Busting The Myths Surrounding Salary of Teachers

Did you know that teachers at an international school can easily get an annual salary starting from INR 20 lakhs?

Are you someone who enjoys teaching but when it comes to choosing it as a career, you become unsure because you’ve heard that it does not pay well enough? What if we tell you that you can pursue your dream to teach AND get a high salary at the same time?

Even though teaching remains one of the most essential jobs today, the youth do not see it as their primary aspiration. There are many factors behind it, one of which is the perception around teacher salaries. Time and again, we have seen teachers mark their dissatisfaction through protests and petitions. But, you will be glad to know that this is all changing, and for good.

Today teachers are as good as the corporate world. According to this Times of India article, international schools in Bangalore, India are offering lucrative salary packages coming to an average of INR 90,000 a month. The article also highlights that Indian schools too have started to follow suit and reports that a well-known chain of Indian public schools pays its primary section teachers between INR 62,000 and INR 1.75 lakhs.

Teachers in the USA are also getting paid handsomely, with states like New York and California paying up to $85.889 and $83,059, respectively. UAE, too, is known to pay its private school teachers handsomely within a range of Dh 11,000 to Dh 17,000 a month.

Fun Fact: Teachers’ salaries in the UAE are completely tax-free!

Do you know how much a teacher can actually earn? Let’s look at the teachers’ salaries in the highest-paying countries across the world.

Let us take a look at the top 5 countries in the world that pay their school teachers the highest salaries.

Luxembourg

According to the Economic Co-operation and Development report, Luxembourg pays its teachers the highest salaries in the world, which stands at $139,335.5. The country follows a trilingual education system with Luxembourgish, German, and French as the core languages.

Switzerland

Switzerland is known for its uncompromising quality of primary education and vocational training. It is also known for paying its teachers quite handsomely. Teachers in Switzerland have the second highest salaries in the world at $115,977.3. 

Germany 

Germans usually rely on public schools for their education. Teachers here earn the third highest salary in the world, which comes to a whopping $103,715.3.

The Netherlands

Teachers in The Netherlands can earn as high as $90,639.3. Usually those with around 12-15 years of experience tend to get the highest amount. The country has ample of International schools and a high demand for English language teachers. 

Austria 

If you want to start teaching in Austria, you can begin with just a bachelor’s degree and an internationally recognized TEFL certificate. Teachers here are paid pretty well at around $90,108.5, making this country the fifth in the list of countries with highest teacher’ salaries

Yes, every teacher can get a high paying position. It goes without saying that upskilling is one of the most crucial factors that can help a teacher land a lucrative salary. 21st-century schools expect teachers to be more than resources who teach lessons. Today, teachers are stimulants of social change that help prepare a new generation of global citizens.

Come, let’s look at some highly sought after skills that add value to a teacher’s profile:

Modern Assessment Skills

This includes the quality to conduct, record and communicate assessments. Teachers with these skills are able to use rubrics in assessment and utilise assessment data for monitoring learners’ achievement. 

Using Technology in Teaching

Every school today expects their teachers to know how to use technology effectively to create engaging learning experiences. Teachers should have adequate knowledge about the latest edu-tech tools and should also have expertise in managing student data through technology. 

Differentiation

Teachers who possess the skill of differentiation customise their lessons and instructions according to different students’ strengths, challenges, likes and dislikes. Here, teachers are trained to use techniques like reciprocal learning, continuous assessment, and more. 

Child Psychology 

With much greater exposure to the outer world and increasing competition, mental health issues have been increasing in school students. Teachers who are skilled in Child Psychology are quick at identifying such students by observing and analysing their behavioural patterns. Such teachers are also skilled in creating safe and supportive classroom environments.

We all know the old saying, “Talent never goes unnoticed”. It is often easier for skilled teachers to find a high paying job. Hence, continuous upskilling is crucial for teachers. Schools everywhere are on a hunt to hire talented teachers, and they have no qualms in remunerating them handsomely. 

So, if you are a teacher waiting for that much-deserved salary hike, you should definitely research the upskilling opportunities available for you. Suraasa has a range of online certifications benchmarked against international teaching standards. Feel free to check them out here. These certifications help you validate your skills and catch the attention of the right school for that career jump.