If you’re a “good/skilled” teacher, you know that you have the skills, intelligence, and perseverance to be raking in 6 figures in a different field of work… with much less stress (think of distribution managers with possibly just a GED). True, these jobs are competitive, but not really so much with the qualifications that a “good/skilled” teacher possesses.

It is tempting… quite tempting sometimes. What happens though when the “good/skilled” teachers leave? What is society left with then?

My heart would break to see my school in the hands of incompetence. The school where there are children that I have cried, sweated, and teared for (metaphorically speaking) in order to get them to become moral, responsible, and educated individuals.

That is why I stay.

I only ask all of you to take a look at yourselves. We have one lifetime, one chance and making ours the best it can be, and if we’re lucky to make a difference in someone else’s life. If you’ve been a teacher for 30 years and decide you’re done, quit. Pursue another career. Do what makes you happy and makes you feel like you are living up to what YOU think is life’s best. Money, unfortunately, is very important but live according to your pay if that is the job you want.

The world is not a happy place these days and our children are watching all of it. Every child deserves a chance at a great education. Not every child will be perfect and not every parent will be understanding but that is part of the job. It is our job to make sure the children always have someone to learn from. Let’s be the example we’re supposed to be and take pride in our careers.

I agree with most of you when you say that you have to look at cost of living vs salary. What really made me upset was that they were a couple people saying stop complaining you make enough. Don’t get me wrong, I know it will be a blessing to have a job. But as far as teachers getting paid enough, I don’t agree. Teachers are with these kids for six hours a day/five days a week (most students will sleep at least 8 hours a day)that is a quarter of the student’s day Monday-Friday. I think that teacher deserve a lot more than what they get because most do put in a lot of effort. Actors and sports players get way more in a month or two (sometimes in the matter of days) than teachers do in a year. Why are they more important than students that they deserve that much money? It’s crazy to me how people can post those comments saying stop whining and complaining. Most (not all) teachers are underpaid and have a right to be upset. But it is because we love what we do and like to make a difference in a student’s life, that we pick this profession. Obviously it is not because we think we are going to get paid a lot. On the other hand, teachers should not be getting paid so little that they have to live paycheck to paycheck and worry about how they are going to cover next month’s rent.

It is crazy how the government says that teachers make a difference and are important but then turn around and won’t pay them as much as they are paying other ‘important’ professions (doctors, lawyers, actors, etc).

I am a teacher of 24 years and have an advanced degree. I checked on teaching overseas several times but found every time that we were better off in the U.S.- at least for now. In Australia for example, withholding taxes are about 48%. That includes national healthcare. Housing is about the same as here. The problem? Taxes. That was the case in every other sampling I took. Countries may say that they make $70K as a teacher but when you only get half of it, that is quite a difference. My state does not have state income tax and I only pay federal. My advice is not only to look at salaries but all the taxes and retirement benefits. Some districts pay your medical care after retirement too. As teachers, you really need to look at the whole picture since it is a career choice for 25-30 years!

1) If you really hate teachers that much, you should home school your kids. Everyone wins that way, right?

2) Education issues are much higher up the ladder than some one barely making enough to pay her bills can influence. My big goal this year: have enough chairs for all of my students.

3) We aren’t in a position to be successful. Those of you who think it’s so easy really ought to come and show the rest of us how it’s done. Most of my kids are transitioning from mental institions or juvenile facilities. One of them shot at one of his peers. He’s 11. Have fun.

I have 6 years of college experience and frankly, make the same amount per paycheck as I did in my last summer job. If you never, ever got a pay raise, you’d be bitter too. No one tells IT professionals they should stay in the field because they love it. (Frankly, my summer job was with an IT company and it was the easiest job I’ve ever had. No respect for bashing people who actually work for a living.)

As for the associates degree, you need to get that BA, but you can work as an assistant, which is a great way to get experience. Pay will really very with where you live, but probably won’t be very high.

$1 CAD = $0.92 USD

In Ontario a beginning teacher earns (gross) $38K-$47 CAD ($35-43K USD), depending on location (city vs. town) and education (bacholor vs. master degree). After ~4 years that goes up to $52-60K CAD and after 11 years to $80K to $90K. Teachers are required to be at work from the Tuesday after the first Monday in September (day after Labour Day holiday) to the end of June.

To give you a sense of taxes at the top end, if you earn $80K CAD your take-home after ALL deductions (taxes, pension) is $55K CAD ($50K USD). At lower income levels your take home is a much higher proportion of your gross income [people often have an overinflated belief of how much tax they actually pay].

Standard health care (surgery, doctor’s visits, etc.) is universal and free as long as you are a resident of Canada. Drugs are separate but ALL teachers in ALL jurisdictions will have additional medical coverage simply by being employed full time (part timers often have to pay extra for drugs coverage).

Teacher salaries vary across the country but they’re usually in-line with cost of living.

Teachers tend to get paid in the top 20%-10% of all wage earners in Canada which is also commensurate with their typical education levels. Good pay has attracted strong candidates to teaching and it’s paid off — Canada often ranks amongst the top for educational outcomes. Perhaps that’s the path the US should follow rather than nickel-and-diming its schools. Teachers with more than a few years of experience earning $30K USD? Those salaries you see in many developing nations .

Good luck to you all.

PS Before you jump on the next plane and head up to Ontario (my stomping ground), you should note that teaching jobs are in short supply at the moment. A combination of political developments from 1995-2002 (scared new teachers away) and a recent lull in retirements has lead to an over-supply of under-employed teachers .

CB