Yesterdat was payday. Woohoo! Now I can do all the things that accompany the 10th and 25th of each month. Bills get paid and all that other fun grown up stuff happens, but this isn’t about the money I make teaching school. Our business manager/payroll lady sent us all a forward, it’s a message called “What do teachers make” - I’ve seen it before but it was nice to get a warm, fuzzy message on payday.
It’s no surprise that teacher aren’t among the highest tax bracket. Paper put to pencil would likely discover that the hourly wage teachers make isn’t impressive either. However it’s not about the money to be made or the material riches to be amassed during one’s career. It’s about the love for our profession, the love for kids and the other little things that make teaching great.
So what do teachers make? (this is my take on things)
Teachers make kids behave. They might not be getting that attention and instruction at home. But we do our best to instill some common sense behavior, the little decencies most people take for granted, and the general courtesy that makes our world a nicer place to live.
Teachers make learning possible. We provide the knowledge, information and opportunities to learn and grow. Many of my students wouldn’t know some of the stuff they do if it wasn’t for school. Unfortunately not every kid comes from a home where learning is important so for many school’s the only place they get to experience these things.
Teachers make someone’s day. Every day teachers see kids come into the room who don’t have someone to tell them they are valued, loved and important. So many kids come from really crappy situations and school is the one place they can escape that.
The article sums up by saying teachers make a difference. That’s why they are teaching, that’s why I teach.
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