Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A friend of mine is interested in relocating from NY to Arizona. He is a teacher and interested in finding out what the market is like for teaching jobs, potential salary and benefits. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
A friend of mine is interested in relocating from NY to Arizona. He is a teacher and interested in finding out what the market is like for teaching jobs, potential salary and benefits. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Since he is from NY, he probably knows how to spell and punctuate. I think he'll do just fine here.
I'm lucky to have taught at two fine schools back east, with very high academic acheivement. And I enjoyed some very intellectually distinguished colleagues.
the first thing i noticed when i moved to Arizona, is that i'm getting paid MUCH less. (the only difference in Living Cost is housing...and that's no longer as significant. teachers here really do need to get paid more.)
Here, my teacher colleagues are simply not as interesting as the cool scholarly types back east, where i knew so many brilliant and creative teachers who inspire their students and each other, just by (having time to think and by) being themselves. Ah, i miss that!
But I do not blame AZ teachers for dimished creativity--please read on.
the school day in Tucson schools is at least hour longer than places i've taught back east.
in some cases--in a Phoenix district-the school day is two hours longer--yikes!
(intreresting to note: somehow the shorter school day managed to produce high school graduates who later study at Ivy League Universities....hmmm).
teacher planning time in Arizona is minimal compared to back east! and the lunch time is too. Yes, i think the planning time and "free" time makes a difference in how we educate our children.
if a teacher's day is harried and moves at a frenetic pace, without time to think, then all the creativity one might have had gets burned away before it has a chance to manifest.
When i was (back east) required to be in school for a six hour and forty minute day, with two planning periods and a forty minute lunch break, I was involved with work-related activities of my own free will, producing an actual nine or ten hour work day. I did teacher-enrichment things during the summer too.
Because i structured more of my own time, i WAS a creative, inspired teacher. I used time to ponder, plan, respond to student's work, and to search for and develop exciting ways to build learning experiences and engage students.
it was a joy!
i lived for my students, put energy into my teaching practice.
Here, i live for the district's demands.
Here, i've got one daily planning period (often taken up with duties or meetings!) and a 30 minute indigestible lunch.
Many teachers are expected to make their lunch time a student time--a time when students can make up work or seek teacher help. so many teachers do not actually even have an authentic lunch break (mental recuperation) here.
Whew!
And they do this to the kids, too. Their days are full of constant academic activities and homework, etc....they've hardly got time to dream or nourish their creative spirits.
no wonder Arizona is ranked so exceedingly low on education!
they burn out teachers (and students) by making job requirements so demanding and exhausting, that many teachers can only do what's required -- sweating through the day and rushing home to rest for the night., forgetting our students until the next day, when once again, it's rush, rush, rush.
And go figure, i heard the gov proposed a study into making the school year longer!
This is a "right to work" state. hahah that means teachers can organize but they cannot strike.
and while i'm on this rant, let me mention the condition of state, county and city employees.
Remember the term "Nine to Five?"
Seems no one has heard of it out here.
In arizona, 40-hour-a-week workers work from 8-5....yes, they donate an hour a day to the government, they get an unpaid lunch hour. but to be at work NINE hours, their home lives and true down time are much less.
Right to work?? hahahah! What about right to live?
In Europe, civilized companies give employees 40 days off per year, as paid vacations...and the world goes round. A rested worker is more enthusiastic, but Arizona hasn't caught on yet.
Good luck!
ps - yes i can punctuate...i'm being lazy here, thanks for the indulgence.
Last edited by annabellavia; 04-30-2008 at 01:44 PM..
Reason: to correct a typo/spelling error.
Why do some teachers overate their abilities and importance? They work 182 days a year, 5-6 hours a day, make lesson plans for kids with an average fifth grade reading level (the adult average reading level). They cry they are underpaid and overworked, come on.
Average pay in Southern CA is over $80,000 a year with another $10,000 in health benefits. That is not underpaid. The teacher's union has helped bankrupt the state of California.
Kids learn 90% from their parents. Learning what the state capitol of Washington is doesn't matter. Nor does writing about Hamlet or doing algebraic problems. By the time a kid is 10 years old, it is pretty obvious if the kid has high, medium or low academic ability.
The problem with some teachers is that they play god and act like they can change kids. I have known many teachers who are very punitive and controlling. Lately the number of teachers who are sexual preditors has risen. Notice I say some teachers, not all.
Last edited by Bob's Burgers; 04-19-2009 at 09:34 PM..
Reason: spelling--my teacher did 't teach : they showed movies
Why do some teachers overate their abilities and importance? They work 182 days a year, 5-6 hours a day, make lesson plans for kids with an average fifth grade reading level (the adult average reading level). They cry they are underpaid and overworked, come on.
Average pay in Southern CA is over $80,000 a year with another $10,000 in health benefits. That is not underpaid. The teacher's union has helped bankrupt the state of California.
Kids learn 90% from their parents. Learning what the state capitol of Washington is doesn't matter. Nor does writing about Hamlet or doing algebraic problems. By the time a kid is 10 years old, it is pretty obvious if the kid has high, medium or low academic ability.
The problem with some teachers is that they play god and act like they can change kids. I have known many teachers who are very punitive and controlling. Lately the number of teachers who are sexual preditors has risen. Notice I say some teachers, not all.
i'll bite - you chose an appropriate moniker as slow.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by slowbill
They work ...... 5-6 hours a day
A 6 hour workday would be 8 - 2:40 factoring in a 40 minute lunch - i don't know many teachers who get a full 40 minutes to themselves on lunch, but I know zero who only work 6 hours a day - most places have a minimum contractual hour around 8 hours a day with most going over that when you put in place the extra stuff they are called to do (morning duty, afternoon activities, etc), factor in grading papers, planning, etc i don't know many teachers who work under 10 hrs a day
Quote:
Originally Posted by slowbill
Average pay in Southern CA is over $80,000 a year with another $10,000 in health benefits. That is not underpaid. The teacher's union has helped bankrupt the state of California.
welcome to AZ - who gives a flying "f" about CA?! - teachers don't come close to touching that type of coin out here - try about half that amount if you achieved your masters - also, AZ is far from a union stronghold
You can put as many hedges in there as you want, but all in all you're a dolt. Those two issues should be enough to discredit you from further discussion
Im not quite sure why you feel $80,000 dollars is too much to pay someone who spend more time with your child than you do. Think about it, a child spend on average six hours per day times 5 days a week in school = 30 hours per week.
I am a teacher at a residential facility for adjudicated youth. Yup High school deliquients. I have taught in public schools for years also. I have never met a teacher who works 5-6 hours per day. If you don't believe me ask my husband how many hours I spend at home, grading papers, writing reports, lessons, (because let's face it, kids dont learn from just the worksheets provided with the curriculum.) Let alone the extra money I spend for basic classroom supplies, i.e. pencils, paper!
Yes you are right kids learn from their parents, however, I can't count the number of kindergartners I got into my classroom that had never seen a book! Let alone the high schoolers, that have never owned a book! That's right I have a seventeen year old who has never attended a high school, owned a book, let alone read one. Oh don't forget he learned 90% of his knowledge from his parents!
I have changed lives, I have taken kids who value making money, selling drugs, and gang banging to all A students, defensive players of the year, and producive members of society. That's right I have saved them from dying, getting shot or locked up for life. (Oh by the way it cost an average of $55,000/year to house someone in prision for a year in MI). Have I earned my salry yet?
I feel that I most certainly earn my salary, oh and by the way it's no where near $80,000 per year! I also work 224 days per year!
I challenge you to spend a full week at a school, not a hour, not a day, a full week before you judge what is too much! If you seriously believe what you have said, you might as well know what your talking about from first hand experience.
Quote:
Originally Posted by slowbill
Why do some teachers overate their abilities and importance? They work 182 days a year, 5-6 hours a day, make lesson plans for kids with an average fifth grade reading level (the adult average reading level). They cry they are underpaid and overworked, come on.
Average pay in Southern CA is over $80,000 a year with another $10,000 in health benefits. That is not underpaid. The teacher's union has helped bankrupt the state of California.
Kids learn 90% from their parents. Learning what the state capitol of Washington is doesn't matter. Nor does writing about Hamlet or doing algebraic problems. By the time a kid is 10 years old, it is pretty obvious if the kid has high, medium or low academic ability.
The problem with some teachers is that they play god and act like they can change kids. I have known many teachers who are very punitive and controlling. Lately the number of teachers who are sexual preditors has risen. Notice I say some teachers, not all.
My Mom teaches here in Phoenix. She says that the budget is so bad that some schools are looking to let go of music/art and those types of classes. Even though she would be out of a job, she would almost sigh in relief (she's an art teacher first, but teaches other studies as well). Too many tests and not enough teaching. But... that's just here in Phoenix. I don't know what it's like in the other districts.
I personally wonder how much money would be saved to get rid of all the extra tests and revert the teaching "methods" to those before the tests were prevalent. But... that's another thread in of itself.
My Mom teaches here in Phoenix. She says that the budget is so bad that some schools are looking to let go of music/art and those types of classes. Even though she would be out of a job, she would almost sigh in relief (she's an art teacher first, but teaches other studies as well). Too many tests and not enough teaching. But... that's just here in Phoenix. I don't know what it's like in the other districts.
I personally wonder how much money would be saved to get rid of all the extra tests and revert the teaching "methods" to those before the tests were prevalent. But... that's another thread in of itself.
Unless you work in special ed, math, or science, I wouldn't advise coming to AZ to look for work. Yuma isn't even hiring subs. When I left there, they were splitting classes when the teachers were out. There are no jobs in teaching anymore. Now, is a good time for teachers to consider switching careers.
I don't think there are any states left that need teachers except for Alaska and Mississippi.
Unless you work in special ed, math, or science, I wouldn't advise coming to AZ to look for work. Yuma isn't even hiring subs. When I left there, they were splitting classes when the teachers were out. There are no jobs in teaching anymore. Now, is a good time for teachers to consider switching careers.
100% true. My Sub application was rejected last week because I do not have contract teaching experience. I do have a business degree from a top notch school and had previously worked for that same school district and left on favorable terms. My School bus driving experience may pay off, but that really isn't too pleasant.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Teaching in AZ --how is it different?
