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In this episode of the Teacher Shortage Crisis Podcast, the hosts welcome Janice Cook, a veteran teacher from New England. They delve into the critical issues surrounding teacher pay and the hardships teachers face trying to make a living in this profession. Janice shares her personal journey, discussing the difficult choices she made due to insufficient salaries, taxes, high, cost of living, and excessive bureaucratic hurdles. They explore the idea of forming a national professional teacher association with innovative teachers leading the way. Throughout, they highlight the disconnect between different stakeholders in education and the need for systemic reforms.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:30 Guest Background: Meet Janice

01:42 Teacher Pay in New England

02:36 The Reality of Teacher Salaries

04:16 Challenges and Decisions

11:26 Certification and Relocation

15:34 Navigating the Salary Schedule

23:47 Certification Hurdles

29:05 Navigating Professional Development Credits

30:07 Challenges of Staying in the Teaching Profession

31:37 Teacher Evaluation Process

32:15 Tenure and Job Security Issues

34:56 Side Hustles and Leaving Public Education

43:24 The Petition for National Teacher Pool

45:37 Systemic Issues in Education

58:25 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

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This episode centers on a discussion about teacher pay, featuring Trina and Dr. Paul Bruno from the University of Illinois. The conversation highlights the complexity and inadequacies of teacher compensation systems, particularly focusing on the disparity in pay between veteran and novice teachers, the rigidity of step and column salary schedules, and the broader socio-economic challenges impacting education funding and teacher retention.

Trina emphasizes issues such as the historical underpayment of teachers due to structural sexism, while both underscore the significant differences in teaching conditions and pay across districts and states, and the lack of effective support for teachers in high-cost urban areas.

They call for a reevaluation of teacher pay structures, better support systems, and broader socio-economic reforms to address these issues.

00:00 Introduction: The Future of Education

00:18 The Teacher Shortage Crisis

00:57 Teacher Pay: A Complex Issue

01:57 Insights from Dr. Paul Bruno

03:34 Challenges in Teacher Compensation

05:31 The Importance of Differential Pay

13:43 Veteran Teachers and Systemic Inequities

29:32 The Role of School Districts and Administrators

46:21 The Impact of Housing Costs

53:45 Conclusion: A Call to Action

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In this episode, Amanda and Trina interview Kelvin Mak, a UC Berkeley and Standford educated teacher who quit the profession after only two years due to the oppressive pay system in place in our nation's schools. He reacts to the revelation he learned while listening to the previous epsiode that teachers are only paid a fraction of a complete salary due to the system sexism baked into our profession. Both Amanda and Trina struggle with his decision to leave feeling simulataneously happy for him, and sad for their profession at the loss of exciting new talent.

00:00 Introduction to the Teacher Pay Mess

00:56 Unpacking Teacher Pay: Common Misconceptions

03:18 Structural Oppression in Teacher Pay

05:41 Historical Context: The Origins of Teacher Pay

12:45 Modern Challenges: Step and Column System

24:26 The Impact of Healthcare Costs

30:34 Per Pupil Spending and Political Will

37:07 Conclusion: Rethinking Teacher Pay

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In this introductory episode of 'The Teacher Pay Mess,' Amanda and her co-host, both seasoned educators, delve into the convoluted and problematic structure of teacher pay. They discuss the historical roots of the pay system, which originated in the 18th century, and how it was designed based on sexist assumptions. They also elucidate 'step and column,' the mechanism dictating teacher salaries which they argue is archaic and oppressive. Additionally, they touch upon themes of structural sexism, lack of racial diversity, and income inequality affecting the teaching profession. The conversation broadens to include the inadequacies in per pupil spending in states like California, and how these financial shortcomings contribute to the ongoing teacher shortage crisis. The episode is a call to action for teachers and listeners to challenge the status quo and advocate for systemic changes in the education sector.

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In this episode, Trina introduces a continuation podcast discussing the teacher shortage crisis with Amanda and Dr. Paul Bruno, who co-authored an article attempting to quantify the problem. The discussion touches on the complexity and messiness of the data surrounding teacher shortages due to local control, where each district operates independently with little oversight. Dr. Bruno challenges the terms 'shortage' and 'crisis,' arguing that the data shows more teachers than ever, though they might not be in traditional classrooms. He also voices concerns about the press misrepresenting the issue, potentially leading to political agendas that dismantle public education. Trina and Dr. Bruno further discuss the difficulties of measuring the impact of teacher shortages on student outcomes and reflect on how specialized roles and new teachers affect classroom dynamics and effectiveness. The conversation concludes with insights into the need for targeted solutions, the limitations of current data, and the potential benefits of differential pay and elevating teacher leadership to address the crisis.

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In this episode, host, Trina English, dives into the complexities of the teacher shortage crisis in the United States. Using AI and a scholarly article by Drs. Tuan Nguyen, Chan Lam, and Paul Bruno as reference points, the discussion touches on teacher job satisfaction, the dangers of accepting simplistic answers, and the lack of comprehensive data on teacher vacancies. The speaker also highlights the uneven distribution of teacher shortages across subject areas and socioeconomic demographics, criticizing current recruitment practices and suggesting the establishment of a national professional teacher workforce.

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In this episode of the Rebel Teachers Rising Podcast, Trina and Jess host part two of an interview with Theresa Copeland, known on Instagram as True Life. I'm a Teacher. Theresa shares her experiences of facing administrative challenges and being fired despite being an effective educator. They discuss the systemic issues within the K-12 education system, focusing on the lack of support for teachers, poor administrative decisions, and the urgent need for a national governing body to oversee the teaching profession. Theresa emphasizes the importance of not staying silent, seeking better environments, and advocating for systemic change to improve educational outcomes. The conversation also touches on significant issues such as teacher evaluations, curriculum development, and the broader socio-economic context affecting education.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:09 Theresa Copeland's Story

01:32 Advice for Teachers Facing Challenges

11:02 The Solution Framework

12:31 The Importance of Teacher Leadership

14:15 Challenges in the Education System

18:09 The Need for a National Teaching Board

31:22 Final Thoughts and Conclusion

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In this episode of the Rebel Teachers Rising Podcast, hosts interview Theresa Copeland, known on Instagram as 'True Life, I'm a Teacher,' who shares her harrowing story of being fired from her K-12 school. The discussion touches on various themes including teacher autonomy, the challenges of CAN curriculum, the teacher pay mess, and the detrimental effects of school administration's lack of experience and insecurity. Theresa reveals the struggles of maintaining professionalism while navigating administrative oversight and emphasizes the importance of thoughtfully curated, teacher-driven curricula. The conversation also underlines how teacher autonomy is being eroded, impacting teachers' mental health and the overall quality of education. Part two of the interview will further delve into Theresa's experiences and potential solutions to these systemic issues.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

00:07 Theresa Copeland's Story Begins

00:53 Theresa's Experience with Administration

05:14 Theresa's Instagram Controversy

09:04 The Fallout and Aftermath

22:02 Reflections and Broader Implications

30:47 The Complexity of Teacher Autonomy

31:27 The Role of Standards in Teaching

32:42 Challenges with Canned Curriculum

34:54 Teacher Health and Well-being

36:22 The Importance of Teacherpreneurship

39:09 Issues with Pacing and Curriculum Enforcement

47:11 The Problem with Decision Makers in Education

54:56 The Reading Instruction Dilemma

56:55 Conclusion and Call to Action

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