Thread: Primary and secondary teacher compensation

I voted yes, I am old school and see teaching as a vocation not a job. Now I am watching my grandchildren go through school as I did my own children, I have noticed a stark change in the attitude of a lot of teachers. Thankfully it still leans to the majority who do treat the position as a vocation, but I would argue it is becoming harder to measure how succesful a person is as a teacher.

If I am not mistaken a college graduate gets a leg up in the military. How do you feel about this Shek?

Originally Posted by bonehead

If I am not mistaken a college graduate gets a leg up in the military. How do you feel about this Shek?

You can come in as an E-4 (if you are a college graduate) instead of an E-1. After that, having the degree has minimal bearing on future promotions - what does have a bearing is your matter of performance and demonstrated leadership potential. It's not a bad way to diversify the education level of your entry level soldiers as it costs very little. The key is that it's proven performance doing your assigned job that matters, not what a piece of paper says you studied.

Originally Posted by Shek

You can come in as an E-4 (if you are a college graduate) instead of an E-1. After that, having the degree has minimal bearing on future promotions - what does have a bearing is your matter of performance and demonstrated leadership potential. It's not a bad way to diversify the education level of your entry level soldiers as it costs very little. The key is that it's proven performance doing your assigned job that matters, not what a piece of paper says you studied.

A degree also helps you get into OTS, in fact it looks to be a requirement, at least in the Air force. Thats huge Shek. Sure you have to perform, but there is no question a degree really helps you stand out and thus gain advancement at the early stages of a military career.
OTS - Applying To OTS

The Best Jobs Requiring a Master's Degree — America's Career Publisher :: Occupational Outlook Handbook and Career Publications

Thats just a short list of jobs where a Masters degree can be required. With this in light there is no reason to pick on teachers.

In the U.S., don't teachers have to complete a college degree to get a State teaching certificate?

I think the amount of college education obtained by a teacher would depend upon the grade that he/she would ultimately teach. You don't need a doctorate in math to teach 2 + 4 = 6 to a gaggle of 2nd graders.

Shek, your poll question asks "Should teachers receive extra pay for undergraduate degrees?" and may have caused some confusion. At least I was confused.

Originally Posted by Chogy

In the U.S., don't teachers have to complete a college degree to get a State teaching certificate?

I think the amount of college education obtained by a teacher would depend upon the grade that he/she would ultimately teach. You don't need a doctorate in math to teach 2 + 4 = 6 to a gaggle of 2nd graders.

A doctorate in math is certainly not necessary to teach second grade, but a graduate degree in elementary education would likely expose you to the latest research into how children's brains acquire knowledge and give you a wide range of knowledge on educational best practices.

I understand that right now there seems to be a great deal of public anger in the U.S. at public employees and teachers seem to be taking some of this heat. It is true that there are areas where public education in the U.S. would benefit from reform. At the school where I work, we get a one step pay increase for completing a graduate degree. Not a lot of money, but an aknowledgement that you are dedicated to growing as a professional. For example, the Masters Degree that I recently completed cost me roughly a decade of the corresponding pay increase. This was not a great money maker. As illustrated in Shek's article and plenty of others that I have read, there isn't always an improvement in teacher performance as a result of attaining that degree. I work with a Kiwi guy who has nothing beyond a university degree, but he is widely considered one of the best teachers in the school. This however, is the exception rather than the rule. While a graduate degree does not necessairily mean that a teacher is better, it is my experience that the vast majority of good teachers will either have one or be working on one. It comes from the reality that those most dedicated to their jobs are also very likely to be interested in updating and developing their skills and knowledge of their chosen profession. I think it makes sense to provide some financial incentive to those teachers who are, often at considerable expense, trying to become better at what they do. Does it make more sense to continue to provide this incentive to the majority of teachers who are doing their job adequately while spending the greater effort identifying those 6%(low number IMHO) of teachers who are incompetent and then actually dealing with the problem, or just take a general swipe at a profession that already feels undervalued?

It is absolutely correct that public education in the U.S. could use a healthy does of reform. There are a number of problem areas that should be addressed. But once this is done, the larger problem will still be there. The one that people don't really like to talk about. That large segments of the American population place a low value and priority on education, the best schools in the world won't be able to address that situation.