<p>I must have missed that part. Thanks for pointing that out. (It is still a huge raise).</p>
<p>I will continue my question, which was directed to all. I address it to you. </p>
<p>Doesn't it seem that many teachers are very dissatisfied with their job (their pay, the hours, the conditions, etc.)? </p>
<p>If your sister, or your daughter, or your best girlfriend, kept complaining about her job, wouldn't you suggest to her that she consider a different career? </p>
<p>Probably 99% of people who are employed can find one (or more) things to complain about, with their job. Probably 75% of the people employed, can find an example of someone doing similar work who is getting paid more. </p>
<p>A co-worker of mine has a saying. "If your wheaties are there in the morning, then the rest doesn't matter". (This all started many years ago). Initially, it did not have much meaning for me. What a dumb thing to say "my wheaties were there today, so I'm ok". Back then, many years ago, i used to get frustrated with many of our company's policies. Many policies and procedures made no sense at all, they seemed like busy-work, and a complete waste of time. Other policies were not fairly or equitably administered. Some workgroups received opportunities that i felt that our workgroup deserved. I used to complain to him (my co-worker). He's a good frined, and was always willing to listen. The BS never seemed to bother him. He was always very calm. He never seemed to get upset at the ridiculous policies, and inequities. His response (via phone or email) was to make some reference to his "wheaties were there in the morning, so he was ok". Finally, after hearing that numerous times, it started to sink in. As more time went by, it sank in deeper and deeper. In essence, he is saying "be content in your situation, in your circumstances". What he did not say directly, but was there (between the lines) is that there will always be problems and issues in an employment situation. If you have the power (decision making authority) to enact a change, then do so. If not, then don't sweat it. Don't EVEN think about it. That is much easier to say, then it is to do. However, for me, my discontent became so bad, that i was becoming miserable in my job. And it was over things that i did not have the decision making authority to change. It finally started affecting my relationships at home. I decided to make some changes. I could either quit my job, or change the way i viewed, and approached my job. I slowly started overlooking and ignoring the BS. If we were required to fill-out seemingly useless forms, I just took a deep breath and filled them out without thinking about how stupid they were. If we were required to take new online company courses - that were unrelated to my job, and that seemed like a waste of time- i just resigned myself to doing it (and started to forget about how stupid it was). If i was required to be on-call more often, then in the past, i took a new view of it. I started to take "one hour, or even one minute, at a time". Through it all, i remembered that "my wheaties were there each morning". (my lovely wife, my darling kids were at home, and were doing just fine. - my wheaties were there each morning. My paycheck continued to be deposited into our banking account every payday (my wheaties were there each morning). Could my paycheck have been higher? In the past, I would have thought about and even fretted over such inequities. However, after incorporating into my life, my co-worker's dumb motto, my life literally changed. Over time (this was years ago), it changed drastically for the better. I am, in general, a much happier person, and a much happier employee, father, and husband, due to the change. Do i still feel passion about things? If you read some of my complaints, in earlier post, you can see that i still get upset. My suggestions to teachers (and all), is to learn be content if your wheaties are there each morning. It is, in essence, a paraphrase of Neibuhr Reinhold Niebuhr's prayer, commonly known as the Serenity Prayer: Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference". The focus, in this case, with the wheaties, is to accept what you can not change, and to be happy with what you have. Count your blessings.</p>
<p>Your teaching job is what it is. You are getting paid what you are getting paid. The conditions are what they are. If you are miserable, then you have three choices.</p>
<p>(1) Consider changing careers. Find something that you enjoy more, and/or that pays more.</p>
<p>(2) Find a way to overlook the negatives within your job. Forget about the pay. Forget about the fact that you have to stay late, or bring work home. Focus on what, if anything, that you enjoy within your job. Or, at a minimum, focus on the fact that you ARE earning a paycheck. You are alive, and living, and hopefully, healthy.</p>
<p>(3) Continue to complain about your job, and your pay, and working conditions. You willl likely become more miserable, in your job, and in your life. If you make that choice, then live with your choice, and don't burden the rest of us with your complaints about your job. (Realize that we all have problems and stresses within our jobs as well.).</p>