People Employed in Education / Schools (United States)

I have been a career educator for over 25 years now. Although my service to the organization receive above standard ratings, the opportunity for a promotion is at a standstill.

Administrators retire and/or leave the field every day for whatever reason. Some leave and return at a higher executive level. I have always been committed to the job I do, but often feel overlooked or cast aside for whatever reason.

Research can prove that if there were a husband/wife team in education, both received lead positions. I interviewed for principal positions in the early 90's and watched people with less, 1-2 years teaching experience, move forward. I was told in one interview that only experienced principals were placed in new schools and the same year, watched an assistant principal get placed in a new school. Poor performance assumably landed her downtown, where less effective administrators tend to go.

I currently have 15 years of teaching experience at all levels and almost 12 years of administrative experience and it is as if it does not count for anything (longevity). I went through the principal's training for years, even before the more stringent demands were placed on school leadership.There seems to be a trend to hire people with less experience to promote lower salaries.

I often question why is it so difficult to keep or retain successful leaders in the system. There was once an old adage that "experience was the best teacher", but I guess that no longer holds true in this fast paced, contemporary society.

I have become more focused and less concerned where I am because I can honestly see the light at the end of the tunnel.

It remains a mocked concept when less is given to the ones of greatest commitment to the program.

I continue to want what is best for the district in which I have been a viable constituent for over 20 years and advocate for student learning and achieving at levels greater than ever, but we need not cast aside that which has made us what we are - experience.

The company I work for recently instituted a self evaluation for employees to fill out prior to their actual annual review. This, I feel, was most instrumental in negotiating a higher payscale. It gave the opportunity to reflect on the things I had accomplished, projects I had volunteered to do that had nothing to do with my present job description. It gave time to summarize various additional responsibilities that came my way during the year and put them down on paper prior to the actual face to face review. I highly recommend if your company does not have this policy that you do it for yourself.

Document those things for yourself and bring them up. Be positive, "how I enjoyed helping out with that project" to break up my day and be more responsible, "made me feel more like a team player", etc. Don't use killer phrases, "I did all this and it wasn't really my job" Got a decent raise out of this procedure.

I'm upset about the pay that some of these employers in Mobile, AL is paying their LPN's. There should be a mandatory law that require's any employer to pay LPN's a rate that's equivalent to the average going rate.

I have no idea what is fair pay for an Educational coordinator. I developed my position and now it has grown into a technical education coordinator. Basically, I develop new programs for high school students and adults. I believe that all classes should receive sometype of college credit so that is what I do.