Debating Leaving Teaching

by Michelle

Nov 5, 2012

I'm currently in my 2nd year of teaching science at the high school level (same high school as year 1) and I find myself burnt out almost beyond repair & the 1st semester isn't even over. Last year I was able to teach the subject I majored in & came in very enthusiastic but spent a lot of time crying & wanting to quit thanks to having the majority of my students not care about their education and not putting in the effort to learn anything. I'd try to make things as exciting as I could but no matter what I did, they still failed exams & quizzes all year long. I went to multiple admin but after being told that if the majority of my students were struggling it wasn't them it was me & being told that I wasn't making the material & activities important enough to them I quit seeking help from admin. I understand that teachers who refuse to do anything different can be a problem but I've tried. I do different teaching techniques, I try to put more work on the students...See MoreI'm currently in my 2nd year of teaching science at the high school level (same high school as year 1) and I find myself burnt out almost beyond repair & the 1st semester isn't even over. Last year I was able to teach the subject I majored in & came in very enthusiastic but spent a lot of time crying & wanting to quit thanks to having the majority of my students not care about their education and not putting in the effort to learn anything. I'd try to make things as exciting as I could but no matter what I did, they still failed exams & quizzes all year long. I went to multiple admin but after being told that if the majority of my students were struggling it wasn't them it was me & being told that I wasn't making the material & activities important enough to them I quit seeking help from admin. I understand that teachers who refuse to do anything different can be a problem but I've tried. I do different teaching techniques, I try to put more work on the students & less on me but they don't work. If I have the students come up with questions to ask each other (suggestion I found online) they make ridiculously simple, low level questions that don't require thinking at all. I contemplated leaving after year 1 but felt I owed my school 1 more year. About 1 week before school started I got word that I was going to be teaching 2 different preps, 1 of which was the class I taught last year & one was a class I never expected to have to teach & was in no way prepared for. I have no reference at our school because the vet teachers for the subject left so those of us teaching the subject this year are all new. With the new state testing that's starting & my constant feeling of insecurity & fear & working until 9pm every single week day & working 5-7 hours Saturdays & Sundays I find myself wanting to throw up my hands now & quit. I'm afraid because I never pictured myself doing anything but teaching so I have no back up plan but I know there is no way it's healthy for me to be 1-working as much as I am, 2-crying & feeling depressed as much as I am & 3-feeling like I'm a failure as a teacher as a result of my student performance despite the fact that my coworkers have nothing but positive things to say about what I'm doing. I'm currently trying to figure out if trying another district is the right choice (I don't want to stay in my current district if I stick with teaching) or if this is my huge sign that I wasn't made for teaching. I know ultimately the decision is up to me but I haven't found a good support yet that hasn't been from people who love the profession. I loved it before I started, now I'm just so burnt out I don't know which way to turn. Any advice/input would be appreciated.

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Sarah On 11/08/12, cm wrote: > I would just indicate to them that many of them are struggling > with the course and you'd like some feedback. You need to have a > time when they're pretty settled, serious and intent on giving > you honest, thoughtful feedback. Don't do the exercise if there > is a hostile mood or a chaotic mood that day. I...See More

Dec 17, 2012

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Dec 17, 2012

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Am Two more words of advice: 1. Take care of yourself first. Are you eating well and working out? Are you getting enough sleep? In your first few years, you've got to put in extra hours, but working until 9 every night?! TOOO MUCH! No wonder you're feeling stressed out and depressed? This is your job, NOT your life! Take care of yourself first and set...See MoreTwo more words of advice: 1. Take care of yourself first. Are you eating well and working out? Are you getting enough sleep? In your first few years, you've got to put in extra hours, but working until 9 every night?! TOOO MUCH! No wonder you're feeling stressed out and depressed? This is your job, NOT your life! Take care of yourself first and set some boundaries for yourself...

2.Are you connecting with your kids? Are you teaching science or students? The old saying goes, "No body cares how much you know until they know how much you care." Take time to make connections with kids- in the hallways, at lunch, as they're coming into your classroom. Know what they like and what's going on in their lives. On the back of every quiz, I ask students a question like, "Tell me something about yourselves that I don't know?" or "What are you looking forward it?" or "What makes you really nervous?" And I respond to every comment...it's just another way to make personal connections with my kids. I read once, "Kids with high self-esteem will work for themselves, regardless of the teacher. Kids with low self-esteem will work for a teacher they like." Make sure they know you like them and care about them!!

3. (OK, so it's three words of advice) If you do a student survey, I would ask them to include their names on it. Without their names, students feel like they have the freedom to say nasty things that they would never say to someone's face. And I would think through your questions carefully to ensure that you're getting back CONSTRUCTIVE commen

ts. I give one every semester that looks like this:

3 adjectives to describe your first semester of this class_____________ One thing you like about class that you wouldn't want to change_______ One thing you dislike about class that you would want to change_______ Any other comments?_________ On 12/17/12, Sarah wrote: > On 11/08/12, cm wrote: >> I would just indicate to them that many of them are struggling >> with the course and you'd like some feedback. You need to have a >> time when they're pretty settled, serious and intent on giving >> you honest, thoughtful feedback. Don't do the exercise if there >> is a hostile mood or a chaotic mood that day. Instead, look for > I think that anyone who would wanna leave teaching is dumb as hell > think about it if you wouldnt of had a teacher you wouldnt be a > teacher today you would of had nothing in your life or with your > life and if someone dosent tesch these kids theyll turn out worse > because kids these days sometimes have no respect but you are > teachers you should have respect for you and your students... > > - Love Sarah Corts-

Dec 21, 2012

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Carolyn I am a third year science teacher and I feel exactly the same way as you. I have never failed at anything that I have set my mind to, but I feel that I am failing at this. I am seeking a new type of employment. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone:) I have no advice, but i will let you know if I find any. Good luck and try your best...See MoreI am a third year science teacher and I feel exactly the same way as you. I have never failed at anything that I have set my mind to, but I feel that I am failing at this. I am seeking a new type of employment. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone:) I have no advice, but i will let you know if I find any. Good luck and try your best to survive and be happy! On 11/05/12, Michelle wrote: > I'm currently in my 2nd year of teaching science at the > high school level (same high school as year 1) and I find > myself burnt out almost beyond repair & the 1st semester > isn't even over. Last year I was able to teach the subject > I majored in & came in very enthusiastic but spent a lot of > time crying & wanting to quit thanks to having the majority > of my students not care about their education and not > putting in the effort to learn anything. I'd try to make > things as exciting as I could but no matter what I did, > they still failed exams & quizzes all year long. I went to > multiple admin but after being told that if the majority of > my students were struggling it wasn't them it was me & > being told that I wasn't making the material & activities > important enough to them I quit seeking help from admin. I > understand that teachers who refuse to do anything > different can be a problem but I've tried. I do different > teaching techniques, I try to put more work on the students > & less on me but they don't work. If I have the students > come up with questions to ask each other (suggestion I > found online) they make ridiculously simple, low level > questions that don't require thinking at all. I > contemplated leaving after year 1 but felt I owed my school > 1 more year. About 1 week before school started I got word > that I was going to be teaching 2 different preps, 1 of > which was the class I taught last year & one was a class I > never expected to have to teach & was in no way prepared > for. I have no reference at our school because the vet > teachers for the subject left so those of us teaching the > subject this year are all new. With the new state testing > that's starting & my constant feeling of insecurity & fear > & working until 9pm every single week day & working 5-7 > hours Saturdays & Sundays I find myself wanting to throw up > my hands now & quit. I'm afraid because I never pictured > myself doing anything but teaching so I have no back up > plan but I know there is no way it's healthy for me to be > 1-working as much as I am, 2-crying & feeling depressed as > much as I am & 3-feeling like I'm a failure as a teacher as > a result of my student performance despite the fact that my > coworkers have nothing but positive things to say about > what I'm doing. I'm currently trying to figure out if > trying another district is the right choice (I don't want > to stay in my current district if I stick with teaching) or > if this is my huge sign that I wasn't made for teaching. I > know ultimately the decision is up to me but I haven't > found a good support yet that hasn't been from people who > love the profession. I loved it before I started, now I'm > just so burnt out I don't know which way to turn. Any > advice/input would be appreciated.

Jan 21, 2013

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Joe High school kids are idiots. Especially in today's society where they learned entitlement from their parents. They are lazy and think mommy and daddy will take care of them their whole lives. I take a tough love approach to my students, I remind them that if they don't take their education seriously they risk living with mommy and daddy forever, wo...See MoreHigh school kids are idiots. Especially in today's society where they learned entitlement from their parents. They are lazy and think mommy and daddy will take care of them their whole lives. I take a tough love approach to my students, I remind them that if they don't take their education seriously they risk living with mommy and daddy forever, working at menial jobs.

Half the battle of today's teachers is to motivate the kids. I treat my classroom as a work place, they are there to work, or they get fired, removing students that disrupt others.

The first couple years is the toughest. I'm in my third year, and I'm finally starting to enjoy teaching. The first couple years were awful. I was not prepared for modern teens. Now I have a better handle on it, mostly because I don't take any crap from them and get them to work. Good luck. Teaching is not easy. I was in industry my entire career and teaching is my second career, and by far the most difficult job I've ever had.

I'm a liberal, but liberal attitudes toward child rearing are bad. Too many helicopter parents today, they don't let their children fail, so when they do fail, it is a catastrophe. Children today do not know how to do things on their own and this business of everyone getting a trophy is ludicrous, that is not how the world works. The world is competitive, and if you don't teach the kids this, they will have very unfulfilled lives as adults.

On 11/06/12, Vet Teacher wrote: > On 11/05/12, Michelle wrote: > > Is this happening across the board at your school? Are your > colleagues who speak so well of your teaching having the same > problem? > If they are, have you asked them how they cope with it? If > they're not, have you asked them how they manage it? > > Not everybody is meant for teaching nor is any school the > right school for every teacher. But if your colleagues are > having much the same results as you, why are you so upset? > > You don't say what kind of a school you're in - urban, rural, > large, small, inner city? But most important you need to say > if your colleagues are having the same problem. What kind of > tests and quizzes are you using? Are they generated by the > publisher who wrote your textbook? > > I'd always say - turn to your building colleagues for your > best advice. If they're managing to have their students do > well enough on the state tests, then ask them how they do it. > If they too aren't having great results then ask them how they > cope with that. > > Moving to another school is a possibility and that might work - > all schools are different. It's not possible to say from a > distance whether teaching is right for you or not - many > teachers have difficult years in their first years. > > >> a result of my student performance despite the fact that my >> coworkers have nothing but positive things to say about >> what I'm doing. I'm currently trying to figure out if >> trying another district is the right choice (I don't want >> to stay in my current district if I stick with teaching) or >> if this is my huge sign that I wasn't made for teaching. I >> know ultimately the decision is up to me but I haven't >> found a good support yet that hasn't been from people who >> love the profession. I loved it before I started, now I'm >> just so burnt out I don't know which way to turn. Any >> advice/input would be appreciated

Feb 18, 2013

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