Oh Linda, I've no doubt what you say is true.  You are grading papers,
tests, after-school stuff, etc.

My wife, Laura, on the other hand, teaches special ed.  Homework for these
kids is asking a lot, so when she comes home from work, she's done for the
day.  She's worked at three districts since we've been married, so I think
it's probably the same most places--for Special Ed., mind you.  That's not
to say that while she's at work she doesn't work hard.  It's just that I've
never seen her do much past the occasional IEP at home.  Remember, too, that
Spec. Ed. teachers often don't have even ten kids in their class.

I think teaching is one of those careers that you get out what you put in.
I've seen some of Laura's mainstream colleagues work their butts off and
I've seen some do the bare minimum.  There seems to be such a dearth of
teachers right now that a lot of districts are looking for "warm bodies".
Where my parents live in Florida, you can get a "temporary" certification in
some cases without even a B.A.

What grade level/subject do you teach?  Does your district tenure?  Laura's
been at it fourteen years and she has her M.Ed. plus 30, so she gets the
pick of the assignments.

-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Wagner [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2002 3:16 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Rules They Don't Teach You in High School


Oh Man, Kyle...don't get my dander up.  I AM a public school TEACHER...and I
work a contracted 183 days, but in reality I work year-round.  I often think
about logging my hours just to see and I am sure I am not exaggerating when
I say I work the equivalent of a 40+ hour work week year round just during
the school year alone.  The eight-hour (or 6 hour) or whatever work day you
think is true really turns out to be at least a 10 hour work day, no chance
to eat lunch most days, never time to go to the bathroom, don't dare do
anything personal during the work day, be everything to everyone type of
job.  And ya know what?  I LOVE IT!  :)  I just want to make non-educator
folks aware that the job is far from the cushy job some corporate folks
think it is.

I got an email awhile back about a "new survivor" show relating to this
topic.  I will send it to the list if I have it here.  It is actually one of
those forwarded messages that is worth reading repeatedly - for teachers it
is a good laugh, for others, a wake-up call!

Linda