There is no doubt that government will take on a role in education. The question is what role will that be and will it end with a positive or negative outcome. During the reading of chapter 5 in The Flat World of Education (Darling-Hammond, 2010) a close look at three states were given where the government took on different roles. In Connecticut and North Carolina, government was key in increasing educational quality and reducing inequality. Positive outcomes occurred when the government assumed the job of building well-functioning structures and policies that promoted improvement of high-quality curriculum, assessments, and school designs. In addition, the government took an active role with funding to create knowledgeable and skilled teachers and leaders. What happens though when the government does not assume a supportive leadership role, where scarce resources are wasted? Both children and society are harmed, as was the case of California.
Where does this leave me, the classroom teacher that cannot control where the government decides to allocate funds? Would it be amazing to have my salary raised the 12% or 50% that was talked about in the textbook for North Carolina and Connecticut teachers, yes for sure. I do not see this happening though; it comes down to what usually has to happen, working hard for what I want. I am not satisfied with making the minimal teacher salary in Idaho, so I supplement it with being a vocational department chair and club advisor, a coach, and a teacher part-time for an online academy. There are teachers in other states that make more just teaching than I do with my teaching and extra supplemental jobs. Seeing what occurred in California is definitely not something I want to happen, but looking at Connecticut and North Carolina I can see the positives and still hold out hope that huge pay raises are coming my way.
I am in complete agreement that an Idaho teacher’s salary is a depressing thing—for both personal and professional reasons. Personally, I’ve been stuck at the bottom of the boundary county school district pay scale since movement has been frozen for multiple years. Just moving across the Washington border with my experience and masters would almost double my salary.
ReplyDeleteWhat is scarier to me, however, is that such meager compensation combined with our current political turmoil is going to leave the state with few, if any, qualify teachers entering our profession. Out of all my seniors, and I’m lucky enough to get our best and brightest, virtually none of them express an interest in teaching. They know there is no money in teaching and look elsewhere.
Not to be Debbie-downer but with current salaries, I don’t have much hope for the future quality of Idaho teachers.
I am with you, Rachele, but I don’t hold my breath for more moola, especially with the up-coming changes at the state level. Isn’t it a shame that professionals—as we are— struggle to make ends meet, and—as you have done—taken on extra jobs just to stay ahead of the bills? I have a number of friends who are also considered professionals—doctors, nurses, lawyers, dentists, financial managers, to name a few. Only one, my friend who is a public defender in Minnesota, earns a similar amount as I do.
ReplyDeleteI can pull my hair out thinking about what’s fair; and I know I only get thinner hair; I have been a teacher because I truly love learning and teaching. Fortunately, I can do without steak.
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteYou mean Ryan-raw deal, don't you?