Teacher Average Salary

A Teacher's Salary Vs True Compensation - Why I Quit Teaching, and Perhaps You Should Too

Teaching is an extremely noble and challenging career. While it is not my intention to ruffle any feathers, it must be admitted that a teacher's salary is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. The average salary of a teacher is a joke, to say the least. Not only that, but the present state of affairs can, in some locations and under certain circumstances, make teaching dangerous and overly stressful. So, should you just quit teaching? I LOVE teaching! I really love teaching. Everything I do, I approach from a teacher's perspective. Even raising my girls, I do with a teacher's heart and mind. I really enjoy the type of interaction and closeness that being a teacher allows you to have with your students, regardless of their age. So far teaching sounds perfect, right? A teacher's salary is only one aspect that makes being a classroom teacher less than desirable.

See, starting salaries for teachers vary by region, and in the United States can be as high as $45,000 a year. Money isn't everything, though. While the truth is that most students are very well behaved, and that the teacher is the one who has to set the proper learning environment, there are always a few special students who require every ounce of restraint on your part. Lesson planning, researching resources, creating assessments, grading papers, contacting parents, these are just a few of the things teachers must do, which do not fit into the traditional 8:00am-3:00pm schedule. For the truly dedicated teacher, summer months (which so many think are a teacher's hiatus) are actually spent researching, prepping, and planning.

A teacher cannot take a bathroom break simply because he needs one. See, teachers are basically imprisoned in their classrooms until their free time. Why did I REALLY decide to quit teaching? My two daughters were the real reason I decided to quit. We were living paycheck to paycheck, many times having to choose which bills to pay and which to keep on hold until the next pay period. Finally, I found out that work at home moms (and teachers) do exist. I put on my entrepreneurial hat, and found that teachers make great business owners. I have full control of my time, and my life. That is why I quit teaching. Not because of a teacher's salary, but because of a teacher's broken heart. Should you quit too? At other times, you are just starting out in the work world or new job and need to negotiate the terms of your impending salary. The reason asking for a raise is a stressful and difficult task is because employees aren't usually trained to handle this type of situation. Under these circumstances, there is a proper way to ask for more money and a right time to seize the opportunity. Successful salary negotiations occur when you have received a favorable response and the communications between your employers is still kept positive. Assess Your Chances

When you work at a job and you are making noticeably lower than the salary cap, asking for a raise is not unreasonable. Usually, salary caps increase for employees that have been with a company for many years. If you do not negotiate your terms of salary, you will soon see newer, untrained employees with less experience making more than you.

Since it takes more time and money to hire and train new employees, your record as a qualified, cooperative employee that has good job performance and attendance will work in your favor. Often, the best way to keep a valuable employee is to increase their salary.

If you notice that the company has undergone recent financial difficulties, you will most likely suffer a denial when asking for more money. During this stressful time in a business, executives are more concerned with cutting their losses than rewarding their employees with higher salaries. It is best to wait for a salary discussion once the company bounces back from a disappointing quarter.

When Salary Negotiations Turn Sour

Just because you feel it is the right time to ask for a salary change, doesn't mean you will automatically receive one. What Your Employer Will Assess

When a worker comes to an employer looking for an increase in their pay or a new employee is making a salary negotiation, the boss will look at many different factors. They will assess the skill level of your job within the company. If you work in a branch of the office that showcases scarceness of skills and experience necessary to complete the job, you will have a bit of leeway to negotiate. If you have progressed within your position, this will help you when you ask for a raise because it shows that you have a legitimate reason to receive more money for the contributions you offer to a company. Tips on Discussing Salary

You will also have concrete evidence to support your desire for a salary increase.

2) If an employer won't negotiate a salary, you may suggest other ways in which to receive extra benefits, such as receiving more vacation time or other long-term compensation.

3) Before starting a new job, take a few days to review salary offers before giving a final answer. 5) Set a target salary for yourself, but present a minimum and maximum range for your employer to consider.