Poll: Teachers going on strike, your thoughts?

[Martymer]

Public and below undergrad teachers are paid barely enough to live on, sometimes less. College and above level professors are essentially this generations intelligensia, and are paid accordingly. They also tend to have jobs doing research or writing.

I personally just can't understand people who want to teach at the elementary\high school level. Is it just because you don't need a doctorate?

I'm studying to become a high school teacher, and no, not needing a doctorate has nothing to do with it. It sounds like you're asking if the appeal is that it's something you do if you can't go "all the way". That's not it. I like to teach. More specifically, I like to teach young people. Not too young, though. I want to be able to have intelligent, more-or-less adult conversations with them, and (most) high school students are perfectly capable of this (yes, I said that, and I'm serious, even if many will just roll their eyes at this). Ten-year-olds aren't. Now, if you can't understand the appeal in teaching, or teaching a specific age group, then I really don't think I can explain it to you. I can't understand the appeal in being a professional athlete, which is something many consider their ultimate dream. Apples and oranges, I suppose.

 

[orangebandguy]

Teachers in the UK get payed loads and they get more holidays than a lot of other professions. Do they really need to go on strike here? No.

I have no idea how bad teachers are treated in Ontario, is it really that bad?

 

[Simriel]

I for one, think they're a bunch of ungrateful bastards with ridiculously large paychecks, but given how vital their career is, they deserve it.

Wow, teachers in Canada must be payed way better than teachers in the U.S.

Anyways, if their paychecks are as large as you say, then I guess I oppose it. But if they're practically living in poverty, like the teachers where I live, then I support it entirely.

My sister just told me they get paid around a 100,000 grand a year for what they do. They definitely deserve it, teaching is probably the most important job in the world, and stunting students for several months, even a full year, strikes me as irksome.

You're sister is very, very, VERY wrong. Average teacher salary is around 30K in both the U.S and the U.K (meaning U.S teachers are actually payed less by comparison) Seriously, some work 60+ hour weeks for that. They do not get payed enough.

 

[SnowCold]

Yes, for 2 reasons:

1) It's their right as workers to strike, without it they just might as weel be slaves.

2) I get a day off.

Espespeialy Israeli teachers, they are payed so horriably, no wonder our every second artical in our news papers are about drunk teens stabbing eachother,

 

[ReincarnatedFTP]

It's their right as workers to strike, without it they just might as weel be slaves.

So much THIS.

 

[dietpeachsnapple]

I for one, think they're a bunch of ungrateful bastards with ridiculously large paychecks, but given how vital their career is, they deserve it.

Ahaahahahahahhahahahahahahah.

No.

If you seriously think Teachers have huge paychecks and not much work, be one for a bit.

UK Teacher: Average Salary is £30,889. 45 weeks a year. 7 hours a day. 5 days a week.

This DOESN'T include overtime, which is unpaid. Tax takes a third of that.

US teacher: Average Salary is around $30,000 as well (going from £22k in the poorer states to $55k in the higher states).

But enough of the niceties, here's some nastier parts: http://everything2.com/title/How+to+survive+student+teaching

Plan on working 50-60 hours a week, not to mention time at home you'll use to plan, grade papers, and recuperate.

It's true what they say: you want as few outside responsibilities as possible while you're student teaching. If you can avoid taking classes, working, planning weddings, buying houses, and getting pregnant, do so. If you live on your own income, my advice is to work your butt off the summer before and save up enough money so you don't have to work while you're student teaching.

Now realise that there is almost nothing to stop you getting fired permanently if anyone finds anything "dodgy" in your background, or if you are involved in a scandal, even if you are innocent.

And then put them next to Bank Managers, Entertainers or Politicians salaries; each of which are not as important as Education.

Thank you.

You said exactly what I wanted to say, only a million more times effectively.

 

[SnowCold]

My sister just told me they get paid around a 100,000 grand a year for what they do. They definitely deserve it, teaching is probably the most important job in the world, and stunting students for several months, even a full year, strikes me as irksome.

$100 000?! The teachers went on strike about a decade ago in Alberta, (just a few days, not even a week, I was disappointed) and someone mentioned that in Japan they work longer hours and get less money. That didn't really work out. They now get $49 000 a year starting salary. But ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND?!
I know it's 22 Minutes, and for B.C., but is this kind of the most negative feelings people have for teachers in Ontario?

http://www.vidoemo.com/yvideo.php?i=TW1Lek1vcWuRpRnBXR2c&teachers-who-walk-out-on-anything

*edit* there was another one from Rick Mercer talking about Ontario teachers buying out something that has nothing to do with teaching and basically just expanding their power, but I can't find it. And the CBC is making people pay to look at archives now, probably because their funding got cut.[/quote]

Dear god tell me this is a parody/satire show.

 

[Ghonzor]

Yeah they deserve more privileges and money. They teach our children, they have earned it.

And good thing calling them ungrateful bastards. Because it's such a bad thing to want a better life for yourself.

Couldn't have said it better myself.
Without teachers, where would we be?
Nowhere we'd really like.

 

[Lonan]

$100 000?! The teachers went on strike about a decade ago in Alberta, (just a few days, not even a week, I was disappointed) and someone mentioned that in Japan they work longer hours and get less money. That didn't really work out. They now get $49 000 a year starting salary. But ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND?!
I know it's 22 Minutes, and for B.C., but is this kind of the most negative feelings people have for teachers in Ontario?

http://www.vidoemo.com/yvideo.php?i=TW1Lek1vcWuRpRnBXR2c&teachers-who-walk-out-on-anything

*edit* there was another one from Rick Mercer talking about Ontario teachers buying out something that has nothing to do with teaching and basically just expanding their power, but I can't find it. And the CBC is making people pay to look at archives now, probably because their funding got cut.

[quote:SnowCold]Dear god tell me this is a parody/satire show.[/quote]
Yes, it is.

 

[Ham_authority95]

Wtf are they thinking? Now college students aren't getting what they are paying for AND they are flat broke

 

[Loop Stricken]

I fully understand strikes, and cannot for the life of me understand what court in the land would rule it illegal to strike.

 

[CrystalShadow]

90% of my teachers do s##t all, i had to teach myself physics and engineering in my senior studies, why should a person get paid $70,000 (AU) for that ?

And even the teachers that do a good job are just robbing the students of a days education, last time i checked they get long holidays, short hours as well as a medium to high income, they get enough.

Yeah, uh... What?

My mother was a teacher.

Short hours? She spent 12 hours a day dealing with work. School hours are only the beginning.
You have to do all the lesson planning, preparation, marking and all that on your own time.
That's not at all easy.

Not to mention how soul-crushingly bad of a job it is, since the system essentially forces you to be a 'prison warden' to a bunch of kids that most of the time don't have the slightest interest in learning anything, and you're stuck with the dictates of the department of education and the head of the school you're working for.

Yeah. Real lovely job, that.

Being a high-school teacher in particular is a form of torture, really.

 

[mudshovel]

I for one, think they're a bunch of ungrateful bastards with ridiculously large paychecks, but given how vital their career is, they deserve it.

Wow, teachers in Canada must be payed way better than teachers in the U.S.

Anyways, if their paychecks are as large as you say, then I guess I oppose it. But if they're practically living in poverty, like the teachers where I live, then I support it entirely.

My sister just told me they get paid around a 100,000 grand a year for what they do. They definitely deserve it, teaching is probably the most important job in the world, and stunting students for several months, even a full year, strikes me as irksome.

Here is an idea, look it up. But maybe if you listened to your teachers you would research facts before spilling bile.

A teacher with four years of training can earn between $37,043 and $62,625

A teacher with six years of training can earn between $42,258 and $73,472

From: http://resource.educationcanada.com/salaries.html/

 

[benbenthegamerman]

Whether it be Canada, Iraq, or Kenya, if people don't think they are being payed enough and decide to take legitimate action in order to change it, then yes, they damned well have the right to be on strike.

 

[mudshovel]

90% of my teachers do s##t all, i had to teach myself physics and engineering in my senior studies, why should a person get paid $70,000 (AU) for that ?

And even the teachers that do a good job are just robbing the students of a days education, last time i checked they get long holidays, short hours as well as a medium to high income, they get enough.

Long holidays? I spend the 6 weeks during the year inbetween terms in Australia marking a preparing for the rest of the year. I get into work at 7am and don't leave until 4:30.

And that $70,000AUD you are quoting is for teachers who have been in the service for about 12-15 years. I started on $42,000AUD after doing six years of training.

Teachers don't get paid if they strike in Australia, and the schools cannot close. In fact if they do close it's breaking the law.

A school has to allow ANY students who arrive on the day to stay in school, and run a program for them. So in fact, if you want to still get an education, you can still turn up at the school.

 

[crypt-creature]

My parents and my brother are all teachers.
No, they don't get paid much. Both my parents have been teaching for over 20+ years, and I went to the same public school system as my father. My junior year, he was told that he could no longer teach kids since he was one of the few people who could help the school system get the funds needed to rebuild the school in a new location and get the faculty and teachers new materials, he also helps kids and their parents if there are any problems in the school (from the kid acting up to the parents trying to get a kid in or helping a kid with family issues).
It not only pissed me off since he was a damn good teacher (I wanted to be in his class) and cared about his students, he still gets crap-all for a salary. He has his phone on him constantly, even on a 'vacation' in case a faculty member needs to get a hold of him and go over something involving the school or a grant. He is called at least once a day for such things.

The sad thing is, nothing is going to be more effective and send a message than a teacher going on strike.
Does it suck? Yes.
Does it affect the kids? Sometimes, yes.
Do they have a right to do it? Yes, they certainly do.

College professors get paid more, but some of them still deserve to go on a strike depending on what the issues are (they're not always money, mind you).

 

[Braxis]

I fully understand strikes, and cannot for the life of me understand what court in the land would rule it illegal to strike.

Its a very difficult situation to handle here. But do you mean this as for all jobs? As i really don't think that any emergency service workers should be able to as we NEED them.


One of the main points i feel a lot of people are missing here as that this is only Applying to a strike by College Professors and not any others unless they have very recently joined in. Judging from the amounts that are paid in tuition and from speaking with people who KNOW (such as members of the Students Association Board of Directors) It really isn't that bad... I mean yea they work long hours and such but hey so do the people who work at Mc'donalds and they get paid peanuts.

Also the teachers went on strike just a few years back and got some of the changes they asked for... so its a lot harder to feel for them not that they are doing it again so SOON.

And as a final point. I'm hoping that it was noted that the article that was linked in OP was written by the Union? So looking around at a few more sources is definitely warranted.

 

[daxter101]

My mother was a teacher.

Short hours? She spent 12 hours a day dealing with work. School hours are only the beginning.
You have to do all the lesson planning, preparation, marking and all that on your own time.
That's not at all easy.

Good, she works normal hour like the rest of us, and it seems your mother was one of the few good ones.

Long holidays? I spend the 6 weeks during the year inbetween terms in Australia marking a preparing for the rest of the year. I get into work at 7am and don't leave until 4:30.

And that $70,000AUD you are quoting is for teachers who have been in the service for about 12-15 years. I started on $42,000AUD after doing six years of training.

Teachers don't get paid if they strike in Australia, and the schools cannot close. In fact if they do close it's breaking the law.

A school has to allow ANY students who arrive on the day to stay in school, and run a program for them. So in fact, if you want to still get an education, you can still turn up at the school.

ooh poor me i get to work at 7 and leave at 4:30, get a real job, i go to work and 7AM and leave at 8PM, and after that i can still get called out in the middle of the night, and i really feel for you and your $45,000 starting wage when i earn less and damm sure work harder that marking grades and talking all day.
And that stuff about getting taught is a load of crap, who was going to teach me chemistry? my principle?
Your not proffesional, you get more than enough, get over yourself

 

[mudshovel]

ooh poor me i get to work at 7 and leave at 4:30, get a real job, i go to work and 7AM and leave at 8PM, and after that i can still get called out in the middle of the night, and i really feel for you and your $45,000 starting wage when i earn less and damm sure work harder that marking grades and talking all day.
And that stuff about getting taught is a load of crap, who was going to teach me chemistry? my principle?
Your not proffesional, you get more than enough, get over yourself

"Oh poor me I get to work at 7 and leave at 4:30." Get a real job.

I go to work at 7am and leave at 8pm, and after that I can still get called out in the middle of the night. I really feel for you and your $45,000 starting wage, especially when I earn less and I damn sure work harder than marking grades and talking all day.

And that stuff about getting taught is a load of crap, who was going to teach me chemistry? My Principal?

You're not proffesional. You earn more than enough; get over yourself!

 

[Soxafloppin]

There is nothing ridiculous about teachers paychecks.

The only ridiculous thing is the amount of holidays they get.