Do teachers get paid well??

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
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<p>Im a 25 year old female, and Im in the process of earning an associates degree in graphic design in Houston Texas at the Houston Community College. Im about half way done with this degree, and Im thinking of changing my field. Ive been thinking a lot about being an art teacher possibly for high school. I love art, and I realize that I like art hands on, instead of through the computer better. I can really see myself doing this more as a career. Everyone tells me that teachers dont get paid well at all, but I know someone who has friends that are my age and teach, and they love it and get paid pretty good. I went to a few websites and it shows that teachers get paid decent in my area, Houston Texas. Im thinking of transfering over to UofH and getting a bachelors in teaching... Im just not sure what to do. I think I would really enjoy teaching art a lot more than graphic design, but do teachers get paid well in Houston? This is driving me crazy, Im just confused and I need to get busy and decide what needs to be done. Please respond and give me your opinion, I'de appreciate it a lot!</p>

<p>~Sarah</p>

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<p>Not sure about H.S. but this site is useful per universities and colleges. There must be similar resources to search at the H.S. level. </p>

<p>The</a> Chronicle: AAUP Faculty Salary Survey</p>

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<p>You should be able to find out the public school pay rate in Houston by contacting the Teacher Certification office or similar body in Houston.</p>

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<p>Depends on the school district. In some the art teachers are part timers (or worse non-art people filling holes in the curriculum). In a large city the pay might not be too bad. And compared to academic employment, art teaching at the PS (public schools) level is much easier to obtain. And design work, does tend to be intense, with deadline pressures and all the attendent blisses thereof.
However, keep in mind should you wish to become a PS art teacher, that much of the required course work will be in educational theories rather than in studio art. Which is tolerable, but you'll have to remember to parrot back the theories, without too much undue criticism or attempts to cause controversy. Art ed programs can be good. But many art education programs are not especially tolerant of their salient theories being questioned critically, especially compared to the normal casual attitudes of critical assesment or the sometimes pretentious avant gardism of art schools and universities. Lowenfeld's concepts for example, have not aged well, but you will not get through most art ed programs or most state teachers tests without worshipping at that particular altar.<br>
In short, art people often need to learn to hold their tongue, and learn to operate more within an fairly conforming institutional structure if they're going to succede in an art education program. Black berets, and other cliches will not work.
Having a pending design degree means you'd (smk61082)be a good teacher, because most state art ed programs do not cover basic design theory all that well.<br>
Although I've taught art ed courses, and obviously am somewhat uneasy about the whole arts certification system...I have recommended students take this route because the potential for employment is much better. Academic postings, or freelancing can be very, very difficult paths.</p>

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<p>//In short, art people often need to learn to hold their tongue, and learn to operate more within an fairly conforming institutional structure if they're going to succede in an art education program.//</p>

<p>Very very true at many institutions, and why I don't think I would survive presently.</p>

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<p>Unfortunately that's one of the vexations of the art field, especially in regards to art education programs. The mode of thinking within these does tend to be less than compatible with the analogical thinking common to many artists.<br>
However, expenses do beckon, demand or threaten, including the wonderful manifestations of college costs, loans or etc.
But many artists do have to adapt to instutitions if they're going to be able to make a living or stay in the field. For example, I spend as much time in bureaucratic obligations as I do as either a prof or as an artist.
One of the costs of being arts oriented is the necessity of realizing that what one wants to do, is only often possible by knowing how to work within, or manipulate other systems. Which often do operate under very different expectations.
Which has been (despite my being part of the higher ed arts) one of the reasons I'm somewhat ambiguous about how artists are often trained. New artists are often simply not given what they need to function...be it technique, or the business background, or gods help us, how to administrate.</p>

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<p>Call up any public high school in Houston and ask for the name of the teachers union representative. Or call the business office at the level of the Houston city department of education. Ask for the pay scale steps in the most recent teachers contract for an art specialist or art teacher in the high school. What is the salary for an entering teacher, what are the annual raises, and so on.</p>

<p>This is not rocket science. It's all spelled out in one contract for all teachers, under what is called a "collective bargaining agreement." If there are no teachers unions, the business office still has a contract written out to cover everyone. </p>

<p>A nice feature is that the salary really covers 10 months, not 12, in a year. You could work on your art, or even take another summer job if you need to.
Salary seems high at first but doesn't grow the way a job would in industry. There are no big bonuses or opportunities for merit pay within the school system. </p>

<p>I'm a semi-retired public school elementary teacher (Grades 1 and 2) and liked teaching very well. It was my second career, so very much by choice. In college, I had majored in Art History and Studio Art, so generated many lessons from this knowledge and skill base to teach reading and math. When we went to the Art Specialist room (once per week), I understood what she was doing. She clearly had much range in projects she created, provided they carried out objectives on the state's program for teaching art at each level of schooling. For example, she needed to ensure that each child had experience with shape and 3-dimensional construction, but nobody told her exactly how to create that project. She'd seek ideas from other sources, or her own mind, try things out, improve them for the next year. The objectives are standardized but the individual project assignments are yours to develop. She had a limited budget but could decide which supplies to order for her classes. There was a district Art supervisor to whom she was accountable as much as to the principal. The principal didn't breathe down her neck quite the same way as with a regular academic classroom. As long as there are no state standardized tests or SAT's in Art, they'll continue leave you alone just a shade more so than in some of the subject areas. Yes, you go to silly meetings. The art teachers were very bored to have to sit through all-day academic topic meetings; it was unfair. They also attended regional conferences that they enjoyed very much more.</p>

<p>To me, it seemed she had less hassles from the principals and other administrators because she had a specialization. Same with music teachers.
There was an appreciation and respect simply because it was Art and the other teachers couldn't do it with such ease.</p>

<p>Her frustration was maintaining her own rhythm with her own artwork. In h.s., I knew one of my S's teachers who displayed regularly in area galleries, but most did not seem to have an art profile outside of their schoolwork. That's up to you, your discipline, and opportunities in the area. Some spoke of burnout during the schoolday that caused them not to feel like picking up a pencil or brush at home. I'm sure it's quite individual. You'd have to think about ways to ensure your own creativity could continue, perhaps by taking evening courses and not relying upon yourself only to produce art at night and on weekends.</p>

<p>My S's photography teacher was a miraculous, humble young woman. She entered the students' work in various juried exhibitions in the community. She got a bus from the district, offered students the chance to go downtown with her at night to do night photography which came out beautifully. All she "had" to do was teach them to photograph, develop film, and do some digital photography work on the computers, but she chose to do much more. She was pleasant, upbeat, smart and inspiring to my S and many others. Last I heard, she's about to get married. </p>

<p>My D says the issue in h.s. is that some Art students truly want to be there, or it is their favorite course (in some cases their best course, even if they have academic troubles elsewhere). Others enroll because they need to satisfy a distribution credit and they're scared or too lazy to attempt music.
So you can have quite a range in any classroom. It's your challenge to teach everyone. And that's why they pay you the big bucks ;) which I'll guess to be in the neighborhood of $40K per year.</p>

<p>For a young person, the valuable benefits (health care and pension) are significant.
You will need to get certified, then work under lots of evaluation and observation for 2-3 years until they feel you're worthy of tenure (if that's in your state). There are lots of ethical issues to attend to, and you're not free to opinionate left and right about politics or religion, but you are allowed to teach Art. There's usually a component of Art History within the curriculum, too. Your job is likely more about giving them opportunities to do projects where they can experiment in various media, than to just expose them to the avante garde in the artworld. But you could engage for a part of a lesson in anything from environmental to performance art, or bring in magazines about new trends, too. There might be expectations or opportunities to post student work on school bulletin boards in hallways, generate student art shows at various times of the year, lend help with a school play set design, and so on. </p>

<p>It would be wise to know how many openings become available each year or each decade, if you have your heart set on living in a particular location. There are more new jobs in Special Education, English or History than in Art, simply because there are fewer Art teachers in any school district. This should not keep you from going for it; just be aware if it will be an uphill struggle to gain your first position in the district you desire. </p>

<p>Find out if you'd be certified for Middle/High School only, or if your state prepares Art teachers to teach any grade from K-12. States differ on that. If it's a K-12, you might find yourself pressed into teaching Middle School for awhile (less desirable, but a starting point) and then wait for a spot to open up in the high school. If the state prepares you for K-12, don't freak out. That means you have more chances to get started somewhere in the system, even in an elementary school, and keep your eye open for the next available transfer into a high school.</p>

<p>Best idea: call the principal, tell her/him you're considering a career in education, and ask to shadow two or three different Art teachers on a schoolday.</p>

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<p>You won't make a great deal of money at a public k-12 school - you can likely make more simply being a production artist or a junior designer. However, if you can make a run for tenure, then you get some degree of job security which you aren't likely to match. And, you do get 180 days of vacation (roughly), during which you could freelance, work independently, etc. </p>

<p>"A great deal of money" runs to the tune of about $30,000 or less, which is completely ridiculous. </p>

<p>A private school, however, could tack on another $15k or more.</p>

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<p>Actually 30,000$ is simply silly. However given the tendancy for both the public schools and colleges to hire on a part time basis, especially for the arts and humanities, it could be much worse. In one area of Montana school teachers of any breed start at 23,000.
Not unknown for lesser funded districts to hire "ala carte" art teachers, those blessed souls who have to roam from room to room, or school to school. Or to hire part timers, who still nonetheless have to have the degrees and certifications.
So if one's going to plan to teach art, getting too particular about the pay scales could be trouble-as much as the pay scales themselves. Quite a dilemma for a number of reasons. But especially since the powers in administration can always elect to save a little money and go to an ala carte or part timer. The public school teachers in larger districts do have the advantage of NEA representation and local unions. But with NCLB and teaching to the tests contagions within the schools, there is fairly little impetus for funding arts positions.
The Charters and private schools often do better in emphasizing the arts, but the pay is all over the scale. 40,000+ would be higher end at one of the better schools.</p>