Maureen

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Montessori Teachers Chatboard

Maureen

by CS

May 30, 2012

You were the one I thought of for this.

I have taught 8 years in Montessori. 6 years in Primary (3- 6), then 1 yr in Lower Elem. I then took a break for a year & spent the last yr back in Primary in a horrible school which I leave next week (I only stayed to finish out the school year & for the kids) .

I love teaching & I can safely say I'm good at what I do. But for the past couple of years I miss teaching when I'm not doing it but dislike the daily grind when I am back at it!

I will be on a *short* break (again) after leaving the current school next week so I am hoping to get back into "something" in the Fall & there truly are many opportunities in my area.

My question for you is, after so many years working, have you ever felt like this? What kept you going as long as you have? Did you not ever feel the "burn" & "monotony"?

Thanks - CS.

I personally don't know if I have hit rock bottom & maybe "I am done ...See More

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maureen My question for you is, after so many years working, have > you ever felt like this? What kept you going as long as you > have? Did you not ever feel the "burn" & "monotony"? > > Thanks - CS. > > I personally don't know if I have hit rock bottom & > maybe "I am done with this."

I have been asked that several ti...See MoreMy question for you is, after so many years working, have > you ever felt like this? What kept you going as long as you > have? Did you not ever feel the "burn" & "monotony"? > > Thanks - CS. > > I personally don't know if I have hit rock bottom & > maybe "I am done with this."

I have been asked that several times over they years. Out of the 25+ years I taught, the closest I got to feeling that way, which I probably did, was when my long term assistant had to leave unexpectedly for 3-4 months. They gave me a different assistant each day so I had no continuity and many times these assistants were just "trained" parent volunteers. The bathroom toilet broke in my room so the children were on an honor system to use the large bathroom right across the hall. I had the afternoon extended day class with no assistant since I "only" had 15 students. These 15 came from three different classrooms so it was like a brand new class. Normally, I probably would have handled that ok, but with the bathroom mess (wasn't fixed for over 6 weeks) and the active personalities I had in the afternoon, it got overwhelming. I got to the point that I didn't want to go in in the morning. I asked three times for help in the afternoon, but I finally had to break down and cry and BEG for help before they listened and I got a really wonderful intern the rest of the school year. That was all at the beginning of that school year, so it didn't start my year off happily. I think the damage was done to me by then even though the rest of the year went fine.

So, I don't think it was the grind or monotomy that got to me, but more that the environment was not a good match for me that year. I lacked consistency in support and felt unheard and taken advantage of. I was very experienced and very capable, but the whole situation was just too much. I think that was the second to the last year I taught there. I came back the next year but I still felt "off". I had the opportunity to teach at the training center. I was told I could not do it because one of the institutes was the same part of the week that the school had a required of all staff personal development day. The reason they were having this particular PD day was because most of the other teachers couldn't get along with each other. Lots of bickering and "claiming their territory" type of stuff. My assistant and I got along great and didn't have any of those problems. I decided then that I would teach the class anyway which I did.

What was interesting about the PD class when they did have it was that we learned about different personality types and what types worked best together. My assistant and I were exact opposites on that chart and that was why we worked well together. The other teachers all had the same "label" on the chart which helped them realize why they had their issues. I was the only one with my particular personality type. When we stood around in a circle and gave one thing we had learned about ourselves from the class, it hit me what was off. I said, I realized at that point why I never felt like I fit in at that school. I knew then that was my last time there.

When I work in a small school setting where I have the ability to do things the way I want, I am very happy. That was the majority of my teaching years. When I work for larger schools with all the politics and no other teacher on staff who felt the passion I did about Montessori, I just focussed on my own classroom and ignored the rest when possible. So, I would say being in the right school setting is what kept me going all those years. I thoroughly enjoyed the children and their families and we really had a true community each year. When I worked in the large schools and had that way about my classrooms, other teachers lacked the initiative or ability to do what it takes to create that kind of community. If anything they tried to change it so that I would be restricted in what I could do because they didn't want to make the effort. I think one reason that happened in one school in particular is that a lot of the teachers there only had a high school education plus their Montessori training. Where else would they get paid that well with just a hs education? However, I felt the professionalism was missing a lot of the time. The years there were at least one other teacher on my wavelength it was very professionally fulfilling. We would both come up with great ideas for the school at those staff meetings. When the others left, I had no one else to feed off of and the last few years, let's just say the staff contributions towards creating an even better school were just not forthcoming. Any ideas that required change or effort often got voted down.

I am sorry this got so long. I am writing as I think about your question. I would think your own personality, a good match with you and school, the freedom to do what you feel is best for the children and being obsessive about Montessori all contribute as to how one does or doesn't have burn out

I have seen other teachers with burn out and it stood out very much to me although they seemed to fight it. The one in particular I am thinking about simply was in the wrong age group. She should have been upper elementary instead of pre primary. She thought about quitting at the end of the school year. Instead she thought taking the summer off would be enough of a break. She came back in the fall and quit within two weeks after the start of school. That put the school in a real bind but it was better then having a teacher who hated being there.

So, I guess I am not able to really tell you which way you are in all this. That is up to you. I do know that I always had a life outside of school and was able to keep the two separate. For instance I always found time to exercise and I started a part time retail job to be able to work in a completely different environment. That helped. I also taught summer school each year I taught which I loved doing; so burn out really wasn't anything I struggled with.

Most of my friends who used to teach went into completely different fields. One worked as an administrative assistant. One I don't know. My neighbor does something in the Entomolgy department at our university. One works as a para in a public school. Most left due to not having benefits in their schools. Hope this helps! maureen

May 30, 2012

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