Some Notes On Teachers and Babysitters

In the novel, In a Boulder’s Shadow, a claim is made that teachers aren’t paid as much as babysitters.

Is this true?

The average salary of a public school teacher is $60,000

Insurance benefit packages for public school teachers average $10,000

$60,000 + $10,000 = $70,000

Teachers teach children on average 6 to 7 hours per day for 180 days * Note: this doesn’t include hours spent meeting with kids during lunch, before/after school tutoring, clubs, etc…

180 teaching days X 6 teaching hours = 1,080 teaching hours

$70,000 ÷ 1080 = $65 per hour Not too shabby…right?

Let’s see.

Average class size in the U.S. is 22 students per teacher

$65 ÷ 22 = $2.95

$2.95 paid to a teacher per hour per child

What the heck… Let’s round up and call it $3 per hour

to teach your child

reading writing math science social studies art technology

physical and social skills, and learning strategies and don’t forget… physical and social skills, and learning strategies

$3 per hour to keep your child engaged in all lessons

Not to mention…

Not to mention… happy

And safe

Everyday.

Now call your babysitter…

Offer him or her $3 an hour

To do the same for your child

The average hourly rate paid to a babysitter is $10 per hour per child (Source: PayScale http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Babysitter/Hourly_Rate )

To become a babysitter, you need… Maybe a CPR course? (Pediatric CPR Course costs $30) Source: howmuchisit.org https://www.howmuchisit.org/cpr-certification-cost/

To become a teacher, you need…

A Bachelor’s Degree National Average (2015) Tuition: Public: $16,000 ($64,000 Four-year Degree) Private: $34,000 ($136,000 Four-year Degree) Source: Statistic Brain http://www.statisticbrain.com/average-cost-of-college-tuition/

And a Teaching License / Certificate Costs vary depending on specialty: $10,000 - $30,000 Source: costhelper education http://education.costhelper.com/teaching-certificate.html

Many school districts also require a Master’s Degree National Average (2011) Tuition: Public: $15,000 Online: $18,000 Private: $35,000 Source: Classroom http://classroom.synonym.com/average-cost-masters-degree-education-5637196.html

Starting teacher salaries average $38,000 ($48,000 with insurance)

That works out to $2 per hour per child

PUBLIC SCHOOL AVERAGES SALARY CLASS SIZE (NCES) SOURCE YEAR AVERAGE   SALARY CLASS SIZE (NCES) SOURCE YEAR AVERAGE Self- Contained Department-alized High School Teacher Salary 2015 $60,440.00 2012 24.2 16.6 US News http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/high-school-teacher/salary Middle School Teacher Salary $58,760.00 25.5 16.7 Elementary School Teacher Salary $57,730.00 26.2 21.6 Class Size 25.3 18.3 National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/tables/sass1112_2013314_t1s_007.asp Teacher Salary 2013 $56,383.00 https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d13/tables/dt13_211.60.asp Starting Teacher Salary 2011 $38,000.00 https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016100/ind_23.asp Hours Teaching Students 2008 1097 Wall Street Journal http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/06/25/number-of-the-week-u-s-teachers-hours-among-worlds-longest/ Annual Insurance K-12 teachers $8,559.00 Education Next with Bureau of Labor Standards http://educationnext.org/the-rising-cost-of-teachers%E2%80%99-health-care/    Teacher out-of-pocket spending: Classroom supplies, instructional materials, books for classrooms, professional development 2013-2014 $513.00 Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicoleleinbachreyhle/2014/08/19/teachers-spend-own-money-school-supplies/#7be8160922a4