From ABCs to Double Ds.
For Allinson Chavez, teaching toddlers the alphabet just wasn’t bringing home the bacon — so the curvy Queens native ditched her grammar school gig to whip up chicken wings at Hooters.
“I was making $1,000 twice a month as an educator,” Chavez, 32, a single mother, told The Post. “Now, I can make $1,000 in two days.”
The money-hungry millennial finds herself among a growing number of educators who are giving up on the demands of the classroom because of crushing paychecks — and major burnout.
A recent report from RAND, a research and development firm, found that “the pandemic has worsened work-related stress for K-12 teachers and principals,” making them feel twice as overtaxed as adults. others who work.
In fact, the American Educational Research Association determined that teachers are 40% more likely to report anxiety symptoms than health care workers, 20% more than office workers, and 30% more than members of the military, legal experts, and farmers.
Blackboard’s men and women are increasingly admitting they are troubled by the threat of random violence and abuse at the hands of students — like the 6-year-old who shot and wounded Virginia teacher Abby Zwerner before boasting, “ I shot him dead.”
Stacey Sawyer, 55, a former eighth-grade teacher from Cape Coral, Florida, previously told The Post that checking in each day had become a “dreadful” task because of the fights and assaults that plagued the site. her work. In June 2022, she retired from teaching after three decades behind the desk.
“His stress was too great,” Sawyer said. “I hated it even just driving on the way to school. I didn’t want to go anymore.â€
For many people, dwelling on the trauma is simply not worth the trouble.
“I was a special education assistant for 10 years and I was only making $46,000,” Chavez revealed. “After COVID, it was difficult to get kids to reach their grade level after distance learning.â€
“I had to deal with a lot of behavioral issues,” continued the former teacher, who worked at an elementary school in Elmhurst. “Sometimes the children would abuse verbally and physically.â€
“I was living paycheck to paycheck, feeling stuck and mentally drained – it was time to move on.”
Chavez tendered her resignation from the Department of Education last spring — originally hoping to switch to software engineering.
However, after undergoing six months of boot camp training in user experience design, and applying to over 500 positions within the field, she failed to secure serious employment.
So, in September, Mom threw it at Hooters.
“I got hired on the spot,” said Chavez, whose sister, herself a Hooters alum, encouraged her to apply for a job as a smoke show server at the franchise’s Fresh Meadows location.
“I really like it here,” she added. “People will tip you just because you are beautiful.â€
Bomba made $100 in 10 minutes during her first week on the floor, she said, and now makes about $5,000 to $10,000 more a year than she did teaching thanks to tips.
“One customer gave me $300 and ordered just a couple of beers, which are $8 each,” she laughed. “My secret is that I really care about my clients. They come to Hooters to get away from their real life stress and I’m happy to give them my best service. It’s rewarding.â€
Although Chavez often misses her students, as well as the integrated health care benefits, summer breaks and other perks of being a teacher, she now gets to choose her own schedule. And she is happier – at least for now.
“Hooters was never in my plans,” the brunette admitted, noting her hope to eventually pursue entrepreneurship.
“But, hey, money is money.”
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Image Source : nypost.com
