So I got another text message from a different co-worker today. Yeah, we're a texting staff (not a sexting staff, we learned the dangers of that at our sexual harassment training). She wanted to know if my paychecks are smaller than the ones I got last year because hers are. Interestingly, in a minor melt-down about the meager size of my paycheck last night, I did some research. Not only am I bringing home less than I did as a first year teacher in my weekly paychecks, but my own district would have to pay me more if they hired me as a new hire right now.
I think I have to realize that I am not on a career path because teaching in my state is just considered a job. I have been working for this district for four years. I have attained a more advanced degree, but I am actually being punished by my district for staying with them.
Now, I know it is a catch-22. My district isn't actually hiring new hires. In this economy and within my age group, the good fortune to have a job outweighs any longing for a career.
I guess I am just realizing that when my age group entered adulthood we entered a world we didn't expect. We had no clue that finding work at all would be hard. We did not expect a negative correlation between cost of living and compensation. We had no idea that when your job doesn't pay the bills you wouldn't have other options.
2 comments:
Did your district choose to cut pay rather than cut jobs?
I'm sorry to hear that things are tight :(
Teachers don't go into teaching for the money. When I was in college the first time around, I let others persuade me not teach and money was a big factor for me at the time. When you are young, you think more about money and how important it is (not that it isn't important when you get older), but you learn that money should never be the top priority for making decisions in your life. I'm currently correcting my decision and have started back on my license to teach. I can't tell you how happy I've been since getting into the classroom. I find myself thinking about students I have observed and look forward to seeing them again. My husband likes to remind me that I will be making less money when I begin to teach than my first job out of college back in 1995. I try not to think about it that way because it is a little discouraging, but I know I am now where I was meant to be from the beginning.
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