Tonight on West Wing, Donna Moss tries to get the President to sign a proclamation honoring her favorite teacher, who was retiring after 40 years. I got a little bit emotional when Donna called her teacher and said, “I’m standing in the Oval Office with the President, and it’s because of you.”
The plotline made me think of Pat Lehman. I transferred out of Spanish class into her Linguistics class (they taught linguistics at West High – amazing), and she changed my life. She got me interested in journalism. She taught me a love of words that continues to this day. She encouraged me to apply to Northwestern, rather than UW-Madison, where most of my friends were going. She tried to teach me not to take everything so seriously – no matter how much I resisted, since in high school I was a grumpy old man before my time. She treated her students like adults, with opinions and ideas that mattered. She had a humor and an intelligence that changed the way I look at the world.
And people say teachers are overpaid.
who says teachers are overpaid???????????
They are
Many teachers are seriously underpayed for the work, stress, and lack of support they are forced to put up with.
But, I’m sure comments (reflections and memories), like the one you just posted, go along way in making up for lack of cash.
iow, there are some things money can’t buy and that is one of them.
Very nice, Adam
teachers are waaaay underpaid… i couldn’t make it as one, at least.
and rah for pat lehman, who has a nice first name
As a second year teacher, I really appreciate hearing that you think teachers are underpaid. I make $32,000 a year and I have a Masters degree. I DO get summers off, but I have to take classes–at my own expense–to keep my license current. I also frequently work 12+ hour days…that being said, it’s the best job in the world 🙂
So you work 9 months a year and get 32 thousand dollars? (above the national average and 42 a year pro-rated) Not bad. How is that underpaid? The fact you chose to get a Masters degree doesn’t provoke sympathy or that you could make more elsewhere. So go elsewhere.
By the way what “stress” is in teaching? Sounds like someone thinks Boston Public is real life.
I have taken teacher training courses. No one with a Masters is losing any brain power at all over them.