Making a job change possibly...what would you do?

[seeth07]

I carry the insurance so leaving to take a sabbatical means no health insurance.

I don't think you understand how this works. We can't negotiate anything. There is no negotiating...period. Private schools don't get you a pension. You aren't part of the Wisconsin retirement system in a private school.

So you want your cake and eat it too?

Wisconsin's public system, especially when it comes to teachers, is highly ranked as one of the best systems in the nation for both pension benefits and health insurance. Sure beats our FIB's to the south where they rank about last in both of those categories.

So you want all this time off outside of your 2 month summer layoff, get paid more and also have some of the best pension and health care benefits available to you?

I have two close family members that teach in the public system - both of which love their jobs and are super happy with how they are compensated. They work for rural school districts, not SE WI districts. There may be a distinguishing difference there. You couldn't pay me enough to teach in a MPS district.

 

[Keep'er Movin]

So you want your cake and eat it too?

Wisconsin's public system, especially when it comes to teachers, is highly ranked as one of the best systems in the nation for both pension benefits and health insurance. Sure beats our FIB's to the south where they rank about last in both of those categories.

So you want all this time off outside of your 2 month summer layoff, get paid more and also have some of the best pension and health care benefits available to you?

I have two close family members that teach in the public system - both of which love their jobs and are super happy with how they are compensated. They work for rural school districts, not SE WI districts. There may be a distinguishing difference there. You couldn't pay me enough to teach in a MPS district.

Did you read the entire thread? Cake and eat it too? More Compensation? Where are you getting this from? I said I was thinking about taking a pay cut to be able to get done with work earlier (this new job also has insurance) so I could hunt more. One guy on here asked if I could work, then take time off, then work again and I said probably not because I carry the insurance. It seems you are picking out bits and pieces of the conversation and coming up with your own narrative. I'm not sure why your two family members who love their jobs have any bearing on my situation. Good for them I guess.

 

[Straight Arrow]

It seems you are picking out bits and pieces of the conversation and coming up with your own narrative.

Unfortunately that's the way of Keyboard Consultants.

 

[Keep'er Movin]

Unfortunately that's the way of Keyboard Consultants.

Apparently...Jeez, I didn't know thinking about switching jobs would get you crucified on this site.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Apparently...Jeez, I didn't know thinking about switching jobs would get you crucified on this site.

It's all good. Just filter out the helpful comments for serious consideration. It's healthy that you are exploring and kinda venting through this venue. Hopefully it will assist in decision making.
Best advice from me personally is: Ask your wife what she wants. That is critical.

 

[Keep'er Movin]

It's all good. Just filter out the helpful comments. It's healthy that you are exploring and kinda venting through this venue. Hopefully it will assist in decision making.
Best advice from me personally is: Ask your wife what she wants. That is critical.

For sure, I would never make a move without 1. consulting her first, 2. running the financials, and 3. getting her blessing. I appreciate the advice...thanks.

 

[NEWHunter]

Very good post and I agree. Let me expand my view.
Most public service jobs are a sacrifice of the present for the future. I.e. get paid crap today for a future pension that affords comfort. Or time, work more from September to May and be free from June to August. It is what it is.

I too understand what he is trying to say, but he can't seem to define what the problem is. One post his problem is about when his free time is (which hasn't changed much for a public teacher in like 100 years) while the next post says it is about societal changes (school shootings, opioids, etc). One post is about $, but later he say it isn't about the $. Again, in the end, teaching is a job. You have to sacrifice one thing for another.

Kids have to go to school from September to May and I would like some stability in the class room. (side note, I would like them to go to school from Sept to August with more breaks across the "seasons", but its not my call). As a teacher, you either sign up for that or you don't. If I want to read into your post, I agree that most parents suck at parenting. Therein lies the core problem.

Thanks for the additional color. I tend to be a bit defensive on the topic. Yes, parents sucking is a real problem, but it’s more than that. There’s multiple material issues.

The expectations are high but the teachers aren’t given the tools to meet those expectations. When you have a couple of special needs kids in the classroom with one aide that is minimally trained to work with special needs kids, it is extremely difficult to get the rest of the kids to hit their benchmarks.

Another example. In my daughter’s room a couple of years ago there was a kid with behavioral issues. He’d act up, break things, throw stuff, and used words I’d get fired for using. And rather than remove him, they’d move the rest of the kids until the situation got resolved - they’re called room clears. It happened often. The administration blamed the teacher . . . How are kids supposed to learn how to read in that environment?

Classroom profiles today are a lot different than when we were kids. I never had kids with severe autism or Down syndrome in my classes. I think it’s great that they are now. But the resources need to be available to support that. They’re not. It falls back on the teacher to move mountains.

My wife starts back with training and in service days in mid August and is finally free about June 10th. Darn near 10 months. How does she get her kids to hit their benchmarks. Lots of hard work. Over 50 hours a week all year.

Granted it’s from the DPI, but from 2010 to 2022 median total comp decreased 20%. This isn’t because of offshoring or obsolescence due to technology. Retention is a real problem too. I don’t have comparisons to other jobs, but it’s certainly not good for teachers in WI.

So yes, it’s a parenting issue. It’s also a resource issue, an administrative issue, and a societal issue. As someone who didn’t have any people in my life that were teachers, I think I had a fairly common perception of what teaching was. As someone who’s now seen it first hand - teaching isn’t what most people think it is. The free time and benefits that should make the trade-off palatable aren’t there like most people think they are.

https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/education-workforce/pdf/2022-wi-epp-workforce-annual-report.pdf

 

[SAJ-99]

So yes, it’s a parenting issue. It’s also a resource issue, an administrative issue, and a societal issue.

I agree with your assessment and like I said, I couldn't do that job.
Often it's a tax/funding issue. See the various threads complaining about property taxes. In WA, resources are provided for those special-needs kids you mentioned. As long as the kids demonstrate they can adapt and participate with everyone else, I support the cost of the additional resources needed to help them. We have the same "problem" kids here. They existed when I was a kid, but the tolerance for disruption was very low, so they spent a lot of time in "detention". A lot of them are probably in jail now. LOL.

I have a lot of sympathy for teachers and the job they have to do, but I don't want to hear about "I never knew...". Every job has $hitty parts to it, and they don't highlight those in the job description.

 

[LousyResident]

As far as your conundrum, you’re in the middle of hunting season and early in the school year. You’ve missed this hunting season already. Tough it out the rest of the school year while finding the best possible next job for you with the right combination of pay and schedule.

Hey @Keep'er Movin what did you think about my serious suggestion here?

 

[Keep'er Movin]

Hey @Keep'er Movin what did you think about my serious suggestion here?

It's sound advice. My intent was to never jump ship mid year. This "new job" is more or less a standing offer. I don't have to make a decision on this right now. However, I don't know if you saw my post about our district going to referendum. It failed in the spring last year by quite a large margin. If it fails again, we have one more opportunity in the spring of 25. If it fails then, I may not have an option to stay anyways. My job along with 30 other possible cuts have already been announced.

 

[NEWHunter]

Apparently...Jeez, I didn't know thinking about switching jobs would get you crucified on this site.

It’s because a lot of folks think they know about teaching and they don’t. They’ve all been to school and might know someone with a different experience so they know how it is . . . Like some things in life, you can’t truly understand it until you’ve experienced it, and a lot of these posters clearly haven’t.

 

[rjthehunter]

Here’s my $0.02:

You can always make more money, you can’t make more time. When your hourglass runs out, you’re done. Take less money and see if it works out. It’s not like you can’t go back to teaching if the new opportunity doesn't work out.

Great point. It's not like there won't be teaching jobs readily available in a year if it doesn't work out.

 

[rjthehunter]

It’s because a lot of folks think they know about teaching and they don’t. They’ve all been to school and might know someone with a different experience so they know how it is . . . Like some things in life, you can’t truly understand it until you’ve experienced it, and a lot of these posters clearly haven’t.

It's going to be tough to convince everyone that teaching is the hardest job. You can convince some people, but then there's people who have poured concrete or laid block in 90 degree weather with 90% humidity. Suddenly, teaching isn't so difficult.

 

[Nick87]

It's going to be tough to convince everyone that teaching is the hardest job. You can convince some people, but then there's people who have poured concrete or laid block in 90 degree weather with 90% humidity. Suddenly, teaching isn't so difficult.

While I can totally relate. That's apples to oranges.

 

[Straight Arrow]

It's going to be tough to convince everyone that teaching is the hardest job. You can convince some people, but then there's people who have poured concrete or laid block in 90 degree weather with 90% humidity. Suddenly, teaching isn't so difficult.

Why would one compare apples to giraffes and think they are making a valid comparison argument? Sometimes it's difficult to understand the logic ... especially where logic does not exist!

 

[NEWHunter]

It's going to be tough to convince everyone that teaching is the hardest job. You can convince some people, but then there's people who have poured concrete or laid block in 90 degree weather with 90% humidity. Suddenly, teaching isn't so difficult.

Not trying to convince anyone it’s the hardest job. Although, as I said, teaching isn’t what most people think it is.

I’ve stood in over a foot of water and thrown 8 foot symons forms out of an 8 foot hole during a Wisconsin summer - it was 90 degrees. Teaching is a hard job. Got any other thoughts?

 

[Keep'er Movin]

I hope I did not come across making it seem like teaching was the hardest job ever. I have done roofing, worked a jack-hammer, and even dug graves by hand...all of which I hope I never have to do again. However, it's the assumptions that aren't always correct. I'll give you some examples. 1. "Just negotiate your salary if you don't like it." This may be true if you are a special ed teacher, ag teacher, tech ed teacher, spanish teacher, etc. These positions in our district are hard to come by. What I do...not so much. There is someone who will be able to take my position with ease so I don't have the luxury of negotiating. 2. "WI has one of the best retirement and healthcare systems in the country". The first part is true. Our healthcare has nothing to do with the Wisconsin Retirement System. We used to be self funded but because of an increase in claims, we know have to shop for private insurance just like everyone else. Every school district in WI plans their own insurance premiums, contributions, provider, etc. 3. "Just go to a private school". Private schools are not part of the Wisconsin Retirement system, usually do not offer any sort of retirement benefits, and usually are on the lower end, if not the lowest end of any teaching salary. 4. "Teachers have all this time off". We do get a chunk of time off in the summer, this is true, but not 3 months like previously mentioned. We are usually done around the 10th to 15th of June and are always back at least the last week of August. We also usually have curriculum work in the middle of the summer or summer school if kids need to retake your class for credit. We do have Easter, New Years, Christmas, Labor day and Memorial day off. There are no other holidays we get off for (no Columbus day, presidents day, etc.). 5. "It's not like Wisconsin is hiring people without degrees to teach." Yes they are and they are hiring a lot of them. Madison school district was calling overseas last year to fill unfilled teaching positions. My tech ed teacher that I mentioned who came from the Dakota's has a health and p.e. degree and has never taught tech ed in his life. 6. "its not like there won't be teaching positions available in the future". Maybe, maybe not. 75% of WI school districts are in declining enrollment. Declining enrollment means about 10 grand less for each student that does not replace themselves the following year. Due to school choice (open enrollment) districts that don't offer what parents want, can be financially punished if a student leaves their home district to attend another. Case in point...my neighboring district offers a strings instrument program. If my home district student decides to open enroll to an neighboring district, that is 10 grand we lost, and 10 grand our neighbors gained. People say well then offer more to attract more kids so you have positive open enrollment numbers. Those programs take funds which and declining enrollment district like mine does not have. Some then say well just cut sports. Sports is the number one reason why kids open enroll. No sports means more kids leave which means even less money. This is why so many districts are going to referendum. Again, I am not saying that teaching is the hardest job. But some think they know all the ins and outs of this profession when there are some significant nuances they are unaware of.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

I went back and read the original post after reading all of the comments to date.....Thank you for being a teacher, I hope you're good at it and it seems you don't hate it really, you just hate you can't hunt and fish like the regular folks. Since you don't hate it and you seem "young" you should stick out the next 8 years and then switch

If you have sick days use them and who cares about the details, they are given to you for a reason, use them and quit worrying about what your boss needs to do to cover you.

IMO to just give up $30k a year is just plain stupid since it's not that you hate the job, you just want to play more. If you really listen to those, you don't know when your time is up, you only have so much health...blah...blah...people and believe in that, then switch.

 

[noharleyyet]

@Keep'er Movin

Have you been on your iph & laptop in the teacher's lounge all day?

 

[Keep'er Movin]

@Keep'er Movin

Have you been on your iph & laptop in the teacher's lounge all day?

Lol. We don't have any kids today. It's a grading day for the quarter, so yes...just at my desk instead of the lounge.