Job Discussion Forums

Jorge · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Maia - Portugal

Hello. I'm a high school teacher in Portugal (I teach French and Portuguese even though my degree is in French and English Studies by the University of Oporto) and although I see most of you are teachers in private schools, generally teaching English abroad, I have a question for you which I think maybe you may answer...
There are some idiotic opinion makers here in Portugal that tell you in the papers that the Portuguese teachers earn more than the average European salary. I think it's silly but the problem is people believe them. Say, for example, I earn about 1300 euros a month after teaching for 15 years in public schools. How much does a high school teacher in my situation earn in different EU countries (Spain, France, the UK, Germany, Greece, etc., etc.)? And how much would he/she earn at the end of his/her career?
Another thing is those opinion makers insist we have too many holidays. What kind of holidays do teachers have in other EU countries? And what kind of schedule do you have? Bear in mind I'm always speaking of the public system.
Thank you.

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

Try this for the UK:

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/8305/20050401%20Understanding%20Teachers%20April%2005%20Changes.doc

Jorge · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Maia - Portugal

Thanks a bunch, SueH! Waiting for more examples in other countries now...

poro · Joined: 04 Oct 2004 Posts: 274

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

1300 Euros a month, is that gros or net?
In the NL the salary for starters is 2200 Euros gros; 11 weeks holidays a year plus all the national bank holidays.
Every year you worked for a school your gros salary goes up 50-100Euros gros.
Teachers in Germany apparently get the highest wages in the EU.

gtidey · Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 93

A coisa eh (so tenho um keyboard ingles), Jorge, que aqui em Inglaterra professores normalmente sao ingles. Escolas parece preferir professores ingles porque podem ajudar estudantes em ingles perfeito e falar com os pais e tudo como isso. Um professor aqui so eh um outro professor. Nunca vi um professor estrangeiro em nada escola.

Falas muitas idiomas por isso posso ver que es professor muito bom, mas acho que podia ser dificil para ti encontrar trabalhar, em particular porque portugues nao eh ensinado aqui e os professores de frances sao ingles.

Sinto. Mesmo espero que encontras trabalho que paga melhor, mas acho que deves buscar outros pais tambem.

Se podes perceber este texto entao obviamente tou a aprender.

E-mail me se tens perguntas: [email protected].

Boa sorte!

Jorge · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Maia - Portugal

Hi Tidey! I wan't thinking of going to England, anyway. I've been to London and a couple of other places once and the weather was terrible even in August. I think you people may be depressed throughout the entire year, lol.
And, yes, I did understand what you wrote. Far from perfect but quite understandable. Are you learning Portuguese somewhere?

As for the money I make, which will be just a little more than the previously mentioned 1300 euros from now on, yeah, that's net. If it weren't, that would truly be dramatic. And I could even start thinking of leaving for England, lol.

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

So after 15 yrs you get 1300 net? That's about the starting salary for a teacher fresh out of college/uni if you work full-time.
The downside is, that the costs of living in Holland are much higher than in Portugal.

Jorge · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Maia - Portugal

And do you know what else? The public opinion has the preposterous opinion that teachers work too little and earn too much, which is a laugh. And loads of people believe they could teach teachers how to teach, which is another major laugh. Frankly, I don't know but I guess I should've been a rock star, lol.