Thats why I created The Teacher Career Coach Course, a step-by-step video course that has helped thousands of teachers like you take their first steps out of the classroom and into a new career. Inside the course, youll have access to video coaching, downloadable resources, and a judgment-free community of over 2,000 current and former teachers for support. And thank you for staying for all your reasons. I have written some of the same things on my website, SmartHelpForStudents. Every situation and every timeline will be unique, but just know that Im here to offer support and guidance regardless. I will create a system for my social media plan by the end of the month, 2013: Working 40 hours a week as a classroom teacher, I started my TPT Store (to hopefully make enough to pay our Netflix bill) and ended up making $419.02, 2014: While still in the classroom, I made $6545.55 through TPT. But more importantly, I believed that not all schools and districts were the same, and if I looked, I might find a place where I fit in. At first I taught five-year-olds, tactile style, and then after two weeks they gave all my kids to other teachers because I wasnt experienced enough. You know, Scott said to me the other day You know, Lisa would have LOVED Mr. Bruces class!. Its not differentiated enough, they were told, and therefore is a waste of valuable class time. THE KIDS ARE IN THIRDGRADE. Its not the school (kids, families) that I dont loveits the constant string of new administrators and all that that implies. Theyll cringe at you with raised eyebrows and endearing self-awareness. I wonder if they are parents of public school kids and, if so, how they have been satisfied/dissatisfied with their kids education. I suppose Im sitting here, feeling like Ive had a wonderful opportunity thats Ive just aimlessly whittled away. But Johnny doesnt know it means all that, because what he hearsat the dinner table is that his parents areUNBELIEVABLY ANGRY that his teacher had the nerve the nerve! The teaching to the test, the data-driven decisions, the threats that teachers needed to change grades to lower the failure rate, the principal I had for 4 years who had it out for me (no idea why) and walked the fine line between illegal and legal actions against me, and admins who refused to back us up. If You Teach Elementary School, You Need Our Massive Writing Template Bundle Good lord, I just don't get this. According to CareerExplorer.com, salaries for elementary school teachers across the United States range from about $37,780 to $89,749. It is sad when teachers are very snotty towards me, I was one of them, ponce but its hard for me to feel sorry for them sometimes because of that. Dear Teacher Friends, Its Time to Show More Empathy, I No Longer Want to Be Professionally Developed Due to Brain Overload, Opinion: Right Now Things Are Hard, But It's Going to Be Fine. .except for the ability to pee when you want . I started teaching when I was 45. Im a recently retired elementary teacher who could have taught a few more years but decided Id had enough. So, try and imagine that youre Mr. Sts for a momenthow would you teach your class?, Ummm, look, Im not Mr. St. They grumbled, but then they put the technology away, and they turned to their peers, The three Cs peoplesuddenly seem to be missing? Soul destroying and tragically realistic post. Im done. And of course Scott iswell, you know what a brilliant young man he is. CON: In a self-contained classroom, the teacher is responsible for teaching all of the subject areas. Such an interesting read! First of all, current and former teachers are some of the most professionally versatile and equipped people I know. I have 26 years in and I want to retire NOW. Thank you so much, Kelly! A couple months after my 55th birthday, in December of 2014, I retired after 26.61 years of service to the state and 30 years of faking college teaching. There is nothing wrong with the first school I worked at - and some would see the things I complained about and not be turned off. Challenge them. The truth is, I hated the job itself. I entered it to teach, share knowledge, have meaningful conversations not to teach contantly lecture them about basic etiquette, basic life skills and content that they should have learned in primary school (keep in mind I teach highschool.) Figure out WHO your ideal student and families are and build a program for them. I loved it at first. Through articles, events, and social media we will advocate for honest dialogue with teachers about how to improve public education. She will, But as a teacher, this is what you wish you couldsay:Stopmaking excuses for your kids. Please give Scott my best. I always do paper work while the kids are in front of me and leave school right when the bell rings. When in reality they hate their jobs, they hate their lives, and they hate their students. Badgering the mods will probably get you permabanned. ( Though I realize that comment may not mean much, considering reason #7 :)) I remember enjoying every visit to your classroom. Learn how your comment data is processed. The kids. I quit teaching in 1994 in South Africa after a 17-year career as a science & math teacher. The goals of getting on the tenure track and working toward your pension start early on. Period. I dont teach like Mr. St. Whether you desire more autonomy, work-life balance, opportunities for growth, or financial freedomor you simply dont think its the right for whatever reason its important to know that you dont have to stay in the classroom. Scott was, quite easily, the most brilliant history student Ive ever had. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, A sub for all things teacher related! Hello Mrs. Bowers, Its time to write a post about that. To date, we have over 40 staff writers/teachers from around the world. My current job is a well-paid one compared to the other options in town. High school is rough and having something to look forward to during the day makes a big difference. She gave me a big hug as I came in the door. Most of my colleagues have been as well. First time through, I quit student teaching because I refused to be mean to the kindergartners the way my cooperating teacher was. Elsewhere, in an entirely different part of the country, a ninth-grade teacher-friend of mine was askedto abandon anyeducationalmath gamesand make more of an effort to spoon-feed, please.English teachers look onhelplessly as more and more works of fiction areplucked from the curriculum and replaced by fact-driven nonfiction. Um, obviously, I said. And 37 years! Often, they put off researching until the very last minute. Thats the important stuff. You speak for every frustrated teacher out there. Even when kids are disruptive I shouldn't hate them. I rolled out the proverbial red carpet for them. Since there are more defiant and indifferent students than there are compliant and driven students in each classroom, I cannot adequately teach. The administration is the boss of you. Looking for ways to deal with the strain of teaching and difficult decisions to stay or go? DONT QUIT! But heres the thing:discussions about fictionlead to rich discussions about life, whichdrivessomething much more important than the growth of a student it guides the growth of a human being. Even if an administrators ONLY JOB was to sit in classroom after classroom, there would still be too few hours in the day and principals and assistant principals are responsible for a lot more than staff assessments. As long as Ive given the kids a good day and they learned something, I feel like Ive accomplished something. Melissa, I just now came across this article. I cant teach anymore. Daphne Gomez, also known as the Teacher Career Coach, left teaching in 2018 and successfully transitioned into instructional design and later educational consulting. Get coffee I dont want to be stuck in a world of logistics and organisation. The second being they arent sure what else they could do. The students can sense it, which occasionallyleads to comments like, Myparents pay your salary, you know. Truth. Its no wonder teachers find themselves struggling with the profession. It doesnt. All the best, Thank you for sharing your experience! I miss my students and the creativity that came long with the profession. what career ouside the classroom is right for you? Everyone needs to read it. Id have to agree with Francesca: its more about a misapplication of what could be an asset, and a serious lack of time/funding for training. Im sorry to hear that people in your life taught you to quit if you dont like it. I dont think that is a very healthy lesson to learn as life will often have difficulties, and some are worth pointing out as a means to starting change. And who tell me that its my fault the kids got into a fight, because my lesson on unit rates wasnt engaging enough. And I absolutely adore kids. Im tired of being the mask police. The textbooks and other classroom materials have an influence on state test scores, but teachers can rarely choose which textbooks they want (yet are held accountable when the materials are lousy). I hope your career is a complete success. I think leaving this identity of being a teacher is essentially something very difficult to do, especially after being in the profession for a long time. Youre about to, obliquely tell me that those test scores need to come up, or elseeven if I have to teach to the thing., Ohwell, no, not like that. After reading it, I felt like I needed to come here and write that Im sorry to hear youre not teaching anymore because it means that there are hundreds of students throughout the next 25-ish years that wont be lucky enough to have you as a teacher. Thats mostly frowned upon out here in real job land. When my daughters preschool notetells me she was not a good listener that day, I feel frustrated and helpless and a little bit sure the teacher is just being too demanding. You hit the nail on the head, and with amazing wit and insight. So, when the expectations of administration or parents start to weigh heavily, the never-ending to-do list becomes unbearable, the lack of work-life balance starts to take its toll, these teachers push themselves past their breaking point. 2015: I made $95,000 just through my TPT store (still as a full-time classroom teacher). Its incredible to think of all the lives youve affected throughout your career. Finished my second time through, got certified, now am working in the school where I student taught. What a moving and accurate account of what is going on in education today. The first being having never made a Plan B. Check out more posts from Teacher Misery all about Coping with this tough profession. Thanks for reading this, if you made it this far. SHAME ON OUR SOCIETY!! Teaching has done some great things for me, and has allowed me to live all over the world. I know it sounds a bit grand to call it your career right now, but you do have the write stuff for making a go of it!! One fear that keeps children from enjoying school is separation anxiety. Disrespect from parents who want to know how I let their kids fail, despite me cajoling him and begging him just to take out his notebook each day and simply listen. We need you. When staff sought support, they were made to feel it was their fault, and their responsibility alone to deal with it. You always go back to teaching because of the large teacher shortage. I was over the moon! A friend once told me, You have no idea what its like to have a real job something with deadlines and adults breathing down your neck. I began at PUHSD right after college at the age of 21. I feel exhausted and some days I feel so sorry when I look at these little faces that are so tired and frustrated. Its okay to validate those feelings instead of feeling wrong for them. Remember, the most transforming chapters of our lives always happen when we step outside of our comfort zone. Im finishing my 6th year as a substitute teacher in an affluent district in New York. It gives a rather disjointed picture of who you are as a teacher. From family who keep giving me advice, as if they have a clue what I do for 60+ hours each week. My children ARE special. I teach studentsyou know, young people? I usually seat my favorite student in the corner seat by the door and it always works. Disrespect from administration blaming me for not locking my classroom (I still dont have keys, incidentally). 2. Best of luck in whatever comes next for you. This idea that test scores actually have something to do with teacher competence? And nowoff to indulge in some Animal Fries. An elementary school teacher I know who is a part of one of the wealthiest, most reputable districts in her state attended a recent meeting where staff members were instructed to "drastically limit or entirely eliminate" story time. But changing careers is never easy, especially in the competitive job market we are seeing today. They nod emphatically when you analyze the apropos theme of Harrison Bergeron, and they laugh uproariously when you pull a pretend trophy from your deskand give it a quick shine as soon as they catch themselves in the act of whining. Ive been called a list of expletives (with the first incident occurring two weeks into the school year) and seen changes in my mental health as a result of the bullying. That suckers going up in flames. The only way to find out if I'm right is trying. Yikes! Parents are the boss of you. Julie! If you genuinely HATE teaching, give yourself permission to start considering your other options. Their perspectives on life are so simple, yet at times they can surprise you with their wisdom. Youre article was shared on Facebook by an educator whom I knew from Middle School. Does it help me when Im sitting here in the mens room, posting this on my phone, holding back tears? But what I find is that the majority of these teachers that come to this conclusion are really good teachers. I wasnt feeling fulfilled in either when I finally decided to leave. You get to be your own boss. The sheer ignorance of herdeclaration has stuck with me for years, and still needles me mostly because that line of thinkingis an extremelycommonmisconception. As millions of students begin school during a deadly pandemic and global recession, we're highlighting the ongoing efforts to keep children safe in the classroom, educate them remotely, and help. I knew this school is what I was looking for and teaching there has been an amazing experience, a year and a half in. Lisa was Angelas eldest daughter. Teacher guilt is real and can be very powerful. To know EXACTLY what you need to do (and not do) in order to get your foot in the door. Their whole lives, they have received copious awards and accolades just for playing NOT for excelling so its no wonder kids have come to expect an A because I tried. But sometimes a D paper is just a D, which doesnt necessarily mean that Johnny has an evil teacher. Its interesting to hear what went on behind-the-scenes while I was preoccupied being an oblivious 16-year-old. An elementary school teacher I know who is a part of one of the wealthiest, most reputable districts in her state attended a recent meeting where staff members wereinstructed to drastically limit or entirely eliminate story time. The ultimate generalists with VERY steep learning curves. 10 Must-Read Research Articles on COVID & Schools. It was Number 7. Yes, there is no way to know who is really good at this and, yes, test scores mean nothing. The average person changes careers 12 times in their lifetime. My students are kindergarten kids. But Im alive and healthy and I still do what I love. Thanks for stopping by. I have fallen in love with teaching again, and I now know that this can be the best job in the world you just need to find the right school. I recall when I was student teaching, there were 2 first graders being talked about in the facult. You should be the commissioner of education. Only the top 10% of kids wanted his class. But I might argue that our job is also to challenge our students withsomething. I didn't dream of being a teacher by age 5, I was a "bad" kid in school, I didn't teach until age 31, after obtaining a 2nd master's degree in education with certification. You are given the apathetic students because you can reach them. I also hate the youtube can teach me ideal parents and students have developed. Please, just once, believe me when I say this job is difficult and exhausting. How wonderful to hear from you, Joyce! I have seen the dramatic swings over the years in the vastly different approaches to teaching and the pendulum never seems to rest in one direction for very long. So glad I took the time to read that article! Young teachers from across the United States have told me they no longer have the ability to properly manage classrooms not because of lack of desire, but because of upper administration decisions to reduce statistics on classroom referrals and in-school and out-of-school suspensions. You will not always get along with everyone you encounter in life, and that's okay! Some of the best teachers I knew secretly wanted out. Im not enjoying corporate America very much and I long to return to the classroom. Aprecious few retired with a full career in their rearview but, like Nancie Atwell, even they might advise the potential teachersof today to choose something else. Thank you for showing people that our struggle is real, real frustrating. My passion for teaching has faded away for all the reasons you mentioned. I have been a high school history teacher in Phoenix, AZ. Its so much easier to actually pay attention and ask me questions in class versus trying to let someone reteach it to you (sometimes wrong) on the internet. We began making huge, HUGE progress with the kids who needed it the most and, naturally, with a challenging population the test scores werent all that hot. You dont have to do this on your own.With the help of an HR expert with over 10 years of experience and a team of former teachers, Ive created a guide to support you in the early stages of your transition out of the classroom. Bless you, Melissa, in your newfound writing career! You described my year exactly and my feelings to a T. In fact, my principal has decided to not re-elect me without cause. Im hanging in there for the kids. I have always said that I would go back to the classroom some day. I hate feeling like the only one in the room not acting like a cult member about to join a pyramid scheme. The New Normal: Is Online Education The Future For Passionate Teachers? Because of standardized expectations, youmustincorporate more and more tech, even when all you want to do is take a hammer to anything with a screen. It took one final push from a toxic administration for me to finally be brave enough to try. You are given the toughest students because you can handle them. For many kids, fourth grade can be a hard year. Well, hello, Life Twin! And dont give me platitudes like kids are always going to be like that or every kid deserves an education. Of course every child deserves an education! Im glad this didnt discourage you it was certainly not my intent, so, yay. No but seriously, I also have naturally curly hair and never stop asking people what that use if their naturally curly hair looks amazing. Youre spot on. 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They could do who i hate teaching elementary school really good teachers EXACTLY what you Need our Massive Template... Of kids wanted his class me for not locking my classroom ( I still do what I find is the... My TPT store ( still as a teacher, this is what you wish you couldsay: Stopmaking excuses your! Paper is just a D paper is just a D, which occasionallyleads to comments,. ( I still dont have keys, incidentally ) still dont have keys, incidentally.!