Why do teachers make so little money compared to other professions?
457884
I would say because people do not realize the full extent of how important teachers are, because without them who are you to say you would be who you are today.  I would say that the world is too caught up on celebrities and sports and things like that, that make so much more money it is ridiculous.  So I would have to say that people do not realize the importance of teachers and the amount of money they get paid, when the reward (their students) is priceless.
161340
Teachers dont get paid like the educated professionals that they are.  They put in a lot of overtime hours and they dont see a cent of that.  The more overtime they put in, the less they are getting paid.  Teachers also buy a lot of materials out of pocket.  Take the time one day and look inside a classroom.  The borders on the bulletin boards, half the books in the class library, markers, erasers, pencils, stickers, prizes, even some of the furniture was purchased by the teacher and NOT provided by the school.  Been there, done that...but still can't imagine myself doing anything else.
912777
THEY DON'T PAY THEM AS MUCH. AND THEY WORK HARD FOR THE LITTLE THAT THEY DO GET.
1161901
Face it, who is getting paid to "teach" the children, Teachers are.  In todays society, people want someone else to blame and since we are getting paid to work with the children, we shoulder the blame.  It is not fair, I agree.  When I see a child for 45 min. a day, approximately 180 days a year, I should not be the fall-guy.  Get real!
876315
Private schools have the advantage of smaller classes, which means that students can work more closely with their teachers. Teachers can tailor their lessons to the learning style that best works for the student. We don't all learn the same, and when there are thirty kids in a class, the best that a teacher can do is teach to the majority. In a class of ten, you can spend time with each individual student.\n\nPrivate schools also have the advantage of money. They can pay for the best teachers - the ones who are the most motivated, the best able to get the students interested. Teachers are (for the most part) in it for the love of teaching. That doesn't mean that they won't look for the best paying job that they can get. \n\nFinally, it's almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. Students at private schools are expected to perform better, so they do. They work harder, and they are competing against others who are working harder. \n\nNow, I think that there are some pretty fine public schools, and within the public schools there are some teachers and some students that are as good or better than any found in private schools. It's just that overall, private schools have a higher concentration of better teachers and more motivated students.
1087514
Not enough!  These guys/gals are hero's! And only get paid squat!  For the life of me, I cant figure out why the fire dept./ police/EMT/ and school teachers are paid so little.  These are the people that should be making the big bucks!
463390
Teacher's should get paid like the educated professionals they are.  There is a lot more in teaching than most people think.  Some people might argue that 35k (average salary for a first year teacher) might be enough but there's  alot of other factors to consider than just living expenses.  Every time a teacher takes work to be graded home, its unpaid overtime.  Every time a teacher tutors before school or after school for the most part is unpaid overtime (some schools do pay teachers but not many).  Every time child receives a certificate, a pencil, a cupcake, a candy, a sticker, a book or any other type of rewards, they are paid out of pocket.  Anytime you walk into a teacher's room and see posters, bulletin boards, borders for decoration, the majority of the books (for students to read for pleasure), even whiteboard markers were paid out of pocket.  Some teachers have been known to buy their own desk chairs because the schools don't provide any.  Some schools limit the teacher's use of copy machines.  Guess what happens when a teacher runs out...Kinko's run to send homework packets home, parents letters, progress reports out of pocket and only to find out that the homework doesn't get done and letters are not being read.  I definately think teacher's should get paid more.
172925
Teachers here are not paid very well. I don't know why. They are paid about 1/3 what a mainland big city teacher would make. I would suggest actually calling some of the schools here and talk to someone in the school. They are all very friendly and probably wouldn't mind talking to you.
158069
A teacher with 4 yrs education earns between $37,043 and $62,625. A teacher with 6 yrs ed earns between $42,258 and $73,472 Canadian.
636652
Because the Teachers don't make as much money as the Garbage Men.
81533
These are my opinions on the matter (based on some experience):\n\n1. We don't PAY teachers well enough to attract qualified science and math majors into the field. If you could earn $50,000 to $100,000 per year right out of college as an engineer or scientist, why would you choose to take a government job with heavy bureaucracy that pays $25,000 to $35,000 per year and may take you ten years to reach the starting pay of other professionals? It takes a certain devotion to be willing to take that kind of pay cut just to be a teacher and most people are not willing. Some school districts are starting to outsource teachers from other countries. Even more frustrating to new teachers, many school districts will lay them off every year, and then rehire them as soon as the budget is approved. This encourages teachers to find better jobs. \n\n2. Education majors are not required to take enough math and science to really make them fluent in the subjects. I believe that in some cases the lack of difficult classes like math and science even appeals to education majors.  I am sure there are many well qualified education majors out there, but I do think that many do not like math and science. \n\n3. Many parents don't understand math and science. If kids don't see parents having an interest in the subject, they are unlikely to find it interesting themselves. They also will be hard-pressed to find help outside of school with these subjects if parents are not at least familiar with them. \n\n4. There is a large group of parents who actively oppose science and math in schools because they think it conflicts with their religious beliefs. This doesn't help their kids, because they come to school with closed minds and refuse to learn critical thinking skills.\n\n5. We also don't give teachers the respect they are given in other countries. In many countries teachers, even at grade school level, are referred to as Professors. Here they seem to be considered as tax burdens, instead of being treated like the essential resource that they are. Parents spend way too much time arguing with teachers instead of respecting their educational authority. If not for teachers who would have a job?  \n\nJust my 2 cents.
494561
My school district, 214, in the Northwest suburbs of Illinois, is a public school district that pays their teachers really well. I couldn't tell you starting salary, but I know of quite a few older teachers making well over $100,000 a year.\nCheck us out!\nhttp://www.dist214.k12.il.us/
1103629
Nope. Teachers from a different country doesn’t know the target country’s culture. What you say may work in case of scientific subjects, but if a teacher knows so well a langauge and his/her profession as well, he/she would get a good salary at home, so why go to the target country?
534826
There is no amouint of money that can sufficiently pay those who mold the thinking and lives of the future ... think about it ... teachers show the way to those who become the future parents, doctors, police, judges, scientists, world leaders, etc.\n\nAnyone out there who doesn't understand the value of the work of a teacher after reading the previous posts, please go to the site I've attached and read "Three Letters from Teddy".  They say it all!
445753
For starters teachers only work 9 months out of every year. My base salary is $38,000 which puts me in the bottom 10% of teachers doing the same job at other colleges in my state (high school teachers in the area make about the same). If I work the other 3 months of the year I earn about $58,000. Which, working four days a week, ain't that bad. I can think of many, many more jobs that work much more than me and make a whole lot less. But, you're right, those jobs don't require an MS or Ph.D. degree.\n\nI could take my math degrees and programming experience and work in industry making more than double my salary to start. But, I prefer to keep this job and be there for my son when he needs me. When he gets older, I'll leave education and earn more money. In the mean time I'm not complaining about my salary because I knew what the job paid before I accepted the position.\n\nTeaching is a great job for parents with small children. My job allows me to spend time with my son every single day and, to me, that's priceless.
330451
Actually, German teachers make much better money than American teachers.  As a teacher, you are a "Beamte", an official of the state, with all the benefits (6 weeks paid vacation, universal health care coverage, etc) that that entails.
1140130
There certainly are some teachers who love the job so much they would do it for free - if they were already financially independent.  \n\nUnfortunately, less than 1% of all people who would ever TRY to be a teacher have the means to support themselves without being paid to work.  The sad reality of our society is that money has become the base of exchange, and even teachers need money to pay even their minimum bills.  Did you know that in the 5 bouroughs of New York City, the salary a teacher is paid is so low that a full-time teacher still qualifies for welfare?  Same might possibly be true in Los Angeles, and many other big cities.\n\nIsn't it sad that we - as a society - value teachers so poorly that this question would even be asked, but people who never tried to do anything well other than play sports become millionaires in their first year out of college?