In college when you tell someone you are going into a specific field, they always have their opinions. The main opinion people have on teachers is the pay but there are also many truths and myths about teaching. Everyone knows that most college students do not go into teaching to become filthy rich. So what exactly are some common misconceptions about teaching in general?
In this video, it talks about the value certain professionals hold and that that value corresponds the amount of money they make. The greater the value, the larger the salary. But in the case of a teacher, for the amount of education they have to withhold in order to be in that career they are very underpaid. Teachers are one of the lowest paid job professionals for having to have a college degree and even more. In 27 states, the average teacher salary has declined about 1.3% since 1999 (NEA). To become a teacher it takes years of college and experience, but this is no longer helping them it is actually making it worse. Not only do teachers start lower than other professionals, but the more years they put into teaching, the more money they spend and the less they are going to end up making.
People say that teachers should “make less than full-time professionals.” But I do not think that people put into consideration that most teachers spend an average of 50 hours per week on instructional duties, including an average of 12 hours each week on non-compensated school-related activities (NEA) like grading papers, getting kids on correct buses, and preparing for parent teacher conferences. Educators work for the public, so they have a large number of job requirements but receive so much less in return. "Teachers receive excellent health and pension benefits" the truth to this is the benefits of other workers would not have declined as much in recent years if they had the protection of a union, collective bargaining, and an independent voice on the job like public school teachers (NEA). And lastly “Teaching is easy, anyone can do it” this is where most people start to gather their opinions on why students choose this field, the reality is Education is also complex, demanding work that requires high levels of creativity, adaptability, thoughtful planning and resourcefulness much of which is learned from cumulative classroom experience. Teaching is not just watching kids all day like their babysitters, it requires much more time and effort than that. Teachers are the people who shape the young into their future selves.
I believe this article has shown me that no matter the field there are always going to be misrepresentations. This connects to me because of my major but this website has the truths about tons of different careers I recommend everyone takes a look. In the long run, the only thing that matters is your personal opinion on your career choice, do whatever makes you happy and don't let people's opinions that have not had the education about the field misguide you.
Sources:
Schools, NEA Public. "Myths and Facts about Educator Pay." NEA. National Education Association, 4 Feb. 2006. Web. 12 Feb. 2017.
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