Wednesday, December 19, 2012

ABC #64: Teaching Doesn't Pay

I read on a blog I like about THIS ARTICLE, which tells us that teaching is one of the careers that provides the worst return on your college degree.

No surprise there. I don't even make the median salary listed on that site. When I was an undergrad, my dad sent me a few newspaper clippings with headlines like, "English and Education Majors Don't Freaking Pay At ALL."

Still, teaching is what I'm good at and, even though there were a couple of years that were truly horrendous, it's what I like to do. I'm 12 years in, and I'm energized and inspired most days.

I have been shielding myself from most of the Sandy Hook coverage because it's just too sad. I tried to shield my kids from it, but inevitably, Shef heard about the tragedy from friends at school. I had given him a very vague overview of the event, a fact I reminded him of when he told me how upset he was about what he'd learned at lunch.

"Yeah," he said, "but you didn't tell me that 20 kids were SHOT."

True, I said. I didn't tell you that.

So. THIS WRITER really says what I feel about this event, as a mom and as a teacher.

4 comments:

mm said...

Thanks for sharing. After our incident yesterday, I was talking with one of my more rambunctious classes. They were working on some writing about a super power (it's the week before break) they would want, and I was sitting in a desk near them correcting journals. Although they were working and were on task, they continually peppered me with questions. When I told them, honestly I think, that I would keep teaching if I won the lottery, they wanted to know my reasoning. We talked, but I'm not sure I can put it into words, but I have a good gig.

jdoc said...

The thing is, when I finish this degree, I want to go back to teaching in a middle school or high school. It's been a feeling I've had for a while, and strangely enough, the tragedy at Sandy Hook has me feeling it even more.

Tell Shef to look for the helpers. Mr. Roger's mom had some good advice there.

Trisaratops said...

Hi! Nice to "meet" you. :) Thanks for the link. Sounds like you and I have quite a bit in common.

It's pretty messed up on many levels, but I'm glad I was able to express myself so that at least someone else understood what I was trying to say! Keep on keepin' on...we really know the secret, which is, screw what logic or Return on Investment says, teachers are pretty damn important. You know?

I hope you have a wonderful holiday break!

LH said...

Teaching is a good gig. I'm convinced we're doing important work.
Shef's a great kid. Obv.