View Full Version : what are these better paying jobs (teachers)
I hear that we may actually get to a teacher shortage. I have my reservations about saying there is an actual shortage of qualified teachers, but rather a shortage of jobs teachers are able to take (mostly the pay). I read that 60% of teachers need an additional income to take care of themselves and their families.
But what are these jobs that teachers are leaving for? I guess I don't see a lot of well-paid jobs that teachers can move into. I am not sure how my skills would translate to another career. And I just broke the $40K barrier, I am still on the edge financially but I can make it. If I got a teaching job today it would be about the same, with the risks involved because my district does not keep teachers long term. I would just be able to add summer work to boost my income, my current job is year round. Teachers with BA degrees instead of Masters earn less.
I have seen teachers do a variety of things after leaving teaching but many are tutoring or working in other educational areas that still don't seem to be these high paying jobs.
I often hear from teachers (and other people in public service) that with their education and background they could go elsewhere and make a lot more money. I seldom see it happen. I think a big element in that is how transferable your skill set and background is to another field. The areas that pay well generally require some combination of in-demand skills and a track record of adding value (generally of the financial sort) to an organization.
That is more of what I see, some non-profit people may make a changeover. They tend to do more types of work in a non-profit. And they can show financial progress. However I see more people moving from business to non-profit. A lot of our school leaders come from a business background now, and I think it has mixed but not great results. I have hear of charters not even lasting a year, and kids lose a year of education.
There may be some crossover to business management--one of my favorite bosses was a burned-out school teacher.
That is more of what I see, some non-profit people may make a changeover. They tend to do more types of work in a non-profit. And they can show financial
I've found that to be the case as well. I'm an officer and board member of a non-profit that does construction projects, runs a retail store and manages a portfolio of mortgages in addition to the usual fund raising, grant-writing and volunteer recruiting. Our highest paid employee gets $60K and no benefits whatsoever. I'm constantly surprised we don't lose more people to the private sector because so much of what they do translates better than education, law enforcement or government would.
frugal-one
8-24-16, 2:42pm
Teachers are paid for 9 months work, correct? They usually have 3 months in the summer off?
Teachers are paid for 9 months work, correct? They usually have 3 months in the summer off?I'm a white water enthusiast and have found that the best rafting guides are teachers on summer break.
ldhal, is that Habitat for Humanity? Husband "volunteers" for them probably 40-50 hours a week. Next year the board wants to increase housing done to 30 from over 20. Going to be an interesting year.
My son left his eight grade math teacher job the first year and took a job in our county jail to do food service maintenance. He had background in that. He has since moved on to the private sector as maintenance manager in a large warehouse that provides airlines food. He has doubled his income in three years, as compared with teaching.
It's really too bad. Our kids need good teachers but their pay is low and the stress is so high - they leave as soon as they can. If they have any transferable skills.
Teachers are paid for 9 months work, correct? They usually have 3 months in the summer off?
In a way, my sister has been teaching for almost 20 years. This is the first summer she worked for tutoring and a science summer camp. Often she has required ongoing professional development, her continuing education credit is also required and paid for out of her own money. And then a lot of teachers spend time in planning. So yes a lot of teachers get a chance to do something different and fun as a job, I think the report I saw was that they also need to take on extra work during the school year at a time when the work load is increasing a lot for all teachers.
I'm a white water enthusiast and have found that the best rafting guides are teachers on summer break.
My brother and SIL met while working on rafting trips, they were both college students. I would like to do something different over the summer but my job is year round with camps.
ldhal, is that Habitat for Humanity? Husband "volunteers" for them probably 40-50 hours a week. Next year the board wants to increase housing done to 30 from over 20. Going to be an interesting year.
It is indeed. I'm the Treasurer.
The term I've heard used for guys like your husband who put in over 100 hours per year is "saint'.
In our best year, we never built more than six houses, although we've branched into home improvements in a fairly big way. In our fairly affluent belt of suburbs we run into a certain amount of opposition from people who worry that a nice little 1400-1500 square foot house will lower the tone of the neighborhood.
It's a great organization, and I'm proud to be associated with it.
I'm a white water enthusiast and have found that the best rafting guides are teachers on summer break.
I run into a surprising number of teachers who tend bar.
We have a unique Habitat group here. There are about 50 semi permanent volunteers called the Tiger Team. Mostly retirees and most work quite a bit. They do supervision of volunteers, specialized projects, prebuilding, etc. Hubby took over crawl space prep and subfloor prep, stoop building, and all porch trims. He has just had a class from an experienced member on how to build interior stairs for 2 story homes. This group is tight knit but very welcoming of new members. The oldest volunteer in this group is high 80s.
They have their own uniform, orange printed Tshirt and jackets, which really helps identify them onsite.
Our homes look better than any around them and are built of better materials. We get the NIMBY groups but sadly it is about the people that might occupy the homes and not the homes themselves. Still a education job to explain that the houses are not gifts and have to be paid for by the owner. We did have one neighborhood that was very welcoming and it was very nice for the new owner. Habitat was run out of one neighborhood due to gang activity. Just not safe for builders or new owners.
Chicken lady
8-24-16, 7:02pm
The non-returning teachers at my school:
better paying job at another school
new baby and preschooler at home, too much daycare cost to work.
"took a job elsewhere" (was encouraged)
finished advanced degree, now teaching college
moved
In my neck of the woods, subs with teaching licenses are paid less than $8 an hour. Retail places pay more than that! Teaching is now a dangerous and stressful occupation even in elementary school. If someone works as a sub only one day in three years, then they are not eligible for unemployment for the next three years (in my state). Let's say you are working a part-time job but want to sub on the side, if the part-time employer lays you off, then you can't get unemployment because you worked in a school. Subs get no benefits, breaks or lunch times and school systems often consolidate classes so that you have 60 or 90 students instead of 30. The administrators and teachers are also very very rude and hostile toward the subs. The last time I did the job - it took the school system 8 weeks to pay me and I went through my savings to pay my bills. I had to threaten a lawsuit to get my money. Then, they tried to say I volunteered to do the job. I found a different job of course. They can't get anyone to do the job because it is so bad. That is just my experience in my tiny town rural area.
Oh and I tried to switch to a different county but the original school system wouldn't release my sub permit.
Every time there is an ice storm or 8 inches of snow, they call me to work for them - nope - won't do it!
Each person I talk to say they would do anything but do the job.
But, the school system will not change anything that they do to make the situation better.
19Sandy, I did about 5 years of subbing in 3 different districts. In California I didn't need a teaching license, I could have subbed in Denver without a teaching license but the commute was too far for last minute jobs. I subbed in 2 suburban school districts. In California 12 years ago I made $90 a day, generally out in 7 hours or less. In the suburban Denver districts I made either $90 or $150 a day (6 years ago), after 90 days in the same district you were a 'super sub'. I had issues when the office manager would change and then I went from the first call on the list to forgotten, I subbed the first day of school in some cases and the last day. It is all very subjective, I made a real business of it. I had cards and a logo, I wrote notes and followed the plans! That is a huge thing to teachers. But in the end I didn't get even a job interview in the district I put the most effort in.
In any case, subbing is a very difficult job, and a first hand peek at where the educational system is right now.
Gardenarian
8-25-16, 12:14am
I run into a surprising number of teachers who tend bar.
I think I made more per hour as a cocktail waitress than I ever did as a librarian.
We have a unique Habitat group here. There are about 50 semi permanent volunteers called the Tiger Team. Mostly retirees and most work quite a bit. They do supervision of volunteers, specialized projects, prebuilding, etc. Hubby took over crawl space prep and subfloor prep, stoop building, and all porch trims. He has just had a class from an experienced member on how to build interior stairs for 2 story homes. This group is tight knit but very welcoming of new members. The oldest volunteer in this group is high 80s.
They have their own uniform, orange printed Tshirt and jackets, which really helps identify them onsite.
Our homes look better than any around them and are built of better materials. We get the NIMBY groups but sadly it is about the people that might occupy the homes and not the homes themselves. Still a education job to explain that the houses are not gifts and have to be paid for by the owner. We did have one neighborhood that was very welcoming and it was very nice for the new owner. Habitat was run out of one neighborhood due to gang activity. Just not safe for builders or new owners.
We've got just a handful of guys like that. They make a huge difference, although sometimes there's a little friction with the site managers and lesser-skilled volunteers over "artistic differences".
You're sadly right about the "those people" aspect of the opposition you sometimes see. There seems to be a belief that we just give houses away, when in fact one of the more difficult parts of the process is finding people who could benefit from our help but have the jobs, credit history and ability to put in the required sweat equity and keep up with a mortgage, taxes and other responsibilities of home ownership. We also sometimes get grumbling from neighbors and even volunteers that "this house is nicer than mine".
At my last permaculture farm pot-luck I ran into someone who quit teaching because it was too stressful having to teach to the test for No Child Left Behind. She is now doing a variety of things, but is planning on doing freelance permaculture teaching in area high schools. She's also getting involved in other causes. Otherwise, I'm guessing she's living off savings, and maybe a pension.
I almost wonder if I would qualify for Habitat! It would be so much fun to build.
I almost wonder if I would qualify for Habitat! It would be so much fun to build.
It's a pretty limited segment of the population. Not much money, but a solid personal and financial track record. I don't envy the task of the family selection committee. They not only need to find folks who fit the profile but also have a training responsibility to educate people on how things like mortgages, taxes and insurance work.
I make it to maybe 1-2 builds per year. My main task is trying to keep a group of wonderful idealists solvent.
ToomuchStuff
8-25-16, 12:12pm
But what are these jobs that teachers are leaving for?
Source? What is this random thing your pulling out of the air?
The local radio station just talked about this the other day, and mentioned that while there are a lot of people who go into, and get out of teaching (not what they expected), including one of the hosts, the bigger factor is age and the retirements of the baby boomer generation. (leaving for retirement)
Around here, retirement is a Lack of Job, not another job.
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