Can This Be Right???????

With all the discussion and politics regarding education, maybe this will give you all some real insight!   This is a must read!!! Teachers' hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year!  It's time we put thing in perspective and pay them for what they do - babysit!

We can get that for minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That ...would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to......... 3:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch and plan-- that equals 6 1/2 hours). Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.

Now how many students do they teach in a day...maybe 30? So that's $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! I am not going to pay them for any vacations. LET'S SEE.... That's $585 X 180= $105,300 per year. (Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries).What about those special education teachers and the ones with Master's degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children X 180 days = $280,800 per year.

Wait a minute -- there's something wrong here! There sure is!

The average teacher's salary (nation wide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days = $277.77/per day/30 students=$9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student--a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids!) WHAT A DEAL!!!!

Heaven forbid we take into account highly qualified teachers ......

Make a teacher smile; re-post this to show appreciation ♥ all you out there!

The Heart of our Teachers!

I am constantly amazed by our teachers.  Our childrens lives are affected each and every day by these fabulous individuals who are dedicated to their lives and futures.  Stop and take just a few moments to watch this video and remind ourselves of what happens after the bell rings!

Success -

I love this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"To laugh often and much

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded"

Thanksgiving – One of my favorite holidays!

Gratitude – this is the common thread that runs through Americans this week.  As I was taking my morning walk this morning at 7:30 along the beach, the town was just waking up.  The famous Venice boardwalk which is usually populated with strange and wacky people and shops was locked up tight.  Just a few café’s were open for early breakfast customers.  The ocean was blue and sparkled as the sun was shining brightly on the water.  As I walked along the boardwalk, breathing in the fresh air, I began to think about how much gratitude I have for life.  As other’s do this week, I started to make a mental list of things I appreciate and try not to take for granted.  There are simple things such as good health, family, love, and friends.  There is a roof over my head, and food in my kitchen.  My little dog Laci, rubs up against my leg with affection, knowing that she is unconditionally loved, and loves back the same way. Love - the emotion that is most expensive, yet most gratifying.  I’m so fortunate to have found love with my husband of 32 years.  We’ve shared so many journeys.  Some wonderful, and other’s painful.  Each journey has offered timeless lessons and layers to our life.  My husband has cheered me on, comforted me in sorrow, and taken care of me when I was ill.  He has supported my activities and several careers throughout the years.  We’ve shared some really tough times, and come through as better individuals and a stronger couple.  Yes, we’ve used the “sickness and in health” commitment, and the “for better or worse”, too.  If I had it to do over, I would do it in a heartbeat!

Family – can extend to anyone you want to include.  Some of my closest family are my friends.  When I was a young girl, I was told that if you could count your true friends on one hand you were truly blessed.  Well, that’s me.  I’m so fortunate to have the most wonderful friends.  They have offered such loyalty over the years.  No matter what, my friends have been there when I needed them, as I am for them.  There is a circle of life and what goes around DOES come around.  My sister, although living thousands of miles away, is as close as my cell phone.  When we're together, it's as if we've never been apart. If I need her, or vice versa, we're there for each other.   Our children mean the world to us, and we love the appreciation that goes both ways as they are now adults.  Our children have given us angst and pride over the years.  More lessons!  All in all, we’re blessed.  Our 3 kids, their spouses and children are tremendous blessings.

Health - We don’t take this for granted.  We’ve both had some pretty serious health issues and as a result, don’t take anything for granted here.  Gratitude for getting through these challenges and what we’ve learned as a result is a given.

So, I have a lot to be grateful for, and this is just a small list.  Take some quiet time this week, and just contemplate your blessings.  When you sit at your Thanksgiving table, grab hands and say a blessing of gratitude.  We all have much to be thankful for.  What are you grateful for this week?

Comments to this post are welcome!