How much are teachers worth?

[slayerza]

Attracting qualified teaching talent even at university level is not easy. I think that the salary the person is paid should be at least reasonable given the location. In other words R8k/month in the urban areas might not be alot, but in the country / rural areas that would be decent.

 

[Nicci]

Some teacher doesn't have diplomas? I wonder how that happened. Also, does one only need a diploma to become a teacher?

 

[Picard]

Some teacher doesn't have diplomas? I wonder how that happened. Also, does one only need a diploma to become a teacher?

Hmmm, there's a fair amount of sensitive politics involved in answering your question. In the olden days the requirements for teachers in black schools were not the same as for teachers in white schools. However the two corps were 'combined' under the new government making the current teaching corps a massive one. Everyone now get paid the same although there are massive differences in qualification levels.

 

[Gazer]

+1, but still, 8k is not alot for a person with a degree, or am I mistaken?

I agree.

I place graduates with a 3/4 year diploma/degree starting anywhere from R15K - R18K. (not teachers)

 

[Jewelbox]

Remember, you get teachers and TEACHERS, so I would say, they have to prove what they are worth.

 

[Messugga]

I agree.

I place graduates with a 3/4 year diploma/degree starting anywhere from R15K - R18K. (not teachers)

Good heavens, I want to work for you! A friend of mine is doing her final year of B.Ed next year and her starting salary will be around R10k per month in Jhb.
A while back I looked at jobs in IT for people with degrees and no experience, and the salaries on offer were in the R10k-R13k region. R18k is a lot to pay someone with zero experience!

 

[rwenzori]

That's pretty shocking and disgraceful.

I don't think it's too bad. For someone who scraped a degree with thirds from our ever-declining varsity system, fair enough. Let them go on to prove themselves and develop into good teachers, then pay them more.

Regarding the OP - I'd say up to R20k for a plain teacher, up to R30k for head-of-something-or-other.

Remember - they get long holidays, and when they are on holiday, they are on holiday - not sitting at the beach with ringing cellphone and busy laptop.

 

[Picard]

Regarding the OP - I'd say up to R20k for a plain teacher, up to R30k for head-of-something-or-other.

Remember - they get long holidays, and when they are on holiday, they are on holiday - not sitting at the beach with ringing cellphone and busy laptop.

True, but then we would also like an over-time system because the amount of weekend time I've sacrificed to take kids on sporting and cultural outings is absolutely insane. And also the amount of kilometres I've clocked up with 15 kids (your children with me driving) in the back of a minibus and the responsibility that it demands must also be worth something.

 

[rwenzori]

True, but then we would also like an over-time system because the amount of weekend time I've sacrificed to take kids on sporting and cultural outings is absolutely insane. And also the amount of kilometres I've clocked up with 15 kids (your children with me driving) in the back of a minibus and the responsibility that it demands must also be worth something.

Sounds like you're a good and dedicated teacher.

Having some idea of school finances ( through the missus, wot is a beancounter ) schools have SO LITTLE to play with budget-wise. It shatters me that there is so little room to move financially - at least in business a new good plan can bring in extra revenue to cover the associated costs, but schools don't really have that ability. To pay overtime they'd probably have to turf out some of the "governing body" ( or similar depending on type of school ) teachers.

You're also going to get a lot of overtime in many careers, and not all, or most, aren't going to pay overtime.

 

[Gazer]

Good heavens, I want to work for you! A friend of mine is doing her final year of B.Ed next year and her starting salary will be around R10k per month in Jhb.
A while back I looked at jobs in IT for people with degrees and no experience, and the salaries on offer were in the R10k-R13k region. R18k is a lot to pay someone with zero experience!

They don't work for me, they're my students (I'm an academic) and I place them in IT. An "affirmative action" student with good marks is worth their weight in gold and companies pay them that. The companies are scoring, they get productive workers and they fulfill their quotas.

 

[Gazer]

I don't think it's too bad. For someone who scraped a degree with thirds from our ever-declining varsity system, fair enough. Let them go on to prove themselves and develop into good teachers, then pay them more.

Regarding the OP - I'd say up to R20k for a plain teacher, up to R30k for head-of-something-or-other.

Remember - they get long holidays, and when they are on holiday, they are on holiday - not sitting at the beach with ringing cellphone and busy laptop.

You're obviously not in education...teachers work weekends and often go on courses during their holidays. There's no such thing as sitting on the beach sans ringing phone etc.

 

[DigitalSoldier]

You're obviously not in education...teachers work weekends and often go on courses during their holidays. There's no such thing as sitting on the beach sans ringing phone etc.

Keyword being often.

Teachers still get more vacation time than others. If a course is FOR EXAMPLE only 2 days during school break, most will still have the rest of the school break to relax.

Most people only have a minimum of 15 days leave a year and after that any leave not covered in employment act is unpaid.

After school holidays (ask any kid in school today) children only get their exam report cards 2 weeks after school starts, most teacher are then still busy marking. Also consider most teacher only work from 7am till 2pm, not all teachers are involved in activities after school.

IMO teachers should be paid overtime, and between 10 and 12k for a teacher with more than 3 years experience and a degree.

 

[Gazer]

Keyword being often.

Teachers still get more vacation time than others. If a course is FOR EXAMPLE only 2 days during school break, most will still have the rest of the school break to relax.

Most people only have a minimum of 15 days leave a year and after that any leave not covered in employment act is unpaid.

After school holidays (ask any kid in school today) children only get their exam report cards 2 weeks after school starts, most teacher are then still busy marking. Also consider most teacher only work from 7am till 2pm, not all teachers are involved in activities after school.

IMO teachers should be paid overtime, and between 10 and 12k for a teacher with more than 3 years experience and a degree.

I'm not a teacher but I am in education and I can't remember the last time I had a week off where I didn't have work to do (it was probably in 2002 when I went with the family overseas). Most of my "off" time is spent doing research (both formal and for my subject content).

 

[rwenzori]

There's no such thing as sitting on the beach sans ringing phone etc.

You must know very few teachers.

 

[Gazer]

You must know very few teachers.

As I said...I'm not a teacher but in education and my colleagues work very hard and long hours

 

[metalcore]

I used to hang out with some buddies by a place (CPUT teaching college in Mowbray)where teachers study trying to pick up chicks. They are the most immature bunch I have ever met. Most of them had so many issues over self esteem as well!! I would never want them teaching my kids. They were all wanting to get jobs a private schools too.

I don't think people who can't get a grip on their own life should be teaching others who are in a vulnerable stage of development. There should be serious pschyc testing done before you are allowed to be a teacher. The old school teachers from my younger days were way different than todays Mxiting. Hannah Montana like bunch of school teachers. At least some of the kids will have eye candy.

Older teachers should be paid more, to weed out the ones who are looking for money and don't have an interest in helping kids. It also seems that todays young graduates are less interested in extra mural activities.

 

[Picard]

I used to hang out with some buddies by a place (CPUT teaching college in Mowbray)where teachers study trying to pick up chicks. They are the most immature bunch I have ever met. Most of them had so many issues over self esteem as well!! I would never want them teaching my kids. They were all wanting to get jobs a private schools too.

I don't think people who can't get a grip on their own life should be teaching others who are in a vulnerable stage of development. There should be serious pschyc testing done before you are allowed to be a teacher. The old school teachers from my younger days were way different than todays Mxiting. Hannah Montana like bunch of school teachers. At least some of the kids will have eye candy.

Older teachers should be paid more, to weed out the ones who are looking for money and don't have an interest in helping kids. It also seems that todays young graduates are less interested in extra mural activities.

You know what? ... I agree with you. Although not with the "MOST IMMATURE". I've seen some pretty shocking mentalities among groups of students at university too.

But usually by the time they have finished studying they have been molded into the responsible teacher persona. And if they haven't they will be quickly brought into line once they start working.

 

[blunomore]

I am not very fond of teachers (Picard excluded).

In my books, policemen and nurses should earn better than teachers.

 

[adelp]

Usually a diploma and then as Picard mentioned some don't even have that. Remember most people get into teaching not for the money but for the joy of educating.

Ideally, yes, teachers should get paid a fortune to attract the best in the relevant fields but unfortunately this is not the reality.

It depends on what and who you are teaching. I think a grade 3 teacher ( 4 holidays a year half day in a class room 35 books to mark) should not be paid as much a grade 0 or 1, and a PT teacher shouldn't be paid the same as the math teacher....

A good teacher = priceless

SA teachers (most not all) = not much.

 

[Zenbaas]

I used to hang out with some buddies by a place (CPUT teaching college in Mowbray)where teachers study trying to pick up chicks. They are the most immature bunch I have ever met. Most of them had so many issues over self esteem as well!! I would never want them teaching my kids. They were all wanting to get jobs a private schools too.

I don't think people who can't get a grip on their own life should be teaching others who are in a vulnerable stage of development. There should be serious pschyc testing done before you are allowed to be a teacher. The old school teachers from my younger days were way different than todays Mxiting. Hannah Montana like bunch of school teachers. At least some of the kids will have eye candy.

Older teachers should be paid more, to weed out the ones who are looking for money and don't have an interest in helping kids. It also seems that todays young graduates are less interested in extra mural activities.

TBH that is a problem across the board. I have seen AMPLE older teachers that were utterly useless and couldn't care less about teaching. It has to do with the persons own mentality rather than their respective age. The fact that they are old and have been teaching for a long time means one of two things: thay are committed to their job and enjoy what they are doing OR they are too useless and lazy to find another job and keep on torturing students with their lack of teaching ability.

I will agree that there are a fair amount of airheads that are currently teaching and probably shouldn't be...but that has always been the case.