I debated on whether I should do a nice Thanksgiving Day post as I’ve done in the past (I still love this one.) But this year, I thought I would write a post for those of you who have barely made it through the October slump, and are so dreading the return to school next week that you can’t even enjoy your time off. The idea of going back to that place just makes you sick to your stomach. I get it. I have been in your shoes. And I’ll share with you what happened when I quit my teaching position at exactly this point in the school year almost ten years ago.
Quitting was one of the hardest decisions I ever made. My administrators were blindsided by the decision–after all, I was an experienced teacher with multiple years in urban schools, and I had a good handle on my classroom. My students were learning, and their benchmark test scores showed strong gains. The kids liked me, their parents liked me. Things seemed to be fine. But what people didn’t know was that it took EVERYTHING out of me to keep it that way.
I had just moved to the state and had no idea what to expect in my new school. I was disappointed to learn that most of my second graders were reading on a late kindergarten level, and the pressure to get them up to speed was weighing heavily on me. We had no windows in our classroom, and were not allowed to have recess or any break at all during the day (per district mandate), so I was stuck in a tiny, dark classroom with a large class of energetic seven-year-olds and zero outlet for all their energy.
Beyond our four walls, the school’s atmosphere was in total chaos. We couldn’t send students to the bathroom alone, as there had been instances of both girls and boys being raped there by other students. One of my kids found a knife on the ground on our way to lunch. An off-duty police officer and a drill sargent were hired to help control the students in the cafeteria: one of them would bend over and scream in the children’s faces while the other marched up and down the center aisle, yelling into a microphone as the kids threw food around his head.
Not exactly a fun working and learning environment.
Things were quite a bit calmer in my classroom, but student behaviors still posed a huge problem. Getting students to respond appropriately to even the smallest request took Herculean, first-day-of-school efforts from me. It was like the movie Groundhog Day. We practiced the same basic routines and procedures over and over, and three quarters of the class just wasn’t internalizing anything.
I remember the exact breaking point. I hadn’t used our social studies books yet but there was a particular passage I wanted the kids to read as an intro to our activity. I said to the class, “Okay, when you hear the magic signal, you’re going to take out your social studies books and turn to page 35.” At the mention of the word social studies, one student burst into tears and crawled under desk so he could bang his head against the floor. (Apparently this was a behavior he’d started in first grade and his previous teacher had no idea why.) Another boy murmured something under his breath, causing all the children in his vicinity to say, “Awwww! Ms. Powell! Andre called you a B word!”
Simultaneously, another child took out his social studies book but accidentally dropped it on the floor, causing the children around him to laugh. “What’chu laughin’ at, punk? Shut the F up!” and then punched the kid nearest him in the arm. The child who was punched did the same thing right back. The two of them sat there glaring at each other, and the children around them were either frozen in anticipation or egging them on to a fight.
Almost every child in the classroom was now either disrupting the lesson or distracted by the disrupters. One child had her hand up asking to go the bathroom. Another had his hand up and was pointing at the child next to him, who was gleefully ripping out pages of the social studies book. Yet another child was tapping me on my arm and asking me to repeat the page number.
As I took a deep breath and made a decision about which fire to put out first, I heard a scuffle outside the door and a voice come over the intercom. “Lockdown, code 3. Lockdown, code 3.” That meant the police were pursuing a suspect in the neighborhood, and I had to cover the small window on our door and move the class away from it.
It was in that moment that I knew my job was not worth the energy expenditure I had to put out everyday. I realized that I was up against too many obstacles, and most of them were insurmountable. Things were not going to improve significantly and I was going to go home exhausted every day for the entire year. It wasn’t that I was incapable of handling it. That day, I could have had the class back on task within a minute or two after all those interruptions. But those things happened all day long, every day. I was managing the classroom, I was maintaining some sense of order, but I wasn’t teaching.
I wanted to have deep conversations with my students about current events. I wanted to delve into books with them and watch their eyes light up when they made connections between the text and their own lives. I wanted to see them develop a sense of curiosity and wonder about the world through investigations in science. I wanted to teach. But after seven weeks of school–almost the entire first quarter–the kids still weren’t anywhere near ready for those things. And so I was still spending the entire day disciplining students and teaching them basic work habits and socio-emotional skills.
The worst part? All teachers who were new to the district were required to stay in the same school for THREE YEARS. Sticking it out until June wouldn’t have done me any good, because I would have had no choice but to return to the same situation again in the fall. And again the following fall. I was trapped in that level of stress for another two and a half years, and the thought of going in for even one more day after the long weekend passed was enough to make me physically ill.
And yet the guilt I felt over even thinking about quitting was indescribable. Was I really willing to abandon such a needy group of children in the middle of the school year? What kind of person would give up on those kids and look for an easier job just so her own life could be more comfortable? I felt selfish. I felt like a hypocrite. I felt like a failure as a teacher.
But I had to do it. My principal was shocked and furious, vowing that I’d never work in the district again (Not for a million dollars, lady!, I wanted to yell.) Even worse was the unexpected reaction of my students. Most of them barely blinked when I told them Friday would be my last day. Part of their nonchalance was because of their young age, but I realized with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that they were so used to losing teachers and other important adults in their lives on just a moment’s notice that this was par for the course. I got hugs and letters and a few tears on the last day, but the majority of the class was so wrapped up in their own issues that they weren’t even thinking about me. Five minutes before the final bell rang, two of my toughest kids got in a physical altercation over an eraser one of them had thrown, and I was so busy dealing with them and school security that there was no opportunity to have wistful goodbyes. My time at that school ended just as chaotically as it had started.
My decision to quit in the middle of the year would have been much tougher if I’d had to leave the field altogether. I know that’s the situation for many of you who are reading this post and unable to find other teaching jobs. I quit in a year when there were far more teaching positions then qualified teachers. You’re going to groan when I tell you that within a day of making my decision, I had an interview in a neighboring county and was hired on the spot. But maybe you can relate to this part: the hope that in a different school, the love of teaching would return.
I can tell you without a doubt that it did. My new school had its problems, of course, but I felt safe there. My students were safe. And I was able to really teach again. I stayed in the classroom for another five years (and probably would have stayed longer, except I got married, moved to New York, and started doing instructional coaching). I even chose to spend my last two years as a classroom teacher in another inner city school. Urban teaching is where my heart has always been, and will always be. I know that it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. These days I work with teachers in some of the toughest areas of Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Bronx, and I see the amazing things they’re able to do. The quality of teaching and learning in many high-poverty schools is truly exceptional and they can be fantastic places to work.
There’s no clear-cut moral to this story, I suppose. I’m hoping it’s helpful just to know you’re not the only one and someone else has been through this. But there are a few other things I want you to know if you feel like quitting teaching right now or are still feeling tremendous guilt about having quit:
1) It’s not your imagination–teaching IS getting harder. Our students are coming to school with more and more problems, and the bar for achievment is continually being raised.
2) Sometimes, the school year does not get easier with time, and that’s not necessarily your fault. Usually I’ve found that teaching becomes less stressful as the year progresses because students get the routines and make more and more academic progress. Occasionally, though, this was not true for me and it’s not true for other teachers I know. Sometimes the class is just a really difficult one and your stress level won’t improve until the following year when you have a different group. That’s very normal.
3) You are not a bad teacher just because your job feels too hard. Even the best teachers get put in situations that are physically and mentally exhausting. Feeling like you want to quit does not mean that you were not cut out for the job, or are a bad person. The position you’re in just may not be the best one for you, or you may just be having an exceptionally tough year.
4) Quitting does not equal failure. I struggled with the decision to quit long after I’d left the job, because I felt like I had abandoned the kids who needed me the most. I had to remind myself over and over: It’s not that I couldn’t do the job, it’s that I chose not to for my own mental well-being and physical health. I was not a failure, I was successful in taking care of myself. I have many other responsibilities in life in addition to being a teacher, and I was not willing to let all those other areas fall apart because of my job.
5) There are lots of ways to use your talents and gifts to help children. Many teachers who quit still have a deep desire to work with children and make a difference in their lives. There are many, many ways to do that. Your career as an educator does not have to be over simply because you don’t want to stay where you’re at.
Now, to be clear: I’m not telling you to quit your job. Quitting is not always the right decision: in fact, there were plenty of other low points in my teaching career in which I wanted to walk away but didn’t. During those times, I found that I was frustrated in the moment, but I knew in my heart that things WOULD get better, that an overbearing principal would transfer to another school (he did), that the transition to a new curriculum would be for the best (it was), or that I could make it through just a few more months with an exasperating parent or student (I did.) One of the best things about teaching is that every fall is a new start. Sometimes the best thing to do is hold on until then.
But for those of you who have emailed asking me whether to quit your job or teach on (and there have been dozens of those emails over the years), I continue to say: do what you know is best for yourself. If you’re not sure, keep teaching. Hang in there as long as you can. Read Awakened: Change Your Mindset to Transform Your Teaching and other resources to help you deal with stress. If and when you hit that breaking point–your gut feeling is to go, and the reasons to leave truly outweigh the reasons to stay–you’ll know, and you shouldn’t ignore that realization if you can find another option.
You will hear many voices within the school system telling you to prioritize your work (or more accurately, your students’ test scores) but it will be far less often that you hear the message to prioritize your health and well-being. I’m telling you that today. It might mean finding another job, or it might mean staying and developing different coping strategies for stress, but my advice is to do whatever it takes to avoid complete burn out. I think as teachers we owe that to ourselves.
I’d love to read your stories on this topic. Have you ever quit mid-year? Are you thinking about doing it? What advice would you give teachers who are in that position?
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This is so sad, this is why Teachers get a bad rap! When pursing the teaching profession, people really should think about the worst situation possible and if they can handle it (mentally, emotionally, physically, etc.), instead of quitting when things seems impossible. I’m not judging your personal decision to quit, just that teaching isn’t for everyone, but people should figure that out before going into the field and giving up on the “bad” kids. More than likely those are the kids that needed you the most and just like you said, they have been left before so that is all they know. Knowing that and turning around and doing it to them is just atrocious. I think a huge injustice is done when teachers don’t stick it out. True, someone should not be a teacher if they can’t hack it or just don’t want to do it anymore, then they definitely shouldn’t be a teacher. I’m just disappointed by how the public and media treats teachers, and situations like this add to it. Again, I’m not trying to be judgmental on your own decision, in fact it was probably the best idea that you quit if your heart wasn’t in it. I’m just frustrated that people can give up on the difficult children, knowing full well that the teaching profession should inspire and attempt to help all students regardless of situation or ability. I urge everyone to do your homework before picking the teaching profession because ALL children need inspiring, strong, and caring teachers!
Veronica, I am just curious – are you a teacher? Have you ever been in a teaching situation such as the one described above? I am also not judging your response to Angela’s post, but as you mentioned in your comment, you hate the way the public and the media treat teachers (I do too – in fact, teachers are my passion), but yet, in the next breath, you essentially DID cast your judgement on her decision, calling it ‘atrocious’. What I am finding more and more, is that quite a lot of people have a lot to say about teaching and teachers who have never stepped foot in a classroom, or who have taught a day in their lives, and unless you’ve been in a situation like Angela’s, there is no way to know how you would respond. In Angela’s post, I didn’t glean anywhere from it that her heart wasn’t in it. In fact, quite the opposite as she dreamed of being able to share literature and critical thinking, and stir up curiosity and wonder through science, but in her situation, it was impossible to get past the environment of the school, and the baggage that these children brought to the classroom that made teaching equivalent to climbing a mountain by one’s fingertips – every.single.day. Two things I am frustrated with in all of this (while we’re sharing frustrations): 1) In all of the increased expectations and elevated academic rigor for achievement, coupled with the behavioral issues on the rise (and not just in urban areas), NO ONE is talking about how to provide teachers with ways to fortify themselves mentally, physically, emotionally to continue to do what they do to the capacity that is expected. Teachers are expected to be superhuman and 110% selfless, even to the detriment of their own health and wellbeing. 2) There appears to be SOME talk and research depicting the increasing behavioral issues in classrooms, and the students’ home lives and backgrounds being at the root of these issues but VERY LITTLE in the way of talking about solutions. We’re essentially saying, ‘We know children are going to school with more needs than ever on top of their academic needs, but let the teachers handle it.’ End of story. There needs to be more conversation about change, and bringing an awareness to the public as the realities of what our teachers are up against daily. Then there needs to be a plan to support them, and not just in word only.
I could go on. As you’re thinking about teachers that are horrible or selfish for leaving the profession, please also be thinking of ways to help improve the state of education.
Veronica, I am a teacher who left the profession. Most of us thought long and hard about going into teaching and worked very hard to be the best teachers we could possible be, for the kids. But there was no way to prepare for what we have had to face. It’s like trying to imagine childbirth before going through it, or like knowing how we will react in a crisis situation when we’ve never been in one.
Teaching is one crisis situation after another, especially in the inner city. What I had to do was to make a decision about the value of my own health. The decision to leave the teaching profession was extremely difficult. My heart was in it, but it was making me emotionally and physically ill.
I agree with Blithe. I can’t imagine myself doing anthing but being a teacher. I do though have to draw the line when the time I take to do all the obligations and work required takes away from my family, and my personal health (spiritual and physical). Being a teacher today is becoming more and more difficult. You don’t know what you might do in any given situation unless you have walked in that teacher’s shoes.
Thank you Blithe for your insight. I couldn’t agree more. I have to tell those of you struggling with the decision to leave, I was so nervous to provide my principal with my letter of resignation, but am now so glad I did. I am ready to move forward. I will continue with the field of education, but in the college sector. I am not sure if I will return to the elementary school classroom, as I no longer believe in the changes that are being made constantly. Teachers are now treated like unworthy slaves, and that breaks my heart. If my heart and soul are not in it, it is not fair to all of those souls who need someone whose is. My next task is to write a book on my experiences to hopefully shed light to those who have no true idea what is going on behind the closed door.
Waving the Flag,
I salute your courage. Curious as to what your letter said and how it was received. Haven’t surrendered yet. Still looking for another job first. So happy for you. Good luck in your new endeavors.
Read this: so true! http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2012/10/29/letter-from-disgusted-teacher-i-quit/
I agree with Blithe. I was a teacher for 7 years. I just quit two days ago, right after our district’s return from the winter holiday. Never in my life did I think I would do something so risky as quitting my teaching job mid-year. But a series of events led me to this difficult decision. My body crashed. The stress and pressure that I used to handle with ease was manifesting itself in a great depression that left me feeling guilty. I had no gusto. My husband a daughter suffered because of it. It was a struggle, but I made the difficult decision to leave the profession behind me. I feel that I may have let the kids down but I also know that fourth graders are resilient and in 10 years this will be a blip on their radar. My ultimate complaint about the job is the relentless pile of duties and paperwork given to teachers with no regard for the number of hours in the day. It became so thankless for me that I had to quit for my own health. Were my first 6 years of teaching enjoyable? Yes. But it seems like this year contained the over-scheduling of meetings, half-hearted professional development agendas, over-bearing parents, and ever difficult process for getting struggling students help that was just enough for me to resign. Believe me when I say I am not the type of person to do such a thing. But I would hope that other people reading this post who have maybe done searches about getting out of the teaching profession would take solice in my story. And make a decision for YOUR SELF. Teachers take care of others’ needs all day long. If your job is harming you emotionally, physically and spiritually, DONT DO IT!!! While I’m scared of my immediate future I know things will be ok, my husband is supportive of my new focus to care for my sanity
and my daughter is going to have a happier mommy. To the people who think those of us that quit “give teachers a bad name” for running when it gets hard….change your perspective a bit. If you had a friend who was an accountant and they were unhappy with their job would you sink so low as to judge them for needing a change? Teaching may be a calling, it deals with precious children and it’s noble but when you step far enough out of the bubble of education you realize it’s just a job like pumping gas or serving fries.
Sarah,
I am curious as to what state you teach in. I am in the same boat. I just got back from break and I am ready to resign. It’s just too much. I am trying to stick it out and find another job first. However, I don’t know if I can make it until May 28th.
Andrea,
I had planned to stick it out through this entire year as well (my husband and I agreed upon that earlier this school year) but, like I said, my body told me otherwise when I had such terrible anxiety that I didn’t want to do anything! If you can stick it out, do. It makes the most sense financially, right? But I will tell you this…the day I spoke with my principal and told him I wasn’t coming back I felt such a weight lifted. I hadn’t felt that great in months. I live in Oregon. I don’t know teachers in any other states so I’m not sure if I had it better or worse as far as the job goes. I just know that we get one life and I was not going to do this til retirement so I made the change.
Sarah,
I hear what you are saying!! I keep hanging in there hoping for a change or a new job offering but the stress is taking its toll. I just don’t have the nerve to quit without another job lined up. State tests came back very low last week so now there is even more pressure added. Just praying my way through this. I admire your courage and can only imagine how much lighter you feel.
My daughter’s two teachers of a combined 5th, 6th, 7th grade classroom of a private school quit midyear too. One called me to give me the news on the first day after Christmas break. She said they were being harassed and going to start their own school. She was calling each parent ( except the parent on the school’s board). At first, I was supportive. I understand how stressful teaching in our current environment is. Later, after further investigation, I changed my mind. I found many details were distorted based on reports by fellow teachers, parents and the children. The deciding factor for me was the testimony ( corroborated by my child and other children in the class) that the children saw both teachers that Tuesday. The waved and called hello to both AND THE TEACHERS TURNED THEIR BACKS ON THEM. The child that told me this was one of the two of the sixteen students that my daughter ( 11 years young and innocent) had reported were most devastated by the teachers leaving. I have lost all respect for these two teachers. I am a physician and am bound by law ( not to mention ethics) not to abandon my patients. I have to put my patients needs above my own. if I am not emotionally sound enough to practice, I am expected to turn in my license. There are now 16 souls facing abandonment issues that will scar them for a lifetime. I have lost respect for these teachers that did not at least say good bye to their students. I hope they never are in the position to hurt other children.
Suzanne,
That sounds like a terrible experience for the students, parents and remainder of the school staff. I agree that what you described was very unprofessional. I hope that my posts above (tinged with a bit of venting) did not make it seem as though I don’t care for the students or the profession. In fact it’s quite the opposite. And I feel resolve with the way I said goodbye to my students. To use some of your words, I don’t feel emotionally sound enough to give my elementary teaching position it’s due diligence while simultaneously giving the same time to my toddler and husband. Granted, this is unique to me and many women manage this and more with grace. I simply had to make a life change. I am now working through the guilt of leaving something I once loved but ultimately put my own health above the profession. That I cannot apologize for. I am sorry that the students at your school are feeling abandoned…they have every right to feel that way. But I always remind myself that children are resilient. That won’t stop the anguish now, I know, but it has proven true over time in my experience. I sincerely hope the situation at your school changes for the better!
Sarah,
I would not have had a problem if the teachers had explained and said good bye. Nothing we ( parents and other teachers) say seems to help them. I am glad you said good bye. I trusted these teachers with my children. I will not do it again with these particular ladies ( who are starting their own school). This does not apply to you or any of the other teachers who leave without hurting the children.
And about children being resilient. They are not as resilient as you think. You are not the first adult who has mentioned this. I was surprised at first, but I later realized not everyone is as aware of the effects of childhood trauma as I am.. I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist by training. However, I now see adults and geriatrics. Abandonment scars cause problems that last into adulthood. That is why divorce is so harmful to children. It is as though these children have lost someone through death. A few have asked if this happened because they were bad. Mine just keeps it inside. Some of the parents have even suggested grief counseling. This incident affected many people.
I made sure to say good-bye, not only to my students, but also to my parents, and my colleagues. I also made gift bags for all of the kids with special messages inside. I also keep in touch with the new teacher who took my position (God bless her). My health is now much better and I have had several people tell me how much better I sound when I talk to them. I feel like I have gained my life back, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I was doing a disservice to those students by staying any longer. I was absolutely miserable. I was angry. I was exhausted from working 15-17 hour days which my boss told us were expected of us, I was tired of getting sick from being so worn down, I couldn’t do it any longer. My advice to those of you who are ready to resign, do make sure you find something you can fall back on, even if it is part time, independent tutoring, subbing for the district, administrative assistant, working at the mall, anything to be able to get out and regain who you’ve lost sight of. Best of luck to those of you who are trying to decide what to do. Don’t let the guilt of leaving weigh on you, the kids WILL be okay!! Most importantly, do what is best for you and your family. It is not worth losing a marriage over, not having any energy or time to take care of your own children, and allowing your health to deteriorate like mine did. There is light at the end of the tunnel, I promise you.
I have been teaching 8 years, 7 of those in urban settings, but this past year we moved to a smaller town and I’m in a rural school district. Even though there are hardly any behavior issues, I still feel burnt out. A group of teachers were talking recently about what could we even do for a living if we didn’t teach. I would love some ideas for a former teacher. I’m not seriously considering leaving at the moment, but I do think about it.
What you don’ t address are the significant discrepancies in pay and respect when comparing teachers and physicians. Most of us anticipated the low wages but the blatant disrespect is completely unexpected and difficult to overlook.
I intended this as a reply to Suzanne.
Lisa, I do not hink you or any of the teachers on this page have mistreated children like our 2 teachers did. Money and respect have nothing to do with mistreating children. I am not saying stay in a profession that doesn’t pay. I am saying get out without hurting the children in your care. My post had nothing to do with the people here. I was just needing to vent about the treatment of our 16 children. 2 weeks have passed and my daughter is still having trouble.
Howver, regarding the pay issue not all physicians are wealthy and the pay is much worse than it used to be. I had to go to college, med school and residency/ fellowship 15 years total. I have 100k student loan debt ( my husband had 75k and has never been able to work at ant more tha a minimum wage job because of health issues- nursing not physician). I usually make about 80 k, but have made about 70k. Some teachers make more than I do (administrators), so for the years of my life and the hell I went through, the difference is not that much.
That being said, teachers do not get paid enough. My GGM always tod me there were 3 noble professions, preacher, teacher and physician. I started out at 11 wanting to be a missionary. I changed to planning to get a Ph. D. in English History. However, a year after graduating and putting myself through a very difficult life experience, I took the advice of a man who was a car salesman and was a previous college professor, “Do something else, teachers don’t get paid well”. So, at 19, I reexamined my life and at 33 graduated from med school. I had planned initially to do pediatrics, the very lowest paying specialty, but changed to child psychiatry because my initial plan was to work with abused children and I didn’t think psychiatrists could help. I think police and firemen are under paid as well.
I agree with the respect issues, though. Psychiatrists don’t always get the respect the other specialties do, but all physicians get more respect than most people. Many do not deserve that respect. I do think teachers also get more respect from the community, parents and kids than most other people. It is the individual teachers that don’t get respect from the administrations, institutions and governments they work for.
Money and respect should have nothing to do with not mistreating children. Anyone, from a babysitter (low pay), to a stepparent ( no pay), to a teacher, coach, clergy, physician) have a duty to put the children’s needs before their own if they are going to work with them. Teacher, like doctors and clergy, in a position of authority. The potential for abuse is huge. Anyone who goes into these endeavors just for money and respect should find another profession.
It’s helpful to read all the comments and suggestions. I’m currently a librarian who is extremely homesick (spouse, pets, house 3 hours away). And I am disheartened that the career I loved has so changed that the requirements and expectations are not much different than classroom teaching. I wanted to share a love of literature thru simply sharing stories and modeling reading, but now I am tasked to implement the latest strategies, content lessons, assignments, and basically show that all I do corresponds to the ‘test.’ And teachers are stressed to the max. I wanted library to be a respite from the day to day tasks of the classroom, as modeled by my mentor. This is only one of many issues in public ed that are sad for me. I have already made the decision to not sign for another year, but I just don’t know if I can make it until June, the homesickness is so unbearable. Just thought I’d share.
I quit my teaching job mid-year, too.
I loved my school. I spent eight years at that middle school. They hired me straight out of college. Looking back on it now, I feel like my co-workers watched me grow up. They helped raise me.
But, last year, I found my breaking point.
I broke.
I always said that when I became a mean teacher, I would leave. And I had become a mean teacher. I was teaching an elective that the kids did not get to pick – Creative Writing. My classes were huge (35 and up) and I was also stuck in a windowless room, in the back of the school. For some reason, I’d gotten a really challenging crop of kids. There was very little disciplinary support from the front office, and very few rules I was allowed to actually enforce with any authority. I was charged with making all my own curriculum but not given any direction, then I got slammed by admin for not being on pace with a non-existing learning schedule. I had one functioning computer for the students to use while the other elective in my grade level had a full production graphics design studio. Oh, did I mention the 35 thirteen year olds in the room?
I’m a good teacher. I know this. I love children. I love learning and I am constantly searching for new ways to reach my students. Also – I’m a great employee. I always to what I’m told, when I’m told. I constantly offer and give help to others. I practically made a career of scratching backs. So, I don’t think it was unreasonable to that when I asked for help, I expected to get it. But all I was hearing was “No”.
During this time, I was serving as the yearbook advisor. I loved those kids. My yearbook kids were hard-working, sweet, and dependable. Additionally, I was working part-time for a virtual school as academic integrity support. These two second jobs were necessary because my salary was slashed 10% in the last three years of my employment with the county. When you’re not making much to start, 10% hurts. It really hurts.
So, when my virtual school offered me a full-time teaching job, at the same salary as all three of my jobs, and the opportunity to work from home, I was at once overjoyed and immediately conflicted. Would it get better next year? I didn’t know, but honestly, I didn’t want to know. If it was going to get better, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be there anymore.
I still didn’t think I could do it. I didn’t think I could go. Could I leave my kids? Could I leave my friends? Could I leave my school?
Yes, I could. And I did.
I agonized for weeks, but when the time came to make a decision, I went with the virtual school. I don’t regret my decision, not for one minute. I’m extremely supported at my new school, I get to work from home, and I’m still teaching. I get to spend one-on-one time with my students for however long they need me. My kids come from all walks of life – teen moms, hospital homebound, caring for sick parents, military families, and kids who just don’t find the brick and mortar schools to be a good fit. Is is perfect? No. But was it the right decision for me? Yes.
As teachers, we are here to serve the needs of others. You can’t possibly do that if you’re unhappy. You can probably skate by for awhile, but if you can’t give 100%, then there’s no way you’ll get 100% back.
My students treated me like a princess during my last week, and their loving acts were not lost on me. It stung when my principal didn’t really acknowledge my departure, in any official or private capacity. I chose to interpret his actions as a reaction to being hurt, and not really meant to hurt me. It was disappointing, but thankfully, my co-workers cheered me off into my new job and showered me with hugs.
I did what was the right thing for me, and I know it was best for my students. They didn’t need another disgruntled, angry, burnt out teacher. They needed who I used to be. I’m happy to say that my new students are getting to old me, the happy me, the true “teacher” version of me.
Quitting mid-year?
So worth it.
good for you…proud you found success elsewhere
I’m hanging in there until May. The passion, patience and tolerance are gone. I’m currently an elective teacher of Nutrition. I’m also a certified School Counselor. If I’m not hired as a Counselor, I will end my career as a classroom teacher. Point blank. Ditto to everything read in the above posts.
Any ideas on jobs for former teachers?
Many management jobs only require a degree,,,not specific to the job…just so you can prove you can organize and manage people…who better than a teacher?
I’ve been teaching for over 25 years. There have times over the years that I have wondered how I was going to get through the next month, week, day, or even hour. Teaching is a tough profession. If you are a title 1 school, you must deal with issues related to poverty and violence. If you work at a middle class school, you must deal with individuals that feel teachers are beneath them. There is no perfect place to teach, nor is there a perfect class, but what gets me through the day is the love that I have for each of my students.
Today, members of the district visited our classrooms. They were not happy with my grade level. Each of us were doing what was expected of us, but not what the district wanted to see. I was working with a small group of students, preparing them to work with partners on a comprehension activity while 2/3 of my class were either on computers working on Destinations (a program that the district wants the students on each day) or working on other assignments. My principal wants us to conduct small reading groups. How do you conduct small reading groups if the other students are doing mindless worksheets? The disconnect between what districts, principals, parents, and students wants makes teaching very difficult. How do I satisfy everyone? Simply, you can’t please everyone all the time or even any time. I was doing what my students needed at the time. I did nothing wrong even if the district didn’t see anything right. Oh well, I can’t help that these individuals are short sighted.
As a 25 year veteran teacher, I have seen it all. I have gone through a half dozen programs and adoptions. Everyone thinks he knows what the kids need. Just like this group of District People, everyone thinks they have the perfect answers. Ironically, no one does. No class is ever the same from year to the next. No student is ever the same from year to year and no school is exactly alike. One year, I will have a good year, and the next year, I will be wringing my hands all year. I have seen 7 superintendents come and go, worked with 12 principals, taught from 6 different Language Arts series, and have seen the pendulum swing back and forth so many times that I feel dizzy from all the changes. I have been a gifted teacher to some and a pariah to others. Some parents have loved me and others have hated me. But… all in all, I have taught children to the best of my ability and loved them all with all my heart. I am not been a perfect teacher, but I have given my all. Of the 700 plus students that I have taught, they know one thing — that I loved them and I did my best. When I am laid to rest, it will say “Here lies a teacher who loved us best.” At the end of the day, that is all that anyone can ask of us — to do our best and love them as we do our best.
overwhelmed and confused
thanks for sharing you experiences !
it was very helpful 2 me !
I need to leave bc I ‘m giving it all that I can and it doesn’t seem to be enough. I’m a new Mom and my job is taking time away family. My princpal has written me up for submitting late assessment data and lesson plans … poor classroom management bc i wasnt able 2 handle a few students misbehavior on my own.I had to develop a teacher improvement plan and implement it now which is causing me more stress bc my principal made it clear I should take leave
but I can’t financially my husband keeps telling me hang in there the year is almost over ! he will become the breadwinner for next year so I can stay home with our baby girl. He doesn’t get how hard it is 2 manage 26 kindergarteners without any help and more pressure to administer many assessments individually (that’s a requirement) my husband has an office job where he can put his call on hold or call the customer back later/use the bathroom anytime he needs to. I’m afraid to tell my husband that I need to leave I think Im reaching my breaking point and it looks like its all downhill. My husband says other teachers teach and have time for their family. Why can’t I ? this makes me feel like failure.
I want to quit but I feel guilty leaving the students they all are very nice and well behaved except 4 several students behavior makes it difficult to teach. defiance/not staying seat/running around the room/a student who has repeatedly stolen from me and classmates, my breaking point was when two children were running around the room,refused to talk with me in private/go 2 time out it …
they were so disruptive i couldn’t teach refused 2 have a time out in my neighbor
classrm. i had to call the principal the well behaved kids were annoyed and had lost interest in the a have a few copycats ! this scenario is not good fot my TIP i feel like i’m failing that too. If I do leave i dont no what 2 say 2 students/co-workers/parents and I feel like my principal was right I’m not meant 2 b in this setting but would be good in a daycare setting, I feel like its best for my students they will b able to learn more. I feel so bad that I have used up all my sick days and feel uncomfortable saying I needed a mental health day. any advice or suggestions ? I already received call asking if i’m ok am i aiI have been out this entire week after I had to call the office 3 daqys in row afraid how that will b documented on my TIP embarassed kids will go home tell parents about those misbehaviors/parents will call 2 complain….i have lost my confidence and feel really bad about myself bc i didnt plan on being out that long had 2 fax my l plans which is not good 4 my TIP
I appreciate any advice/suggestions thnxs again
I so understand and relate to this article and many of the teachers who have posted. I taught public school for 4 years. My children were not being challenged at all so for 4 years I homeschooled. That was the best thing I ever did for my family. When they reached the ages beyond my teaching credentials I placed them in a private school where I also picked up a job for 2 years. So, after ten years of teaching, I took a long look at what I’d been through. Having a sexually abusive background, the perpetrator began showing up at my work my 3rd year of teaching. He was good friends with my principal. He’d already served time in prison for what he had done. I approached my principal and asked if he knew what the perpetrator had done. All my principal would say was, “I know him and you can keep your job as long as you are willing to work hard.” See, he had been told by the perpetrator that I had recanted my story and he was released. Not so. It was against the law for the man to be on school grounds. But, he would come every week to have a referee’s meeting with my principal during school hours. I hated the politics. I quit working for that school that year. It was a sad time for me. I was so low over believing my principal believed the perp. over me. I went into a depression. Then I pulled myself together and began homeschooling, not only to challenge my children, but to get them away from such evil. Yes, a huge investigation was conducted and I was given many options. But the school system had offered too little, too late. Homeschooling was a blast and my boys soared through school and became so far ahead of the public schools that I held pride in my boys. I then tried public school again. Fifth grade. My youngest went with me to school. my oldest into middle school. That was my year from Hell. I was given the worst kids with the most needy of problems. Not hard to deal with for me. I loved teaching. As time went by my teammates on grade level bgan to talk about me and the principal joined in on their efforts to make my life miserable. They would have meetings when I’d take my bathroom break. I never got them to switch time of day for meetings. Because I didn’t wear makeup, I was named unprofessional. Anything they could do to tear me down, they did. I ended up quitting before the end of the last 9 weeks…Again, an investigation was done only to find out the principal had broken several laws and codes of conduct. I was done. I only had an early childhood/elementary degree. So when my oldest son at 12 years old began taking college classes and making A’s I figured it was time to seek some help. Both boys were tested and placed in a private school. They wanted to move them up several grades. I allowed only one grade. Being the youngest in your class was going to be tough enough. I didn’t want them being bullied. I took a job there teaching 4th grade. I had a blast…..for a while. After my new principal found out I was on depression medication she told me that mind altering meds. were Satan’s work. The pressure began to build. My depression got worse and I began to have panic attacks. Only, my attacks looked like some kind of seizure. On my last day teaching at that school, I had a panic attack at the school convincing the principal I had a demon in me. I was released that day. My oldest son was months away from graduating..so I kept my children in school until number one could graduate. He graduated valedictorian, of course. The next year number two began having problems with the high school curriculum. Again, we had him tested and found out he had a simple type of epilepsy. He would blank out for 10-20 seconds several times in a minute. So, we asked for notes to be copied so he could study the entirety of the class material. We were denied. I told them they were breaking the law. That didn’t matter. Back to public school with number 2. He received the help he needed and over-came his disease. He was popular and a star athelete. He bloomed. I went 15 years without teaching a single child. I missed it very much. Today, I tutor a kindergartener and a 2nd grader 2 times a week each. My life feels full again and I’m having fun. I do not charge for my services. I don’t need the money. I do it purely for the love of teaching. I’m in total control. I answer to me. No one has an issue with me. In fact, I’m appreciated. I should be retired by now. But, I just can’t give it up. I’m having a blast.
Christina, I love your story. Homeschooling was the coolest thing I have ever done. My son is flourishing in public high school though now I think that was the best decision for him. The comments about Satan made me laugh. Remember the two teachers I said left the kids? One of the new teachers ( and youth pastor) said they had been great teachers before. ( true for at least one of them). At our meet the teacher meeting, he said there must have been an ” evil spirit” involved. Wow, no one has to change or take responsibility if we can blame Satan and evil spirits.
xactly my point
Thank you for this. I have been struggling with guilt ever since recently quitting my teaching position at a residential treatment center/open enrollment charter school. I taught two years previously in the inner city and though some days were exhausting, I stuck with it. The kids were good kids at their core and administration was supportive. When my husband was transferred out of the city, I got a new position at a small charter school serving a residential treatment center and neighboring community. The students who chose to come to our school from the community did so because they didn’t like the rules at the local ISD. Almost all of them came to school heavily self-medicated which made it impossible for them to comprehend most things, let alone learn. They proudly bragged about the drugs they were on. I spent my day just trying to get them to stop texting on their phone or talking over me. I had to constantly reteach materials because they would forget what they learned so quickly. I reached my limit when a student came into class every day and tried to intimidate me. I would write him up and nothing ever happened to him. One day I realized I was actually afraid to write him up because I knew there would be no consequences and I feared his reaction, as his methods of intimidation got worse. It was in this moment I knew my safety and mental health outweighed my concern for the students I taught. I felt/feel so selfish. We served an extremely needy population that required structure and discipline, yet administration was afraid to provide it. Our Superintendent/Principal did not like conflict and would not call parents. He had an extreme need to be liked. When I walked into the office to give my letter of resignation, I could hear him dismissing another teacher’s concerns by saying “write him up, write him up”. I felt like this was my sign, though it didn’t alleviate the guilt. Reading this has helped a lot. Thank you.
I’ve posted once before. Not a classroom teacher, just a dedicated librarian who sees ‘teaching to the tests’ filtering down to the library so that the joy of reading is zapped by teachers who warn students to “listen carefully as we will be having a test (or assignment, or whatever) over the material.” But who can blame the teachers — the pressure is on them big time. However, it is my goal to joyfully motivate students to read, as the more they read, the better they will read, and hopefully, improve on what I consider to be a ridiculous amount of standardized tests. I personally believe that the powers that be are so concentrating on the academics (and grasping at any and every strategy that comes along) that we are not addressing the needs of the whole student. And students today, as always, are multi-faceted beings from a variety of backgrounds with a variety of needs, and concentration on academics only in order to pass the myriad of tests is not addressing some of the primary aspects of the problems teachers inevitably encounter in the classroom. Oh how I long for the days when standardized testing occurred maybe once a year, and many times students didn’t know about it until they came to school on test day. And teachers just taught with no worries that their job was on the line due to students’ test performance.
I am a first year teacher of students with multiple disabilities in elementary school. For weeks I was understaffed; and then I was given my most difficult student from a more experienced teacher’s class without any extra aid support. Administration turned me down when I said I needed another instructional assistant. It took one of my coaches to influence them to change their mind and finally give the staff support I needed. I work 12 hours a day, manage two I.A’s-one of which who goes against my instruction and tries taking over my class on a day to day basis, have three teacher coaches/collaborators to correspond with, two gen ed teachers of different grade levels to work along with, parents-some who are in denial and blameable to the teacher for their child’s disability, I.E.P meetings with students who have 30 goals to master, and I am physically exhausted every day from my students; some have aggressive behaviors. I have no planning time during the day and for most of the year I have not got a lunch break. During the first few weeks of school when I was understaffed, I couldn’t even use the bathroom all day. On top of that, I am on a provisional license and I am taking graduate courses. I found out that the program I am in does not guarantee me a job next year at my current school because a year ago they changed the degree programs into three different programs and now what would have been accepted before no longer counts. Now if I want to stay I have to re-do my whole masters program because non of the courses transfer. And NOW I have a year less time to finish my license in time or else I am kicked out of teaching temporarily until I finish it.
If all of this wasn’t enough I had become extremely depressed. I no longer have the energy or time to do anything I like. I worked all day and all weekend. I became really sick in November and all the following months. Every time I was almost better, I would get sick again and most likely from my students since they have always been sick a lot. I was told I was the hardest working first year teacher that my coach has ever seen in special education. I care a lot about my students and my I.A’s and my coworkers. But I think I care t0o much and I can’t turn it off. The affect of this job is taking so much out of me that it is negative. I had many suicidal thoughts, and constantly fantasized about getting in some kind of an accident. I was never like this before I took this job; I was bright and happy. Now I feel SO responsible for these children, and weight is impossible and unbearable. I feel like no one knows how hard this job is, and I feel like I have no to little respect.
The moment that ended my depression just a few weeks ago was when I hit rock bottom, my boyfriend didn’t want to be around me anymore because I was always sick and stressed out and depressed. Then I didn’t even want to be around myself. What I want more than anything now is to be myself and truly smile again. I don’t know if I should just finish the school year or take a leave of absence or frankly quit. The people in my personal life deserve my very best and I deserve to be at my very best for myself. I don’t understand how people could think this is selfish. I am going to try to be my best while finishing out the school year but I am not perfect and not sure if I can make it till then.
Do not feel guilty if you need to quit school before year end. Taking care of one’s personal health and personal relationships is not selfish.
Anyone considering teaching should absolutely find another career/job. I don’t care how many years and how much money you invested. You’ll be MISERABLE. I quit after teaching Special Ed for 4 for the NYC DOE. Now I work in an office making less, but never been happier. I don’t even have to buy my own supplies anymore lol Oh, and when I feel the urge to pee, I just get up and go like a normal human being :O)
After 20 years as a public school teacher, I’m moving into a different career. I now work in a Psych hospital while going to nursing school. This is easier than trying to work with people whose goal in life seemed to be to resist everything I try to do. Seriously, the occasional hit or scratch and frequent fecal exposure is easier than trying to influence 40 teenagers in a room that I had something to offer….something worth putting their devices away for. And I was a fun teacher. It didn’t matter.
I’ve come to the sad conclusion that for a lot of our kids, the way we do education just doesn’t work anymore. The model is still based on the factory, the assembly line, where we try to impose knowledge like an accessory on a car door. They’re not having it. They see past our bribes or grades and rewards and are immune to the “consequences” we dole out. With all we know ,we should really know better than to be running schools this way.
I believe we will see the complete demise of public education in the next decade and end up with a permanent underclass, if we’re not there already. Public education was the great leveling factor and thanks to unbridled greed in our culture, we can no longer fund this kind of fairness.
I believed in what I was doing, I was passionate and dedicated but I could not spend every moment of my workday fighting. At 52, I’m excited to be starting down a different path.
That is great! It is sad to say that nursing is extremely well compensated, while teaching is not. Money is not the only reason to go into medicine, but it helps to have your skills appreciated. Many musicians I know became nurses just to survive.
Thanks for your response Suzanne. You’re right, nurses with 2 year degress generally make more than a teacher with a master’s degree. Interesting that you mentioned your musician friends becoming nurses. I was a music teacher!
I really needed your 1-5 list. I teach in an urban school (only my 2nd year) and it’s just nice to reflect on that list. Thank you. I’m not going to quit my job, but it’s nice to know that I’m not a bad teacher for having thought about it.
Thank you again.
It was so refreshing to read the main story, and the comments from other teachers.
We are highly-educated professionals, tasked with an important mission, but we are not given the resources or authority to do our jobs effectively, the basic respect that other professionals receive, or the wages to match.
Any teacher who finds him or herself in a stressful situation would do well to resign. There are other schools and districts, and beyond the world of public education, other jobs. It is hard to find a professional-level job with longer hours, less status, and a lower wage than teaching.
I Want to quit my job as a college professor, NOW. It’s driving me crazy, my life is destroyed, I can’t handle it anymore….
I’m new to this field…I’m working as a college professor for 4 months, till now, but I feel very bad. In the end of the semester students do a survey online, and their comments about me was terrible; that I’m incompetent, incapable and incommunicative; In fact I did my best, but I didn’t have experience and now I want to quit (as a looser of course).
What do you think? Do you think that I would finish this year and than quit? Or should I quit Now,in the middle of the second semester?
Thank you very much
I have been teaching in a public Jr./Sr. high school for 15 years.
I am currently teaching seventh and ninth grade computer classes.
For the past several years I have been seriously considering a career change
as I feel burnt out and exhausted. Student behavior gets worse every year
and I feel like I accomplish very little in my classroom after all the interruptions
and distractions. The apathy and disrespect are taking its toll. It seems the older
I get, the less tolerance I have in the classroom. The other teachers in my department
typically have fewer students in their courses and always have the higher achieving
students to deal with, which can make for a much nicer day. I know I am the workhorse
and this never seems to change.
I began teaching at age 33, and I have a business background in insurance and
banking. I have been on some job interviews and even had two offers that I
really thought hard about, but when the time came to give my acceptance I just
couldn’t do it. Financially I understand that I will not be where I am today and
that belt tightening is unavoidable. I am a single male so I am only supporting
myself at this time. I guess my worry is that I am giving up a pension and security
to jump back into the business world and such a volatile economy. My colleagues
tell me I am crazy for jumping ship with such a horrible economy right now.
There are times I don’t want to walk into that building and face the day, but
I push myself to do it. I do enjoy teaching and working with technology but if
only the students would let me do my job.
I quit mid-year as well, and wanted to add my $.02 because I never, ever thought I would. I got into teaching through an alternative certification program and found a job at an urban high school in Chicago. I had 5 weeks of training before I started. It was rough from the very beginning.
I was assigned an extra subject to teach a few days before school started (not uncommon), had no projector screen for my classroom (bought a bed sheet and hung it up, but at least I had a projector), and had no access to the online system for the first month or two (couldn’t input attendance, didn’t have a list of students, etc.). By the way, discipline at the beginning of the year is next to impossible if you don’t have a list of students, especially if they’re being switched from class to class.
Anyway, within the first month they start throwing things at me. First, textbooks and the CDs that come with them. My stapler. Then some of them brought eggs and a milk carton which they pelted at me. I was very green at the time so I was in a state of shock when this happened. I didn’t quit – instead I just cleared my room of everything so they had nothing to throw at me.
I took a day off in late October (school year started in September) because the job was killing me, I was considering quitting. I get a text from another teacher that my students had broken into some supplies in my classroom and were throwing them around the school. I went back and yelled at them, which was actually somewhat effective… I learn to yell.
At this point I’m working ~110 hours / week, staying until 11 pm on Friday’s, taking graduate classes for my credential, and making an hour of parent phone calls every day, and 3-4 hours on weekends (I make so many that I max out my cell phone plan and have to buy an unlimited one…). I keep this up until I quit at the end of January. I also have 10-15 people observing my classroom regularly, but their advice is mostly nonsense because they don’t realize that my students and I are at war.
Anyway, some kid gets into a cabinet when my back is turned and spills a toxic, cancer causing, highly dangerous chemical. When I see this I am horrified (I am a trained chemist and knew what it was on sight). I am sick to my stomach and start cursing like a sailor (not proud of this). This was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I tie plastic bags to my shoes and put on my gloves and clean it up. Not my best day.
I scare them by doing a class on lab safety. For some reason they all now want to work with chemicals. Not going to happen.
I buy speakers for my class so we can watch useful YouTube videos. When my back is turned they are stolen. My briefcase is ransacked and my headphones are stolen at the same time. I call up a few friendly parents (remember, I have been making phone calls nonstop the entire year) and ask them to question their kids. One of the kids saw who did it.
The police arrest the perpetrator, search him, and recover my headphones but not the speakers. The perpetrator claims that the kid who saw him do it sold the headphones to him that morning (impossible because the kid and his dad were with me). He refuses to admit his guilt, even when caught red handed. The cop asks me if I want to send him to prison. I decline.
Instead I file a police report and keep it on file in case he ever gives me trouble again. He never does, though like many of my students he simply disappears (probably transferred to another school).
Now it’s the week before Thanksgiving and my father comes to visit me. I’m in bad shape. I’m working every waking hour and living off of diet soda, crackers, and pizza (Chicago has great pizza, though!). He isn’t happy. He basically saves my life by co-teaching with me for a week and buying me a printer, a jacket, and other essentials (and making me eat real food). FYI I moved to a new city 2000 miles away for this job, so I have no family or friends nearby. Support network is so important.
Anyway, December comes and things are calmer for the most part. One of my female students is mad about her grade and curses me out for 5 minutes in front of my entire class and storms out. 2 of her friends join her. I call their parents. This is old hat now.
I spend my entire Christmas vacation writing curriculum. (we don’t have a written curriculum at my school). This facilitates more teamwork (the other teachers are great, but they are so swamped with their own problems they can’t help me much).
I come back and things are much calmer. I’m pretty unshakeable now. If a kid gives me problems I kick them out of the classroom for the entire period and then I call their parents that night. This is actually effective. I’m more prison guard than teacher though.
Now it’s late January. Two of my best students get into a fight before my class starts (I haven’t had a fight in my class for a good, long while). One of the students puts his hands on the other’s neck and raises her up off the floor (she’s very small FYI). I yell at him and kick him outside the classroom. Then I send him to the dean.
The kid’s grandfather shows up the next day. I tell the grandfather that it’s not OK for his grandson to put his hands on another person. The grandfather tells me that I only think this because I probably got beaten up in school (I try not to laugh). Then he tells the dean that growing up in this neighborhood if someone hits you, you always respond in kind. The dean sympathizes, and tells the parent that I grew up in another place and was taught differently. The kids are given a slap on the wrist.
I go back to the dean later (he’s a great guy BTW, pretty much holds the school together, and a friend) and ask him if the grandfather was serious about the responding with physical violence in turn thing. The dean tells me “it’s a black thing.” (FYI he’s black himself, though I disagree with him – it’s a poverty thing). At this point I’m done.
I give my principal my resignation letter. I didn’t mind the long hours, I loved (some of) my students, enjoyed the challenges of teaching, and I could handle the disrespect but not the disillusionment. As a classroom teacher you and the students are on opposite sides of a never ending struggle for classroom management, but there’s a line that neither of you is supposed to cross. Unfortunately they crossed it and I was afraid that I would too.
When I told my students I was leaving I got mixed reactions. Some were sorry to see me go but they understood. Others celebrated and said good riddance. I cleaned up my classroom and walked out the door.
It’s been 2 months and I’m only now fully coming to terms with the whole ordeal. I gave up my entire life in Chicago and returned home (which I said I would never do). Plus, I’m 24 years old, I left my job mid year, and I have no teaching credential. When I was in college I taught and tutored for years and I thought I’d do this for my entire life. I never thought I’d leave. There’s no easy way back into the profession for me and I don’t know if I want to go back (I can’t afford a regular certification program, either in terms of time or money).
Anyway, I put this up here because I wanted to add some nuance to whether it’s OK to leave your teaching job. Sometimes things play out in ways you can’t possibly imagine. Don’t judge other people because you don’t know what went into their decision. A human being can only take so much abuse and still show up with a smile on their face.
And BTW, most kids will have many teachers in their lifetime. I was only 1 of their 7 teachers for that year and I gave my boss enough time to find a replacement (I was replaced the day after I left by a veteran teacher). They aren’t psychologically scarred because of the whole experience. If anything they are probably happy to have me gone because now they’ll probably get less homework.
Caesar,
I enjoyed reading your post. I totally understand why you resigned. I have been through many of the same situations in my six years as an inner city teacher. This was a second career choice for me and I thought I was meant to teach. I always enjoyed working with students of all ages in the ten years I subbed while my own children were in school. Nothing could prepare me for the resistance to learning that I have encountered. Like you I have many students I enjoy working with, but just as many who only come to school as a place to socialize and eat. Sometimes the endless challenges are overwhelming. I hope you can harness your good intentions and strong work ethic to secure a new position in education or in another line of work where you can add value and enjoy your work.
I was interested in the comments of people who have taught for over 15 years and then moved.
I like my job as a public high school teacher. I just don’t love it. Frankly, I feel burnt out. I feel to be in this odd situation where I’m in a very middle class high school where there is general, overall lack of respect for the profession. I have the occasional students that are motivated and driven and very pleasant. But I have an awful lot of students who are just rude and disrespectful and don’t seem to care about learning in general. Maybe it’s just me. I just found comfort from reading these posts. I’ve been contemplating a career change and, as an English teacher, with degrees in English, I’m wondering what I can pursue. I will take the salary cut. I know there will be one. Anyhow, it just felt nice to post this. Thanks.
I just wanted to chime in once again to thank those of you who continue to share your stories here. There are many teachers reading this post on a daily basis, and I’m really appreciate of the fact that so many of you are taking the time to let them know they’re not the only ones. I wish that this wasn’t such a common problem, but I’m glad that we are here to support one another.
I’m thinking about leaving my school, which I love, because of a colleague who is impossible to work with. She keeps behaving horribly unprofessionally. For example, she bursts into my classroom and yells at me in front of my students. She spreads untrue rumours about me to others on staff (without realising that they will come and talk to me about these rumours). She blames me for “sabotaging” her with the students and somehow making them dislike her. She makes me so stressed out that I don’t want to go to work anymore even though I love my job and my students. My union is toothless about this kind of thing, and administration has said that adults need to act like adults and get along, and won’t direct her to stop. So I feel like I’m out of options, and it makes me so sad.
I had this same problem. It took a few years, but she finally sank her own ship. She alienated the entire faculty with her lies and accusations. Now everyone sees through her and “has her number.” She finally dug herself in so deep that she moved to another school to escape her nasty reputation. So, hang in there if you can. The sweetest revenge is when you don’t have to do ANYTHING to someone else because they do it for you.
Thanks Texas Teacher,
I know exactly what you mean, and I hope that’s how this ends too. Unfortunately my nasty colleague is pretty thick-skinned and doesn’t seem to care (or even notice!) that people are unimpressed with her behaviour. She doesn’t have the decency to be ashamed of herself, which makes this situation extra difficult. But I do appreciate your point and am trying to find other ways to survive so I do not have to give up my position at a school where I am otherwise very happy. Thanks for your support!
This post was very helpful for me. I recently quit my job after Spring Break. I just couldn’t take it anymore. I am an African-American woman and i was teaching in an urban area where EVERYDAY someone was being called a “b—-”, administrators were yelling in the students face, multiple kids were getting arrested, getting pregnant and this was a MIDDLE SCHOOL! In fact, there were 2 17-year old at the school and they both asked me on dates! The administration did nothing! Kids would throw stuff at teachers and curse them out and be back the same day, no consequences. WE would get the blame for low test scores when half of the kids would skip the test. I would try to get through to the students, but they would fight you EVERY DAY and they loved me, but I just felt like they weren’t learning from me. I knew it was time to leave because when I would come home, I would be in a bad mood and my every thing my daughter did aggravated me. I’m trying to look for another teaching job at another district, but I think my decision is going to work agaisnst me. I know they are going to ask me at my interview why i quit, but I don’t want to bad mouth the other school or seem like I don’t have classroom management.
I quit after the first two weeks of my seventh year teaching and experienced true grief over the decision, but I had to put my health first. We were under yet ~another~ new administration, discipline was out of control and getting progressively worse year after year, and I had 38 kindergartners in a room without enough tables or chairs. I just knew that I could not go through another year of chaos, stress, and maltreatment. Eight months later, my first thought is still “Oh no, we can’t have recess!” when it rains and I can’t resist going down the school supplies isle. I’m still very sad about the whole situation.
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