r/MadeMeSmile • • 8h ago

❤️ those days

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u/SeenYourScene 6h ago

I wanted a little context on that. First that I found was abs.goc.au which said,

Median personal income was $58,216, up 5.7% on 2021-22

So, that goes to support your point because if teachers are making more than double the median, that's important information.

I do have to ask, are teachers expected to pay their wages back into their work? What I mean is that here in the US you're expected to volunteer your time (sometimes it's mandatory to do so) so you're really working twice as much as officially stated with the same salary, but you're also expected to buy your own supplies for the classrooms, sometimes fund your own field trips even, a lot of a teacher's salary here goes right back into their work, making the meager pay even worse. Is the culture the same in Australia? Do teachers end up with very little institutional support and with a high expectation for what they'll reinvest in their job?

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u/mollophi 3h ago

...you're also expected to buy your own supplies for the classrooms, sometimes fund your own field trips...

I guarantee that this is uniquely American.

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u/MathematicianFar6725 6h ago edited 5h ago

if teachers are making more than double the median, that's important information.

That figure seems a little low actually, median is closer to $74k for all workers and $90k for full time workers. But yes, $130k is still very good money. For comparison, doctors earn less than that for many years after graduating.

here in the US you're expected to volunteer your time (sometimes it's mandatory to do so)

Yes, there is some expectation to mark/grade work after class and prepare lessons at home. But in return they get close to 11 weeks of non-attendance per year compared to 4 weeks of annual leave in a typical job. They also get more days of paid sick leave (15 days) than most other jobs.

I do have to ask, are teachers expected to pay their wages back into their work? you're also expected to buy your own supplies for the classrooms, sometimes fund your own field trips even

No, absolutely not.