Feeling Resentful Over $$ for Teachers - HELP

amother

Tue, Jun 14 2011, 5:34 pm

Of course, as a teacher it's nice to get gifts, but nobody owes you anything. If you are paid next to nothing, find a higher paying school or find a different profession to work in. Yes, we teachers work very hard. No, the parents do NOT have to compensate for your lousy salary. Do not embarrass the rest of us in this noble profession by your blatant sense of entitlement.
I am Amother here who posted that the teachers should be getting $10. I think you all misunderstood what I wrote. Nowhere does it say I feel the teachers are 'entitled' to $10, just that I think that when you consider how many additional, unpaid hours are put into the job by teachers, that $10 is not a lot to ask. Noone is asking for a person not to feed their families, just for a basic hakoras hatov, which many do not get at all. Yes, notes are nice, and giving something is noce, but my objection to OP was that she indicated that teachers were NOT entitled to anything..I take offense at that. I think that a few dollars at the end of the year will not cause anyone to starve, and that the situation was grossly overexaggerated. Also, I feel taht you and others misinterpreted my words entirely. Teachers are definitely the most grossly underpaid workers in my opinion, and noone's 2 or 3 dollars will ever 'compensate' as you so nicely put it, the hours we put in and the sacrifices we make. If you are a teacher, you should know that. I object to your assumption that I feel a 'sense of entitlement'-since I was not only speaking for myself, but trying to enlighten those parents who 'put teachers last' to the other side of the story. Noone goes into teaching for the money, but gifts, lthough not 'expected' as you seem to think I do, are always a nice way to show teachers that yes, parents do recognize what you do. A note is nice, too, but my issue is that the OP complained about the money, not note writing, so I was replyingto the topic at hand.

bubby

Tue, Jun 14 2011, 5:50 pm

obagys wrote:

amother wrote:

I am a teacher and what we are 'paid' is nothing compared to the many, many extra hours of HW, planning, marking, report cards, parent phone calls, PTA, projects,etc. I understand it is tight for us all right now, but with tutoring gone (theonly extra income many teachers have) plus many of us work more than one job to try to make ends meet, plus late payments from schools, bounced checks, etc..no, ten dollars is not too much to ask! I think that if you really cant afford it, you should understand what the job entails. If you would like to give your own gift- what can you get a teacher that is less or equal to 10 dollars, and is still a nice gift? Nothing! This is the problem with our community and why so many teachers are leaving the profession, or are going to public school-the total lack of appreciation of parents like you, an attitude that seeps down to the kids..... I also had teachers to give gifts to and gave much more than $10, and the richer parents were kvetching they couldnt afford it..but ask yourself-are your kids going to sleepaway camp this summer? How about tennis lessons, music lessons, family vacations? On my teachers salary, my kids had NONE of those things..but Imade sure they knew that hakoras Hatov to teachers is paramount, since I know exactly what they go through to 'get paid'. I hope this enlightens you a little to the other side of the story!!!

I'm pretty horrified at your post. That you EXPECT people to give you a gift is so outrageous to me. The OP did not say she didn't appreciate the teachers or that she thinks the idea of a gift is bad - she said she cannot AFFORD it. Just as you struggle, so does the OP - why do you think you deserve her $10? Why is her heartfelt thanks in the form of a card or phonecall not good enough for you? She did not say she's using the "gift money" to buy herself a new book or a coffee at Starbucks - it's from her family's FOOD budget! I'm sure you do a fantastic job as a teacher, but your sense of entitlement is shameful.

As a teacher for over 30 years, ITA!! Except for one point: with an attitude like that, I'm not so sure this amother (rightfully so, if I wrote this I'd be ashamed to sign my name too!) IS a fantastic teacher. Such a bitter & resentful attitude will spill over into the classroom. Time to get out of teaching, madam.

amother

Tue, Jun 14 2011, 6:27 pm

New amother here- I just wanted to say that I DONT BELIEVE that teachers are underpaid. I agree that sometimes they are not paid ontime but I dont think they are very underpaid.
Think about it like this- a teacher works half a day usually -if you worked full time you would make more. I am not sure how much you make but I heard 20-25k is regular for a teacher- but that is for EITHER teaching hebrew or english- half a day. If you choose to work a full day- you would make double. You have off every yom tov without a problem, and the summer. In other jobs you dont have that. I understand you do a lot of work at home but you took this job knowing you would have too prepare.
A teacher was NEVER a high paying job. It was always lower paying and usually the school teacher was someone who did it because they WANTED to do it.
You can be home erly for your children- something you cant always do in another job. Also in the jewish schools you dont need a degree so you dont have to be busy going to school and paying back student loans.
think about it that ways and you are not so underpaid.

gryp

Tue, Jun 14 2011, 6:34 pm

amother wrote:

Amother, I'm sorry, but you have a horrible attitude. If you don't like the details of your job so much that you think your clients should go hungry rather than not hand their money over to you, I suggest you find something else to do to earn money.

lamplighter

Tue, Jun 14 2011, 6:58 pm

Teacher's are underpaid in most situations and most teachers don't teach for the money. They teach because they care. They love children, they want to make a difference and they are talented.
Since s/he is spending all that quality time and kochos on raising your children in your stead, appreciation is due.
If you live in a community where your children go to a community school that is behind in paying they're teachers but your child's teacher is not behind in his/her dedication or commitment to the job then just for that appreciation is due.
Feel free to tell the teacher that they should find a better job at another occasion, but at the end of the year, a thank you is in order.

As is clear from my most responses on this thread and the others of this sort - a thank you does nto require a monetary handout. It is an expression of appreciation. A card, a gift, a check, a letter - it's all the same to me on that level.

Tal

Tue, Jun 14 2011, 11:37 pm

First - Tuition is extremely high (especially if you have children in several schools).

Second - If we are all paying, why are teachers not getting paid on time?

Third - used to be that teachers were really the hardest working proffession, I don't want to take anything away from teachers but many jobs today are really 24 hrs! and less satisfying.

Fouth - how many people do you know who are not struggling today?

fifth - teachers do get some benefits that others don't. for example: 2 month summer vecation. when we try to speak about lowering tuition bill, since we work how can we ask for a discount. If we were teacher/rebbi it will be a different story! and when do we get appreciated?

In conclusion: We are all in the same boat! If someone wants to give very nice! if they can't afford it why will you want it? do you give extra to your cleaning lady? mailman? garbage pickup?

notshanarishona

Fri, Jun 17 2011, 4:49 am

amother wrote:

I agree with you 100%. I am a teacher and am earning less than 50% of what I would make in a less yeshivish school. Howver, for many reasons I enjoy and am happy to give to my community. However, I think everyone expects much more from teachers than from any other profesional. Parents will call me at home any time of day to help them with family dynamics , social problems with there child, etc.., I put in many hours preparing and doing individual tests/modifications for students who need it, .... the list goes on and on. Teachers are paid much less than what they work for. If you are happy with your kids teachers, it is basic hakaros hatov to give something small a couple times a year.
Yes- tuition is a lot. And that is b/c in most schools most parents pay about 1/2 or less.
Obviously, if you can't afford food, you shouldn't be giving expensive gifts. but at the least, you should say something nice, give a note, have your kid give a homemade thank you card, etc..

shoshina

Fri, Jun 17 2011, 6:09 am

amother wrote:

Amother, just like the rest of us in the working world, teachers are entitled to their salary, and nothing more. Obviously it's a nice thing to do if you can give a gift. My parents gave generous gifts ($100+) to those teachers who genuinely helped my siblings an I, really showed an interest, etc. They gave nothing to teachers who they didn't think deserved it. It's a gift, not an entitlement.

I'm remembering a previous amother teacher (Disgusted and annoyed) who wanted to ban a child she couldn't manage from a party. Is she entitled to a gift from that family?