The Cost of Education

[vfem]

Oh, and utter joy to add to this.... NC finally opted out of the "NO child left behind' JOKE! Hooray! Maybe now we can finally get these kids back to learning something.

 

[seedcorn]

Interesting thread.

Graduating class of 22 out of 30--lot of girls started families early. Of course guys skated. Teachers gave those that wanted to go to college, extra work-which was appreciated.

Fast forward to my kids, by meeting with teachers and keeping my foot up one child's posterior, they both did well enough go to college

Now, son is teacher (I can tell u he is getting paid about 2/3 what he would be paid in private industry) whose largest 2 problems are "No child left behind" & parents who think their darlings are perfect. The good parents get involved and don't take excuses from their children.

Private schools do a great job here but teachers are underpaid. The teacher's spouse better have a good job to supplement teacher's salary. People who educate our nation should not have to work under such conditions--no I am not connected with any school.

 

[catjac1975]

Even though I think kids are not generally as smart as in previous generations, (lack of effort and parents lack of seeing the importance.) The better and best students, who get support and encouragement, are among a very competitive crowd. The quest to excel is both easier and harder to be at the top. Modern tools help students get to the top. Our overstimulated lifestyles leave Americans still way behind other cultures among the highest achievers. As schools suffer bigger cuts year after year, parents will take up the slack.

I'm not talking about the cost to the taxpayers, I'm talking about the stuff that the kids have to bring themselves.

When I started school, after kindergarten where we needed a "nap mat" the only things we had to bring were a Big Chief tablet
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3044/2578148312_155ff5161a.jpg
and a couple of wooden pencils. That was it.

Fast forward to today. Here's the list of supplies for grades K-6:

http://archive.austinisd.org/academics/parentsinfo/supplies/

and, in case you didn't notice individual schools may require more.

Somehow, without all that stuff I managed to graduate from college with an engineering degree. Other kids went all the way to PhD. WTH!

 

[hoodat]

The big lie they tell you is that if you pay more money you get better teachers.What you get are greedier teachers that will want even more when the next budget rolls around. We need teachers that love teaching, not those who love money.

 

[OldGuy43]

The big lie they tell you is that if you pay more money you get better teachers.What you get are greedier teachers that will want even more when the next budget rolls around. We need teachers that love teaching, not those who love money.

Thank you HooDat! My sentiments exactly. What ever happened to the teachers of our youth who taught for the love of teaching? They wanted to mold young minds and set them on a path to success, not "get paid as if they were in private industry".

 

[seedcorn]

The big lie they tell you is that if you pay more money you get better teachers.What you get are greedier teachers that will want even more when the next budget rolls around. We need teachers that love teaching, not those who love money.

Thank you HooDat! My sentiments exactly. What ever happened to the teachers of our youth who taught for the love of teaching? They wanted to mold young minds and set them on a path to success, not "get paid as if they were in private industry".

Teachers want to live like the rest of society. While education ear tagged money goes to build larger, fancier buildings and paying huge salaries to AD's and administrators, teachers are underpaid their first 20 years.

Not trying to cause problems, IF u think teachers r overpaid and lazy, go try subbing or volunteer to help. You will get an attitude adjustment REAL quick.

 

[catjac1975]

Wow so many teacher haters. The politicians have done a great job convincing all of you that it is greedy teachers who have caused the problems in education and for that matter the economic failures. I think after an undergrad degree and then 2 masters degrees I deserved to finally make 64000. a year after 34 years of experience, starting of course at 8900. No you could not live on that back then either. Teachers starting out have to live with parents or a partner. The state of Massachusetts took away our life time teaching certificates and after all that education I still had to continue on. Social issues send students to school with such problems we spend most of our time and energy dealing with them. I once had a student who nearly drowned at age 6. At 12 he could not speak, read etc.
He did sign a few words, have outbursts, and sat in class with the rest of the kids with his own personal assistant. 2 times a week the parent, her lawyer, the advocate, and a dozen specialists with expensive degrees had a 2 hour meeting on how best to meet his needs. The brightest and the hardest workers fended for themselves. I believe in special education. But at what point do we educate our brightest? You really blame teachers for this political mess?

 

[OldGuy43]

Not trying to cause problems, IF u think teachers r overpaid and lazy, go try subbing or volunteer to help. You will get an attitude adjustment REAL quick.

Or of course, they could go to work in that "private industry" that they are sure pays so well. (By the way, I just saw where 46% of college grads will not find a job in their field.) Of course they'll have to give up tenure, yearly 3 month vacations and prove that they can do the job every day, and not have a union because they'll be salaried but hey; that's why it pays better.

Oh, I just remembered; it has been well known for many years that teachers are not paid as well as people with similar degrees in private industry, and yet you chose to go into it anyway. Why? That's kinda like moving in next to an airport and than complaining about the noise.

 

[seedcorn]

Catjac, teachers r the problem. They become administrators and add to the mess. Instead of fixing the problem, they have become the problem by suggesting alternatives and making them law.

Agree the ground floor teachers are not the problem or over paid. I do agree teachers need to be constantly taught. Private industry is constantly educating their employees

 

[seedcorn]

I cannot speak for teachers but my son did not go into it for the money. He knew the bad side of teaching. Who said they are complaining about the money? Some say teachers are overpaid which is beyond crazy. Want to talk overpaid??? Welfare recipients, union factory workers, lawyers, anyone in brokerage business, etc.
Go sub for a week, then tell me how underworked and overpaid they are.