To Teach or Not to Teach? Asked the Administrator...

When speaking with other educators the issue of salary invariably is discussed. Teachers in Florida do not make much money. I have a Masters degree and with ten years experience I make around $42,000 having started at $36,000. If you do the math you might think that I have received an impressive raise in salary. The $3,000 increase was due to achieving my Masters degree; the rest is ten years of seniority.

So what is the other topic teachers discuss? Respect. Teachers basically want to be allowed to teach. We can’t afford to live. But why won’t anyone allow us to teach? With all the pressure and micro-managing teachers are under they rarely really have the ability to do what they were trained and really want to do, which is teach. Teachers end up being scared robo-educators lacking creativity due to the rigidness that is forced upon them.

This teacher just smiles when she hears an administrator remind their subordinate teachers they too were teachers just before they are going to act like administrators. In my safe insides I know why they are no longer teachers and have chosen the path of administration instead. It’s harder to be a teacher than it is to be an administrator and the pay is just so much better.

If only the politicians knew how much more they would get from teachers if they would only respect them a little more.

Discounts for Florida Teachers

http://www.fldoe.org/justforteachers/discounts.asp Discounts just for Teachers

Apparel
Ann Taylor offers exclusive deals and discounts just for teachers. Sign up to receive 20% off right now!

Books
Barnes and Noble offers a regular 20% discount off the list price of hardbacks and 15% off soft cover books with their Educator Discount Card. For more information, click the following:

Barnes & Noble Educator Discount Card

Computers and Software
Most computer manufacturers offer educator discounts. Before purchasing a personal computer, contact the major manufacturers to ask about their discounts. Click on the appropriate company to view their discounts:


http://www.apple.com/education/
http://www.dell.com/content/segmenter.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=eep&cs=2244
http://government.hp.com/hub.asp?agencyid=135&state=FL

PC People, Inc.
Offers a discounted price list for educators that offers more than 10,000 software and hardware items. You need to show a valid faculty badge or pay stub to be eligible. http://pcpeople.com/pricelist/Pricelist-Acad_Retail.htm.

Software Express
Offers discounts of up to 75% from a variety of publishers. Their online catalog lists products by category, publisher and title. They require a Staff ID or letter from the Principal on school letterhead along with a driver's license to take advantage of these discounts. http://www.swexpress.com/home.nsf/pages/eligibility

Supplies
JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores
Offers a Teacher Discount Card good for 10% off each total purchase all year long. Office Depot Star Teacher Program
Teachers who participate in Office Depot's Star Teacher Program receive everyday discounts on qualifying in-store purchases and are included in a variety of special events and promotions during the year. Sign up for the Star Teacher Program by visiting your local Office Depot store.

Florida Offers
Home Loan Discounts and Apartment Assistance
http://www.fldoe.org/justforteachers/financial_resources.asp

Theme Parks
Free 12 Month Educator Passes to Sea World (Orlando)
The “Florida Teacher Study Pass” provides unlimited admission to SeaWorld for full-time, classroom (K-12) teachers from August to August of each school year. In order to receive your pass, simply present a copy of your Florida Teacher Certificate, a photo ID, and a recent paycheck stub to the Annual Pass Center at SeaWorld Orlando. Call 407-370-1386 for the most up-to-date information.

Free 12 Month Educator Passes to Kennedy Space Center (Orsino-45 min. NE of Orlando)
Discover first hand how a field trip can enrich every student’s education with the “Educator Study Pass.” Full-time Florida and Georgia educators receive a free Annual Pass to explore the Kennedy Space Center themselves. Educators can enjoy all the benefits of admission, visit the NASA Educator Resource Center to learn about educational programs and receive new classroom materials. Teachers can also tour NASA’s launch headquarters, meet a real astronaut and watch exhilarating IMAX movies. To be eligible for an Educator's Study Pass, educators must possess a valid Florida or Georgia teacher certificate and be currently employed at an accredited school as a full-time K-12 classroom educator. To receive an Educator Study Pass, educators must present these items to the ticket agents located at the ticket plaza. Professional educators can visit the NASA Educator Resource Center (ERC) to receive information, copy NASA videotapes, reproduce software, slides and videotapes, and review lesson plans and other teaching materials. For details on available materials or to make an appointment, call the ERC at 321-867-4090.