Summer vacation? Do you realize they are not paid when they don't work? Summer paychecks come from having 10 months of pay spread over 12 months, not from getting paid 12 months of money for 10 months of work.
It takes a special kind of person to teach in New Bedford. Our teachers care about their students' health and safety and futures, they miss them when they do not come to school, they worry about them over vacations when they can not check on them everyday, they celebrate their student's victories large and small.
They have not taken the easier teaching jobs in the surrounding towns. They have chosen to work where they can make a difference every day in every classroom for every child. I am honored to work beside the teachers of New Bedford Public Schools to serve your children.
31 comments:
Thank you so much! Finally, a principal is standing up for us!
More should do this.
Thank you for your words of support and encouragement. If only everyone felt the way you do!
Thank you. It is appreciated. Wish others felt as you do!
Thank you. It is appreciated. Wish others felt as you do!
Thank You!
You only work 6.5hrs a day plus class prep etc.,you have the summer off.unless of course you work on summer projects thru the school paid of course.If you supported the United Way etc. you wouldnt need to supposedly pay the extras out of pocket.I"m sure all the teachers dont do this.
Why does everyone think teaching in the surrounding areas is easier than New Bedford schools.We have the same problems over in the suburbs,poverty,crime,less parent involvement it is not unique to the city.
Thank you so, so much! What an honor it must be to work for you!
Thank you so, so much! What an honor it must be to work for you!
Thank you so, so much! What an honor it must be to work for you!
Thank you for expressing your observations. This is so true at the high school level, but was never acknowledged, appreciated, and even frowned upon. Maybe, at some point, the social and emotion wellness of all students will become a priority. As you know, many of the students face unimaginable hardships and survival takes precedence over learning. It is so important to really know your students and have safety nets in place as interventions. My job was so much more than a pay check. When they separated me from my students, I felt the loss. They needed me, and it was such a pleasure to be their urban teacher despite the challenges we sometimes faced. I can't even begin to tell you how many lives we touch and how it comes naturally because we love what we do. And, as professional educators, we are a life-long learners, continually improving our craft.
Oh please. Teacher salaries are public information and they are much higher than the average citizen's and higher than private parochial school teachers. You mean to tell me that they would get paid even more if they worked summer?! If that's true then we need salary reform in place right now. We all (in the private sector) put in lots of hours per day too. Enjoy the gravy train while it lasts.
I am thankful for this principal who appreciates the effort that teachers put in.
Unfortunately, some in the public still don't. I have worked in both the private and the public sectors; for companies, private schools, and now at NBHS. I can honestly say that I've worked harder these two years--I've been here 14 1/2--than I've ever worked at one job, public or private.
I guess there are always people who think the grass is greener on the other side, so maybe they can join TFA and have our jobs next year. And then they'll have the whole summer off! I'm surprised they're not standing in line at the admin. building waiting to fill out applications!!
PS I'll bet that some of these people who are anti-teacher are probably either dropouts or students who didn't do well in school. Now watch the fur fly!!!
Is the wolf dressed in sheeps clothing?
How dare you say working in the suburbs is easier than working in the city.
To OH Please,
Go to school and get an education. Let's see, Master's loans, taxes, mortgage, buying supplies for class, buying clothes for our students. Why don't you complain about all the money doctors and lawyers bring home? Teachers are not in it for the money, we teach because we love kids! Go to school and try teaching in New Bedford. It's usually the ones who have no idea making negative comments about the teaching profession.
we don't work the 6.5 hours. I work easily a twelve hour day. EASILY! WE don't get paid for summers, We take a lot less per week in our pay checks. I work a summer job to make ends meet.
Thank you. Wouldn't it be courageous if other administrators that felt the same way would acknowledge their teachers here on the blog, even if it is anonymously. Now that morale boosting.
We are paid in accordance to our level of education; something we worked hard to earn. Nothing was handed to us.
Urban areas face distinct challenges, and cannot be compared to suburbia. The demographics speak for themselves.
To the blogger who said teachers salaries are public knowledge, you are correct. Many professional salaries are public knowledge. Are you angry at them also? Your comment further justifies the need for a good education. A college degree offers a greater source of job opportunities, as well as higher pay scale. Do something to improve yourself rather than offering bitter criticisms to those who have done the work. Your jealous anger is showing!!!
The community needs to know that really committed teachers work at all levels of our district. I personally spend 1,500 or so dollars a year on my class. This is because the district doesn't provide me with the resources to teach my standards. I do it willingly...because I CARE ABOUT MY STUDENTS. I am an elementary teacher but I know my colleagues at other levels do the same.
do you not realize that we have supported the united way for many many years and this is the first year we are boycotting them?.....what is the explanation for previous years for our out of pocket expenses for the children then?....we do have the summer off but like the principal said we get our pay spread over 12 months instead of 10 months. Why do people like you have such a hard time believing we work longer than 6.5 hours a day?...What makes a proficient teacher in your eyes?....in every profession there will be people that give that profession a bad name but that doesnt mean everyone is like that. Thank you to the principal that is standing up for us and writing in. I have always said this and I will say it again: if you can do a better job I invite you to come teach for a month in our schools....you will have same expectations as us and have to get your students to perform...I guarantee nobody takes the challenge....the mayor was offered the challenge and of course he declined because he said he wasnt qualified.....he is not qualified to be a mayor but he is still there isnt he?....If you know what we do wrong which makes our students not perform well then please enlighten me and tell us how to fix ourselves.....Im so tired of people passing judgement on us when they have no idea what we do
The average citizen doesnt have masters degree like every teacher!!!....We are responsible for educating the youth of this city and you think it is too much???....I chose my profession just like you chose yours....I will not apologize for making the money I do and the issues at hand have nevee been about how much we make....its about changing how the schools are run.....people need to stop being so superficial and address the issues staring you in the face....this community needs to pitch in and help their youth succeed and not contribute to the failure of it
Ok, first let me say that I am "support staff " and not a teacher. This comment is to those in the public who think we are on "the gravy train". We do not get payed for holidays, vacations , snow days or THE SUMMER! And yes if teachers work in the summer, they get paid for the hours of summer school, why shouldn't they?? How much would you like teachers to be paid?? Minimum wage?? There would be no teachers. You think it is so easy, come walk in their shoes! I am a graduate of NBPS and had awesome , caring, hard working teachers. So in closing to the public, please treat teachers as the professionals they are . Thank you
The surrounding communities do not wait 2 weeks for Art Music and Phys. Ed...of course it's harder to teach in NB than Dartmouth or Fairhaven...why do you think many people leave the city to teach in the burbs?
When I take a class in the summer, it is not funded by the school dept. Nor am I compensated for the time I spend at the class. This is my own time and my own money. We do not get paid in the summer unless we WORK a SECOND job! It is not fair to compare us to private schools. Do they make less money? Yes, they most certainly do. Are they all certified teachers? No, they are not. Do most of them have a Master level or higher? No. I have the utmost respect for ANY teacher and to me it does not matter where they are teaching. But to state that we work 6.5 hours a day is a joke. Follow any one teacher for the day. I arrived at school at 6:45 this morning and left at 3:30. I do this every day. I had a 28 min. lunch and did not have any breaks. I am not unique. Many teachers work the same schedule every day. I will also be completing so paper correcting tonight and prepping for some upcoming meetings. I never complain about my salary as I feel I make a decent wage. However, I will never apologize for the salary I make either. I have a Master's plus 30 additional credits. My student loan payments are well over $500 dollars a month. I am proud to be a teacher and I will never apologize for being one.
It must be an honor to work in the building for the posting principal. To know that you respect and will defend your teachers, that takes courage. My only hope is that you carry this message to all that you meet as I am sure you do. Thank you for speaking out.
Thank you supporting Principal.
I have been up since 5:30, preparing for my school day. I just finished doing school work. It is 9:30 p.m. I do much school work on weekends. For the complainers of teachers, please return to school, past MTEL, pay schools loans, B.A./B.S., & Master's Degree, "jump thru every hoop" for the DESE, & downtown, have several non supportive parent's, & lastly attempt to use every strategy known to the educational community to teach half of your students who have no interest in furthering their education. This is after you conjole, show every inspirational curriculum known to an educator, give the student examples how furthering their education will better their future. Be told by half of your students they don't care, their parents don't care, so why keep sending these positive messages when it falls on non interested students? Until you have walked in a teacher's shoes you have no idea what you are exposing. Please become a teacher, so many of us can leave knowing that our students will be left in good hands.
I salute you all for remaining. I for one am leaving the hardest profession in the world. No regrets. Life is WAY too short. Best wishes.
Thank you! Your kind words and encouragement are appreciated. The collaboration of teachers, administrators, students, parents and surrounding community are important pieces to having a successful school. All aspects of education continue to face many changes and reforms. There is no "perfect" school and every district has its share of problems. However, many of America's underperforming schools are found in inner-cities. Low student achievement, high dropout rates, and minimal resources are intensified in an urban environment. Yes, many teachers leave the city to teach elsewhere, but many choose to stay and hope to make a positive difference in the future of New Bedford students.
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