[thechat] P.o.Ws - Thought this was interesting...

[Erika Meyer]

Deke:

Paying teachers is only one part of the equation.   This is a society
that expresses notions of value through monetary compensation, so it
is important.

In general, it's about investment.

I started a career as a college English teacher.  Maybe I was a good
teacher.  Most of my students said so.    But I'm not kidding when I
say that it was the worst dead end job I ever had.  I spent all this
time in college and grad school, etc, only to be treated like an
expendable piece of crap.

I got no benefits, I had no job security from one semester to the
next, and I was expected to do a lot of work for free.
Permanent/full-time faculty had it a lot better, but the competition
was outlandish for those positions.  And I only had an MA, not a PhD.

I made more money, and got more respect, in the food & beverage
industry. (aka slinging booze & fries).

I saw the writing on the wall, and I wasn't going to put up with the
lack of respect and pay. That's a big part of why I went out and
scrounged up a computer and started out in the direction of web site
design.

In elementary & middle schools there is so much more that can be done
to improve education, starting with reducing class sizes.  I can't
believe how kids are supposed to get educated with the way the
schools are set up now.

Anyway, the issue is that of investment.  There are many ways to
invest in the future of our children.  Valuing (& compensating) good
teaching is one of many.

Erika

>On 28 Jan 2002 at 17:17, Ron White posted a message which said:
>
>>  We'd be a lot better educated country if we paid teachers what they
>>  should be making instead of the pittance that we currently do. Then
>>  maybe more of the best and the brightest would go into the profession...
>
>You seem to think that paying teachers more results in better
>education. It doesn't.
>
>deke

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