Teachers Deserve More Pay!

 

1. Teachers often work long hours without overtime pay

While a standard work week may be 40 hours, many teachers spend extra time grading papers, preparing lesson plans, and attending meetings and professional development workshops. This extra time is unpaid and can add up to significant amounts of additional work.

2. Teachers often work well over 40 hours per week

In addition to their regular classroom duties, teachers may be required to attend school events, supervise extracurricular activities, and provide individualized instruction to students who need extra help. All of this extra work can add up to long hours and increased stress. What does a teacher’s hours look like? Well, one example would be to begin at 7am, usually work through most (if not all) of your lunch, finish in the school building around 7pm and continue work at home (sometimes until 11pm).

 

 

3. Teachers often work on holidays and weekends

While many other professions get to enjoy time off on national holidays and weekends, teachers are often expected to work on these days. This means less time to spend with family and friends and more time spent on the job. And no, teachers don’t “get all that holiday and time off”. They are usually working through it.

 

4. Teachers, unfortunately have to deal with some abusive parents.

Sadly, some parents can be difficult to work with and may be abusive or confrontational towards teachers. This can be a difficult and stressful situation for teachers to deal with, and can take a toll on their mental and emotional well-being.

 

 

5. The responsibility that teachers bear is immense and only increasing in difficulty

Teachers are responsible for educating the next generation and preparing them for the challenges of the future. This is a huge responsibility, and one that becomes increasingly difficult as the demands on teachers continue to grow. They are also responsible for 30 children safe all day, every weekday. Now parents, you know this can be hard enough sometimes with 1 or 2 children, let alone 30!

 

6. Teachers’ mental health is often neglected

Teaching can be a stressful and demanding job, and it’s important for teachers to take care of their own mental health. However, many teachers do not have access to adequate support and resources to help them manage their mental health. This can lead to burnout and other mental health issues. And no, ‘jeans’ or ‘dress down’ days won’t solve the problem.

 

 

7. Teachers often have to parent and teach because some parents are unable or unwilling to do so

In many cases, teachers are left to fill the role of both parent and teacher because some parents cannot/won’t provide the support and guidance that their children need. This can be a challenging and overwhelming task (especially if the teacher is not a parent already and doesn’t have experience in this area), and teachers deserve recognition and support for their efforts.

8. Teachers often have to sacrifice their family time because they are too busy with work

More responsibility is often piled on each year with no additional pay, hence teacher burnout and the current teacher shortage. As mentioned earlier, teachers often work long hours and may have to work on weekends and holidays. This can take a toll on their personal lives and can lead to a loss of valuable family time. Many teachers have left the profession altogether due to this as other career paths provide a much better work life balance.

 

 

9. Teachers are often fatigued due to the demands of their job

The long hours, high levels of responsibility, and constant need to be “on” can lead to fatigue and burnout. This can affect teachers’ performance and overall well-being. This can, unfortunately, result in affecting children’s education.

 

10. Teachers are simply awesome!

Despite all of the challenges and difficulties that they face, teachers continue to do an amazing job educating our children and preparing them for the future. They deserve recognition, support, and fair compensation for the important work that they do.

 

 

 

It’s time for us to take action and support our teachers. By advocating for better pay and working conditions,
we can help retain talented teachers and ensure that they have the resources and support they need to continue their important work.
Teachers deserve better pay. End of.

(Image Sourced: https://neu.org.uk/press-releases/state-education-profession)