Any teachers out there? help confused college student.

Celebi03
Celebi03 Posts: 310 Member
edited November 2014 in Chit-Chat
Hi there.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

I'd like to know how much teachers get paid(and where).. if that's not too much to ask.

I'm looking into elementary school education but I hear bad things about the pay, and the overtime..

I mean all my life I've been dreaming of teaching, and I feel saddened about the pay but if it's manageable I'd certainly do it.

Thanks again and have a great day.

Replies

  • sare_bear90
    sare_bear90 Posts: 31 Member
    I would like to hear about this as well as I am also going into elementary education (have my associates degree in this but am currently taking a break from college)
  • allieallieoxenfree
    allieallieoxenfree Posts: 114 Member
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/12/15/how-much-teachers-get-paid-state-by-state

    But keep in mind that this includes high school teachers, who make more. It's also an average of all teachers' salaries, not starting salaries, so you'd make a lot less starting out. I'm a college instructor, not a teacher, but a lot of my friends are teachers. It's perfectly doable, especially if you have minimal student loans. "Overtime" is kind of what you make it--there will be lots of expectations (e.g. come early to decorate your classroom, grade papers, write progress reports, lesson plans, after-school meetings, etc), but you can also manage some of that to be done during teacher workdays, planning periods, etc. Many teachers I know also work part-time during the summer for some extra $$.
  • khakstol
    khakstol Posts: 15 Member
    As a retired teacher i will tell you that you will never be wealthy in the material sense working as a teacher but you will have the reward of being a learner throughout your career and beyond. You will learn as much from your students as they do with you. You sound like you have a passion for working with kids so go for it. Be professional and you won't get trapped into the overtime and compensation conversation. Expect to work hard enjoy it.
  • SGM_Adonis
    SGM_Adonis Posts: 1,565 Member
    Salary.com

  • Anahita_Swims
    Anahita_Swims Posts: 4,127 Member
    teachers arnt paid enough here either...
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,642 Member
    Anahita_Swims wrote: »
    teachers arnt paid enough here either...

    You'd think if that were the case you'd hear about school districts not being to find enough teachers to fill their spots...

  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited November 2014
    khakstol wrote: »
    As a retired teacher i will tell you that you will never be wealthy in the material sense working as a teacher but you will have the reward of being a learner throughout your career and beyond. You will learn as much from your students as they do with you. You sound like you have a passion for working with kids so go for it. Be professional and you won't get trapped into the overtime and compensation conversation. Expect to work hard enjoy it.

    Mostly this. There are many things to consider, other than income. If you love what you do, the money is less important. I have had low paying jobs and my current career pays well enough. Whatever you choose to do, the emotional and spiritual rewards should be enough to offset the difference in pay. If it doesn't, then consider something else.
  • SugarBabyGirl
    SugarBabyGirl Posts: 7,026 Member
    OP, for what it's worth, if you're doing it for the money, don't bother. There are already too many teachers out there who did it for the money, short days and extended summers and end up disappointed. The need is for teachers who teach because they love to and they feel they have something to offer. Our kids need teachers who do it for the love of kids.
  • killerqueen21
    killerqueen21 Posts: 157 Member
    ^^ true, but they work hard so they also deserve to be compensated. No one's claiming they should be rich, but teachers are pretty undervalued in most places.
  • SugarBabyGirl
    SugarBabyGirl Posts: 7,026 Member
    killerqueen21 wrote: »
    ^^ true, but they work hard so they also deserve to be compensated. No one's claiming they should be rich, but teachers are pretty undervalued in most places.

    I totally agree with you, but it's an entirely separate issue. All I am saying is that you know going into it that it's hard work, the compensation is lacking and I think if you go into it thinking that the hours are good and it can't be 'that tough' then maybe it's worth a re-think. Nothing has changed in decades, it's not about to change now. Unfortunately.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    _John_ wrote: »
    Anahita_Swims wrote: »
    teachers arnt paid enough here either...

    You'd think if that were the case you'd hear about school districts not being to find enough teachers to fill their spots...

    And if you check your local school district, you will probably find that to be the case.

  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,642 Member
    Ours are more like a zillion new grad applicants and nobody they want to hire...
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    Yer cute hun, why don't you just marry a baller so it won't matter how little you get paid. You could consider it kinda like volunteering, but with schedules, demands, and lots and lots of noise.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    Remember when you look at salaries that you get 2+ months off during the year. In our state the average teacher makes $53,000. This is public information - do some google research for the states you'd be interested in working in.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    edited November 2014
    Teachers are underpaid- period.

    But that shouldn't be your main focus… finding a job as a teacher is becoming very difficult nowadays. I have a friend who graduated with a Master's in Elementary Ed two years ago and hasn't been able to find a full-time job in a public, private, or magnet school. He has been working as a pre-school teacher making $13.00 an hour. I work as a teacher in an after school care program at a private school and make much more than he does AND I have not finished my Bachelor's yet.

    Teaching is one of those jobs where you never really stop working. When you leave work, you have to go home and grade assignments/quizzes/tests or work on lesson plans, etc. You have to decide if you want a job that is over when you go home or if you don't mind having to work some more after the typical 7-8 hour school day.

    ETA: The average salary of a teacher in my state is between $45,00-60,000 depending on location. Keep in mind that I live in one of the wealthiest states in the U.S. so location is something to also consider. In Florida (where it says you live), the average starting salary is $35,000.
  • ellepribro
    ellepribro Posts: 226 Member
    The amount teachers get paid and the amount of overtime varies greatly depending on where you are. I'm an elementary teacher in one of the lowest paid areas of the country (Canada), and I work long days, and every Sunday, getting everything ready for my littles. I couldn't imagine doing anything else though.

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