Why teachers keep teaching despite low pay and overload?

[MilHojas]

Día del Maestro: pese a la caída salarial y la sobrecarga de tareas, por qué eligen enseñar

Más de un millón de docentes conmemoran su día en un contexto signado por los sueldos más bajos de los últimos 20 años, la multiplicación de demandas sociales, la violencia y la pérdida de autoridad. Sin embargo, las educadoras consultadas en esta nota aseguran que la tarea sigue teniendo sentido

www-infobae-com.translate.goog

Original article in Spanish

 

[sergio]

What else can they do? If you were trained to be a teacher you have limited options outside of teaching

 

[Vagrant Violet]

I've been an EFL teacher for 20+ years. I originally got into the field because, like many educators, I wanted to contribute in a positive way to society, to emulate the exceptional teachers I was lucky enough to have, to make a difference.

As much as I do love my field, it's been soul-crushing and life-sapping at times. I've cried and lost sleep over "my kids." I currently work part time in a school in the northern suburbs teaching middle school students. More times than not, I come home feeling like I have very little left to give to my own kids. I have good days and rewarding moments of course, but the bad days leave me wondering if I really boxed myself in professionally.

I reiterate, I love the field, but if I could go back again, would I do things differently? At 42 years old, I'm not entirely sure at this point... but here I am.

PS - If anyone has any heads up about potential professional opportunities that career-changing teacher could take on, please feel free to DM me for my LinkedIn profile and/or CV.

 

[sergio]

I've been an EFL teacher for 20+ years. I originally got into the field because, like many educators, I wanted to contribute in a positive way to society, to emulate the exceptional teachers I was lucky enough to have, to make a difference.

As much as I do love my field, it's been soul-crushing and life-sapping at times. I've cried and lost sleep over "my kids." I currently work part time in a school in the northern suburbs teaching middle school students. More times than not, I come home feeling like I have very little left to give to my own kids. I have good days and rewarding moments of course, but the bad days leave me wondering if I really boxed myself in professionally.

I reiterate, I love the field, but if I could go back again, would I do things differently? At 42 years old, I'm not entirely sure at this point... but here I am.

PS - If anyone has any heads up about potential professional opportunities that career-changing teacher could take on, please feel free to DM me for my LinkedIn profile and/orA

Are you Argentine? Or an expat? And is your dissatisfaction due to low pay or poor student behaviour?

 

[Vagrant Violet]

I'm from Ohio in the United States, but I've been living here since January 2009. My main issues are mainly student related - I feel at times like a glorified babysitter more than an educator. The students are not so terrible (I've had far worse when I taught in the US - yeesh, never doing THAT again! ).

However, despite the heart I put into my lessons, demonstrating that I care about them and their learning, and trying to make the material relevant, etc., it seems they just don't care - not about the class and not about me as a person. There are times I kind of wonder to myself, "What am I even doing? Why am I here when I'm not even appreciated?"

This is my first year back in a physical classroom since 2018, when I was unceremoniously laid off after the last day of classes by the Lincoln School where I had been teaching for nearly 7 years (that was a whole other hot and dirty mess, a story for another time). Since then, I've questioned my life's choices, often playing the "what if?" game.

It's not just the fact that my entire vocational training has been as teacher, before I was barely out of high school - it's that, in spite of everything, I really don't know what else I would do.

 

[Shpongle]

I don't think they're talking about EFL teachers here, who are relatively spoilt by comparison to state educators who are forced to accept state conditions... no offense, I've taught EFL too, it can be a good gig and pay fairly well. But I'm glad I didn't stay in that field long.

Never mind those state teachers who struggle to be "titular"... many never make it, the bidding system for working hours isn't in their favour, or they just can't get enough hours at a particular school to qualify. And that makes it living hand to mouth, possibly rushing from one job to another all week for many years. It's exhausting, the pay is not great, and one is always expected to give more, do more for the students and the parents... it can be soul-destroying, from what I've been told.

 

[sergio]

I'm from Ohio in the United States, but I've been living here since January 2009. My main issues are mainly student related - I feel at times like a glorified babysitter more than an educator. The students are not so terrible (I've had far worse when I taught in the US - yeesh, never doing THAT again! ).

However, despite the heart I put into my lessons, demonstrating that I care about them and their learning, and trying to make the material relevant, etc., it seems they just don't care - not about the class and not about me as a person. There are times I kind of wonder to myself, "What am I even doing? Why am I here when I'm not even appreciated?"

This is my first year back in a physical classroom since 2018, when I was unceremoniously laid off after the last day of classes by the Lincoln School where I had been teaching for nearly 7 years (that was a whole other hot and dirty mess, a story for another time). Since then, I've questioned my life's choices, often playing the "what if?" game.

It's not just the fact that my entire vocational training has been as teacher, before I was barely out of high school - it's that, in spite of everything, I really don't know what else I would do.

You went from that expensive American school to teaching EFL at a private school? It's not a bilingual school? You must have taken a radical cut in pay. Is it worth staying in Argentina? There is a severe shortage of teachers in the US. Why not return? In a major metro area you will be well paid.

 

[FrankPintor]

Día del Maestro: pese a la caída salarial y la sobrecarga de tareas, por qué eligen enseñar

Más de un millón de docentes conmemoran su día en un contexto signado por los sueldos más bajos de los últimos 20 años, la multiplicación de demandas sociales, la violencia y la pérdida de autoridad. Sin embargo, las educadoras consultadas en esta nota aseguran que la tarea sigue teniendo sentido

www-infobae-com.translate.goog

Original article in Spanish

The article indicates that the current teachers' salary is about 900k Pesos, which is about what a teacher in the public school system in PBA would earn. There are some extras, "aguinaldos", bonuses for transport, meals are included, and so on. Together with relatively small class sizes, around 15 students and two teachers per class, it's not an unattractive option by Argentinian standards. Particularly older teachers with perhaps fewer work options try to hang on to those jobs, leaving relatively little opportunity for newcomers.

For foreigners wanting to enter this system basically have to requalify, the revalidation system basically doesn't work. Once you're qualified, you can apply to the school districts to be put on a waiting list for vacancies. If a vacancy comes up, for whatever length of time (teachers might take time off for babies, sabbaticals, health reasons), you have to accept the offer, otherwise you go to the back of the list again.

The private school system pays considerably less, with no bonuses, and much worse work conditions: for all that the private schools charge USD 500+ per month, class sizes can be around 30, with only one teacher. Turnover in the private system is high.

Perhaps the best way to compete is to re-qualify as an Argentinian teacher, which can be done online in the evenings, and add some extra skill, like Montessori, while English skills are also very much in demand, even at pre-school level.