By Jocelyn Huber, DFER Director of Teacher Advocacy
If you were thinking about telling that same old joke this summer, please do teachers a favor: don’t.
As the school year ends and summer begins for teachers and students across the country, I want to implore everyone – especially policymakers and pundits – to pause before they utter the “teachers have it great” platitudes that crop up this time of year. Instead, consider the reality of many teachers’ summer vacations.
The Washington Post recently reminded its readers that the oft-touted “summer off” is shrinking, or even disappearing, for many teachers. Ever increasing responsibilities for teachers and the implementation of new evaluation and data collection systems mean more mandatory summer professional development sessions. What’s more, with salaries frozen or painfully low (particularly for new teachers) in many regions, educators are spending their summers working second and third jobs to supplement their income. Others are dipping into their own pockets to develop their craft with graduate courses or professional development opportunities they’ve sought out on their own.