EVERYONE knows that the poorer & "low performing" the district is...the more money the teacher makes. Somethings the teachers only look at the money in store instead of what their choice have in store for them. Some of them end up quitting due to the childrens behaviors & such... What I have to say to them is..."HaHaHa!!!!".

Teachers are restricted by a controlled curriculum and denial of any kind of discipline in the classroom. There are many wonderful teachers who are forced to spend their time on beaurocratic paperwork and babysitting disruptive kids, and yes, that atmosphere has caused many more wonderful teachers to leave the profession.

I taught high school social studies for three years. I loved my time in the classroom teaching, but everything around it was awful. Here are three reasons why I quit and never looked back: 1) I worked in a middle GA school district that was above average in most academic categories. My fourth contract salary was for $28,600. (1997) 2) I was having a class discussion about Congress while I was sitting on my desk. The asst. principal walked in and observed for 15 minutes. He asked to see me in his office afterwards. I was written up for sitting on my desk because it violated the professionalism standards. 3) I taught a 10th grade government class. The morning Newt and Clinton decided to shutdown the government my students were gunning me with questions about how that could happen. So I decided to break it down for them. We had a great and APPLICABLE sparation of powers dicussion and the kids got it!! Another asst principal (not from pt 2) heard about the discussion from a student and sat in on the second class I taught. Another great discussion was had and children learned. Since the topic was not in my lesson plans I was once again written up for being off lesson plans. I was told to hold the student's questions until I could submit a revised lesson plan and have them approved (3 days minimum). I hate the BS that surrounds schools. I love teaching, but just could not do it in the government sector.

I know exactly what you mean all from personal experience actually. I'm still in high school and let's see.. there are about 300 students in my high school. Pretty small, eh? And most of our teachers are great! A lot of them have been around for decades mostly because they love the atmosphere of a small school. However, the example I wish to tell you about is about my band director, Mr. Neighbors. A couple of years ago, he developed cancer, but has been unwilling to leave us even during his months of Kemo. We love him and don't want to see him go, but lately, he has been looking for a replacement. Of course, we're all thinking "This person could never live up to Mr. Neighbors." And since he knows we are thinking this, he has been working hard to get a good teacher. However, none want to come to our tiny little school to teach. Why, you ask? Not enough pay. It's really hitting Mr. Neighbors hard and us as well. Our school is really a nice school with hardly any major problems and many wonderful people. I believe that there *are* teachers who want to teach simply to teach and not for pay. We have dozens of them in our school. Heck, if you want to teach in our school, you'll have to love teaching because of the low pay. ;) And I have been considering teaching English to high school students in a small town just like the one I am living in now.

i attend a classical christian school. all my teachers have such incredible stories, and come from brilliant backgrounds. all teachers there have at least a bachelors degree, while most have two majors, doctorites, and PHds. all of my teachers are very passionate in teaching, and is constantly reflected in class time. it is a private school, and some consider it a prep school. you can check it out, i love it. from the stories i have heard from those teachers, (most have taught in either a college setting, or in a public high) i know that they would never look back, and have found it refreshing to work in the environment that they now work in. veritasschool.com

Teaching is becoming a more difficult profession every day - in fact, it seems to be becoming less of a profession, and more of academic prostitution. Constant target setting and imposed curricula take the skill and the love out of teaching, replacing it with automatons. Why teach? Some of us do it because we enjoy it - but dealing with the bureaucracy, with ill-discipline, with lack of support, with poor conditions of service, and lack of respect - that is why many teachers move out!