I’m
twenty-nine with a degree in dance; I teach jazz, modern and
ballet for the teacher I grew up taking class from. This
teacher inspired me to become a dancer and teacher. After
graduating I spent a couple of years performing and then I
went directly home to work for her.
When I
started teaching I was just so excited to teach and be home
that I agreed to be paid $15.00 per class. That was five years
ago and I’ve never received a raise since; although my hours
have increased tremendously. Currently, I’m working twenty-one
hours per week teaching everything from creative movement to
the competition dancers. That doesn’t include extra
rehearsals, traveling with the students to performances, extra
choreography, etc; all of which I receive no compensation for.
My teacher
has turned most of her classes over to me, which I consider an
honor because as far as I’m concerned, she’s one of the best
teachers I’ve ever encountered anywhere. However, I’m starting
to feel like I’m being taken advantage of . . . I’m opening
and closing the school, while my teacher (owner) very rarely
comes in anymore. I understand that she’s paid her dues and
has earned her time off, but I think my work-load and
responsibility is worth more compensation than I’m receiving.
At the end
of last season, I spoke with my teacher about a raise and I
tried to talk about receiving additional compensation for the
non-teaching hours. She basically told me that the
non-teaching hours were part of my job description, but she
did tell me that I deserved more. She told me that she would
go home to discuss it with her husband. I never heard another
word.
We’re more
than half-way through this season and I can’t go on without
knowing that something is going to change. But, I love this
woman for all that she has given me and so many other
students. I haven’t had the guts to open my mouth because I
don’t want to hurt her, nor do I want to lose my job.
You often
write about the teacher who has a student or former teacher
open a school up the street and I think that’s terrible, but
my situation makes me wonder how many of those former students
or teachers found themselves in my situation and just couldn’t
take it anymore.
By the way,
when I started teaching our school had about 250 students,
today we have more than 400, so I do believe that my teacher
could afford to give me a raise.
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