Posts by shadowtiger0

Bryan Wells11 said:Fine, let's use first names then. You certainly seem to love yourself. Very, very much.
I'm also a normal mom whom both my kids and students love, right? I just don't see that as a valid argument in a debate. Besides, that’s just a subjective impression based on how narcissistic a person happens to be.
I still have questions regarding these comparisons between men and women; what exactly is the point? Which "pushovers" are you talking about who are afraid of their shadows? You should probably write from your own experience, because it's unclear what the poet is trying to say here.
And yes, physical education is incomparable to, say, language studies, but it never occurred to me to judge others or try to divide us based on how complex our jobs are, though I see some people really enjoy doing exactly that.

Edit: Ah, I missed your condescending lecturing style, reminiscent of elementary school "I am - You are" lessons (you even misspelled the most basic foundation taught to first graders); but hey, if you're an "energy tank," everyone loves you, you're hilarious, and they're all lining up to meet you. You've once again proven you have absolutely no clue how much language proficiency we instill in children by the 8th grade, allowing them to enter top-tier high schools with pride, knowing they'll excel in English, making our population's language skills enviable compared to many other countries. But sure, "I am, You are," right?

I see you're quick on the uptake 😁

Not condescending at all—quite the opposite. It's hard work. The hardest kind. The fundamentals are always the toughest part of any subject. AND THAT IS NOT SARCASM—do you get it now? 😁

If you're going to quote someone, try quoting Far Coast instead of Mio Kekin. Oh, wait. He's just like you—a linguistics enthusiast.

"U'r" is slang, and clearly, you don't have much of a handle on it for someone claiming to be an English professor.

I lived in the States for a while, so I picked up a bit more than just the textbook stuff.

Why do you think my kids don't enter speech competitions?

Good grief, who am I even arguing with...🤦

jadetinker85 said:😂 🙂

Why was my colleague too intimidated to deal with it herself if it wasn't that big of a deal?

I honestly don't get the joke or why we're leaning so hard into the cheap sarcasm here.

The girl is twenty-five, working a temp gig—she doesn't even know which building she’s standing in, let alone what her actual job description entails.

Jose Wells3 said:Buddy, are you actually aware of what you’re typing here? Do you realize how condescending you're being to everyone else?

I have a colleague who would never dream of saying something like this, but he has the track record to prove it. We're talking about actual grit—working tirelessly with kids, running countless after-school programs, coaching competitions, managing projects, and handling homeroom duties.

I respect him deeply; honestly, he’s the gold standard for what a teacher should be in our school.

Most of you just blow smoke and then drive these kids crazy—kids for whom soccer is the absolute last thing on their minds. You can't even point them toward other sports they might actually enjoy. Your top-tier climbers are essentially being bullied out of class because everything revolves around soccer. Kids with gymnastics potential are wasting away in your programs, and girls aren't getting any encouragement to stay active at all. To you, Pilates is somehow "soft" or "for wimps"... I've heard enough of those old-school, regressive jokes.

For what it's worth, I co-teach my classes, and I actively participate in professional development workshops for extracurricular physical education instructors. Don't even try to lie and claim we're all on the same level. We aren't. At least 90 percent of you aren't. Meanwhile, 90 percent of us are actually juggling extra responsibilities, lesson planning, grading, and prepping for state exams—and no, we don't all have perfect evaluations.

What humiliation? What are you even talking about? If anything, I’m the one humbling myself by constantly pointing out here that, say, a math teacher should probably be making a higher salary than I am.

For an educated person, you're really struggling to grasp what's been written.

And unfortunately, yes—there are plenty of people in the PE department who act that way. But it happens in other subjects too; it's just easier to hide behind a mask here.

Edit: My predecessor used to bench the endomorph kids and make the ectomorphs do pull-ups. I know the drill. As soon as I took over, I put the endomorph kids into strength training and the ectomorphs into running.

Bryan Wells11 said:Fine, let's use first names then. You certainly seem to love yourself. Very, very much.
I'm also a normal mom whom both my kids and students love, right? I just don't see that as a valid argument in a debate. Besides, that’s just a subjective impression based on how narcissistic a person happens to be.
I still have questions regarding these comparisons between men and women; what exactly is the point? Which "pushovers" are you talking about who are afraid of their shadows? You should probably write from your own experience, because it's unclear what the poet is trying to say here.
And yes, physical education is incomparable to, say, language studies, but it never occurred to me to judge others or try to divide us based on how complex our jobs are, though I see some people really enjoy doing exactly that.

Edit: Ah, I missed your condescending lecturing style, reminiscent of elementary school "I am - You are" lessons (you even misspelled the most basic foundation taught to first graders); but hey, if you're an "energy tank," everyone loves you, you're hilarious, and they're all lining up to meet you. You've once again proven you have absolutely no clue how much language proficiency we instill in children by the 8th grade, allowing them to enter top-tier high schools with pride, knowing they'll excel in English, making our population's language skills enviable compared to many other countries. But sure, "I am, You are," right?

It's basic biology, fellow middle school teacher. It's the difference between men and women—energy. That's what I was getting at. For us, handling the heavy lifting comes a bit easier.

Energy stems from anabolic hormones. Honestly, do you really want me to dive into something that most seventh graders probably already know?

Pushovers? Fine, here's an example. A colleague of mine had someone block her car in (she couldn't get home), so she asked a male colleague from her department to go tell the guy to move his car. He literally responded with: "Not my problem, won't get involved."

So, I step in and handle it nicely myself.

Of course the work of a linguist and a PE teacher isn't comparable. Just like a surgeon should be making more than a physiatrist (which they aren't, at least not at the base level), natural scientists and language teachers ought to have higher salaries than the rest of us (again, at least the base pay). See? I'm just full of love.

jadetinker85 said:Fair question.

That’s kind of like saying, "How do we have so many elite athletes? Well, someone had to create them."

Nah.

Anyone who has actually spent time inside the gears of an athletic program knows it’s basically just the work of obsessive "maniacs" and their parents—driven, slightly unhinged people. And sure, genetics play a part. Especially that specific American athletic build.

The system itself isn't doing all the heavy lifting here. As for our Olympians? We've got plenty of those.

wanderingbadger44 said:A PE teacher? If that's actually what you do, please don't speak for the rest of us.

It’s pretty obvious why you aren't putting in the effort; you aren't grading a single exam, reviewing any homework, or even bothering to design a single lesson plan to accommodate different learning needs.

If you really are an American physical education instructor, you should feel a bit embarrassed writing something like this.

I’ve also spent some time teaching science classes—I actually hold an engineering degree from a technical college, so I know my way around a lab.

That wasn’t even my main issue—it was just that, well, it wasn't me.

jadetinker85 said:I'd say you're the star of the locker room, maybe even a siren. 😁

And you want to know why?

It's because everyone else has just settled into mediocrity and decided they're perfectly fine with it.

Look, I’m nothing special. I spent years grinding away at training, trying to build a serious career, and honestly? It didn't pan out. So, I'm not some outlier. School was always a breeze for me—I come from a family where things just click, so it’s clearly just genetics at work.

But at the end of the day—and this is my mantra—I actually love what I do, the pay is decent, and I absolutely adore my kids (though, admittedly, I didn't truly grasp that until I finally held my own after they were born). Plus, most of us guys are pretty high-energy and live for sports. And getting paid to do all that?

You won't find a better deal than this.

jadetinker85 said:If we actually want things to improve, we have to measure ourselves against the best and make progress, step by step. To be blunt, the best times here are June and July before the brutal heat hits, or September once it breaks. Trying to take a vacation during a heatwave is less about relaxing and more about just trying to survive.

Fair point. When I was younger, summer was the best part of the year, but man, those days are gone.

Nowadays, having some downtime right before or right after the summer madness is the way to go.

Bryan Wells11 said:It’s obvious you weren't anyone's homeroom teacher. I see plenty of people, from the Social Democratic Party crowd (medical professionals) to those with advanced degrees, who definitely get more than their allotted vacation time during the summer. You're just getting hung up on that pathetic cliché about how we have "so many months off." Our collective break starts roughly in the second half of July and ends around August 20th. What, is that too much vacation?

Spot on, linguist. A perpetual homeroom teacher, on top of that. Competition coach and everything else required. It isn't hard work, but there is certainly plenty of it. Look—where I found the balance between what I put in (an English degree) and the compensation in the form of a peanuts salary (I honestly don't know where you see this pay as anything extra, colleague) is that I have a bit more free time. I use that free time to work another job in my field and to be with my family. If I am deprived of that time (which cannot be replaced by anything, least of all these percentages meant to pull the wool over our eyes), a huge argument for staying in education disappears. Some people love to scramble for crumbs from an GOP-affiliated table because, apparently, they value themselves that little; I say no thanks. They steal billions, and I'm supposed to say thank you? Oh, thank you, great leaders, for a 2.5% stipend for being a homeroom teacher? I'll leave that to the sycophants, the weaklings, and the spineless.

Second, 90% of my circle of friends and acquaintances are professionals with advanced degrees, and I have no idea where you're getting these losers who come home late and bring all their work with them, earning as much as teachers? It varies—sometimes more, sometimes less depending on the company, working for various agencies and boards, shuffling papers, and getting things done—but miraculously, many people with significantly less responsibility earn as much as or more than us; some even less educated than I am have surpassed me. Those who actually arrive home late and carry work home earn significantly more, if not double. What are you talking about? I would toil away at a school twice as long if I were paid twice as much.

This talk about men and women feels a bit shallow and primitive to me, so I won't bother addressing that part. As if you all discovered after COVID what it's like for us while we're menstruating and how it affects our work competencies? Good grief. 😵

No need for formalities here. We're on a forum.

Linguists work hard, especially with living languages like English and Italian. And it is a damn monotonous job because if you aren't in a prep school where everyone is actually speaking the language (in my school, we all spoke English with the professor), it's just "I am—you are" all day long. It's exhausting. Not sarcasm.

I am a homeroom teacher.

Male vs. female—there are massive differences. You know it, and I know it. We kinesiology majors learn about this stuff all the time...
I'm not being primitive. I'm just a normal dad whom my kids love, and my students love too.

As for men being pushovers today who are afraid of their own shadows—that's their problem. My wife and I are equals in everything except energy levels. I'm a high-energy tank, and that's just how it is.

P.S. I also work after hours. Mainly because I'm lucky enough to be in education and can afford to.

When I worked in the private sector, I didn't even have the drive or the energy (and I'm a former athlete).

Susan James said:So, did you pick that up through some kind of life philosophy, at school, or maybe from a parent at home?

Because for me, I learned to cook at home (both when my mom was around and by following her handwritten notes when she wasn't).
How—or even when—are kids going to learn to cook if they're stuck in school until 3:30 or 5:00 PM? They won't see a parent cooking, and they won't be in a position where they can actually manage to make something for themselves (even just reheating something).

Oh, wait, I forgot—everything is on YouTube now, so they'll probably just watch a tutorial if they absolutely have to cook. And honestly, the ones who learn to code end up making great money, so they'll probably just order takeout anyway.

I cook too; my wife doesn't always have the time. Not that it’s an issue for me.

Generally speaking, nothing bothers me—except for rudeness and a lack of respect. That stuff gets handled pretty easily in a face-to-face conversation. Especially when you weigh 220 pounds. 😁

I mostly learned from my grandfather; my dad worked a lot. I know my way around a kitchen and nothing is too difficult.

And shouldn't all of this be part of "home economics" or whatever that subject is called nowadays?

What kind of nonsense is "YouTube"? I belong to that generation of men who served in the military—the ones who look out for and protect their families.

Paul Davis2 said:Look, the money is there—otherwise, none of this would be happening in the first place. The initial move was providing free meals, which happened almost overnight across the board. It’s not a hot meal everywhere yet, but it’s a start. My kids don't get a hot lunch at school, just a snack, but honestly, that's a huge step up from nothing—especially for families struggling to make ends meet. Even for us, where I handle their snacks myself, having this extra support over the last two months has been a genuine relief.

The funds exist, sure. But the real question—the one that actually matters—is whether that money actually ends up where it's supposed to go.

I really, truly hope it does.

Michelle Nelson4 said:Locking them in 😂
Last year, my kid had a schedule where on one specific day, they were literally in class from
12:20 PM to 1:55 PM.
That’s just an hour and thirty-five minutes of school time. And they were only ten years old at the time.

On top of that, there are about three and a half months throughout the year where there’s absolutely no instruction—that’s 30% of the entire academic year right there.

And then people wonder why we’re falling behind the rest of the world. Whether we like it or not, that lack of engagement compared to other countries has to have consequences. I get it—plenty of people love this setup, and honestly, it suits me sometimes too, but that doesn't mean the end result isn't affected by it all. It’s always the same drama from teachers and parents; you try to suggest a change and you're immediately met with resistance and that whole "don't rock the boat" or "leave our perks alone" mindset. Every single suggestion for improvement feels like an attack to them.
☕ I don't think the current system is well-designed, but comments like "I don't want to work school hours because I want to be home with my kid" or "this is basically locking kids in school" (as if mandatory schooling isn't already a thing) aren't actually valid arguments against the core issue.

Personally, I don't mind working longer hours; I actually think kids today don't move enough, and I'd love more time to work with them.

The other day, I was helping the janitor set up some new fencing for small soccer goals and specific play areas. He looked at me and asked how I knew what I was doing—apparently, most male teachers couldn't find their way out of a paper bag, let alone change a lightbulb at home 😁—so I told him: "Listen, buddy, I'm a man, and a man should know everything from plumbing to electrical work. That's how I was raised."

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned—let the kids run around, play, and mess around. Let them scrape a knee or two. It's perfectly normal and healthy.

jadetinker85 said:

Either you aren't hanging out with educated professionals, or you're just choosing to ignore the reality. Most people with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree are grinding away for $50k a year all day, getting home around 5 PM, and then bringing work right back to the dinner table. That's just the cold truth. I have an engineering degree myself, so I've been there—pulling 10 or 12-hour shifts for the exact same pay you'd get with just a high school diploma. And unlike some sectors, there are zero unions looking out for you. But hey, that’s not really the point here, and I won't digress; I know from experience that teachers don't really look at things through that lens.

So you're actually on board with that? We should be fighting against people being exploited, not cheering it on.

Actually, quite the opposite.

The thing is, people in our field tend to complain way too much—and let's be real, we do get that legendary summer break and those holidays when the weather is actually decent. A lot of engineers, doctors, and other professionals with advanced degrees just don't get that luxury.

But the fact that so many other things are fundamentally broken here is a whole different conversation...
Where on earth did you get the idea of comparing us to the Netherlands? They’re one of the most developed nations on the planet...

We should be comparing ourselves to other Southern European countries, and unfortunately, the situation there is pretty much the same...

hiddenseal14 said:My school is going to sign up for this. We are all in complete agreement on the move. Sure, a few teachers were grumbling because they won't be wrapping things up by 10:30 anymore, and the specialists are worried about the increased workload within the A2 and B1 curricula. There’s a bit of a shift happening in how subjects are taught—we’ve always operated on a single-shift schedule—and the students will have to adjust since their electives used to be baked right into the regular timetable. The silver lining? They’ll actually get longer breaks and a decent lunch period.

Anyway, don't go judging the situation based on fifty loud voices shouting in Facebook groups. Plenty of smaller schools that currently run on a single shift are going to step up and join in too.

I am not claiming that everything is perfectly designed; there will undoubtedly be growing pains. But that is exactly why we have an experimental phase—to identify what isn't working and fix it.

As for STEM, specifically math, biology, and chemistry, we've never really seen a shortage of talent in the Greater Los Angeles area. The only real gap has been in physics.

Fair point, colleague, but that's only because we have the College of Humanities right here in California. 😉

I suppose I should probably mention that I finally made it to see the symphony performance last night—and honestly, after all the buildup, I wasn't entirely sure if I was in for a masterpiece or just a very expensive nap. It was one of those high-brow evenings where you feel slightly underdressed just by breathing the air in the concert hall. But, despite my usual skepticism about these things, the orchestra actually delivered. There’s something about the way a full ensemble hits those swelling crescendos that makes you forget, just for a second, how much you paid for the ticket. It was grand, it was loud, and it was—dare I say—actually quite moving. Not that I'd admit that to anyone who prefers blasting pop music in their car, but there was definitely a moment where the room went completely silent, and even my cynical brain couldn't find anything to complain about. kaže:
Look, it’s been happening in the United Kingdom for a few years now—this massive exodus of teachers because of those "wonderful" working conditions. People are literally packing up and moving to Thailand to teach English, just so they can actually afford to live. It turns out you can have a decent life with a much lower cost of living over there than what you're dealing with back home in the UK.

I’m a tenured professor—currently working in an elementary school—and honestly, I feel like I’ve been blindsided by a constant stream of absolute nonsense ever since I entered the education field. It is genuinely depressing to watch how idiotic policies can just completely strip away the motivation and passion of people who actually chose this profession because they cared. If you teach one of the core subjects—one of the big three—you are absolutely buried in work. And that’s not even counting the physical presence required on campus. Take a foreign language teacher, for example; their required hours alone can hit 23 per week, which is one of the highest loads out there. Then, you go home and drag yourself through a mountain of 130 exams, the same amount of essays, and an endless pile of other written assessments... not to mention all the extra grading. All of this is done on top of the actual classroom time, usually while trying to find a single quiet corner at the school to get anything done—which, let's be real, doesn't exist. And don't even get me started on the nightmare of being a homeroom teacher. The sheer amount of extra labor expected from people for what amounts to a measly two hours of official credit is a special kind of madness that I’d rather not even dive into.

Edit: Honestly, if you’re actually feeling overwhelmed by your workload—I mean, really, truly burnt out—I honestly wouldn't even know how to respond to that. It's pretty obvious you aren't exactly breaking a sweat over there.

Look, you’re clearly a fellow linguistics nerd—and honestly, my heart goes out to you. It’s tough out here. You put in all this grueling work, pouring your soul into the nuances of language, only for it to go completely unnoticed. Most people don't give a damn about the mechanics behind how we communicate; they’d much rather spend their energy obsessing over the scenery or some random sunset than the actual structure of a sentence. It’s a thankless grind, really.

Look, I mentioned the United Kingdom because I actually know how things work over there—and trust me, burnout isn't just a possibility for my colleagues in the UK, it’s practically a standard job requirement at this point. My whole point was that most of them would probably swallow a hell of a lot more misery if they could just land an above-average salary. And honestly? We actually have that here—I mean, I personally have coworkers pulling in much more than that... $333 I get a little extra bump in my paycheck from the principal because of things like mentoring and years of seniority—it all adds up eventually, you know how it goes. 😉 ).

You claim I don't work hard enough—and honestly, you're not wrong. But look, I absolutely adore working with kids, and I’m constantly coming up with new ways to weave kinesiology and movement patterns into games; from what I can see, they’re having a blast. My days are split between working at both an elementary school and a high school. You also seem to be forgetting that I'm a man—and let's be real, most "normal" guys (and I am definitely not talking about those metrosexual types) would probably feel the same way. 😁 The kind of guys who can't just grab an axe and split a cord of firewood for the winter... honestly, the physical part of the job is easy. It’s all about testosterone, I guess.
Look, I’m not even joking around here—it’s just something I’ve started noticing by watching my wife. It becomes incredibly obvious that we men have it way easier when it comes to tackling certain things, simply because we don't deal with those massive, sweeping fluctuations in anabolic hormones—you know, the stuff that actually drives your strength and your sheer willpower. I realized this mostly because my own system got absolutely wrecked by post-COVID fatigue; back when I was going through it, I remember thinking, "Man, this is rough," but now that I've had some distance, I look at what women go through and realize I finally get it.

Secondly, when I see some people around here boasting over 10,000 posts, I can't help but wonder—what kind of grueling, high-stakes career must they have to find the time to rack up that many comments on a forum like this? It’s almost impressive, in a tragic sort of way. Clearly, they have an abundance of free time to dedicate to... well, let's call it "intellectual stimulation"—though we all know this place is mostly just a digital playground for nonsense. Seriously though, what kind of "hard work" are we actually talking about here? What are we even doing? 👎

Either you’re not hanging out with much educated company, or you’re just choosing to look the other way—but the reality is that most people with a four-year degree are grinding away for peanuts all day, dragging themselves home around 5:00 PM only to finish their actual work at the kitchen table. It’s a harsh truth. I’ve got an engineering degree myself, so I’ve been in those trenches—believe me, I know what it’s like pulling 10 or 12-hour shifts for basically the same pay you'd get with just a high school diploma. And unlike some sectors, there aren't any unions looking out for you. But, honestly, that’s not really the point here, so I won't go down that rabbit hole—I already know from experience that teachers don't really view things through that same lens.

Look, let’s be real here—for those of you in the room who are actually teachers or hold degrees in something like sociology: please, spare us the "I'll just quit and find a career in the private sector" act. Don't pull that nonsense. We all know the truth—both you and I—is that we aren't exactly in high demand out there in the corporate world. I could probably land a job at a Kroger or a Walmart tomorrow, and that's about it. If you're really feeling too dignified for the grind, then honestly, just step aside. Hand your desks over to the younger teachers or the fresh sociology grads—there are plenty of them sitting around waiting for a break through the unemployment office.
It’s a different ballgame compared to being a special ed specialist or a math teacher.

Those of us who studied subjects with actual utility in the workforce—you know, the scientists, the linguists, the social scientists—we actually put those skills to use out in the real world.

Unfortunately, there is money available for this project—I know this from firsthand experience—both for salaries and general overhead. Why am I saying "unfortunately"? Because I’m a parent, and I love my kids. By nature, I’m an active, high-energy person; I want to be outside playing with my children, riding bikes, hitting the weights, or just hanging at the park. If my kids are stuck in school until 5:00 PM, that becomes impossible. And frankly, I hate it.

It also feels pretty stupid to compare ourselves to Finland. We aren't nearly as developed as they are, nor do we share their mindset—we’re Southerners through and through, and we are fundamentally different from them.

Again, the current work system is just broken. What is one teacher supposed to accomplish in a classroom of twenty kids when three are on individualized programs, two are gifted, and you’ve got a few ADHD students thrown in there? Nothing. It’s impossible. These are the systemic issues that need fixing. Right now, the situation is failing both the gifted kids and the ones who are struggling. Realistically, it's unsustainable.

That’s why I admitted earlier that I’m no genius and that some kind of change is definitely overdue. Whether *this* is the right change? I have no clue.

P.S.

I received a couple of messages last night from a male colleague (probably, I can't be quite sure 😁) so I’ll just say it here publicly: stop running your mouth on the forums. And he should remember that social science majors are the tough, resilient ones that nobody messes with in school. 😒

Sarah Hall53 said:I’d bet anything they’re talking about PE teachers.
The workload and prep time for them is totally comparable to what a math teacher deals with, for instance.

Yeah, I did—though I don't recall ever hiding the fact that I was a physics major.

But, for the record, I also have an engineering background and I’ve taught those "tough" STEM subjects. Exams, parents, being a homeroom teacher—you name it.

Ha, so what now?

And it’s always the same story in every faculty lounge—poor me, poor us, our pay is so low... I’ve never actually heard that from any of my friends or family working in engineering or medicine. And honestly, what we do compared to them is incomparable. One of my best friends spent years grinding away in the ER until he finally landed his dream specialty. His salary is lower than mine. Not even close. He never complained, not once. And that is exactly why the general public hates us—because we’re always whining about something when, realistically, we aren't doing all that bad.

Do you really think my neighbor, who graduated with an economics degree, doesn't bring her banking work home? Or that when she gets back around 5:00 PM, her kids aren't waiting, or there isn't laundry and other "joys" to deal with? She works for $3000 all day long. And consider the level of responsibility she carries.

Let's stop romanticizing our universities for a second. Let's get real. Getting through MIT is significantly harder than getting through a teaching college. And that goes for most specialized academic tracks, too.

The truly grueling majors are the hard sciences, and they should all be earning higher salaries than we are. It’s just basic logic—being a surgeon or an epidemiologist isn't the same as other medical roles. We all know where the weight of responsibility lies and which jobs are objectively tougher.

jadetinker85 said:You probably don't need to correct anyone if you aren't the teacher here. ☕

Or maybe you're just one of those frustrated types who thinks we're all out here working ourselves to death or digging trenches in the backyard?

Honestly, I haven't seen this much whining about working conditions, pay, or whatever else in any other profession—it's constant. And frankly, we're doing just fine.

I’d happily send every single one of you to spend just one day working with my buddy in an Emergency Room. Just one day. Though, honestly, you probably wouldn't even last long enough to realize what hit you...🤦

I can only say that from what I’ve noticed at my school, the subject teachers—the professors, if you will—don't say anything bad about this situation; in fact, they actually support it. Though, let's be real, the female teachers—or instructors, whatever you want to call them—are constant headaches.

Now, look, I’m not saying being a teacher is some easy ride. They have certain perks, they get home early, and it’s a decent enough career for a woman or a mother. But these days, the demands are skyrocketing, parents are getting increasingly difficult, and principals are constantly breathing down their necks for more and more.

Then again, I’ve seen how things operate in Northern European Union countries and—if we’re being honest here—all of us, myself included, are overpaid for the hours we actually put in (strictly speaking, regarding working hours). In England, for example, the shift is strictly 8 AM to 4 PM. No exceptions, no fluff. And the pay isn't exactly life-changing either—around 2,000 pounds net. That’s roughly equivalent to having $2000 here. Yet, most of us with full-time hours are pulling in significantly more than that.

Over in Sweden, the education system is kind of a mess; they overhauled the laws back in the 90s and since then, education has become extremely "decentralized." A lot of parents are unhappy, and people are losing interest in training to be teachers. Part of the issue is that once you finish high school, you make an average salary, while a professor's pay is only marginally higher—even though you have to grind through five years of college for it. They’re struggling to find teachers for humanities, let alone the STEM fields.

I don't know, I'm no genius. We'll just have to wait and see how this plays out in flight schools.

As a parent, I’m personally not a fan of the idea of my kid being stuck in school until 5 PM. Personally? I wouldn't mind staying until 4 PM. Besides, most of us aren't working nearly as hard as the rest of the educated workforce anyway.

mellowskipper said:My daughter is in 8th grade now, and after five years of constant math teacher substitutions, she’s currently being taught by someone who isn't technically qualified. She claims this teacher is her favorite so far, though—she’s patient, doesn't yell, offers extra help, stays late, and even runs an elective in financial literacy. It feels like she’s trying twice as hard just because she’s labeled as "unqualified."
When I look through my daughter's notebook, I don't see anything different—or any less quality—than when she had those English or math teachers before.

Look, I’ve had to teach subjects outside my expertise before, and if you actually understand the material—even just a little—you can pull it off. It might not be the gold standard, but it works.

That said, if we’re talking about a high school—it’s a non-starter. There is a massive difference between an elementary school and a high school environment.

Generally speaking, I don't have an issue with degrees from Canada. What we actually lack is STEM teachers, speech therapists, special ed specialists... I could fix that easily—just hire all these folks with degrees from Canada, let the government set some specific competency exams for them to pass (if necessary), and call it a day.

At the end of the day, I’d much rather have a speech therapist or a math teacher from Asheville, for instance (no shade to Asheville, just an example...), than an art or English teacher from America teaching a subject they aren't trained for.

Scott Booth said:Around here, they’ve already started "importing" staff from neighboring states.

Before implementing an all-day school schedule, the government really ought to ensure that every single child has access to a qualified, dedicated teacher for every subject—and I'm not just talking about the sciences. Otherwise, we're just turning our students into pawns in various political education games.

Wait, isn't it true that starting this year, we aren't recognizing degrees from Canada anymore?

https://6yka.com/bih/otkrivamo-zasto...azovanja-u-bih