(a) teachers on average only work 36.5 hours/week, and (b) teachers are overpaid. The article was published in the Columbus Dispatch (LINK). Here is an excerpt from the article:
....The bottom line: The commonly held truism that public-school teachers earn low wages compared with workers in the private sector is a flat-out lie, said Jay Greene, a senior researcher with the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, a conservative advocacy group based in New York City.....
In my humble opinion, Mr. Jay Greene is a weak-kneed, pompous pencil pusher who could not survive a year in an inner city middle school. I know what it takes to be a teacher and Mr. Jay Greene hasn't figured out what that is.
As a former teacher, I taught both in middle and elementary schools. I worked in rough inner city schools and rich suburban schools. In all of these settings, I never worked just an average of 36.5 hours per week.
What do teachers do? I'm glad you asked! Here is a brief list:
-write lesson plans, and individualize plans for special needs.
-meet with parents, step-parents, psychologists, and other teachers.
-make home visits.
-call and e-mail parents to notify them of behavior and homework issues.
-grade papers, record grades, complete interim reports, and report cards.
-supervise lunches and playground activities.
-spend hours each evening and weekend doing class preparation/grading papers.
-continuously monitor the behavior of students in the classroom while teaching.
-attend staff meetings, staff development conferences, maintain and upgrade teacher certifications.
-teach.
In the world we live in, teachers do more than teach. Teachers are social workers, counselors, nurses, problem solvers, peacemakers, psychologists, technology experts, and hall monitors. Many teachers do not have uninterrupted lunches because they are grading papers or helping students when they should be eating.
During my years in the classroom, I saw several people who thought they could teach, but could not cut the mustard. Teachers today face hostile students and parents, violence in the classroom, unfunded mandates (like No Child Left Behind), and increased duties.
Teachers are underpaid and Mr. Jay Greene needs to research ways to improve the salaries and status of teachers.
