I know this looks crazy folks. Sorry, id it on my iPad. Blogging whilst on the pad is very limited... that or I don't know the tricks of the trade yet
I often hear teachers, classified staff, and even parents say... "hey, that's why they pay you the big bucks, right." My usual response to this comment is a smile. While I'm smiling, my mind is thinking, "If you only knew."
Here's a revelation I bet you didn't know: TEACHERS ARE PAID MORE THAN ADMINISTRATORS!
I know you're thinking, "Blog lady, usocrazeee!" No, its true. Let me tell you why TIME equals money and how teachers win every time.
First let's start with the 9th ring of Dante's Administration known as High School. You see High School administrators spend the most time out of all campus administrators. Why you ask? Well all those lovely clubs, dances, sporting events, and meetings...someone has to be present on campus to supervise and make sure things don't go haywire. An average work day for a high school administrator is 10-12 hours...that's average. If there is an after school activity, you're talking 12-14. My personal running record is 18 hours thank you very much. Hey teacher, you knowh ow you like to leave at 3:30 or whenever your contracted duties end? Yeah, divide your salary by your 7 hour work day and divide mine, you will see one hell of a difference.
Still not convinced? Okay,here are some reasons the "BIG BUCKS" don't really add up when you think about it.
___________Let me insert a disclaimer right now___________
I am happy to be employed.
I love my occupation and my current position.
I wouldn't trade my current station in life for ANYTHING...um*thinks to self*, okay, yeah, I wouldn't.
Let me continue. Other than the ridicously long hours, here is what the "BIG BUCKS" amount to:
1. Complaint department. That's right. Everything from how bad the school lunches are to how poorly you are preforming at your job come across one mile per minute in this world of management. Oh, people are vocal too. They want what they want when they want it. That means right now. Here's the funny thing. That sense of urgency with requests isn't reciprocated whatsoever. People will unload, vent, and EXPECT you to fix their problems. Some problems are small and easily resolved. The big ones... well, I guess that's why they pay us the big bucks, right... sheesh!
2. You upset at least three people on any given day. Let's see, just this week alone I was spit on, yelled at, and eye rolled to death. No, not from kids, FROM ADULTS! Shocking right... not really. But hey, that's why they pay me the big bucks. :-)
3. Juggling 85 tasks at once. Here's a little excercise to keep your mind sharp. Tell yourself you're going to complete one task fromo beginning to end without any interuptions. If you're an administrator, you can hang that up. A typical day starts off well meaning. I yearn to get in classrooms and do walkthroughs. Then a kid cracks his or head open on the concrete and the school site can't get ahold of anyone at home. I hop in my car and accompany that kid to the hospital until a relative, guardian, probation officer, SOMEONE is there to make medical decisions on behalf of the poor kid. I return to campus... then there is a fight, then another, then dress code, then four pop up parents who are all upset DEMANDING to know why you suspended their little angel. You get the drift yet Then you look up and its dismissal time (for students and teachers), then you maybe get a chance to use the restroom and eat whatever junkfood you can find. Then a mere four to six hours after dismissal, its time to leave, go home, brush your teeth, sleep for al ittle while then get up and do it all over again.
4. You have TONS of people to answer to. Dear teachers, you have parents, your Assistant Principals and your Principal. Us poor administrators have to answer to: the community, parents, students, employees, unions, random citizens, the newspapers, board members, Superintendants, Assistant Superintendants, HR Directors, the Business Office (scary folks), grant coordinators, Construction workers, Police department, Probation Officers, Social Workers, Accreditation Committees, The County Board of Education, the State Department of Education, and the most important people: our families.
Yeah... family. If you are a parent and an administrator, times get tough. You walk a fine line between being present and being financial aid. This is what worries me. Teachers complain that some administrators are overpaid desk jockeys but these same people are telling this to their spouse at dinner time. My babies literally can go days without seeing me for more than a collective couple of hours.
But hey... I guess that's why they pay me the big bucks, right?
