Teachers Pay

Some people idealize the job of a teacher and others feel as though it is overrated, however only a selected few people outside of this profession fully understand what it really means to teach. Misconceptions about teaching play a major role in the way that most Americans view this profession. One of the indicators of this lasting misconception between today’s society and the professionals who teach is the low salaries that teachers receive, and for some, a struggle to make ends meet.

The general perception of teachers is that they have it easy, however, that is not the case. The view that teachers are well paid in relation to countless hours spent working are compared to the likes of clergymen, and further entailing that high pay should not be expected, as this is a form of civil service to the community. In fact studies indicate that teachers spend on average, ten additional hours per week that are not accounted for as part of their scheduled work time, and many spend more time than that [http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Bellevue-teachers-log-unpaid-hours-hint-at-strike-1089663.php]. Also the belief that teachers have the whole summer to vacate is another general misconception. An average of 43% of teachers teach summer school or generate some other form of income, and all teachers are required to participate in some form of professional development in which they don’t get paid, rather they must often pay [http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/issues106.shtml]. Summer is also the time when teachers catch up on the bulk of their work, including planning for the next school year, and creating an innovative classroom setting to keep the interest of students.

People who are opposed to the idea of increasing a teacher’s salary tend to believe that working conditions and the school environment should be improved before implementing such an idea. The reality is that both are critical, however, doing so should not be at the expense of salaries. The consequences of the public’s attitude and the resulting effects on teachers’ salaries are significant. Many who enter this profession don’t stay and thousands leave after only a few years of teaching, as this trend can have a negative impact on those who stay in the field [http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news_events/ed/2007/spring/appian/boles.html]. Ultimately, the school may lose talented individuals who may have possessed the necessary skills to instill a positive