What's behind the "Teacher Spring?" One reason why our teachers are angry...and they should be.

Teaching: The Only Profession Without An Expense Account

A Look at the Way that Classroom Teachers Spend Their Own Money on “Other Peoples’ Kids”

 Dr. Linda Karges-Bone

      When was the last time you spent $23.00 on a bucket of worms that you weren’t even going to fish with? Third grade teacher Carmen Larson of Berkeley County did just that when she volunteered her personal funds to provide worms for her classroom’s compost pile. Her students need to do more than just read about scientific principles. They must be able to see and touch science in action in order to make it viable. In addition, many of her students do not read on grade level and cannot rely on the standard textbook.

         Carmen is not alone. When I visit classrooms all over the state of South Carolina in my work as a university intern supervisor and educational consultant, I see hundreds of classrooms that are absolutely amazing, thanks to the extra time and money invested in them by dedicated teachers. They are full of children’s literature, packed with displays of science projects, strewn with colorful art projects and buzzing with technology. Why do these teachers spend so much of their carefully allotted salaries on their classrooms? Most feel that their classroom “extras” are not extras at all, but necessary tools vital to reaching their students. In fact, 91% of teachers actually provide essential items such as toothbrushes for their students! https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/survey-many-teachers-repo_n_1822777.html

 What the Experts Say:

      The problem is neither new nor localized and teachers nationwide are becoming more and more frustrated. According to a new report from Quality Education Data, Inc., a leading education market research and database firm, elementary (K-8) teachers spend an average of $853 on classroom materials. About 40% of that amount comes from the school and/or district, with the other 60% coming from the teacher's own pocket. Since there are approximately two million K-8 teachers in the U.S., QED estimates that teachers spend approximately $1.79 billion on classroom materials- over $1 billion of which is their own money. First-year teachers spend even more of their own money than any other group- a whopping $701 per teacher. The average beginning teachers’ salaries hover around the $30,000 mark according to the American Federation of Teachers, leaving teachers little room to budget both classroom and household expenses. 

 Free Labor

     Columnist Kathleen Modenbach, a twenty-year teaching veteran, recalls in her article, “Teachers’ Free Labor, Out-of-Pocket Expenses Aid School System, ” the plight of teachers who paint their own classrooms, build their own lofts and shelves, and even wire entire schools for technology. Sometimes aided by good-natured spouses or friends, these dedicated educators nonetheless spend countless unpaid hours working so that their students might benefit.

 Why does the Problem Persist?

1. It takes more unique materials to “reach” the over-stimulated, easily distracted children in today’s classrooms. Their over-saturated brains crave color, activity, and energy- more than a simple chalkboard and textbook can provide.
2. Current brain research on teaching and learning shows that stimulation and emotional experiences help the brain feed information into long-term memory. This means more time and money spent to make learning an experience, not just a lesson. Only information that makes it to long-term memory can be drawn upon when it is time to take the state's high stakes assessments.
3. The new state and national standards are rigorous. They are packed with complex content -and that is exactly what we want. The problem is, a single textbook cannot provide the material nor the experience to bring the content home to learners.
4. Speaking of textbooks, research shows that between 30% and 50% of youngsters in a given class in middle or high school cannot fully process and comprehend the text. Many teachers supplement by using the rich, diverse offerings of children’s literature, which help to make complex issues approachable for all learners.
5. School budgets ignore the teaching experience and focus instead on the politics of education. Class size is important and so are infrastructure issues such as wiring and water leaks. But where in the budget is the money necessary to make real-world classrooms effective?

Is There Relief in Sight?

         There may a slight relief in sight for teachers. In many states, teachers are able to deduct a modest amount in expenses when figuring their adjusted gross income. This deduction is available regardless of whether one itemizes deductions on a Schedule A. A helpful article for teachers and their tax preparers to read is found at https://www.palkacpa.com/Teachers.html.

         Moreover, as the public deals with the dismal reality that 60% of new teachers leave the profession within five years of becoming certified, it is possible that problems such as the high cost of being a teacher will be more honestly addressed.

         Lastly, there is a surge of interest in grant writing and fund-raising among teachers. At a recent grant writing training, it was “standing room only.

 Conclusion

      In my experience, it seems that the teachers with the most successful classrooms are the ones that invest the most of their time and money. As I think back over my list of friends and colleagues who have attained either “teacher of the year” or National Board certification, both medals of honor for the profession, I see a connection between the funds that they invested to create exciting learning environments and the professional status and recognition that they gained. It is an expensive journey.

Will we soon see reasonable expense accounts for teachers? That is not likely in a time when “giving” teachers $100 per year to spend on their classrooms is considered bountiful. When we consider budgets and ballots in 2018 and beyond, perhaps we should consider the price that good teachers are paying to simply to do their jobs.

Dr. Linda Karges-Bone is Distinguished Professorin the School of Education at Charleston Southern University, where she prepares future teachers. She is the author of 34 books for teachers, including The Educator’s Guide to Grants for Special Education, Intervention and Specialized Programs, and Professional Development, available at https://www.lorenzeducationalpress.com/ She can be reached at [email protected]