TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Teachers up in Arms Over Hours

Maybe it's just me, but after reading this article i have absolutely zero respect for the Teachers stance. Hasn't everyone on St.Martin realized that during the aftermath & rebuilding of their Island home, daily life as they knew it now has to be altered in order to push forward in a unified way. Sad that this group of "engineers" in the development of children are against this. And make no mistake, i believe that "loaning" a months salary is a poorly thought out carrot on a stick that is ridiculous in it's current presentation.

Wow. Zero respect for teachers stance? The article doesn't even get into their pay structure. Were they paid their salary during the storm recovery? We already know these folks are willing to teach, when others are not. They didn't even say they are not willing to work the extra hours, just that they don't think they are ready right now. The most unappreciated job in the world!

After all, 6 hours is a pretty long day compared to the 4H 50M day they had been required to teach.

Unlike many others on the island, at least they have a job to go back to that will produce current income and is not related 100% to tourism.

BTW, my wife is currently a teacher and works 12 months a year due to where she is employed and works 8+ hours a day and has an hour drive to and from work. She also makes about 50% of what public school teachers make in the area who only work 9 months a year.

I get the impression that they are more concerned about the way the extra time was instituted rather than the time itself - no warning, no time to reorganize their personal schedules.

And perhaps that is the case but perhaps they also did this to make up for the 4+ weeks they lost.

Sorry, but teachers just about anywhere do not get my sympathy.

An hour & ten minutes extra?
Doesn't sound too long to make a big fuss about, IMHO.
I am a nurse, and until we got it abolished, we used to get mandated to work double shifts. Eight more hours, after working eight long hours, with no regard for babies, children or sick family members at home. Or animals and livestock either.
Not to mention it being unsafe, giving care and medications to sick people, being mentally & physically exhausted yourself.
I'm sure this will only be a temporary measure for the teachers,until things on the island normalize. It would be a shame for all the children to lose out on all the education they have missed.

Excuse me ruralcarrier, <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> but I 1000% agree with your stance, absolutely being a teacher in this day & age no matter where you are has taken on more of its share of difficulties, taking into consideration the tech world being melded into our children/grandchildren's every day way of life it's so obvious that these impressionable children are more attuned to a tablet screen than the voice of education standing alone in front of them. I don't nor have I ever envied the position any teacher is in, more often than not, nowadays they are more babysitter than educator thru no fault of their own. A lot of people desperately need to understand there is a time & place for Unions to stand their ground and once again in my opinion, there is also a time & place to embrace the chance to step up, come on an xtra hour & a half seriously. And for the record I was in a Labor Union for 45 years, 23 of those as a Union Steward. And again what happened on the Island is of no fault of any living being, but when will people put other people ahead of themselves, I wonder.

I was under the impression that TTOL did not get into the political side of things so I’m kind of surprised a moderator would bring up this topic when it’s certainly going to be controversial. Having been down there for only 4 days after the hurricane I can’t imagine what these people including the teachers have gone through. Everyone there is in a state of exhaustion!

Tim-I think this was a link to a Daily Herald story and to me, not political, per se..

Amen! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Agreed, none of us can really imagine what it's like there now, but I don't really see at all how the topic is political.

their workday seemed short to start with, but maybe that is typical for the island.

All I know is if someone told me i had to work an extra hour everyday going forward, i wouldnt be happy myself.

We all get used to our lives and schedules.

Slamming teachers is a favorite pastime in the U.S..

Amen. Giving the teachers the benefit of the doubt. I took away they were upset more with the way they were notified than the extra hour.

Could be, but that doesn't make it political. Since I went to what was a known as a 'teachers college', even though I wasn't in that educational area, I know a lot of them. I think it's mostly about getting three months off in the summer. Most of the rest of us are envious of that!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

Second only to cops!

I was a teacher Carol and I know that teachers only get paid for the ten months that they work. Their salary is divided over 12 months so that they will have income during the summer when they are not working. They are also required to stay current and often take extra courses over the summer when they are not working. These courses are at their own expense. Many people are not aware of this and thus are envious of teachers.Believe me teaching is not an easy job especially today as you have to teach the parents as well as their children. The respect for teachers and all professions is just not there today.

AMEN!!!!

Yes, BUT teachers actually CAN get another job during that three months if they want.. Regardless, this conversation is getting us nowhere..

Maybe that’s because they are always whining about how bad they have it. They want to get paid like someone who works 12 months. Where I live they have all kinds of time off, 2 1/2 months in the summer, spring break, winter break, and every other single holiday that’s celebrated. People who work all year and maybe get 2 weeks off get tired of hearing it.

Seriously??

If you aren't a teacher or don't know a teacher well, you might perhaps think about being a little bit more measured in your response.

Just saying....

The ones i know work late after school and at home and contribute alot out of pocket for other peoples kids.

As for summers off everytime i here someone want all year round it aint the kids, it parents whomwant all year daycare.

These teachers on sxm must be having an impact as when i listened to laser 101after storm i was really impressed at how the hosts/ callers were as/ more sophisticated as in america, so many of these callers had left the island to study in europe, etc and were calling back.

Anyway this thread isnt going anwhere especially after my 2 cents.

Teachers have a huge impact on humans. Mostly positive.

Correct about the thread and we are done.