Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:18:36 -0400
From: Cindy Lodestro
Subject: Re: Teacher Salaries
Just wanted to add my observations of the teachers I know over the past 15 years in Chatham County….
Most of the teachers I have come across put in more than 8hrs/day. In addition to class time, there are various meetings and committees they sit on. At special events and functions you will see teachers there to chaperone, etc. There are clubs, societies, special interest groups, etc. which are led/run by teachers. Then there are sports….teachers that coach these crucial activities…if it wasn’t for them the students would go without.
I feel teachers are undervalued and underpaid given their responsibilities and the roles as educators and instructors. *That being said, as in any walk of life or in any other profession, not all teachers are good or great teachers and some are downright poor.* There appears to be a real gap in our educational system, its efficiency and maintaining quality education both academically and socially. This can be addressed by participation from community, parents, administrators and the teachers…ideally as a team approach and by involvement from all of us. If a citizen sees something lacking in performance (etc.) then try to make a change and start with communication or working directly with your teachers and administrators.
By recognizing anyone’s worth I am a believer that great things can be done. Hopefully, by recognizing a teacher’s worth, being supportive, providing important training, maintaining accountability, change can be realized and we can help all teachers become great teachers.
I recently came across the following: “In praise of my teachers………..In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something less, because passing civilization along from one generation to the next ought to be the highest honor and the highest responsibility anyone could have. -Lee Iacocca, automobile executive (b. 1924)”
Txs~
Cindy