The first week of May is National Teacher Appreciation Week which praises teachers for their service and dedication to the field of education.

Yet, the way teachers are paid and treated somehow does not correlate to their hard work ethic the teachers display in their jobs.

According to www.payscale.com, elementary school teachers are paid $43,092 on average.  A middle school teacher is paid $45,246 followed by a high school teacher earning $46,909 on average.

The U.S. Census Bureau declares that the average salary for an American is $51,939.

How is it possible that teachers are getting paid less than the average salary of an American?

Teachers are constantly busy every hour of their day with very little breathing time every single school year for nine months.

In the mornings, teachers are busy with students; from reteaching concepts that may have confused them, to giving make-up quizzes before and after school. Followed by a normal day of teaching, on top of staff meetings, and creating lesson plans.

When the bell rings to dismiss the students the teacher’s day is still not over.

Teachers must constantly check their emails, attend conferences, be present at meetings, and call parents about the students in their classes.

Many people may think summer is a teacher’s break from all of the stress of work. The people who do believe in this are wrong.

Conferences, workshops, college, and online classes are all present in a teacher’s calendar in order to further their education in their specific field.

Then, a teacher must prepare for the upcoming year, which repeats the cycle of another year.

With so much to do, teachers must be dedicated to their field of study, otherwise, who would want to be a teacher?

Teachers deserve more respect than they receive. The way teachers are paid is unjust.

Teachers have battled this for many years with the forming of teacher unions such as the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the United States.

Another union is the American Federation of Teachers in Chicago. Founded in 1916, teachers in the union have been battling for their rights that they deserve: better pay, better healthcare, political activism, and a voice in the role of education.

As a result of the poor benefits teachers receive, teachers strike during the school year for better working conditions, smaller class sizes, and more health benefits. Striking during a school year cuts into the teaching time of students.

Teachers should not have to go on strike in order to get more pay. They should get paid a bit more than the national average because teachers are always there for their students.

Teachers dedicate themselves to the field of teaching and need more recognition because they are important to our society. Often unappreciated, teachers should be thanked for their service.