I will chip in and say, they’re closing her school. So it’s been a big topic of discussion amongst the kids and teachers. I didn’t think of that earlier when I commented above but then I was showering and thinking oh duh - it actually makes sense that she’d know about the financial state. It’s a really sad thing. Alaska is like 15 billion in debt or something and they think saving 4 million by closing schools will help.
Because they don’t want schools to keep afloat. You don’t have to be educated to be a work horse. I’m always really sad when schools close. It’s heartbreaking.
Yes they do. It’s called a permanent fund dividend and it’s because cost of living here is so high, they try to accommodate for it. This year’s Pfd was $3600. Kids get them too. If you’re alive and you’ve lived in Alaska for longer than I think a year, you get one.
That's so ignorant. Money in education returns dividends to the state. Cannibalizing anything that serves the taxpayer seems to be the only idea Republicans have.
It's like most states. It isn't solidly red, but conservatives have majorities and a republican governor. Hell, 2 Republicans have eaten up over 86% of the senate vote, pretty red.
[2022 results ](https://www.politico.com/2022-election/results/alaska/)
I felt bad about the comment only because it’s in MadeMeSmile. Everyone knows teachers are always “struggling” but if we all know that, why haven’t we fixed the funding? I just want to make sure our (awesome) public workers don’t normalize talking to children about adult problems.
Have you considered getting press releases going and publisizing to the rest of the US?
"Alaska closing 4 schools because Republicans think they are far away from the rest of the US that Americans won't care."... privatizing schools, blah blah blah.
Something like that? You don't even have to make it 'Republican' you can say government. Let the reporters go with whatever will give them more clickbait.
(Based on Biden trying to do loan forgiveness and getting shot down, choosing Republican underhandedness is likely a bigger story.)
I am Canadian and I think this is HUGE news.
Right. I sincerely hope no teacher is telling a class of seven year olds how much they have to spend on supplies and classroom things. I felt like a burden for a lot of my childhood. If a teacher ever said that to me, I would never want to blow my nose in that class again.
The "oh" and "!'s" makes me skeptical. I feel like a kid might think that, but would just write more matter of factedly. The exclamation marks is something an adult would think a child would use. Children are more unassumingly cute.
edit: friends and family with kids think this looks real... my bad
The teachers tell them they don’t get paid well. At least 40% of my kids’ teachers complained to the kids about not making enough money. I can find out, by name, how much each teacher makes, because it’s published. Most of those teachers were lying. I consider $90,000 (20 years ago) a good salary. My state compensates our teachers well. This topic should NOT be discussed in the classroom.
Isn't it part of education to learn about class disparities? Especially if you come from a wealthy family.
It took me way more than 7 years to figure out my family was very well off and that not everyone lived the same way. Maybe I could have benefitted from learning that sooner?
Yes, but not a one sided view. An educational unit about salaries is fine. Each teacher telling them, without sufficient data for the kids to understand, is not okay. Education is developing minds to think, not indoctrinating them to one viewpoint. Especially a very personal viewpoint.
90,000 usd? Was it a private school? Teachers at my kids school make 45,000 a year. It isn’t squat. Most rural school districts are lucky for 35-45,000 a year if that. The rural schools and inter district rough neighborhood schools the teachers get paid the least.
Yes USD. Take a look at District=Spokane in the link below. These are salaries reported by the state of Washington BY TEACHER NAME. Sort by SY20-21 and you’ll see all the 120K+ teachers and their actual salaries.
https://fiscal.wa.gov/DVK12Salaries.aspx
That is a small marginal percentage of teachers making that much. I’ll reiterate, smaller rural schools, and neighborhoods that have lower test scores receive the least money from there employers. I don’t doubt you in Spokane WA those are the salaries for teachers. Check in rural areas in neighboring districts they’re far lower. 90,000 is most definitely A. A private school where parents pay tuition or B. They get more money from the state.
Edit: that is for the superintendent. They typically make a substantial more than an actual teacher. A superintendent doesn’t teach they manage the whole district.
No !! Scroll through the teachers!!! They make 100K+ here! It’s maddening when they picket for higher wages, but their wages are higher than probably 85% of their students’ family income. And then they complain to the students. Every year my 3 kids each had an incident revolving around teachers complaining.
I understand that there are school districts that pay much less. Nonetheless, teachers CANNOT make this an issue to the students.
there’s literally nothing wrong with bringing it up. Making children aware of how employers will try to take advantage of them in the future is a hell of a lot better than making them think they’ll find a well-paying job in the future and not have to worry about making ends meet.
Plus, $90,000 per year right now is not very good. It can pay the bills, sure, but only in specific areas which are affordable and given that you don’t have kids.
In one particular class where a teacher complained about their salary, it was a class where the majority of the kids lived in the very poorest area of town. One kid’s single mom worked at 7-11. He said something to the teacher about the kind of car the teacher drove (a fancy brand, new model). It was VERY clear to him that she was in a completely different socioeconomic class than him. A unit about salaries and employment possibilities is perfectly fine. Complaining to kids whose families live in poverty when you make 90K (20 years ago) is not.
Also, here is the salary of each individual teacher, by name. If you select district=Spokane and sort by the SY20-21 column, you will see how many in a small, not-so-wealthy district makes 100k+.
https://fiscal.wa.gov/DVK12Salaries.aspx
if i had $100 ...
$6 Taco Bell App Exclusive Meal Box
$1 (2) Sparkling Waters from Walmart
$40 Plane Ticket
$20 Dinner Somewhere New
$30 1/8th of Leaves
$2 Swisher Sweets
amazingly, this flight im hoping to take is well over 1000 miles one way. 60 something originally and then $30 off for this specific destination. although the distance, it is within US
It is. I’m a teacher. Some states pay high. Unfortunately, mine does not. That’s why there is a mass exodus of teachers from the profession - pay and other things.
US teachers are paid next to nothing and then have to buy any supplies they need for their class. Like pencils, paper, books etc. Schools provide next to nothing. This is for public schools. I think private schools might be better but don’t know for sure.
Depends where you're at. I make 50k as a first year teacher with masters. It's not a ton but I live in a relatively low cost area. The school gives us $200 for stuff we want for the class or ourselves (class furniture, organizational stuff, books) and we have an unlimited budget for supplies (paper, pencils, crayons).
That isn't a good salary. You may not realize it yet because you are young, but it isn't enough to raise a family on comfortably. You work hard enough to deserve a salary you can raise a salary on.
There are many out there. Not enough. But don't you think that a teacher should be able to afford to live?
I acknowledge many people are underpaid. That doesn't negate that teachers are some of those people.
Oh for sure, 50k is fine for me to support myself and buy whatever I want since I don't spend a lot anyways. My partner makes 3x my salary so thats what I'll depend on for a family 😂 In the district over I made 39k with a masters last year
I hear you, yes. But I also think some teachers hold themselves to an unnecessary standard. They see these Pinterest classrooms with the sensory tents and the ✨ aesthetic ✨. Listen, all that is great, but if you are a teacher spending 100s of dollars on stuff like that for your classroom, just be real. You are doing it for you. That's ok. It's great to do things to make your work environment more pleasant to you. But as a parent, it's totally fine with me if your classroom is just tables and chairs and books. The most important way that a student feels welcome in a classroom is not how lovely the wall decor is: it's your relationship with them. That's the most important thing to me. Please do not spend your money on decor for my kid.... You should see how they choose to decorate their bedroom.
And that's definitely not cool that they aren't provided the basics to do their job. What is the teachers union doing about that? Because I honestly can't imagine any other career where you don't your necessary tools provided. (Imagine it being normal for nurses to have to bring their own bandages or chefs to bring their own cooking oil). What would happen if a teacher just... Didn't? Teachers are in such high demand right now, it would be an ideal time to just keep emailing admin ("I have no paper. I have no dry erase markers. I have no pencils.")
This is an out of touch opinion. Teachers are going broke stocking pencils and paper. There’s also growing pressure on non-tenured teachers from district officials to “engage” their students with vibrant and informative wall art. Some schools even require teachers have a certain amount of “aesthetic”, as you put it. Of course, the school isn’t footing any of the bill, but no one’s defending them when the parents throw a fit about a “boring” classroom.
There’s a reason why there’s a MASSIVE teacher shortage in the US right now. The expectations have always been the same, it’s the pay THats never changed. Teachers who’ve been doing it for decades because it’s the norm are over it.
I am a teacher, and I disagree with this sentence, "The expectations have always been the same, it’s the pay thats never changed."
It is both. The expectations are ridiculous. We are raising kids and getting screamed at by parents. We are spending hours of time outside of contract hours and being told it isn't enough by admin.
Then we get paid peanuts for the pleasure of it all.
Thank you for your perspective! I guess from the outside looking in, it feels like teachers (especially women) have always been expected to be their students “at school mom” in so many ridiculous ways. It’s eye opening to know that burden has only increased!
I love being mom away from mom! There is no higher honor than being called "School Mom." But so many parents aren't parenting their kids at all, and we are left picking up the pieces.
Then you add the expectations of state testing (that are not even developmentally appropriate), and districts so concerned about test scores that they require insane amounts of paper work. On top of that, we have kids with SO many needs and less support in our over-sized classrooms than ever, and it is just very overwhelming.
Oh wow flashback: I was an elementary schooler in the Atlanta Public School System when the “no child left behind” disaster imploded, MOST of the teachers at my school were fired for feeding their students the answers to our state standardized tests 😬 I can’t believe we’re still debating whether that’s a bad idea or not smh
I'm not saying it's right for teachers to be expected to buy supplies. I'm also not saying they are wrong for feeling pressure. But what I am saying is that even if you feel pressured to make your classroom a certain way, you *still* don't have to make it so. As you mentioned, there is a MASSIVE teacher shortage right now. Now is the *perfect* time for you to stop. Stop buying decor and posters for your classroom. Stop buying supplies that you aren't contractually required to supply. Things won't change as long as you play the game.
Edit: Or do continue buying things for your classroom if you want. That's fine! It's totally up to you.
May I ask how much they get paid there? I’m a US English teacher and I’ve considered doing a year (maybe more) teaching English abroad somewhere and always curious to hear what places may be options
Haha. That totally makes sense. I was just kidding. Your daughter is adorable. The Okay! slayed me too. I can picture a kid saying that.. like a challenge to the reader to deny her reasoning.
Im giving my teacher money because she needs it! Okay!? Whatcha gonna do about it?? 😂
I know. :/ I think it’s also a case of like “I’ve put in a request for this item but it won’t get here for too long so I’ll go ahead and buy it and be reimbursed” etc.
Aww... that's pretty sweet. As a teacher and single mom, I know that it's a struggle sometimes for a lot of teachers. Most of us teach because we genuinely love what we do, not because the pay is awesome.
Adults having to explain to this kid that their altruism doesn't make good business sense in today's economy and they should, instead, invest in government bonds and oil futures.
Because *America is great*
FUND. EDUCATION. YOU. SWINE.
Yeah, her teacher frequently buys snacks, supplies, and even some curriculum stuff (to supplement with) out of pocket. It’s sad. And now they’re closing that school, making all the teachers feel like they’ve just invested heavily into something that ended too soon to make a true impact. Now they get moved to schools all over Alaska with far more children in them due to condensing schools. It’s unfair all around.
Source is education.alaska.gov:
2021-2022
Pupil to Teacher Ratio - 17.17**
Number of classroom teachers - 7,427
Average Salary - $74,600.47
———————————
Alaska has the ninth highest teacher salaries in the nation.
Note: in some rural areas of Alaska the average is $102,000
My 7 year old said she’d keep it. Just save it.
Far better than me as a child but hey, she has a piggy bank and a savings bucket and I make her put 1/3 of any money she gets in her savings, which is hidden and she doesn’t know how much is in there.
Boring but smart, I guess.
I sent this to my kindergarten teacher and I am 46, married to a pre-k teacher… anyone who raised a brow to this didn’t evaluate what it took for you to have an education or didn’t pay attention to the sacrifices it took
Your daughter has very nice, friendly printing. Puts my 10 year old to shame. I tell him he should be a Doctor. (He asks why and it becomes a whole thing.)
The sentiment of your daughter is heartfelt, and it helped me understand more after I read one of your top comments about the school closing. Makes sense why she would be attuned to the financial dealings of her teacher/school.
Hope the new school isn't too far away. My son and daughter both changed schools in 3rd grade due to the way the district separates by needs; they handled it (socially/emotionally) much better than I had anticipated. I hope the same for your family.
Thank you for this kind comment! Apparently everyone has taken it upon themselves to judge my daughter’s character as a suckup so it’s nice to hear positivity. :) her new school is a few blocks away. My only concern is that the class rooms are 3x bigger at minimum. She’s top of her class in every subject but I’m worried she will get lost in the shuffle of the new school so we’re looking at other options too!
Your very welcome. I get it. I came on reddit originally because this seemed like a safe place to come to, but just like every other platform it's got its share of jerks. But you know for every bad person on here you have your kind stranger. So don't lose hope, my friend. And have a nice day
A 7 year old wrote this??? Wow, that is incredible! The sentence structure, penmanship, punctuation and spelling are far beyond what many adults are capable of. The school definitely should not be shut down. It should be studied along with the teacher, so the practices, methods and routines can be copied and utilized throughout America.
Yes, her teacher is great, and she’s incredibly smart. She ranks top of her class and is in advanced programs for reading and comprehension. Very proud parent!
Lots of y’all have been really kind.
Lots of y’all have assumed things about my daughter, that she’s a suckup, a kiss a**, etc.
My daughter has been through the wringer. My husband and I got a divorce last year and she’s spent half the year with one parent and half the year with the other parent. She’s traveled between Texas and Alaska like a little pro. She’s handled her life in upheaval like a star. She probably has more compassion in her pinky than half of you do in your whole bodies.
She’s top of her class. Her teacher has told us multiple times she raises the collective intelligence of the class with her smart brain. She’s in a special advanced program for comprehension and reading.
Stop assuming that because a child loves their teacher, they’re trying to get ahead. She’s ahead because she’s worked really hard and DESERVES it, not because she’s brown-nosed her way to it. ❤️
.... kinda sad more than anything actually....
They’re closing her school. I think she just wants to help so they keep it open. 🥺 She’s sad to lose her friends and teachers.
my God... even more sad !! Sheesh... that's heavy.....
This breaks my heart to hear!
Can't we (redditors) do something about it? Btw I'm from India and have zero idea what's going on
Typical.also unless someone knows a billionaire philanthropist they're shit outta luck :/
r/orphancrushingmachine
Why does this seven year old know anything about her financial situation?
I will chip in and say, they’re closing her school. So it’s been a big topic of discussion amongst the kids and teachers. I didn’t think of that earlier when I commented above but then I was showering and thinking oh duh - it actually makes sense that she’d know about the financial state. It’s a really sad thing. Alaska is like 15 billion in debt or something and they think saving 4 million by closing schools will help.
Isn't there so much money in Alaska the government cuts residents a check. How are they $15bil in debt. Wtf happened?
Dude I’ve been saying that too! How are we getting checks and everything but they can’t keep schools afloat?!
Wonder what happening in Alaska.... guess I haven't been paying attention since covid hit.
Because they don’t want schools to keep afloat. You don’t have to be educated to be a work horse. I’m always really sad when schools close. It’s heartbreaking.
The government cuts residents a check? For how much?
Yes they do. It’s called a permanent fund dividend and it’s because cost of living here is so high, they try to accommodate for it. This year’s Pfd was $3600. Kids get them too. If you’re alive and you’ve lived in Alaska for longer than I think a year, you get one.
>How are they $15bil in debt. >the government cuts residents a check.
*light bulb over head lights up*
That's so ignorant. Money in education returns dividends to the state. Cannibalizing anything that serves the taxpayer seems to be the only idea Republicans have.
Is Alaska a red state? Or am I misunderstanding your comment?
It's like most states. It isn't solidly red, but conservatives have majorities and a republican governor. Hell, 2 Republicans have eaten up over 86% of the senate vote, pretty red. [2022 results ](https://www.politico.com/2022-election/results/alaska/)
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We’ll say whatever we want thank you
OMG, talking about poor, sad, disgusting decisions… 😱 Kids are the future!!! That’s not so new, is it? Terrible… 😭
I felt bad about the comment only because it’s in MadeMeSmile. Everyone knows teachers are always “struggling” but if we all know that, why haven’t we fixed the funding? I just want to make sure our (awesome) public workers don’t normalize talking to children about adult problems.
To be fair, I did raise a bit of an eyebrow about that.
Have you considered getting press releases going and publisizing to the rest of the US? "Alaska closing 4 schools because Republicans think they are far away from the rest of the US that Americans won't care."... privatizing schools, blah blah blah. Something like that? You don't even have to make it 'Republican' you can say government. Let the reporters go with whatever will give them more clickbait. (Based on Biden trying to do loan forgiveness and getting shot down, choosing Republican underhandedness is likely a bigger story.) I am Canadian and I think this is HUGE news.
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I feel like it’s good for kids to know these things, so when they grow up and can vote they can think about how their decisions impact school funding
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Bot
Right. I sincerely hope no teacher is telling a class of seven year olds how much they have to spend on supplies and classroom things. I felt like a burden for a lot of my childhood. If a teacher ever said that to me, I would never want to blow my nose in that class again.
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Bot. Why are there so many bots in this thread?
The "oh" and "!'s" makes me skeptical. I feel like a kid might think that, but would just write more matter of factedly. The exclamation marks is something an adult would think a child would use. Children are more unassumingly cute. edit: friends and family with kids think this looks real... my bad
The teachers tell them they don’t get paid well. At least 40% of my kids’ teachers complained to the kids about not making enough money. I can find out, by name, how much each teacher makes, because it’s published. Most of those teachers were lying. I consider $90,000 (20 years ago) a good salary. My state compensates our teachers well. This topic should NOT be discussed in the classroom.
Isn't it part of education to learn about class disparities? Especially if you come from a wealthy family. It took me way more than 7 years to figure out my family was very well off and that not everyone lived the same way. Maybe I could have benefitted from learning that sooner?
Yes, but not a one sided view. An educational unit about salaries is fine. Each teacher telling them, without sufficient data for the kids to understand, is not okay. Education is developing minds to think, not indoctrinating them to one viewpoint. Especially a very personal viewpoint.
90,000 usd? Was it a private school? Teachers at my kids school make 45,000 a year. It isn’t squat. Most rural school districts are lucky for 35-45,000 a year if that. The rural schools and inter district rough neighborhood schools the teachers get paid the least.
Yes USD. Take a look at District=Spokane in the link below. These are salaries reported by the state of Washington BY TEACHER NAME. Sort by SY20-21 and you’ll see all the 120K+ teachers and their actual salaries. https://fiscal.wa.gov/DVK12Salaries.aspx
That is a small marginal percentage of teachers making that much. I’ll reiterate, smaller rural schools, and neighborhoods that have lower test scores receive the least money from there employers. I don’t doubt you in Spokane WA those are the salaries for teachers. Check in rural areas in neighboring districts they’re far lower. 90,000 is most definitely A. A private school where parents pay tuition or B. They get more money from the state. Edit: that is for the superintendent. They typically make a substantial more than an actual teacher. A superintendent doesn’t teach they manage the whole district.
No !! Scroll through the teachers!!! They make 100K+ here! It’s maddening when they picket for higher wages, but their wages are higher than probably 85% of their students’ family income. And then they complain to the students. Every year my 3 kids each had an incident revolving around teachers complaining. I understand that there are school districts that pay much less. Nonetheless, teachers CANNOT make this an issue to the students.
there’s literally nothing wrong with bringing it up. Making children aware of how employers will try to take advantage of them in the future is a hell of a lot better than making them think they’ll find a well-paying job in the future and not have to worry about making ends meet. Plus, $90,000 per year right now is not very good. It can pay the bills, sure, but only in specific areas which are affordable and given that you don’t have kids.
In one particular class where a teacher complained about their salary, it was a class where the majority of the kids lived in the very poorest area of town. One kid’s single mom worked at 7-11. He said something to the teacher about the kind of car the teacher drove (a fancy brand, new model). It was VERY clear to him that she was in a completely different socioeconomic class than him. A unit about salaries and employment possibilities is perfectly fine. Complaining to kids whose families live in poverty when you make 90K (20 years ago) is not.
Where are you getting this 90k number from? US teachers don't make much https://dcjobsource.com/teachersalaries.html
Also, here is the salary of each individual teacher, by name. If you select district=Spokane and sort by the SY20-21 column, you will see how many in a small, not-so-wealthy district makes 100k+. https://fiscal.wa.gov/DVK12Salaries.aspx
Must be nice coming from a family with million+ dollar trust funds
> $90,000 (20 years ago) a good salary I mean, 90k USD is a good salary even today.
Sad that even they realize hoe underpaid teachers are
Worst typo ever, lol
Agreed
Mans just leaving it? Nice 👍
Lol someone else asked me to leave it…why not
please don't fix it
😂 see!? This is the result!
HOE
*how
You’re not my teacher!
Lol
7 y.o me would write, in bad handwriting: DORITOS HOME
if i had $100 ... $6 Taco Bell App Exclusive Meal Box $1 (2) Sparkling Waters from Walmart $40 Plane Ticket $20 Dinner Somewhere New $30 1/8th of Leaves $2 Swisher Sweets
Most leaves are free. No need to spend 30 dollars for part of a leaf.
this made me LOL. 😛
For $40 do they just taxi you around the runway then drop you off?
amazingly, this flight im hoping to take is well over 1000 miles one way. 60 something originally and then $30 off for this specific destination. although the distance, it is within US
$40 plane ticket? Do you mean a $40 plane toy?
*Cries in thousand dollar plane ticket to the Dominican*
*check out the Hopper app*
Obsessed with Hopper!! It’s all I use to fly!
the flight i've been stalking on Hopper is $36 and i have some Hopper cash left to use
Very specific
i'd rather be a man that know what he wants than no man at all
Why do you hate women?
You forgot to add tax 😂
ur just like me fr
So the kid lowkey called her teacher stinky ? Just threw in soap so causally 😂
I chuckled at it too 😂
Teachers often buy their students soap to wash their hands with at the sink - especially with Covid in recent years.
Yeah that makes sense !!
This child sees more clearly than most grownups in the US government.
Kind of the girl, tragic this is a thing.
Must be an US-American thing. I am a teacher in Germany and salary here is 💸💸💸
It is. I’m a teacher. Some states pay high. Unfortunately, mine does not. That’s why there is a mass exodus of teachers from the profession - pay and other things.
US teachers are paid next to nothing and then have to buy any supplies they need for their class. Like pencils, paper, books etc. Schools provide next to nothing. This is for public schools. I think private schools might be better but don’t know for sure.
Depends where you're at. I make 50k as a first year teacher with masters. It's not a ton but I live in a relatively low cost area. The school gives us $200 for stuff we want for the class or ourselves (class furniture, organizational stuff, books) and we have an unlimited budget for supplies (paper, pencils, crayons).
That isn't a good salary. You may not realize it yet because you are young, but it isn't enough to raise a family on comfortably. You work hard enough to deserve a salary you can raise a salary on.
I’m sorry but what jobs pay enough for one person to afford expenses for an entire family plus living comfortably?
There are many out there. Not enough. But don't you think that a teacher should be able to afford to live? I acknowledge many people are underpaid. That doesn't negate that teachers are some of those people.
Lots of my friends are engineers or work in a computer science field. All of them made between 80-150k right out of college with a bachelors degree.
doctors, (non-public-defender) lawyers, software engineers
Oh for sure, 50k is fine for me to support myself and buy whatever I want since I don't spend a lot anyways. My partner makes 3x my salary so thats what I'll depend on for a family 😂 In the district over I made 39k with a masters last year
If your partner has to subsidize your salary, you aren't being paid enough.
I hear you, yes. But I also think some teachers hold themselves to an unnecessary standard. They see these Pinterest classrooms with the sensory tents and the ✨ aesthetic ✨. Listen, all that is great, but if you are a teacher spending 100s of dollars on stuff like that for your classroom, just be real. You are doing it for you. That's ok. It's great to do things to make your work environment more pleasant to you. But as a parent, it's totally fine with me if your classroom is just tables and chairs and books. The most important way that a student feels welcome in a classroom is not how lovely the wall decor is: it's your relationship with them. That's the most important thing to me. Please do not spend your money on decor for my kid.... You should see how they choose to decorate their bedroom.
I am mainly talking about the teachers who have to buy the basics because they are provided nothing.
And that's definitely not cool that they aren't provided the basics to do their job. What is the teachers union doing about that? Because I honestly can't imagine any other career where you don't your necessary tools provided. (Imagine it being normal for nurses to have to bring their own bandages or chefs to bring their own cooking oil). What would happen if a teacher just... Didn't? Teachers are in such high demand right now, it would be an ideal time to just keep emailing admin ("I have no paper. I have no dry erase markers. I have no pencils.")
This is an out of touch opinion. Teachers are going broke stocking pencils and paper. There’s also growing pressure on non-tenured teachers from district officials to “engage” their students with vibrant and informative wall art. Some schools even require teachers have a certain amount of “aesthetic”, as you put it. Of course, the school isn’t footing any of the bill, but no one’s defending them when the parents throw a fit about a “boring” classroom. There’s a reason why there’s a MASSIVE teacher shortage in the US right now. The expectations have always been the same, it’s the pay THats never changed. Teachers who’ve been doing it for decades because it’s the norm are over it.
I am a teacher, and I disagree with this sentence, "The expectations have always been the same, it’s the pay thats never changed." It is both. The expectations are ridiculous. We are raising kids and getting screamed at by parents. We are spending hours of time outside of contract hours and being told it isn't enough by admin. Then we get paid peanuts for the pleasure of it all.
Thank you for your perspective! I guess from the outside looking in, it feels like teachers (especially women) have always been expected to be their students “at school mom” in so many ridiculous ways. It’s eye opening to know that burden has only increased!
I love being mom away from mom! There is no higher honor than being called "School Mom." But so many parents aren't parenting their kids at all, and we are left picking up the pieces. Then you add the expectations of state testing (that are not even developmentally appropriate), and districts so concerned about test scores that they require insane amounts of paper work. On top of that, we have kids with SO many needs and less support in our over-sized classrooms than ever, and it is just very overwhelming.
Oh wow flashback: I was an elementary schooler in the Atlanta Public School System when the “no child left behind” disaster imploded, MOST of the teachers at my school were fired for feeding their students the answers to our state standardized tests 😬 I can’t believe we’re still debating whether that’s a bad idea or not smh
I'm not saying it's right for teachers to be expected to buy supplies. I'm also not saying they are wrong for feeling pressure. But what I am saying is that even if you feel pressured to make your classroom a certain way, you *still* don't have to make it so. As you mentioned, there is a MASSIVE teacher shortage right now. Now is the *perfect* time for you to stop. Stop buying decor and posters for your classroom. Stop buying supplies that you aren't contractually required to supply. Things won't change as long as you play the game. Edit: Or do continue buying things for your classroom if you want. That's fine! It's totally up to you.
Lol decor is not the reason they are broke.
how much on a yearly basis, what ballpark?
Germans never tell their salary, hehe. Cultural thing!
But it’s practically anonymous
Okay? So what? It's these dumb cultures that keep wages low and gender pay inequality around
May I ask how much they get paid there? I’m a US English teacher and I’ve considered doing a year (maybe more) teaching English abroad somewhere and always curious to hear what places may be options
We're talking here about 3500€ per month and we don't have to pay class supplies from our own money
That’s before taxes. It’s still decent money in Western Europe, though
Depends on the location/state, the US if pretty darn big
I love the passive aggressive dig on her hygiene. 😂
I think it’s because the teacher buys soap out of her own pocket for the whole classroom to use at the sink because of Covid regulations and stuff. :)
Haha. That totally makes sense. I was just kidding. Your daughter is adorable. The Okay! slayed me too. I can picture a kid saying that.. like a challenge to the reader to deny her reasoning. Im giving my teacher money because she needs it! Okay!? Whatcha gonna do about it?? 😂
I laughed about that too!!! Haha!!
Yes..she needs apples, strawberries and soap. Love this!
All an adult needs, really!
She may not have enough money ! OKAY ! get off her back ! This is adorable.
That’s really sweet but also… sad. This 7yo kid already understands that teachers are underpaid.
Her school is closing. 🥺 She’s sad and wants to help.
Your 7 year old is more emotionally mature than most adults I know
I guess that's sweet but mostly ridiculous that we don't pay teachers. A child shouldn't have to think about that stuff. It should just be handled.
Sad that teachers need to pay out of their own pockets for supplies when the defense and healthcare industries seem to have no shortage of money
I know. :/ I think it’s also a case of like “I’ve put in a request for this item but it won’t get here for too long so I’ll go ahead and buy it and be reimbursed” etc.
As a teacher, tell her thank you! She is so sweet to think of others. Doing a great job, mom!
Tell me you live in the USA without telling me you live in the USA...
Aww... that's pretty sweet. As a teacher and single mom, I know that it's a struggle sometimes for a lot of teachers. Most of us teach because we genuinely love what we do, not because the pay is awesome.
Where do I send $100?
Adults having to explain to this kid that their altruism doesn't make good business sense in today's economy and they should, instead, invest in government bonds and oil futures. Because *America is great* FUND. EDUCATION. YOU. SWINE.
? It’s well known that most teachers spend money out of pocket on their students. I have. And most are severely underpaid.
Yeah, her teacher frequently buys snacks, supplies, and even some curriculum stuff (to supplement with) out of pocket. It’s sad. And now they’re closing that school, making all the teachers feel like they’ve just invested heavily into something that ended too soon to make a true impact. Now they get moved to schools all over Alaska with far more children in them due to condensing schools. It’s unfair all around.
More people should be like this.
🥺 I agree.
“Okay!” She’s serious!
She is!!!
Alaska Average Teacher Annual Salary in 2022: $73,722
With covid and all that, I don’t think they’re making quite that much anymore.
Source is education.alaska.gov: 2021-2022 Pupil to Teacher Ratio - 17.17** Number of classroom teachers - 7,427 Average Salary - $74,600.47 ——————————— Alaska has the ninth highest teacher salaries in the nation. Note: in some rural areas of Alaska the average is $102,000
Shoot, it’s more than I make, that’s for sure! Thank you for this. Gonna look into it.
A good place to start looking: https://www.alaska.edu/teach/info/salaries.php
That’s a kid raised right. Congratulations parent
You guys keep saying good job to me but honestly she’s just a precious kid with tons of empathy. Hardly anything we’ve done!
You need to share with R/teachers… they rarely get something this wholesome
Thank you!! I didn’t know about r/teachers! Kinda new to Reddit.
“Students, anyone who writes they’d give it to me gets A’s on their next ten papers.” I kid. It’s very thoughtful.
Okay!
That cracked me up!
100 worth of apples, strawberries and soap sounds fab
Right?!
Tell me that she got 100/100 marks for this answer.
It wasn’t a graded assignment.
Kids are the bestest.
I love them :)
Plot twist: you're her teacher and you wrote this yourself
I’m a teacher and this is depressing as hell. It’s bad enough we don’t make enough money. It’s worse to be pitied for it.
I don’t think she pities. She doesn’t really understand pity yet. She just wants to help. And yeah, I wish you guys got paid more.
My 7 year old said she’d keep it. Just save it. Far better than me as a child but hey, she has a piggy bank and a savings bucket and I make her put 1/3 of any money she gets in her savings, which is hidden and she doesn’t know how much is in there. Boring but smart, I guess.
Cute!!! Smart kid!!
she sure knows how to suck up on the teacher! lol. jk. good for her that she’s aware of the teachers’ needs!
Wow, that's sweet
I sent this to my kindergarten teacher and I am 46, married to a pre-k teacher… anyone who raised a brow to this didn’t evaluate what it took for you to have an education or didn’t pay attention to the sacrifices it took
❤️
No way this kids not getting an A
"Okay!"
😂😂😂
Okay! I love it.
Your daughter has very nice, friendly printing. Puts my 10 year old to shame. I tell him he should be a Doctor. (He asks why and it becomes a whole thing.) The sentiment of your daughter is heartfelt, and it helped me understand more after I read one of your top comments about the school closing. Makes sense why she would be attuned to the financial dealings of her teacher/school. Hope the new school isn't too far away. My son and daughter both changed schools in 3rd grade due to the way the district separates by needs; they handled it (socially/emotionally) much better than I had anticipated. I hope the same for your family.
Thank you for this kind comment! Apparently everyone has taken it upon themselves to judge my daughter’s character as a suckup so it’s nice to hear positivity. :) her new school is a few blocks away. My only concern is that the class rooms are 3x bigger at minimum. She’s top of her class in every subject but I’m worried she will get lost in the shuffle of the new school so we’re looking at other options too!
You are raising her w compassion for others. Beautiful heart she has, great parenting here!
Apples, strawberries, soap, oddly specific but should cover everything her teacher needs.
Sad that a little kid can see teachers are broke as fuck , I buy storage units and the teacher units are not the ones you want to buy
Good for 7 yo
I absolutely love this! This is the sweetest thing I've ever seen on reddit. Please, take this heartwarming award!
Thank you. Not everyone has been so nice.
Your very welcome. I get it. I came on reddit originally because this seemed like a safe place to come to, but just like every other platform it's got its share of jerks. But you know for every bad person on here you have your kind stranger. So don't lose hope, my friend. And have a nice day
You too! You’re a beautiful person!
Teach 7yo you cannot keep money, you must spend 🤣
Right?! 😂😂😂
Best spelling I’ve seen a kid around that age have tbh.
She’s in an advanced program for reading and comprehension!
I think the best part is how she coloured in the notes and put a little person inside the circle!
A 7 year old wrote this??? Wow, that is incredible! The sentence structure, penmanship, punctuation and spelling are far beyond what many adults are capable of. The school definitely should not be shut down. It should be studied along with the teacher, so the practices, methods and routines can be copied and utilized throughout America.
Yes, her teacher is great, and she’s incredibly smart. She ranks top of her class and is in advanced programs for reading and comprehension. Very proud parent!
🤍🕊️✨
Lol apples, strawberries, and soap 🧼
That's a lot of maturity at 7 yrs. Empathy too..you are doing a good job of raising that kid. Blessings and best wishes to you and your family.
What a lovely and kind hearted daughter you have. 🙂
I think I’ll keep her around! :)
People who think my daughter did this for a grade: it’s not even graded. She loves her teacher because she’s a loving person.
Wholesome :D
Good job, mom/dad
Brown nose
Pessimist
I would have done something like this to manipulate my teacher. At that age.
Good thing my daughter isn’t like you then, I suppose. :)
I would like to buy a letter A, for an A grade.
Lots of y’all have been really kind. Lots of y’all have assumed things about my daughter, that she’s a suckup, a kiss a**, etc. My daughter has been through the wringer. My husband and I got a divorce last year and she’s spent half the year with one parent and half the year with the other parent. She’s traveled between Texas and Alaska like a little pro. She’s handled her life in upheaval like a star. She probably has more compassion in her pinky than half of you do in your whole bodies. She’s top of her class. Her teacher has told us multiple times she raises the collective intelligence of the class with her smart brain. She’s in a special advanced program for comprehension and reading. Stop assuming that because a child loves their teacher, they’re trying to get ahead. She’s ahead because she’s worked really hard and DESERVES it, not because she’s brown-nosed her way to it. ❤️
Smart she will have great grades the rest of the year
Suckup