Trump is famous for those two words. They’re also a pair of words that most of us dread.

But what if it was almost impossible for your boss to let you go? Imagine that just to fire you, your boss would have to dedicate countless hours of time, sift through mountains of paperwork, and set aside thousands of dollars in court fees. You would be certain that there was little you could do that would cost you your job. As long as you didn’t show up to work naked, or steal large sums of money, you were fine.

Do you think your behavior at work would change? Would you take more risks? Would you slack off? Or would you actually put forth just as much effort?

If you’re a teacher with tenure, the above situation is a reality, and you would be one of the few who could honestly answer those questions from experience. For about 2.3 million teachers, tenure ensures that they cannot be fired, unless they commit a heinous act. For instance, relations with a student, or other illegal acts can still earn you a pink slip. However, disregarding students or their families, lacking motivation, or having little interest in education will not.

A Mini-History of Tenure

Until recently, I knew little about tenure. Thus, I decided to do some research in order to find out its historical past, its present status, and its future role in education.

The tenure system began in the early 1900s to protect the rights of public school teachers. Under these systems, teachers were safe from being fired for religious or political beliefs, or for allowing controversial topics in the classroom. The system first began in universities, but soon extended to K-12 schools. While tenure in a university often required being published and producing research findings, tenure in a K-12 school was generally based on satisfactory service for a minimum of 2 years.

In the latter half of the 20^th century, tenure became widespread, and an important issue within school unions. Today, terminating a tenured teacher requires the involvement of many parties (board of education, legal courts, non-partisan evaluators etc.) as well as great amounts of time and money. Many people still defend tenure as a system that allows teachers to use progressive and sometimes controversial materials or methods within the classroom. It can protect a teacher in the Bible belt from being fired for talking about evolution in the classroom. It can protect a teacher from being let go for holding a debate about the War in Iraq within the classroom. It allows teachers to openly disagree with his or her principal, without fear of unemployment.

The future of tenure, however, is not so clear. While tenure may protect certain rights, it is also seen as a prerequisite for burnt-out, unenthusiastic, apathetic teachers.

The Good, The Bad and The Evil?

I think the main benefit of tenure has been explained at this point; tenure allows teachers the freedom to take risks, experiment, disagree with superiors, and touch upon controversial issues. Other supporters (particularly older teachers) like the idea of a structure of seniority. The older the teacher, the safer his or her job is. If a school needs to downsize, the newest teachers would be the first to leave.

Additionally, tenure means that those who have taught for the longest are rewarded by a set-in-stone pay scale that is based only on duration of employment, not on merit. Therefore, if the principal you work under takes a particular disliking to you or teaching style, his or her personal opinion cannot influence your paycheck or your yearly raise.

Last, I have heard some teachers say that strong job security is an appreciated and necessary perk for an occupation that is challenging, tiresome, and sometimes underpaid (however, teachers’ salaries is a whole separate debate, one that I’m not attempting to get into in this article).

Now, let’s talk about the negatives – the most obvious concern is that tenure creates hurdles in the way of dismissing poor teachers. Some teachers start out bad, and for whatever reason are kept in the district long enough to earn tenure, and thus are virtually granted a job for life. Other teachers start out enthusiastic and passionate, but lose their spark post-tenure.

There are many stories out there of tenured teachers who use out-dated practices, teach students very little, humiliate children, offend parents and co-workers, and who frankly don’t give a crap. It is not hard to see why this would be frustrating to community members, the board of education, parents, students, and colleagues. It is also not hard to see that these teachers keep their jobs due to tenure. In the end, the students suffer greatly due to these types of teachers.

My Own Two Cents

If this was a dichotomous issue – if we had complete tenure or no job security at all, then I would support those who say that there are many more dedicated teachers out there than apathetic ones, and thus, we need tenure to protect those who strive for excellence, and take risks, in the classroom.

However, this is not black and white. Creative minds in the education industry are developing alternatives. One alternative is for teachers to accept a much higher salary in return for giving up tenure. This, in essence, would mean switching from a pay scale based on duration of employment to a merit-based scale. A teacher would risk being fired for “bad practices.” “Bad practices,” of course, would be defined by whomever is in charge of evaluating the teacher – could be a progressive, kind-hearted superintendent, or a my-way-or-the-highway type superintendent. It is indeed a gamble.

Another alternative, which I admittedly support, is signing teachers on with multiple year contracts – limited job security. Consider a 5-year contract in which teachers have ample time to build up a good record in order to earn themselves their next contract, but do not have the luxury of a job for life. This would provide concrete motivation, without causing constant fear of unemployment.

Of course, for a system like this to work, we would have to ensure that schools are full of supportive, sensible and understanding administrators. If a teacher is having trouble, administrators should first do their very best to provide guidance and feedback. However, at the end of five years, if a teacher is still struggling to help students succeed, the teacher may be in the wrong environment, or perhaps the wrong career altogether.

Furthermore, principals often want to see things like student failure-rates of “ZERO.” However, sometimes students truly do earn failing grades. Lack of tenure should not result in pressures for teachers to inflate grades, because this is just another way to hurt students in the long run.

Lastly, it would be a shame if teachers lost much of their ability to try new things in the classroom due to closed-minded administrators. A contract system would require administrators who are willing to trust teachers once in a while and be open-ended.

Overall, there will be potential pitfalls with a contract system, but I personally think that the tenure system is outdated and detrimental to the education industry. I wholeheartedly agree that teaching is a challenging, tiresome, and sometimes underpaid career, but many careers share those same qualities, and are not rewarded with what is practically a lifetime guarantee to a job. My respect for dedicated teachers is infinite, but that is precisely why I think that uncaring or unsuccessful teachers should not hold a reserved place in our classrooms.

I’m very curious to hear what you think! What points have I missed? What is your opinion on the debate?

“Wouldn’t it be great if there was bad hair day insurance?”

Serwin’s (hopefully facetious) fashionista-oriented comments turned me off to the book at first. However, if you’re able to look past these one-liners, there are many gems of knowledge within these pages for personal finance beginners.

So who is this book for?

Much like “The Skinny On Credit Cards” that MLR recently reviewed, this book is first and foremost for people who have little experience with personal finance. It’s really a “PF for Dummies” book in the sense that it breaks absolutely everything down, especially in the beginning. It first outlines how to make a list of your monthly costs in order to find out how much you spend. Next it instructs you on how to add up your total income. So on and so forth. Very basic – which can be great for beginners as it lacks intimidating language and concepts that might be unfamiliar.

Another perk for beginners is that the book is laid out in an organized and easy to read manner. Frequent subject headers and bolded key terms help streamline reading if you need to find a specific topic. Additionally, there is a concise outline to summarize material at the end of each chapter. All in all, a quick read – I read it in one day over the weekend.

In the later chapters, it does delve a bit more in depth with subjects such as 401Ks vs. Roth IRAs, mutual funds vs. index funds, and the equations used to calculate your credit score. Serwin does a good job of providing overviews of a large amount of information. She lays the groundwork for further, more detailed and complex research.

Of course, this book is also perfect for any shopaholic girls who overspend on designer brands and have as much credit as they do lip gloss. The “fashionista” spin appeals to some, I’m sure. It just was not the main attraction for me.

I’m no genius of PF, and some of the chapters in this book were more at “my level” than other, more complicated PF books. For instance, because of the chapter on investments, I asked MLR if we could compare my current money market account interest rates to those of CDs. I also learned about using “insurance company report cards” and Consumer Affairs as resources when deciding which insurance companies to work with. I learned the difference between good and bad credit, as well as the steps to take when buying your first home.

A Fresh Perspective on Money

I also found Serwin’s explanation of money unique and refreshing. We’ve heard many of the more polar views of money; either “it’s all about the Benjamins!” or “money is the root of all evil!” I don’t believe that either of those statements ring true, and MLR’s site (as well as his attitude) is about finding a realistic balance in life. Serwin explains that:

Having money can be a truly enjoyable – even life changing – experience. At its best money is about freedom and choices, about having options and opportunities. Money allows you to be self-sufficient, with the confidence that comes with being independent and the freedom to make life choices that are right for you. It doesn’t guarantee all this, but it certainly ups the odds.

Her view on money is realistic. No, money does not “buy happiness,” but Serwin points out that opportunity does tend to follow money. That’s why a vicious cycle of poverty exists! Without money in the first place, it is harder to come across opportunity. Knowing Serwin held this attitude made the book more relatable despite lists that are bulleted with tiny pictures of stilettos.

What’s the Verdict?

It’s crucial for everyone to have at least a basic understanding of personal finance. It is usually not taught in school. Children often do not learn it from their parents (and in some cases, learn detrimental habits from parents). So, if this type of a book engages women (or men!) who are highly fashion-conscious, or who have closets overflowing with designer nametags, then more power to Serwin. If the clothing-related metaphors cause more people to learn about responsible finance, then that is terrific and this is 100% for them.

School’s out for summer
School’s out forever
School’s been blown to pieces
No more pencils
No more books
No more teacher’s dirty looks
Well we got no class
And we got no principles
And we got no innocence
We can’t even think of a word that rhymes

Alice Cooper – School’s Out

“School’s Out for Summer”

Even for kids who are too young to know the lyrics to the classic Alice Cooper song, these words evoke excitement of the purest kind. Images of bbq’s and baseball, slip ‘n’ slides and sprinklers, ice pops and flip flops all come to mind. But before the kids toss their backpacks and school books into the closet for summer hibernation, take a moment to think about the teachers who just put up with your kids for the last nine months, five days a week, seven hours a day (and you know your kids)…

Giving a teacher a gift should never feel obligatory, and by all means, if you had a negative experience with a burnt-out teacher, a gift would be insincere. However, for those teachers who helped your children grow brighter, more creative, more inquisitive, and (could this possibly be?) more mature, you might consider giving a small token of appreciation at the end of the year to show your thanks.

Luckily, I do actually mean a small token. Lavish gifts from students can sometimes make teachers feel uncomfortable, and certain school districts have actually placed limits on the dollar amount of gifts that teachers are allowed to accept (usually not less than $50, though).

The best way to choose a gift for a teacher is ask your student to pay attention to what his/her teacher loves. Does she constantly compare Revolutionary War battles to epic baseball play-off games? Well, then sports-related gifts are the way to go. Does he lament about the lack-luster classroom library? Give a few books! Does she hang pictures of her adorable pit bull all over the classroom? A gift card to PetSmart!

Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult for your children to pick up these cues (they’re obviously way too busy paying attention to the lessons!), so I’ve listed a few safe routes to take when giving gifts to a deserving teacher.

A Day Off or a Night Out

A dedicated teacher is most likely working before school starts, and well after school ends. Giving the means to a relaxing day or a fun night let your child’s teacher take a breath and unwind.

• Gift cards to movie theaters, restaurants, or beauty salons/spas let teachers enjoy time off, without having to break the bank. Gift cards sometimes get a bad rep for not being “thoughtful enough,” but trust me – teachers love ‘em! Think about it – would you rather get a plastic, monogrammed, apple-shaped paperweight, or twenty dollars to T.G.I. Fridays? Turns out you can’t actually eat the apple-shaped paperweight, but you can eat a Caesar salad and a burger! Plus, the gift cards don’t need to get expensive. Twenty to twenty-five dollars is more than enough to show appreciation.
• “All the ingredients” to relax: To help that over-worked teacher wind down at night, get oversized mug and place some tea, a good book, and a nice bookmark inside. For the ingredients to a cozy Sunday morning, take that oversized mug, and put some unique coffee flavors inside with a book of crossword puzzles or Sudoku. Or, for a night in, wrap a couple packets of popcorn to a DVD or a gift card to your local video store.

“My best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read”

The quote is from President Lincoln, and seven score and some-odd years later, a great book is still a wonderful gift. There are many avenues to take with books for teachers.

• If you are giving to a teacher in middle or high school, where teachers are subject-specific, you could give a great historical fiction to a social studies teacher, a new best-selling novel to an English teacher, etc.
• It is also usually safe to give books about teaching in general. Books that send an appreciative message, or that commemorate influential and outstanding teachers are great to give. Just don’t give self-help teaching books: “Failing as a Teacher? 12 Easy Steps to Succeed!” Hopefully, the issue here is clear.
• Last, feel free to give books that have nothing to do with teaching! Sometimes teachers need a break from intellectually challenging books, and just want to relax with a no-brainer. Picking a great book you’ve recently read or have seen on the best-seller list can be a nice idea (however, you do take the risk that the teacher doesn’t share your taste in literature).

Luckily, you don’t need to pay for overpriced books from popular chain retailers! It’s easy to find great-quality discounted books. Try your local (non-corporate) book store, or discount websites such as www.half.com.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

I’ll admit it. In seventh grade, I hated my math teacher, and occasionally spent the period drawing pictures of her with devil horns. Despite my morose artwork, and perhaps due to a bit of growing up, I now like to think that teachers are mostly kind, well-intentioned, generous people. I think it is safe to say that most teachers would value a charitable gift.

• A Donation in the Teacher’s Name: There are tons of non-profit and charitable organizations out there, and I’d bet that a large portion of those would interest the teacher at hand. An Earth-Science Teacher? Donate to an environmental group, like the Sierra Club! Biology Teacher? Medical/Health Organization! Music Teacher? The “Save the Music” Foundation! English Teacher? A youth literacy program! And of course, if you’re completely stuck, there are general educational organizations, or children-centered charities, both locally, and internationally.
• Another option is to give the teacher a gift card that lets them chose where to donate the money to. As MLR and I have mentioned in the past, www.globalgiving.org is a great place to purchase these types of gift cards (and MLR recently organized a GlobalGiving giftcard giveaway offer to his readers!). This website allows the recipient of the card to choose where the money goes. You can pick by region (locations all over the globe are offered!), or by category (education, environment, health etc.) It brings attention to lots of smaller, grassroots projects that otherwise might not get the same attention.

Pencils, Planners, Paper Clips, Oh My!

It’s no secret that most teachers end up reaching into their own pockets in order to buy decorations, supplies, and materials for their classrooms. Many schools allow teachers stipends in the beginning of the year to help cover costs (in my case, $50 per year), but this often falls short. It’s hard for the dedicated, enthusiastic teacher to pass up a great new book for the classroom, or a deal on new folders for the students just because the school budget won’t cover it. Thus, helping teachers turn their classrooms into the vibrant, educational haven they envision is a great gift.

Here, again, it may be helpful to have your child pay attention to their classrooms. Does the teacher have a giant bin of colored chalk? Don’t buy that, then! Does he constantly ask students to run next store to ask to borrow graph paper or protractors? There’s a useful gift! Even if it’s the end of the year, don’t fear that your gift won’t be useful. Unless the teacher is retiring, rest assured that your gift will be remembered and valued in September!

• Shopping at stores like Staples and Office Depot is best when you can spot sales; their regular prices are sometimes steep. Sites like www.slickdeals.net often feature deals and coupons for these types of stores. Also, don’t overlook your local dollar store! Almost every dollar store has a “teacher section” with great buys!
• Another option, of course, is a gift card to an office supply/school supply store. This ensures that the teacher gets exactly what is needed in the classroom!

A Few Kind Words

If you give a gift, PLEASE, give a card too! I can’t say I wouldn’t love a new book, or a gift card to Applebee’s, but the card is what makes a gift truly meaningful, genuine, and unique! I began this post saying that you should only give gifts to teachers you feel deserve them, so it shouldn’t be difficult to express why you are thankful!

Furthermore, if a card or even a letter on notebook paper is all that is in the budget, don’t worry! In my own humble opinion, if a teacher does not value appreciative letters and cards from students at least as much as a gift card or a DVD– then that teacher should find another profession.

You or your child (whoever is writing the note) should write honestly and from the heart. That being said, here are a few ideas just in case you’re experiencing writer’s block!

• Tell the teacher exactly what it is that makes him/her so special! Words like “great” and “super” are kind, but specific traits make the card more sincere. Did your son have trouble year after year with multiplication until this teacher taught him? Did your daughter hate to read until this year? Does this teacher explain history in a way that truly interests your child? Does this teacher make your child excited about science experiments? Say so!
• Was there a certain lesson or activity that really spoke to your child, or helped them grow? Did you child talk about that class debate for weeks? Did she ask to have that collage she made for English class hung up in her room? Again, mentioning these specifics make a kind letter even more heartwarming.

As a last suggestion, if your child is in elementary school, and is part of a close-knit classroom community, you may consider giving a “group gift,” in which each student contributes a small $5-$10 amount, in order to give the teacher one large gift or a combination of gifts.

My Christmas Menorah

Above all, a gift is a gift, and a teacher will appreciate anything received. Despite the fact that I’m Jewish, I’ve received multiple Christmas ornaments from students during the holiday season. However, I hang these sparkly snowflakes and snowmen up in my home, amidst a plethora of menorahs and Jewish stars simply because they represent what I love: teaching my students. Going out of your way to say thanks to a teacher is always more important than picking the perfect gift, and will make any teacher stop and smile.

After reading MLR’s recent guest post at Frugal Dad “The Three Most Influential Lessons My Parents Taught Me,” I thought about the way my parents viewed responsible finance. For better or worse, I think it’s safe to say that the way that parents teach their kids about money can have a huge impact on their kids’ futures.

Save the Bats

My brother Jon was about seven years old, and he had been learning about bats in his second grade class. He took an extreme liking to the nocturnal creature, and grew increasingly concerned about the fact that six out of forty-five species were labeled as “endangered species.”

Hannukah came around in December, and my brother and I got books and toys and games we had ached for all year long. On the eighth night, though, as was tradition in my home, my parents gave us each twenty-five dollars to donate to whichever cause we deemed most worthy. I can’t remember where my money went that year, but Jon’s went speedily and directly to Bat Conservation International.

Over ten years have passed since that Hannukah, and my brother’s passion for bats has all but disappeared. It turned out to be a short-lived passion. However, my parents’ devotion to giving is something that has stuck with my brother and me.

My parents were always very money-conscious, but also serious about giving to those who needed help. There was a fair but strict allowance policy in my household. My brother and I had to have three “accounts;” the savings account, the spending account, and the charity account. We always had to put at least ten percent of our allowance into each account every week.

When I accompanied my mother to the mall and asked for a CD, or a pair of jeans, my mother never argued with me. The response was always, “Sure, if you have enough money in your account to pay for it.” The occasion was very rare when my mother would buy something for me instead of having me purchase it for myself. Her logic was sound; she gave me a decent allowance each week, and thus, I should be able to save and buy my own Spice Girls CD (yes, I really did buy one), or my own flared ripped-when-you-bought-them jeans (again, yes).

How Much is Enough?

As I grew older and began my high school years, my parents signed me up for my first credit card (which was linked to theirs). Consistent with their belief in giving, my parents encouraged me (but never forced me) to set aside between five and ten percent of my paychecks to charity. While this figure may seem out of proportion to those of you with full-time professional careers, keep in mind that my high school experience in the working world consisted of a fifteen-hour workweek at the local Hallmark store.

While some charitable individuals give twenty-percent (or more) of their earnings, my parents readily admitted to me that they only felt they could afford to give around five percent. I’m an advocate of giving away whatever amount with which you’re comfortable. After all, feeling that charity is a burden may defeat the purpose in some sense.

Giving the Gift Card that Gives

As of late, my mother has become more creative and perhaps more technologically savvy in her charitable ways. This year, for Hannukah, my mother gave everyone in the family a gift card to www.globalgiving.org, an organization dedicated to funding education, health, and microfinance projects. We were all able to log on to the site and chose the project we felt most connected to. Many projects even let you determine which aspect of the project you wanted your money to go towards.

Last year, she bought each of us twenty-five credits to a site, www.kiva.org, where we could again choose the project that we connected with. The money you give, however, is not charity; so don’t try to write it off during tax season! The projects on these sites are all entrepreneurial endeavors, and the money is a microloan – paid back, slowly but surely. Once the borrower has paid back in full, the lender is free to retrieve his or her money, or to lend again to a different project.

Giving “giving” gift cards is a nice alternative to kitschy vases or picture frames that might end up in a cardboard box in a few months. Without doubt, this type of gift will not please everyone, but I’m sure each of us has a few friends or family who would appreciate something like this.

Finding the Right Charity

Searching for an appropriate charity to give to is not difficult to do. Websites like www.charitynavigator.org offer charities by categories, and can even help you decipher the finances of various charities so that you know you are giving to a trustworthy organization. The IRS also provides a comprehensive online-list of charities that are eligible for tax-write offs (http://www.irs.gov/charities). Giving has also become incredibly easy, as most organizations accept online donations.

Of course, giving takes various forms. Volunteering time for a good cause is just as valuable, and some would say more valuable, than a monetary gift (check out www.volunteermatch.org). Giving support to a movement you believe in (perhaps writing a letter to a newspaper or a politician) is always worthwhile. And, of course, instilling in your children the notion that “fiscally responsible” could also entail giving some money away here and there is a valuable pursuit.

Charity as a Habit

My goal here is not to sound preachy. I confess that I do not give to charity as much as I used to when I lived with my parents! However, in keeping with the mantra of My Life ROI, I think we can consider how to make our lives fuller through financial aspects, as well as those that are not financial. My parents taught me that “giving charity” wasn’t just a nice thing to do when the mood struck, but a habit that could be realistically worked into every day life.

Whether you connect with local charities, international relief, environmental agencies, or the plight of the bats, “giving” (however you define it) makes a person more financially aware, more socially aware, and in the end – it makes you feel good.

Hi! I’m “HLR!” I’m a teacher in the North East, and I’m always reading what my boyfriend, “MLR” posts on his blog. I saw that he had done a personailty quiz yesterday, and I thought it was pretty accurate. I laughed when I saw how far over the marker was into “thinking” rather than “feeling” because sometimes I get mad at how damn logical he is! You can see we have some different traits, but I guess sometimes “opposotes attract!”

You can look forward to a few posts from me in the future!

My results can be found here: HLR’s personality type. And remember what MLR said, as an alternate you can try this personality quiz which will also match you up with people.

HLR’s personality type:

Popular and sensitive, with outstanding people skills. Externally focused, with real concern for how others think and feel. Usually dislike being alone. They see everything from the human angle and dislike impersonal analysis. Very effective at managing people issues and leading group discussions. Interested in serving others and probably place the needs of others over their own needs.

Careers that could fit HLR include:

Teachers, consultants, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, clergy, sales representatives, human resources, managers, events coordinators, politicians, diplomats, writers, actors, designers, homemakers, musicians, religious workers.

My thoughts?

WAY OFF! I mean, the first things it says as a career option is “Teacher!” And I’m a… okay, I’m a teacher! I actually think the results were right on.

“Popular and sensitive, with outstanding people skills.” Don’t know if I would use the word “outstanding” but I certainly consider myself a social person! I also prefer a “human angle” over dry scientific analysis. “Leading group discussions” is a skill of mine that I often use with students – I love class discussions!

I would also say that often I put other people’s needs before mine – sometimes to a fault :/

Extroverted, Intuitive, and Feeling – yes. I’m not sure what they mean by “Judging vs. Perceiving” though.

Overall, pretty accurate!

Good Match?

Are MLR and I a good match? You decide :p I look forward to meeting more of you as I write more posts! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!