If you or someone you know is an elementary school teacher, than you know that the hours are long, the job is tough, and the pay stinks. Elementary school teachers are overworked and underpaid. They do not receive the salaries they deserve and or the appreciation they are worthy of. Every year the government looks for ways to increase teacher's salaries, but the truth is that the government usually spends the money on something else. Teachers do not teach for the money but for the love for the kids.

Quite often the teachers need to bring their own school supplies for students and spend money on decorating their classroom. Although Elementary School Fundraisers are very common they don't seem to trickle down to the teacher and classroom level at time.

Teachers spend an average of 60-70 hours of week on school related activities. Whether they are at school, grading papers, or holding a parent-teacher conference, teachers are always bogged down with work. The school sometimes does not provide adequate supplies for the classrooms, so teachers have to buy items such as markers, staplers, erasers and posters out of their own pocket.

The average teacher's salary ranges from state to state. Some of the lowest paying teachers are from Texas, Florida and Ohio. In fact, Texas is has the lowest teachers salary in the country. The highest teachers salary is from New Jersey, with New York and California close behind. In 2005 the average teacher in Texas was making $35,280, while in New Jersey they were making $49,780. There is almost a $15,000 difference in these two. Although it is more expensive to live in New Jersey than Texas, there is still a huge gap in the amount of income.

Many teachers leaving college look at what state has the highest pay rate. That is why there is not a huge lack of teachers in New Jersey or New York. But Texas, Ohio and many other states are scrambling for teachers. They can offer signing bonuses or more vacation, but what they can't offer them is a better salary. Teachers are one the most needed jobs in America, but there does not seem to be an abundant amount of people trying to be a teacher.

There are many reasons why such as the long hours, and kids behavior today. But the biggest reason students in college decide to not become teachers is because of the pay. They could go to school for just as long and become a nurse, and make almost double the money. If there is such a need for teachers as there are for nurses, why is the pay so terrible? That is one thing that the government is working very hard on, and is trying to fix as soon as possible.

Everyone knows that teacher's salaries are not the greatest in the world, but we also know that is not why teachers are teachers. They are teachers because they love their students and are passionate about creating leaders of tomorrow.