Do you aspire to be a teacher in the upcoming months? Then there are a lot of things you should be aware of. Let us explore them one by one in this article. The main concept of this article is to answer this question- Do teachers get paid during the government shutdown?
How is teaching as a profession?
- Noble profession
Teaching is a very noble profession. Most of the postgraduate students choose the teaching profession. The reasons could include the requirement of less capital and flexible working hours that allows them to do their Ph.D. or another kind of training.
- Rewarding profession
It demands less skill development too. And it is something that can be done without feeling anxious or stressed. Furthermore, it is also a very rewarding profession because you keep learning from your students as well as the books that you read.
- Room for continuous self-improvement
It is a continuous commitment to you for self-improvement. It lets one be flexible and be a student forever as they constantly delve into the process of learning. The person who is a teacher also becomes understanding, empathic, and sensitive towards the needs of the students.
- Variety of soft skills
You would read a lot of material adding to your knowledge and wisdom. Furthermore, several students would look up to you and consider you as their role model. It gives great meaning and purpose to life. It makes one self-motivated to live their lives and keep giving their best at their job. But there might be some uncertainties associated with it which you will get to know further.
The plight of working individuals during the pandemic
You might be aware of the effects of the pandemic on the entire country. The safety measures during the pandemic led to the cessation of jobs and businesses. Some of them were privileged to have a job or a business running. But the majority of them were either jobless or their businesses were at losses.
Some households only had one earning member. When that one individual loses their job, it leads to a lot of financial issues and mental stress. All these concerns lead to physical illnesses which in turn encourages low immunity making them more susceptible to the covid-19 virus.
Why is it important to know whether teachers will get paid during the government shutdown or not in 2020?
If you are someone who is looking to be in the teaching profession, it is necessary to have such awareness. You should also know whether they will pay you or not during the government shutdown. Each one of us wants to avoid mental and physical stress and so, it is important to be certain about the payment. The covid-19 variant is evolving and no one knows when the pandemic will end. Hence, it is better to understand whether they will pay you during the government shutdown or not.
Do teachers get paid during the government shutdown due to coronavirus?
Teachers get paid during the government shutdown. But the authorities expect them to do their jobs, no matter what. They are also required to deal with the students. They need to be responsible for the education of students. They don’t consider the financial, mental, and medical issues of students during the pandemic. Their salary is more than the average salary of the employees in the country. Many expenses were not covered by the educational institutions. Let us know about them now.
- Mental health help the teachers
You might be aware of frequent news across the world where they gave poor treatment to students. Teachers asked students to be present for academics no matter who was sick or dying in their family. Educational institutions provided no mental healthcare or concession fees to students.
There was a shift of educational institutions from traditional classrooms to online classrooms. Many teachers faced a lot of trolling, bullying, and disrespect from students. As the students were more tech-savvy, they took a lot of advantage of this shortcoming of the teachers.
Teachers hardly ensured that the students are studying and understanding the concepts. Teachers faced pressure and negative emotions. Yet there was no kind of intervention for the teachers.
- Professional guidance and expense of online teaching setup
Teachers are not given professional training to online teaching in a better manner. Moreover, the authorities expected them to turn their houses into their classrooms. They also had to make arrangements for whiteboards. Other materials were a tripod, good internet connection, and network. They not only wanted these materials but also various other kinds of skill sets from them.
And they were not paid for these expenses. Teachers were also required to set question papers. They had to be such that the students could answer through online examination mode. They had to face constant uncertainty about the schedule. They also had undecided timings of examinations.
Are you a teacher in a public school or a private school?
- Differences in salary
The salary of the teachers in private schools is lesser than those in public schools. But, teachers are ready to work for less money in exchange for a decent working environment. Even the teachers in boarding institutions worked for lesser pay. It is because they got their house along with canteen facilities.
- Working environments
The public school teachers had to encounter rouge behavior of students including fights. They also had to bear the high number of absent students. Private teachers have the choice of students that they want to include in their class. They get classes with fewer students. But the public school teachers have more students in a class. It leads to classes that private school teachers manage.
- Freedom and creativity in teaching methods
Private school teachers don’t have to abide by the rules put forth by the government. So, they can select their respective modes and ways of teaching. It lets them be more creative and explorative in the way they teach. The facilities available let them use videos, documentaries as a teaching aid.
But, the public school teachers have to obey the traditional chalk and talk method. Despite their redundancy, they need to follow old methods. Authorities expect them to follow the rules put forth by the government. Hence they are less self-motivated and enthusiastic in their classes. Lack of facilities also curbs their freedom and creativity.
- Workload
Though the private school teachers have less salary, they also have less workload. Private schools can hire whoever they want but public schools can only hire teachers with a license. The availability of licensed teachers is less. Hence, the workforce in public schools is less. Thus, few teachers need to cover a lot of workloads.
- Sources of their salaries
Private school teachers and public school teachers get their salaries during the shutdown. Private schools do not receive the funds from the government but from the fees paid by the students. So, their salaries do not affect the government shutdown.
The salaries of public school teachers will not have any effect on the shutdown. It is because the funds of the government were already decided last year. And that amount is there for the same. So if the government shutdown takes place this year, it does not affect the salaries of any kind of teachers.
A Smaller portion of the money will remain for the public school teachers’ salaries. It will only occur if the lockdown continues until next year. And it will lead to a lower amount paid to the public school teachers.
Will teachers get paid even after the schools remain closed?
The latest news suggests that they will pay the teachers after the schools remain closed. It is a great relief to the teachers. The authorities want everyone in their nation to remain unharmed during the shutdown. But if you are a substitute teacher then you may or may not get paid. Thus, it is necessary to remain updated with the news in your nation.
Things to remember:-
- Don’t forget to understand the policies of the school about teachers’ salaries.
- Always look for other sources to learn more about technology and the online mode of teaching.
- Be kind to students who have been dealing with ill family members.
- Seek out professional mental help if you experience a lot of stress or worry.
- Don’t hesitate to take time out of your hectic work schedule. Keep taking regular breaks to avoid headaches and eye strains.
- Contact your supervisors or seniors if you experience bullying or trolling by students.
Conclusion
Hence, the teachers get paid during the government shutdown. Yet if you are in public school, then your salary might remain unchanged. But it will only take place if the government shutdown continues till next year. We wish you good luck in your future endeavors.
