SINGLE DIGITS DAY!!!

Congrats Mark. Teaching is a difficult job—- glad you are going to get a real break this summer.

-- Betsy - GO BUCKS!

Matt,

I can feel your excitement from here! I am looking forward to seeing some of your great projects in the coming summer months. Enjoy your much deserved time off.

-- Brian, Folsom, CA

I can feel your excitement as well. You are getting a well earned break. Teachers are chronically underpaid and under appreciated for the job/service that they do. Enjoy yourself this summer.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

good for you matt ! have a fun summer !

-- if you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

I am a loooooong way from retirement…but I get a little taste of it each june…

Be careful… I have started calling vacation “practice retirement” and it will give you ideas!

-- Maplewood, MN

Matt,

Another year done.. and a summer off!! It just doesn’t get any better than that for a teacher!!

I retired after 33 years in a classroom of 10, 11 and 12th graders. Loved every minute of it but am enjoying retirement, too.

Lew

I can almost hear your shopsmith sing.

-- Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit.

great for teachers and hard for working parents… Well, thank god for summer camps…

-- making sawdust....

So how many days is that until the first completed project?

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

I take it you didn’t sign up to teach summer school classes.

When I was selecting classes for my senior year. I found out since I moved into a new district I did have a required class. It was normally taught first semester of 9th grade. I moved and started second semester of 9th. So I wanted to take homebuilding. It is a class that the 2 high schools in town build a new house every year. I could not take it because I did not have the required civics class (only offered at same time as the homebuilding timre period).

So I elected to go to summer school. It was actually the best summer vacation I had. Went to the one class and went golfing right after since one of the cities public courses was right across the street. One of my buddies had to go, to graduate on time for being a screw up.

-- Ben, Living the good life in Maine now (almost, just need to retire in 2 decades time)

hey thanks for the support everyone—-I came up with something even better then single digit day…

EIGHT DAYS LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

-- Matt, Napa, CA...177 days to sanity...

nice. only eight days left for you? lucky. my school is in until the 24th.

I’ll probably get “nailed” for this, but I have to take exception that teachers are way underpaid. Let’s say a teacher earns $40k a year. That’s not great, but not poverty either. Consider too, they have a very strong union, and great benefits and retirement as well.

Now consider this: a teacher’s time in the class room is about 9 months a year, when you take out summer vacation, and all the little other vacations in the school year (in our district, there is only ONE month the entire year, that a teacher is in class for the whole 20 days). That’s about 180 days. You and I, if we have the average job work about 220 days – and no summer off. All you or I would make over the years is still $40k. A teacher, can, and usually does, work a second job in the summer, adding another $5k or so. I don’t think they are really underpaid, sorry. Recently, here in the Rochester City School district, the union negotiated a 10% pay raise – “investing in our children” – and what did the union give back? The teacher’s day was extended – 3 minutes. Yes, 3 minutes.

Now, I wouldn’t want to work as a teacher – in some cases; in others I wouldn’t mind it. Inner city schools are a nightmare – but that’s because the administration ( and lawyers ) lets the students run the place. No respect for teachers, which they need and deserve. You can’t teach in chaos. I don’t blame the teachers, and think they deserve good pay for what they do, but how high do you go? $100k a year? When does it end? Higher pay doesn’t give us better results from the students.

What I would like to see is the teachers paid more, yes, but eliminate the 18th century based agrarian reason for summer vacation, and teach kids year round; they certainly need it.

Look, I’m not beating up on teachers here; they are good people trying to teach in sometimes insane environments; but I think they have a decent pay wage, when all things are considered.

I know some will vehemently disagree with me, but that’s my humble opinion.

-- -Be Blessed!, Patrick

Yeah,$40K… that’s too much!

Pay ‘em like a babysitter instead… $5.00/hour per kid.

Let’s see… 36 kids at $5 is $180 per hour.

Times 6.5 hours with the kids. $1,180 per day….. times 180 days…
That comes out to… Hmmm.. ......$210, 600/ year

Actually. Let’s stick with the old pay formula: somewhere between “not great” and “poverty”.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

My sister in law is a grade school gym teacher. She makes over 80K for her nine months. (Because she has a state-paid Masters Degree.)

-- Maplewood, MN

Patrick,

I suppose your formula might work if you don’t value quality in the profession. Compensation is a large factor in attracting quality people. When people choose a college major that is one of the major players in their decision. It amazes me how some people expect certain professions to be primarily attractive for altruistic reasons. Nursing and teaching come to mind (both traditionally female occupations btw). If a person can’t afford to buy a house and live out the dream on a careers wage, they are likely not going to choose the career path.

As for extending the school year, it sounds like you are trying to increase the value at the expense of kids. Kids need to learn but they also need to play. Think about what your childhood would have been like without those long lazy summers hanging out down at the creek or riding your bike around free as a bird.

I am wondering about your 10% increase example above. How many years did they go without an increase before they got that 10%?

Just my 02

Have a great summer Matt. Come on over to Chico and I’ll buy ya a beer!

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

I work in IT where the salaries often beat out any other industry. With that comes some complacency and entitlement too. I work really hard putting in well over 60 hours a week. My wife on the other hand is a teacher in a private school where they pay even less because supposedly the kids are better behaved and the facilities better equipped. I don’t think Pashley’s work hour assumptions work though in that she is easily working 70 hours a week. Between classes and advisories, auditions (she is a music teacher), rehearsals, private instruction, faculty meetings, etc, I don’t ever see her. Even now on a Saturday, she is at school teaching a few private voice lessons and preparing music for graduation.

From my experience, teachers are some of the hardest working people I know!

-- Check out my new blog "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog

I don’t agree on the pay issue (all are under paid). Some teachers are under paid for what they do (some do have to work at home after class, for grading and planning). Others who have played the game and played the “system” to its fullest advantage are somewhat overpaid. I personally know a music teacher in a public school that is not even the most senior teacher in the school system and is paid more than anyone else in the school system (teacher or administrator)! He is making over 100k a year.

As for the 9 month school year. That is not true that they need the long summer for play time, its actually to the contrary. There has been study after study that shows the longer you are away from studing something, the more you have to review to bring back what was previously learned. I took part in one of the studies from UofM when I was in junior high. The school year needs to be year round. Not necessiarlally 12 straight months. Can still have vacations, just not 3 months long. It would be in the students best interest to have shorter breaks than 1 long summer vacation. Maybe divide the school year into 4 semesters instead of 2. And take 2 weeks off or so between them. That way maybe the kids will blow off steam more often and might be a little easier to handle???? This may not be in the best interest of the parents or teachers. But would be in the best interest of the kids!

Whats really sad is the support staff at schools. I know of 3 school districts that have cut retirement and medical for the janators, cafeteria, and grounds people (no more retirement benefits of any kind). These people work their life in menial jobs for lower wages. And now they loose their retirement benefits! That was one of the “benefits” of working for the lower wage in the first place! The retirement benefits were considered part of your compensation and reasoning for the lower actual pay. Quite a few schools has even fired them to bring in an outside company to contract for the work.

-- Ben, Living the good life in Maine now (almost, just need to retire in 2 decades time)

Well…good morning! Its 8am here…jumped on my e-mail only to see multiple new LJ replies to my forum the other night…got all excited to see what my LJ friends had to say…

Now I am starting my day from a point of sadness. I wrote the forum the other night right before bed as I realized “YIKEs…we are down below 10 days as of tomorrow.” As I was on LJ’s I thought…hey…I have lots of friends here…its been a loooong school year…many SEVEN DAY weeks…14 hour days…let me share my excitement with them that it is coming to a close!!!

I never intended this excitement to turn into a forum on teaching and education. I will not add my opinions on the topic because trust me…I can make the case and certainly add to the debate after ten years of teaching.

I ask that no one add into the discussion here—not because of me…for another reason entirely. Just yesterday I looked at an older blog to see what had happened to an LJ I had not seen in a long time…only to read through the entire blog and discover the blog turned into a debate…and people got frustrated…that a blog on one thing turned into a discussion on a totally different topic…

At the very end of the blog a completely different person chimed in saying something to the effect of:”This is why I dont visit LJ’s very much—-and why I dont add to discussions because they always turn into some childish arguing so I wont keep coming here.”

Ironically I was very sad and wrote him encouraging him to not give up on LJ’s and that there were a lot of good people…and that very few blogs turn into debates/arguments like this…then 12 hours late I wake up and see my little forum and moment of excitement turned into a seminar on teaching.

Patrick…your arguments you make are very reflective of many in our society, they are eloquently stated and well argued, but I wont respond to them here…

Happy Saturday everyone!! Lets get in the shop and cut some wood!!!

-- Matt, Napa, CA...177 days to sanity...

I somewhat agree with you Ben. We had what we called “Year Round” school here for many years. There were “Tracks” that kept the classrooms full all year long with one track or another. It was supposed to save $$$. Turns out, it cost more because they had to keep the infrastructure chugging for a full year instead of just 9 months. I liked it though for the reason of having kids back in school before they fell into bad habits. Plus we had time off in the winter to Ski.

We are trying to turn out functoinal citizens not little machines.

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

My 2 cents: They are our children. Lots of times our children are in school and/or after school activities more than they are home. These adults that are with them (teachers) have gone to school for 4 yrs to be qualified to be with them. They teach them hopefully more that what is in those books. They teach them to get along with each other. Be polite. Don’t fight. Now, how much is this worth to you? Do you have time to home school? I hope that teachers do more than babysit. I for one have only respect for the ones that take care of our children and hope that the children are taught enough respect for teachers to learn.

-- Berta in NC

i think they are underpaid and i am in school so i think i would know. even though they technically only work 6.5 hours they have to plan lessons, grade test, quizzes, and homework. make the test quizzes and homework. stay after school to help out kids. so all the grades. its a lot more work than just the 6.5 hours.

How did this go from “hooray it’s summer” to a forum on teacher’s salaries?????

How about we just be happy for a fellow jock who’s going to have more time for woodworking! I’m happy for him. -SST

-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you

I must AGREE COMPLETELY with Matt, this was started as a wonderful summer fun posting, and turned into a political posting——-I also have seen many blogs on this and other forums go totally off topic and turn into senseless arguments/discussions. Enough off topic from me !

HAPPY SUMMER MATT- We all feel young when we capture summer energy- Thanks for giving us a touch of yours. I for one, remember what summers from school were like counting the days and thinking that I had a lifetime before school would begin again….June thru Sept we lived a lifetime…..Boy those childhood summers seem like a looooooong time ago. Notice how shorter summers are the older you get !

PS: Thank God for the really good teachers!

-- Jeff T in Westport CT.

lol…thanks SST and Jeff…I think you guys got the gist of my more recent comment…ALL IS GOOD…like I said at the end of my last comment…I wasnt too worried and went out and made sawdust this weekend!!!

Thanks everyone…

-- Matt, Napa, CA...177 days to sanity...

I loved this time of year when I was teaching…the homestretch. Enjoy the summer!

-- ....next big purchase is wood for the next project, Mark

So down to 3 days?

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

I apologize for my comment that went off topic. I also sincerely wish you a great summer of woodworking.

-- Maplewood, MN

3 days finals…but the big one was last friday…the last regular day of classes…thanks everyone!!!

-- Matt, Napa, CA...177 days to sanity...

:)

-- Matt, Napa, CA...177 days to sanity...

now its OFFICIALLY :) :) :)

-- Matt, Napa, CA...177 days to sanity...

Congratulations! 9 weeks in the summer is the one thing I miss about not teaching at the College anymore. Enjoy.

-- ....next big purchase is wood for the next project, Mark

Matt,

Make this a special summer,- Enjoy and cherish your time off – Create a few Kodak moments with you and the ones you love.

-- Jeff T in Westport CT.

ya summer!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy the Summer Matt. Just remember when you retire, every day is a Saturday.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python