Why is teaching, a noble profession, the most underappreciated profession in the

1. 85

   gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

   Why is teaching, a noble profession, the most underappreciated profession in the United States?
   
   Our teachers have the most important resources in their hands-our precious, darling children.  Our children are our futures.  Yet, teaching is one of the most underappreciated and underpaid professions in the United States. Teachers oftentimes have to obtain advanced education and training in order to perform their jobs effectively.  Many times, teachers go beyond their duty-they are often second parents to their pupils and students.
   
   

   replyreport
2. 84

   justateacherposted 10 years ago

   I don't know why that is...teachers work hard for little money and very little appreciation...and we do it for the love of the job...we have just come to expect that we will be under appreciated....that's not to say that no one appreciates us - I have wonderful parents and students who appreciate everything I do - and then there are others who just want to complain about eveyrthing I do...

   replyreport
3. 89

   Patty Inglish, MSposted 10 years ago

   I think the least respected and least well paid careers all concern raising human infants to adulthood, hopefully healthly and productive adulthood: parents, childcare and preschool staff, and teachers PreK-12.
   
   Why is making a good car or curing a broken human (high-cost physicians) more worthy of $$$ than raising a well functioning human in the first place?  Is it a business scheme?

   replyreport
   1. 85

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Great answer, Patty!  Teaching in this society is devalued because it is considered a woman's profession while making cars and being physicians/doctors is still considered to be a male profession.  In this society, men are valued more than women.

      replyreport
   2. 89

      Patty Inglish, MSposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      That's certainly true in healthcare up to about age 50. I've unfortunately seen a lot of women sent home & they died of heart attack and stroke, whereas men with same symptoms were rushed to treatment. After age 50, even some men are brushed asid

      replyreport
4. 80

   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   I think another interesting question would be;
   Why would anyone (choose) to be a teacher (knowing) how little the pay is?
   As for the answer to your question I wonder if it has something to do with the (perception) that becoming a teacher requires less effort than many other professions.
   It's been stated that (some) people "fall into" teaching after graduating with degrees that offered little else in the way career opportunities. Some grads choose to teach at inner city schools because of government programs that offer to payoff their student loans. I only state this to acknowledge that not everyone who becomes a teacher does so because it was "planned" or for "altruistic" purposes.
   Another potential factor at play may be the law of supply and demand. A recent study conducted in 2009 stated there were (7.2 million teachers) in the U.S. with about half them being elementary teachers.
   By contrast as of April 2011, there were 1,22 million licensed attorneys in the United States, the total number of physicians 954,224, total number of dentist 195,941, Registered Nurses 2.74 million, Chemical Engineers 31,000, Police officers 683,396 full time, Fire fighters 1,082,500  ... and the list goes on and on.
   Generally speaking the more you have of anything the less value is placed upon it.

   replyreport
   1. 85

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Great economical analysis of the question at hand, dashingscorpio!

      replyreport
   2. 80

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you! I do value teachers but I also understand how the economy and occupational salaries are assigned. :-)

      replyreport
5. 89

   Thief12posted 10 years ago

   I'm not a teacher in the public system, but have been a post-secondary IT professor for 13 years. I can say that there is indeed a burden with the profession, knowing that you are preparing the people of the future. That is both fulfilling and worrisome. Plus, like you say, the duties that we have to assume as teachers usually go unnoticed, particularly as we have to assume roles of parents, psychologists, marriage counselors, etc. But there is an incomparable sense of satisfaction whenever you see one of your students grown up and doing well. It may sound cliché, but that's the best reward.

   replyreport
6. 73

   lburmasterposted 10 years ago

   All the parents I know focus on the problems in teaching, how their children are not being challenged. But there is almost no time to focus on each student. The teachers I know each have their different perspectives on education, but a few do go out of their way for their students.

   replyreport
7. 61

   lorabelle_reboyaposted 10 years ago

   not only in USA but also in the Philippines. Here my mother is under paid. I tried also before teaching in private school. I was overloaded and underpaid.

   replyreport
8. 90

   Ben716posted 9 years ago

   It is not in the United States teachers are underpaid. Even in my country. Actually, worldwide.
   
   There are many well-paying jobs I would have grab the opportunity to but I decided to stick in the teaching profession. Why?
   
   The joy of passing knowledge to the learners. The satisfaction derived from giving information that will be beneficial to the learner in the present and future lie.
   
   Despite the fact it is termed as the most boring profession, for teachers it is the most satisfying profession. It feels like a parent who sees his/her child increasing knowledge and improving in his/her behavior.
   
   Makes me wonder what lawmakers think when they were not able to make clear and correct sentences and pronunciations of words, the teacher patiently taught this person.
   
   I have great respect for the pre-primary teacher who enabled to be able to speak and write English as a third language.

   replyreport