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Teachers, change lanes quickly. OR
Teachers change lanes quickly.
English teachers can analyze these two sentences for hours on end. There can be so many different meanings and so many different interpretations. There could be an assignment to create a diorama of an interpretation of these words.”Teacher change lanes quickly.”
Is it literal or is it figurative?
“Teachers, (PLEASE) change lanes quickly.”
We choose to use the first sentence, because we feel this is SO IMPORTANT to understand in a teaching career for both the short=term, long-term, and for retirement.
As a teacher, it is important to understand a salary schedule and a contract. Look at these very closely. It is important after every new contract to understand it completely. Teacher unions work hard to negotiate a contract for the benefit of its members, but a teacher needs to understand a contract to see how it could benefit them personally.
The most important aspect of a teacher contract is the salary. A teacher’s salary is often determined based on two factors – years of experience and level of education. Many school systems reward teachers for taking classes, and earning advanced degrees. And you do not have to be a math teacher to realize that after a decade of teaching, that even small difference each year can be significant in terms of quality of living and income earned. Earning a raise due to completing classes is often called a “lane change.”
There are many challenges it is to be a teacher early in the profession. Many teachers will leave the profession due to burnout or other employment opportunities. However, even in the short term, it might make sense to try to change lanes quickly. Many schools offer increases after 15 credits or 30 credits. (Most graduate level classes are 3 credits.)
There are companies and colleges that understand how a teacher’s contract and pay work. So many programs will offer flexibility and the opportunity to earn 15 credits in a short amount of time. Since Covid, there have been many asynchronous classes that allow a teacher to complete the work at there own pace, when it is most convenient for them. Younger teachers also are in the process of getting married, starting a family, so it is almost never easy to find time to get the credits. In some cases, you may actually have to pay more to earn the credit therefore, it might not make sense, but in the long run you will regain your expenses as a result of the increase in pay.
Teachers can also earn money during the summer doing jobs. Some jobs can be very lucrative, however, if you are deciding on being a teacher for a career, the teaching salary often is going to be the most source of revenue. So in the long run, it might make sense to NOT work during a summer and take five classes to get your pay increase. Taking classes during the school year can be overwhelming, but so can the stresses of not earning additional money.
How to select a program is also very important. If you are looking to climb the educational ladder and become a principal or superintendent, the school and the degree earned should be carefully analyzed. If you are planning on being a teacher for your entire career, the only thing that matters is the credits you earn and the lane changes.
For the most part classes will not drastically change your teaching style or philosophy. In some cases, there is absolutely nothing that you learn in a graduate class that you will apply to your own class for many different reasons.
Veteran teachers beware.
Unions are very creative with contracts. This brings good news and bad news. The good news is you can sometimes make a little extra money later in your career. The bad news is your school system may sneak in an additional lane. For example, Master’s +45 was the standard in many school systems. This was the highest level of education that a teacher would be compensated for. Some schools have added a Master’s +60 lane. t
This presents a dilemma for veteran teachers. Is it worth taking classes during the final years of your career to earn a measly $1000 extra dollars per year.? Many teachers will say “No Way!.” Other teachers may say “Well that might mean another couple hundred dollars a year during my retirement.” These teachers view the pay increase as free money.
The new lane could add an extra $500 a year for my retirement. And if you hope to live a good 20 to 30 years with your retirement That is equal to $10-$15,000 over the course of your career. This is a decision that only an individual teacher can make, but we strongly encourage if possible for a teacher to earn extra money and…
change lanes quickly.
Something to think about… There are also intense master’s programs that meet during weekends and allow for accelerated learning. The masters increase is usually the most significant.