscape for the education, or lack of that our students now receive.

 

Teachers bolting for other states, and leaving the profession all together is real...

 

All the things NeedMoreFans mentioned are true. Lack of backbone by administration (seems to be across the board, not just some districts), cell phones, selfish student behavior, and all the other things that millennial parenting has brought on our society is a big giant energy suck from the daily life of a teacher.

 

If I was in my 20's or even 30's, I'd be looking for a way out myself. The benefits are not what they once were, and the kids are not the same kids that were in classrooms when I started doing this 30 years ago. Since I have 3 more years after this one before retirement, I'm going to stick it out, but like I said, if I were younger, I'd have been out the door within a year of the ACT 10 nonsense that ruined this once great profession...

[stoutdude04]

Wisconsin teachers have it so good here, that droves of them are leaving for other states...

 

Or leaving the profession altogether. We had one teacher quit the day before Thanksgiving to take a job elsewhere and another announce he's leaving at the end of the semester. A few other teachers in my school have left the profession in the past two years, but they left at the end of the school year. I'm to the point where I am looking for a new job and would consider leaving mid-year if I found the right job.

 

that's pretty awful, but I understand based on here in AZ. My district pays alright in AZ. We received a whopping 14% raise this year, which brings our average salary to just under $48,000. But we also contribute 11.64% to our pensions (11.94% next year). I don't consider leaving...I enjoy it. This year our Association is really hoping we can get the district to return to a salary schedule with steps. Of course there needs to be money from the legislature/governor.

 

Our district is moving away from steps and lanes into something else. They haven't told us yet, but I've heard we arent going to like it. I imagine it will be based around our SLO and test scores...which is just ridiculous. I can make an easy goal if that's what they want.

[TURBO]

Our district is moving away from steps and lanes into something else. They haven't told us yet, but I've heard we arent going to like it. I imagine it will be based around our SLO and test scores...which is just ridiculous. I can make an easy goal if that's what they want.

 

 

Our pay is based on our Danielson artifacts... You want to see ridiculous?

 

Sad.

 

Yup, I'd be gone if I was 20 something...

[FVBrewerFan]

Political Forum would be the appropriate place for teachers to voice concerns about their massive pensions, pay schedule they knew going in, months of time off, and complete job security.

[tmwiese55]

Generally speaking I'd summarize WI situation along these lines. Things were a touch out of hand prior to the Walker crack down on all this stuff in regards to pay, benefits, pensions, insurance, etc. Such as, my high school gym teacher was making above 90K. And before all this there was an abundance of teachers with lots applying for every job where fresh grads had no chance of getting hired. So, capitalist logic would say well if you have an oversupply you don't need to pay more. But not surprisingly it seems it's been overcorrected and now the pendulum has swung the other direction. Now, lets hope as it gets fixed again that they found a good middle ground instead of overdoing it the other way instead of continuing this fight for another 12 years.

 

That's ignoring all the other valid issues brought up here and how the government is micromanaging how to teach, focusing only on the pay/benefits aspects.

[MrTPlush]

This year our Association is really hoping we can get the district to return to a salary schedule with steps.

 

Well who wouldn't want that? Pay based on longevity and not actual skills/performance.

 

This coming from someone on such a system...it is such a tragically poor system.

[TURBO]

Political Forum would be the appropriate place for teachers to voice concerns about their massive pensions, pay schedule they knew going in, months of time off, and complete job security.

 

That comment makes me realize that you have no idea what today's teaching profession is like, not a clue in the world...

 

So many things so wrong with your statement, but the last part, "complete job security" is the funniest of all...

 

[FVBrewerFan]

My wife is a teacher, has been in three different districts in her career. Also subbed for a few years in several other districts. I know exactly what I'm talking about. It's like a feeding frenzy, teachers getting each other worked up about everything and anything.

 

Every job has challenges, but there's something about teachers that make them feel entitled. It just never stops. My wife was a big supporter of Act 10, and got out of the union as soon as she could. Obviously, nobody talks to her at her school anymore but she's ok with that. It is telling how childish teachers can be though.

 

I get it though, from day one a new teacher is exposed to this toxic environment, and it's just embedded in the system.

[wallus]

Complete job security?

 

What bugs me is people commenting on things that they have NO IDEA on. I mean clueless completely about..... I don't claim to be an expert on other people's jobs but it's funny how everyone is an expert when it comes to education.

[stoutdude04]

Political Forum would be the appropriate place for teachers to voice concerns about their massive pensions, pay schedule they knew going in, months of time off, and complete job security.

 

Pay schedule has changed multiple times. Benefits have changed twice. I have to work during the summer since I dont get paid a lot. I also have to take classes and training over the summer, but yea, you nailed it.

 

These are the types of responses that I hear often and why the profession is looked down upon.

[wallus]

Political Forum would be the appropriate place for teachers to voice concerns about their massive pensions, pay schedule they knew going in, months of time off, and complete job security.

 

Pay schedule has changed multiple times. Benefits have changed twice. I have to work during the summer since I dont get paid a lot. I also have to take classes and training over the summer, but yea, you nailed it.

 

These are the types of responses that I hear often and why the profession is looked down upon.

 

He should have added "welcome to the real world". Those are always the best!

[MrTPlush]

lol I will never forget when all the hoopla was going on and teachers were rallying students to "walk out" and protest for them. Every teacher pretty much wasted half a class time giving their politically charged opinion on things and literally throwing a fit in front of a group of teenagers. Bias misleading information galore. It was cringy to watch.

 

Thanks for reminding me of that memory guys.

[FVBrewerFan]

Political Forum would be the appropriate place for teachers to voice concerns about their massive pensions, pay schedule they knew going in, months of time off, and complete job security.

 

Pay schedule has changed multiple times. Benefits have changed twice. I have to work during the summer since I dont get paid a lot. I also have to take classes and training over the summer, but yea, you nailed it.

 

These are the types of responses that I hear often and why the profession is looked down upon.

 

I don't look down on the profession, I look down at most of the teachers. Which is a shame, because I have a ton of respect for the really good ones.

 

Yes, pay and benefits may have been tweaked a little but by and large you knew what you were getting when you started. So the claim of "I have to work summer because I don't get paid a lot" is exactly the type of whining I'm talking about.

 

"Welcome to the real world" is exactly right. Every other position people work full time all year AND take continuing education courses that are required. (And rarely have any pension at all.)

[TURBO]

My wife is a teacher, has been in three different districts in her career. Also subbed for a few years in several other districts. I know exactly what I'm talking about. It's like a feeding frenzy, teachers getting each other worked up about everything and anything.

 

Every job has challenges, but there's something about teachers that make them feel entitled. It just never stops. My wife was a big supporter of Act 10, and got out of the union as soon as she could. Obviously, nobody talks to her at her school anymore but she's ok with that. It is telling how childish teachers can be though.

 

I get it though, from day one a new teacher is exposed to this toxic environment, and it's just embedded in the system.

 

Whatever, but your "complete job security" comment is as false as false can be...

 

There is no job security, none. If they want to get rid of you, they can, and will. The fact that people like you continue to spew untruths like job security, just takes away any credibilty you might have because your wife is a teacher.

 

Glad to know your wife supported ACT 10, which basically dumped all over education in general, and her own job. ACT 10 made our entire education system weaker, which in the end, hurts kids. WI used to be one of the top states in the US in education, not anymore...

[TURBO]

By the way, time off in the summer is unpaid... Teachers do not get paid for days we don't work. That is another falsehood that the uneducated like to throw in our faces. Hence the reason a lot of teachers take on summer jobs, they don't get paid for summer vacation.

 

That is not a complaint, I don't know a single teacher that complains about not being paid in the summer. As mentioned, we all knew that when we decided to go into teaching.

 

The complaint is the ignorance of those who have no idea that we do not get paid for all those days off... That is uncontracted time.