I SWORE I would never go into education. My Mother was a Teacher, and though I respected the fact she'd been ahead of her time in terms of women's rights by being a single woman, with a Master's degree from Arizona State University (circa 1964), and travelling the world by working for the Department of Defense Schools (teaching military kids, overseas)... I still saw teaching as something only "people who can't do anything else" went into. I am still not sure how I resolved the respect I felt for Mom with this feeling of career disdain, but I went with the crowd in sentiment.
Then, I graduated from The University of Arizona with a B.A. in English Lit/Comp and a minor in Pre-Law. I'd taken some grad level law classes and loved Constitutional Law, but I went to work for a law firm in downtown Tucson for a semester, and realized that I didn't feel as connected to the profession as I once had. I was also pregnant with my first daughter, and so I made the first real adult decision of my life: I would go back and get my Post-Baccalaureate Teaching degree and become a Teacher.
I entered into the profession in 1998 and was working at a parochial school here in Arizona for the first two years of my career, which meant I was making somewhere around $20K, without benefits or retirement, but I was able to have my daughter with me on campus - so daycare cost made up a little. I was also able to make many of my first year teaching mistakes in a very closed and comfortable environment.
I moved to California for the first time, as an adult, in 2000 and was making $40K+ between coaching stipends and salary, full benefits, and retirement (and this was Clovis, central valley, so not even CLOSE to Silicon Valley or LA wages - closer to AZ in pay and COLA). I decided to leave in 2003 because I bottomed out the steps and needed my Masters. So, 2 kids and one on the way, we came back to AZ,
I dropped back in salary by a bit, but I was in grad school. In 2006, armed with a Masters in Psych, we moved to Missouri and teachers were making even less - $36K or so with a Masters and (by then) 8 years experience. I went into Mental Health, instead, and was making $64K base salary at the hospital, with 2 side jobs that pushed me upwards of $85-nearly 6 figs.
We moved back to CA in 2014 for my Husband's work (and to get back to the West Coast), and I was only long term subbing, and running my coaching business full time - but then I came back to teaching in AZ in 2016 and I am literally making $458 less a year now than I was my third year teaching in CA. I could go back to Mental Health and make more, and I could handily open my own school and reap charter bennies, but my heart tells me this is where I am supposed to be to help fight for our kids. Public education is important.
I grew up in the public education system. My first K-6 were in military run schools, but I attended Townsend Middle, University High School, and Sabino High School in Tucson, Arizona. I can honestly say that some of my /worst/ teacher experiences (which were minimal), happened while we were in active duty military status and in DODS (now DODea) schools. I had a 5th grade teacher who openly stated that girls were worse in math than boys and refused to allow the few of us who were capable of advanced math to work with the advanced boys (some of which were struggling with concepts we tutored them in). However, the majority of my education was well rounded, I felt cared for and listened to (mostly - I mean, we were teenagers), and even though I had some advantages of travel and experience through the military lifestyle that other kids didn't have - I believe that my positive experience should be paid forward.
My own children have grown up in the public education system, and I have found some of the most amazing colleagial friendships, and supportive community, among their ranks.
No child should have to wonder whether they are prepared for life when some families (even families in "rich" areas of town) are worried about food in the fridge, parents home from work when the kids are, or fighting to understand the world around them because they don't know history. Our children are our eventual history, and we need to arm them with the logic, ethics, and emotional intelligence they will need to be amazing care-takers for the Earth - and for each other.
I support #RedforEd, not so much for the Teachers (and Classified staff - both of which groups I am obviously in solidarity with), but for our children.
<3, Jonni
P.S. Here is the list of the #RedfoEd demands:
Then, I graduated from The University of Arizona with a B.A. in English Lit/Comp and a minor in Pre-Law. I'd taken some grad level law classes and loved Constitutional Law, but I went to work for a law firm in downtown Tucson for a semester, and realized that I didn't feel as connected to the profession as I once had. I was also pregnant with my first daughter, and so I made the first real adult decision of my life: I would go back and get my Post-Baccalaureate Teaching degree and become a Teacher.
I entered into the profession in 1998 and was working at a parochial school here in Arizona for the first two years of my career, which meant I was making somewhere around $20K, without benefits or retirement, but I was able to have my daughter with me on campus - so daycare cost made up a little. I was also able to make many of my first year teaching mistakes in a very closed and comfortable environment.
I moved to California for the first time, as an adult, in 2000 and was making $40K+ between coaching stipends and salary, full benefits, and retirement (and this was Clovis, central valley, so not even CLOSE to Silicon Valley or LA wages - closer to AZ in pay and COLA). I decided to leave in 2003 because I bottomed out the steps and needed my Masters. So, 2 kids and one on the way, we came back to AZ,
I dropped back in salary by a bit, but I was in grad school. In 2006, armed with a Masters in Psych, we moved to Missouri and teachers were making even less - $36K or so with a Masters and (by then) 8 years experience. I went into Mental Health, instead, and was making $64K base salary at the hospital, with 2 side jobs that pushed me upwards of $85-nearly 6 figs.
We moved back to CA in 2014 for my Husband's work (and to get back to the West Coast), and I was only long term subbing, and running my coaching business full time - but then I came back to teaching in AZ in 2016 and I am literally making $458 less a year now than I was my third year teaching in CA. I could go back to Mental Health and make more, and I could handily open my own school and reap charter bennies, but my heart tells me this is where I am supposed to be to help fight for our kids. Public education is important.
I grew up in the public education system. My first K-6 were in military run schools, but I attended Townsend Middle, University High School, and Sabino High School in Tucson, Arizona. I can honestly say that some of my /worst/ teacher experiences (which were minimal), happened while we were in active duty military status and in DODS (now DODea) schools. I had a 5th grade teacher who openly stated that girls were worse in math than boys and refused to allow the few of us who were capable of advanced math to work with the advanced boys (some of which were struggling with concepts we tutored them in). However, the majority of my education was well rounded, I felt cared for and listened to (mostly - I mean, we were teenagers), and even though I had some advantages of travel and experience through the military lifestyle that other kids didn't have - I believe that my positive experience should be paid forward.
My own children have grown up in the public education system, and I have found some of the most amazing colleagial friendships, and supportive community, among their ranks.
No child should have to wonder whether they are prepared for life when some families (even families in "rich" areas of town) are worried about food in the fridge, parents home from work when the kids are, or fighting to understand the world around them because they don't know history. Our children are our eventual history, and we need to arm them with the logic, ethics, and emotional intelligence they will need to be amazing care-takers for the Earth - and for each other.
I support #RedforEd, not so much for the Teachers (and Classified staff - both of which groups I am obviously in solidarity with), but for our children.
<3, Jonni
P.S. Here is the list of the #RedfoEd demands:
1. A 20 percent salary increase to help attract and retain quality educators for public school students;
2. Restore education funding to pre-recession, 2008 levels; the state currently spends $924 less per student than it did in 2008;
3. Competitive pay for education support professionals who are important in the lives of students and the day-to-day operations of all public schools;
4. A permanent salary structure with annual raises; and
5. No more corporate tax cuts until per-pupil spending reaches the national average.
2. Restore education funding to pre-recession, 2008 levels; the state currently spends $924 less per student than it did in 2008;
3. Competitive pay for education support professionals who are important in the lives of students and the day-to-day operations of all public schools;
4. A permanent salary structure with annual raises; and
5. No more corporate tax cuts until per-pupil spending reaches the national average.
