The provided HTML code contains a variety of elements related to an article about a teacher who is working multiple jobs during the summer. It includes a heading, image, caption, summary list, and body text.The provided HTML code contains a variety of elements related to an article about a teacher who is working multiple jobs during the summer. It includes a heading, image, caption, summary list, and body text. The heading, which is an h2 element, states “Many Teachers Are Working Summer Jobs to Offset Low Pay.” The image, which is an amp-img element, is a photo of a teacher holding a sign that says “Ms. Cox’s Classroom.” It has a caption that reads “Rebecca Cox is a teacher who is working several jobs this summer.” The summary list, which is an ul element, contains three items: – Rebecca Cox is working part-time this summer after her first year as a full-time teacher. – She works in a restaurant and as a nanny, and has had a short stint at an organization agency. – Many teachers are experiencing financial stress and this may lead some to work during the summer. The body text, which is a series of p elements, provides more detail about Rebecca Cox’s situation and the financial challenges that many teachers face. It also includes quotes from Cox and other teachers about their experiences. Overall, the HTML code provides a comprehensive look at the issue of teachers working summer jobs to supplement their income. It includes factual information, personal anecdotes, and quotes from teachers who are directly affected by this issue.
Angle down icon An icon in the shape of a downward pointing corner. Rebecca Cox is a teacher who is working several jobs this summer. Thanks to Rebecca Cox
- Rebecca Cox is working part-time this summer after her first year as a full-time teacher.
- She works in a restaurant and as a nanny, and has had a short stint at an organization agency.
- Many teachers are experiencing financial stress and this may lead some to work during the summer.
Rebecca Cox, 27, hoped to take a summer break after her first year as a full-time fifth-grade teacher in Kentucky.
“It exhausted me because I was learning so much and discovering everything as I went along,” Cox told Business Insider.
Instead of going on vacation, Cox has been doing odd jobs this summer, from attending training courses to decorating her classroom. She works as a hostess in a restaurant in the evenings, earning $18 an hour. Cox also earns money as a nanny for a family, taking care of their dogs and children when needed, including during the school year.
She also worked briefly earlier this month at a company owned by a family friend whose children she cares for $30 an hour, unpacking and organizing homes for people. While that job was short-lived, she said the other two are more likely to happen this summer.
“I feel like I haven’t stopped, even since school got out,” she said. “Yes, it’s summer vacation, but I haven’t been sitting down. I’m still working.”
Other young teachers like Cox are taking summer jobs. A Pew Research Center analysis of federal education data found that in 2015, “teachers younger than 30 are more likely to have summer jobs than their older colleagues,” and public school teachers with a year or less of experience were more likely to have second jobs outside of school.
A recent survey of 366 teachers by We Are Teachers found that about half said they would work a second job over the summer. The survey found that many would work in teaching-related jobs, with 37% saying they would teach at a summer school and a quarter saying they would tutor.
In addition, teachers are generally underpaid, and that could prompt some educators to take on extra work when they should be resting for the next school year. A 2022 Census Bureau analysis found, “Although teachers are among the nation’s best-educated workers, they earn far less on average than most other highly educated workers, and their earnings have declined since 2010.”
Cox puts the money from her summer jobs into savings and school supplies. The summer jobs also come in handy for Cox as a bride-to-be. “When I found out I was getting married and I started seeing how much these things cost, I thought, there’s no way I’m going to be able to, number one, save money regularly, and then also pay for some of the expenses for the things we need.”
Cox said she wishes teachers didn’t have to take on summer assignments.
“Even though we’re not necessarily working, many of us are spending our time creating new things for the new kids coming in, organizing things, preparing curriculum, or doing professional development activities over the summer on our own terms,” Cox said.
She still gets paid as a summer teacher, about $1,300 after taxes every two weeks.
Cox said it was a good thing she took the job at the organizing company when she did, because she suddenly needed car repairs. “Now I can afford it, because if I didn’t have extra money from working in the summer, I don’t know if I could afford to get it fixed,” she said.
The money will also help her classroom. She said she receives hundreds of dollars from her district to use for supplies, but it can feel like nothing when you consider how many children she teaches. “I want them to have all the resources they need. So in addition to my own expenses, I’m also taking some expenses from my classroom,” she said.
Teachers can spend thousands of dollars on school supplies during their teaching careers. One teacher who wanted to make her room “feel like home” told BI that she spent a lot of money on books. Teachers can also get donations to stock their classrooms with supplies.
“We don’t ask other professions to try to do their jobs without the materials that they need,” another teacher previously told BI. “I feel like a lot of teachers are expected to do their jobs without the materials that they have or need.”
Cox considers nannying her favorite summer job. “Yes, it’s work, but it’s also a little more fun because I get to take them out and do fun things — if they just want to hang out or if they want to go to the movies,” she said.
Cox loves being a teacher and said she doesn’t do it for the money, but she does find the relatively low wages challenging. “It was just realizing is this really what I’m going to make every two weeks, because honestly, I couldn’t afford to live on my own. My fiancé is also a teacher, so if I was on my own, I wouldn’t be able to pay all my bills,” she said.
“I feel like in order to make a living, reasonable salary as a teacher, I need to get my master’s degree,” she said. “So I plan on doing that next year. But in order to make more money, I need to spend more money to get there.”
What does your salary look like as a teacher, or do you have multiple jobs as a teacher or in another job? Contact this reporter to share on [email protected].
