Some people take the job of a teacher because of the schedule.
There is no question that having the summer off can be a great benefit.
However, does having the summer off from school also mean you will have the summer off from pay?
The way that teachers are paid can be confusing for some, but the process is actually quite simple.
Whether you are a new teacher, thinking about getting into a career, or just simply enjoy understanding these types of things, we have all the answers that you need.
You may be surprised by the way teacher pay structures are set up.
Do Teachers Get Paid In The Summer?
Teachers will get paid in the summer as long as they have opted for the 12-month pay structure.
In most school districts, teachers get the chance to make money for 10 or 12 months of the year.
If you opt for the 10-month pay structure, you will only collect paychecks when school is in session.
During the eight weeks of summer, when the kids are not in school, your paycheck will not come in.
This is a great option for those who do other work in the summer, but it can be difficult from a budgeting standpoint.
For teachers who want to keep things more consistent throughout the year, getting paid on a 12-month schedule can make more sense.
Although the weekly paycheck will be a little lower, the overall amount of money that you make in a year will be the same.
Teachers have to be careful about how they structure their paychecks.
When you are off in the summertime, chances are you will spend quite a bit more money.
Having time off increases the amount of money you typically spend.
Therefore, the combination of getting paid less and spending more can put some teachers in a bad spot during those summer months.
Understanding teacher pay and exactly how it is set up from a budgeting perspective is quite important.
What If A Teacher Works Extra In The Summer?
Some schools are going to have work opportunities throughout the summer.
These can include things like summer school, camps, sports, and more.
If a teacher is asked to work during this time period, they are going to make additional money.
The salary a teacher is paid for a year is typically not going to include any of these bonuses or extras.
This is one of the reasons that some teachers will choose the 10-month pay, and then challenge themselves to take on some extra responsibilities in the summer.
This will mean that the overall amount of money made in a year is going to be considerably higher.
Some teachers want those eight weeks off to recharge and relax before the new school year.
Others are more focused on maintaining the same level of income all year long.
The break that teachers have in the middle of the summer can be looked at as an opportunity to rest or an opportunity to crank things up and make some extra money.
This is an entirely personal decision for each teacher.
What Can Teachers Do To Earn Extra Money During The Summer Months?
There are typically quite a few groups of people who are looking for work in the summer.
In addition to teachers, there are often college students around who are looking to pick up some extra work.
This can sometimes mean that the summer workplace is challenging.
Many teachers will look for a summer position within the school district.
This ensures that you are working with the same people you are used to working with, and the activities are likely going to help improve your resume.
As you can imagine, running a summer reading program through the school district may be a bit of a boost to the resume as compared to being a bartender.
However, some teachers find that getting a break from the school system for the summer is the best option for them.
Many teachers will work at restaurants, summer camps, or find some manual labor-type jobs that will work for the summer.
With kids home from school, there are typically quite a few child-related jobs that need great employees.
In addition, some teachers will set up a summer tutoring program to help them get through the summer months.
Many parents are worried about their kids losing some of the information they have learned through the year.
Instead of waiting until August or September to see what the child retained, those parents will have them practice all summer.
Overall, getting to choose what you want to do throughout the summer certainly makes the job of a teacher more appealing.
Do Teachers Get Paid Overtime?
Teachers typically do not get paid overtime.
If a teacher takes on a camp, sport, or summer school, they will get paid in addition to their work.
However, if a teacher decides to stay after school one day and get their classroom organized or set up a project for the next day, they will not make overtime pay.
There has been quite a bit of debate about this through the years.
Some say the demands of teachers are too high to fill in the ordinary course of a week and that the time they spend far exceeds what they are paid.
Others will argue this fact saying the teacher’s work is condensed within the 10-month period with a long break for the other two months.
Different school districts will have varying levels of pay, and that will certainly play into this situation as well.
For school districts with high levels of pay, teachers who have reached tenure and stay around for many years can end up making a rather high salary.
Do Teachers Make Good Money?
Most people would agree that although teaching is a good job, it is not always the most lucrative.
If you have been in teaching your entire career and have been smart about where you work and what projects you take on, being a teacher can be a great job.
In addition, the benefits of a teacher are typically better than other professionals.
To decide if teachers make good money, you have to look at the total package and ensure that you keep in mind all of the extras.
Some jobs with high levels of pay may not have the same benefits and advantages that a job as a teacher will have.
1. Benefits
One of the most important benefits that a teacher has is their retirement plan.
Teachers have a great retirement, and they can invest in this plan themselves as well.
If you know retired teachers, they will say that the retirement perks are some of the best things about being a teacher.
For most people, saving for retirement can be difficult, sometimes impossible.
As a teacher, the work that you are putting in is helping to fund your retirement, and you don’t have to see the impacts in your weekly paycheck.
In addition, teachers are also eligible for good health and dental insurance benefits.
The plans are going to have to be paid for, but the rates that teachers get are considerably lower than a self-employed person would have access to.
The teachers are viewed as a large group and are therefore offered reduced rates on insurance.
As long as a teacher is employed, they are usually able to get their children and spouse covered under the same insurance plan.
Benefits are a major factor to consider in the overall compensation package that teachers get.
Since these are going to help increase the total value of a teacher package, a teacher should be carefully considering all of their options.
2. Time Off
Teachers get a reasonable amount of time off.
As we know, they get their summers off, but they also get weekends and holidays.
In addition, teachers will have access to some personal and sick days throughout the year.
Many teachers will find that taking off can be difficult because of the way the class can fall behind, but the days are available to them if necessary.
Having a break around all of the holidays and some extra times throughout the year like spring break to rest and recharge is a great benefit.
The only problem with these periods of time off is that there will be plenty of other people off during those times.
This means that things like vacations can be rather difficult or expensive to plan.
However, most teachers are just happy to have some time away from the school building.
3. Leave
Teachers often have the choice to take leave when they have a child or a rare medical occurrence.
In some industries, if you leave for several months to have a baby, you could lose your job.
However, with teaching, this is considered part of the job, and the school will find a replacement to help fill your spot for a few months.
This is an excellent option that many industries don’t have, and teachers should consider this when taking their job.
4. Tenure
When a teacher reaches tenure status, it is much easier for them to retain their job.
The job market can be scary, and there is so much volatility.
Having some security in place that you are a tenured teacher who will be kept as a staff member year after year will bring peace of mind.
For many teachers, this is a goal that they want to achieve as soon as possible.
However, before tenure is reached, the year-to-year contracts involved in teaching can be rather stressful to negotiate.
Any seasoned teacher will tell you that if you are doing a great job and you love the school and the children, you will eventually have the job security that you need.
5. Schedule
A teacher’s schedule is typically to start early in the day and be finished by early afternoon.
The teacher’s day is typically considerably longer than the child’s day because of planning and prep work.
However, many people like the teacher’s schedule because they can start early in the day and be out early in the afternoon.
If you have things you want to fit in during the afternoon, you will have more than enough time.
For those who struggle with desk jobs that let them out at 6 at night, the job of a teacher can be a great option.
Many teachers also like the schedule because it is typically the same as their kid’s schedule.
Getting off at the same time your children do can save thousands of dollars a year on childcare costs.
Of course, this is not always going to work out, but in the end, having a job as a teacher is typically a good match for those with a family.
People often underestimate the time that a teacher puts into their schedule.
Keep in mind that the hours are not the same as the kids’, but overall, the schedule is something that most teachers are not going to complain about.
Conclusion
When dealing with a school district, there is typically not much room for negotiation like you will see in private business.
However, it is a nice benefit that teachers are given the option of choosing the 12-month or 10-month payout.
Between these two different options, teachers are able to choose something that works specifically for their individual budget and plan.
Young teachers should likely consider the 12-month payment plan until they can figure out what their summer plans will be.
In some school districts, the ability to find summer work can be quite tricky.
Therefore, ensuring that you will at least be getting some money throughout the entire year is quite important.
Overall, teachers may not have the highest paying jobs out there, but when you consider the benefits, it gets a little easier to decide to become a teacher.
With all jobs, the entire compensation package needs to be considered, not just the salary number.
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