Joe Ellis wrote:


You should have.

Let's look at some other things about teaching...

Out of that "not a bad start", you are required to take continuing
education
courses... of course, you don't get PAID to take them, like in most
other
professions... they're out of your own pocket. And of course they're
only
available during the summertime. So much for that "10 months of the
year" job.

Not what my sister endures. She manages to get hers in during the
school year.


You buy extra supplies (just little things like classroom materials
for 30 kids,
extra reading material for the kids, all those little extras that
make a
classroom more than an empty box with students in it) out of your own
pocket, to
the tune of several thousand dollars a year (We have the receipts to
prove
it...) So much for that "not a bad start"...

Seen the extra checks I used to write for supplies big guy? Seen the
tax treatment for teachers? Probably not.

On top of all that, after years and years of teaching in the highest
stress
field, you're thrown out without even a gold watch when the strain
gets to be
too much, with completely inadequate counselling and assistance
available.

Defined benefit pensions too. The private sector has been losing them
for years.

You probably wouldn't survive a week in an elementary
classroom, and a high school basic math or English class would eat
you alive in
an hour.

I subbed too. Math and Chemistry. Got quite a bit of work in too at the
time as I was employed in a clinical laboratory. Even considered doing
it for a living but my undergrad Chemistry degree and post graduate
work was not good enough for them, they wanted an education degree. At
that point the salary was comparable to my private sector income and
the benefits were definitely better.

My employer at one point *loaned* me to a school system. I taught
calculus and general chemistry for two hours each day for one year. I
enjoyed it. Even enjoyed doing lesson plans and grading tests. I take
work home now in the evening, I'm sure others do too. So what?

Think about this - those taxes you pay aren't for the kids you may or
may not
have in school any more, they're payments on the credit you were
extended for
the education YOU received, and still use.

My taxes are a civic duty to support vital government functions. As far
as I know, most citizens generally don't mind paying our fair share for
a community benefit. I do object to the education system not having to
live like the rest of us and tighten our belts peridocially. My fellow
citizens and I just got a levy increase for administrative and athletic
facilities. I'm all for high school sports, but seven million for a
football stadium is a little out of hand.

So go ahead and **** and moan about your taxes. Poor baby.

I would not go around calling those you feed you baby. Read the post
again, I said the education requirements were not tough. And I said it
was not the noble profession folks made it out to be. I never said it
was an easy job.

I knew someone would sputter bull**** rather than offer an intellectual
argument, speaks highly for some abilitiy to teach.

Wayne