It was a huge concern of mine when I first switched majors from nursing to education that I would not find a job when I got out of school, or that I would not make enough money to support myself. People joke all the time about how teachers do not make a ton of money, and it has worried me for a while that I will not be successful. This got me thinking, though. I am now a sophomore in college and I realized that I am here because of the help of the teachers I had along the way. It was them that put the effort, time and commitment to teaching me what I needed to be successful. It is because of teachers that I am confident that I will be successful in whatever I decide to do in life. So why is it that the people who make the biggest impact on our lives and the ones who shape kids entire futures are so underpaid and under appreciated?
The average salary for an educator is around 44,000 in the United States. Now compared to other professions, this is quite low. It makes you wonder why educators get paid significantly less than other jobs such as nursing or engineering, which require the same amount of schooling. Teachers put in so much effort and hard work every day, and it is so sad to see them be under appreciated.
Think about all of the times a teacher has stayed after with you to make up a test or to get extra help. This amount of time that they stayed after with you had no effect on their paycheck. They did not get paid more because they stayed that extra hour and I am sure that they probably had better things planned for the afternoon, but they simply did it because it is what they love to do. It is every teacher’s goal to help their students succeed. I do not know about other people’s teachers, but I know mine always went above and beyond to help me understand a concept or to let me make something up. I did not realize until now how hard and time-consuming that must be. They spend their afternoons where they could be going home to their families, instead staying with their students to make sure they can succeed. Now, please tell me why teachers deserve the salaries they get.
Not only do teachers spend more time at their schools than at their own houses, but they also are not always fortunate enough to be provided with the classroom necessities. Sometimes the budget does not cover the cost of the items you may need as a teacher, so in most cases, teachers buy their own supplies out of pocket just to accommodate for their students. Teachers can sometimes spend large amounts of money on supplies, but they do it to make the learning environment better for all their students, which I think it such a noble thing.
Teachers also teach us more than just our basic concepts in school. They teach us how to become successful when we are out on our own. When you receive a bad grade on a test, that failure teaches you that you cannot always be good at everything and there are going to be times in life when you fail. When you have to raise your hand before speaking out loud, this teaches you to be not only patient but also teaches you to not speak while others are speaking. When your teacher asks you to read aloud, this teaches courage and helping kids step out of their comfort zone. These basic things that we all take for granted, are things that have helped make us who we are today. Imagine what things would be like if you never failed at anything, never had to wait your turn to talk in class, or never had to step out of your comfort zone? It would be a lot harder for you to succeed as an adult, that is for sure.
Although I am sure all teachers would love to get a little more in their paychecks, the paycheck is not at all the reason that they do what they do. As one of my professors said, “People don’t become teachers to get rich.” This is so true. Educators do what they do because of their students. You have to certainly love what you do if you are going to be a teacher because you are not going to get rich doing it. Who knows, maybe someday people will realize that American teachers need to be paid a lot more for all that they do, but until then, just make a point to let your teachers know how much you appreciate everything they do for you.
