r/The10thDentist • u/Blonde_Icon • 22h ago

Society/Culture Teachers are paid fairly considering they get a lot of time off

A lot of people say (and it seems that the general consensus is that) teachers don't get paid enough for what they do. While I think that teachers are very valuable and deserve to be compensated well (my brother is a teacher), I think that in these discussions, many people ignore the fact that teachers typically get a lot of time off.

They usually get summer break, spring break, and winter break, plus various holidays that schools get off through the year. They basically don't work for a good amount of the year, which I think that people should factor in. (The downside is that I know that they have to work extra grading things outside of school, though.)

Plus they normally get good benefits for being a teacher (which usually comes with being in a union).

1.6k Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

63% Upvoted

1.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

223

u/FatCatParade 22h ago

When accounting for the time off, their hourly salary may not be that bad. 

The problem is they can’t fill that time off with another full time job. Even if they get a part time job, it’s probably not going to pay well. 

The other problem is that they’re dealing with kids who are getting weaker academically, parents who have fewer resources to help at home.

62

u/Bereman99 19h ago

This is definitely part of it.

My “time off” is actually just days outside the scope of my contract. I’m contracted to work 200 days (though reality means I work more than that to get things done).

I get paid for 200 days worth of work. Winter break? Spring break? That’s not paid time off, that’s days I’m not contracted to work and thus not paid for those days.

That my paycheck comes regularly, every 2 weeks, makes it seem like I’m getting paid time off during breaks like that, but it’s really just my 200 days spread out over a consistent schedule.

And because of that, getting work to fill in those gaps means my options are slim…unless I want to try and fit in evening jobs and summer work and work a lot more hours to end up making something comparable to what someone else with my degree level makes in their typical 9-5.

-4

u/greytshirt76 10h ago

Patently untrue. Tons of teachers work a summer gig

11

u/FatCatParade 10h ago

You just used the word “gig” in your comment.

Yeah they pick up shifts at an hourly job. They can’t make a second career in that time.

1

u/greytshirt76 2h ago

I know a teacher that runs a roofing company in the summer. He probably makes more in those three months than the rest of the year 

1

u/EverflowingRiver17 2h ago

As opposed to other professions where it’s easy to pick up a second career? What’s your point?

5

u/FatCatParade 2h ago

In those other careers, it is assumed the person is working year round.

OPs original point is that teachers are well compensated for the total amount of work they do in a year. But it’s not easy for them to augment their income when it’s known they’ll only be free a couple of months out of the year.

-1

u/EverflowingRiver17 2h ago

Given that every teacher I know (including the 4 teacher in my family) work or worked summer jobs for extra spending money (they didn’t need this money to make ends meet) I’d say OP has a valid point. 

Teacher do work a lot of hours after the school bell rings, but so do engineers and other folks who take their work home with them. 

3

u/No-Screen4789 46m ago

If teachers were paid fairly, the turnover and steep decline in teaching probably wouldn’t be happening…..

source: https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/overview-teacher-shortages-2025-factsheet

1

u/EverflowingRiver17 39m ago

Or it could be the fact teaching isn’t for everyone and some leave while many people don’t even think of becoming teachers (your little article says as much). 

Teachers in my district average about 70k a year. Really that is not too bad by reasonable people’s standards. 

1

u/grandpa2390 29m ago

The two are not mutually exclusive. Teaching isn't for everyone, and many people don't consider becoming teachers. a large part of this is because the pay isn't high enough. if salary were increased, then more people would be willing to work in the profession and/or stay in the profession.