Comments on: Help! I’m On The Verge of Burnout!!! Do I Quit Teaching Or What Do I Do? http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:59:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: johnhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-6802 john Sun, 09 May 2010 02:37:41 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-6802 I've been teaching for ten years, and it does wear you down. I teach an elective, so the kids are a little more interested than the kids in my English class, but not much. American high school is just a very unintellectual place. There is more emphasis on sports (throwing balls around, etc.) Colleges are dumbing down because they want to keep those kids paying. Colleges are just degree factories, and they want to make money. It is a joke. Many times I feel like an entertainer, even if I don't want to be. Sometimes, you have to be dramatic just to get their attention. I definitely would tell all the new teachers to be strict. Just the persona and attitude go a long way to keeping discipline. You are not their friend. You are their teacher, and there is a big difference. This is the only way to go. You may not be the most beloved teacher, but you will be one of the most respected ones. The most beloved teachers are usually the worst teachers, anyway, to tell the truth. Any teacher that is too "hard" will not be loved. Some classes like Latin, German, and Physics cannot be dumbed down very much. New teachers should rent the movie "Master and Commander" and watch the scene where Russel Crowe's character lectures one of his officers. "Find the strength within yourself and lead them. They do not need a friend. If you are friendly with you, they will despise you." This is fundamental human nature. If you act too friendly, it will be interpreted as "weak" by your students. This is similar to prison, so I hear. You need to be in charge and strong. You are the "leader" and the only one! There are times to smile and use humor, but they are not every day. The old school way of teaching is still the best way. Human nature is human nature, and that hasn't changed. You can be a serious, respected teacher, or you can be their buddy teacher who most kids will see as a "joke". It is hard to balance both. You can't win with the buddy or friend approach, and you will burn out fast. I hope this helps some of the new teachers. Another last ironic thing is that if you teach an elective, and it is too hard, the kids will drop your class, and your subject will dissappear. How do you like that? That goes for high level Physics classes, or even English electives. You walk a fine line between actually teaching the subject enough so that they will do well on the test, yet making it "fun" and entertaining, and easy enough so that they do not drop. Talk about walking a fine line. You go through phases in your career. I started out very idealistic, and eventually, you get tired of forcing the kids to learn every point. Some years you don't have that student who just moved here from Russia. You know, the kid who actually does his homework in a concientious way. Oh well.....Keep up the good fight! Do it for your "gems" and keep the rest of the animals quiet. I’ve been teaching for ten years, and it does wear you down. I teach an elective, so the kids are a little more interested than the kids in my English class, but not much. American high school is just a very unintellectual place. There is more emphasis on sports (throwing balls around, etc.) Colleges are dumbing down because they want to keep those kids paying. Colleges are just degree factories, and they want to make money. It is a joke. Many times I feel like an entertainer, even if I don’t want to be. Sometimes, you have to be dramatic just to get their attention. I definitely would tell all the new teachers to be strict. Just the persona and attitude go a long way to keeping discipline. You are not their friend. You are their teacher, and there is a big difference. This is the only way to go. You may not be the most beloved teacher, but you will be one of the most respected ones. The most beloved teachers are usually the worst teachers, anyway, to tell the truth. Any teacher that is too “hard” will not be loved. Some classes like Latin, German, and Physics cannot be dumbed down very much. New teachers should rent the movie “Master and Commander” and watch the scene where Russel Crowe’s character lectures one of his officers. “Find the strength within yourself and lead them. They do not need a friend. If you are friendly with you, they will despise you.” This is fundamental human nature. If you act too friendly, it will be interpreted as “weak” by your students. This is similar to prison, so I hear. You need to be in charge and strong. You are the “leader” and the only one! There are times to smile and use humor, but they are not every day. The old school way of teaching is still the best way. Human nature is human nature, and that hasn’t changed. You can be a serious, respected teacher, or you can be their buddy teacher who most kids will see as a “joke”. It is hard to balance both. You can’t win with the buddy or friend approach, and you will burn out fast. I hope this helps some of the new teachers. Another last ironic thing is that if you teach an elective, and it is too hard, the kids will drop your class, and your subject will dissappear. How do you like that? That goes for high level Physics classes, or even English electives. You walk a fine line between actually teaching the subject enough so that they will do well on the test, yet making it “fun” and entertaining, and easy enough so that they do not drop. Talk about walking a fine line. You go through phases in your career. I started out very idealistic, and eventually, you get tired of forcing the kids to learn every point. Some years you don’t have that student who just moved here from Russia. You know, the kid who actually does his homework in a concientious way. Oh well…..Keep up the good fight! Do it for your “gems” and keep the rest of the animals quiet.

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-6285 Joel Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:40:24 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-6285 M.D., I can only imagine that this must be a really tough situation for you. Remember that you can't do everything. As much as we want to, we have to constantly remind ourselves that we can only do as much as we can do. I want to write more about this, but I'm not sure that the comments of this article are the best place for it. I'll post my full response in the next few days. Until then, just keep on keeping on! M.D.,

I can only imagine that this must be a really tough situation for you. Remember that you can’t do everything. As much as we want to, we have to constantly remind ourselves that we can only do as much as we can do. I want to write more about this, but I’m not sure that the comments of this article are the best place for it. I’ll post my full response in the next few days. Until then, just keep on keeping on!

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]> By: Juliethttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-6279 Juliet Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:26:48 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-6279 I quit teaching English after 10 years. I felt like I was teaching to kids who did not want to learn. Verbally abused by kids and parents was wreaking me emtionally. After all, I just wanted to teach English. A year later, I am the happiest Ive been in my entire life. I don't miss one day. I plan on substitute teaching in Texas. I'm on Los Angeles now. I've rented out my condo and am now enjoying the allyoucan jet pass and have been to 5 states. Follow your gut. That is my advice. I quit teaching English after 10 years. I felt like I was teaching to kids who did not want to learn. Verbally abused by kids and parents was wreaking me emtionally. After all, I just wanted to teach English. A year later, I am the happiest Ive been in my entire life. I don’t miss one day. I plan on substitute teaching in Texas. I’m on Los Angeles now. I’ve rented out my condo and am now enjoying the allyoucan jet pass and have been to 5 states. Follow your gut. That is my advice.

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]> By: M. D.http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-6278 M. D. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:18:23 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-6278 I'm looking for some practical job options. I just got home from school and I'm ready to hand in my resignation. I've been doing some serious soul searching about whether or not I want to continue, since before school even started. My school is exceptional in so many ways, so it really isn't the school. I get to do so many things that I enjoy. I'm just tired of the hassle. I'm tired of being undercut by people who haven't been in a classroom in 15 years telling me to do what I know to be wrong. We went to block scheduling without any preparation (oh yeah, we got three books to read over the summer and another 3 at the first meeting. Yep, that'll do it). We added an elective and lost a planning, so that means another class to plan - without a text or the time. We now have three professional sites we are required to keep up with (in our spare time of course). We've been put on paper restrictions and are not allowed to use worksheets as grades (unless of course you're out sick, then you're suppose to have a whole file of papers you're not suppose to use ready for a sub!?). And I missed 3 days of school due to infection caused by stress and parents sending sick kids to school because they don't want them at home. There is no time during the day to do everything that has to be done, so the middle school teachers end up being the last to leave the school, with homework. Last year I worked so hard to set up a curriculum that would allow me some time for me. Instead, I'm working harder than ever just to get caught up. And that is on a low salary frozen indefinitely. More work, same pay. Got a degree that seemed like a good idea at the time with no intention of ever setting foot in a classroom (not my first job), and now I am stuck. I can't quit; I need the money and the insurance. I live in a beautiful area that is an employment nightmare. I can't change schools because no one is hiring. I don't want to leave my home, because I have friends. I've got 20 years experience in my field and I love working with middle school kids, but I am extremely unhappy and discouraged. At a retirement party one of my coworkers asked me if I saw myself retiring from the school. I told him honestly that I didn't think I had a choice anymore. I just stayed too long. So, does anyone have a suggestion? I’m looking for some practical job options.
I just got home from school and I’m ready to hand in my resignation. I’ve been doing some serious soul searching about whether or not I want to continue, since before school even started.
My school is exceptional in so many ways, so it really isn’t the school. I get to do so many things that I enjoy. I’m just tired of the hassle.
I’m tired of being undercut by people who haven’t been in a classroom in 15 years telling me to do what I know to be wrong. We went to block scheduling without any preparation (oh yeah, we got three books to read over the summer and another 3 at the first meeting. Yep, that’ll do it). We added an elective and lost a planning, so that means another class to plan – without a text or the time. We now have three professional sites we are required to keep up with (in our spare time of course). We’ve been put on paper restrictions and are not allowed to use worksheets as grades (unless of course you’re out sick, then you’re suppose to have a whole file of papers you’re not suppose to use ready for a sub!?). And I missed 3 days of school due to infection caused by stress and parents sending sick kids to school because they don’t want them at home.
There is no time during the day to do everything that has to be done, so the middle school teachers end up being the last to leave the school, with homework.
Last year I worked so hard to set up a curriculum that would allow me some time for me. Instead, I’m working harder than ever just to get caught up. And that is on a low salary frozen indefinitely. More work, same pay.

Got a degree that seemed like a good idea at the time with no intention of ever setting foot in a classroom (not my first job), and now I am stuck.
I can’t quit; I need the money and the insurance. I live in a beautiful area that is an employment nightmare. I can’t change schools because no one is hiring. I don’t want to leave my home, because I have friends. I’ve got 20 years experience in my field and I love working with middle school kids, but I am extremely unhappy and discouraged.
At a retirement party one of my coworkers asked me if I saw myself retiring from the school. I told him honestly that I didn’t think I had a choice anymore. I just stayed too long.
So, does anyone have a suggestion?

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]> By: tom anselmhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-6254 tom anselm Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:43:34 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-6254 We have been in school almost six weeks already, which makes it about 30 to go, but who's counting. Our kids are fine this year, with the inevitable few exceptions, but it is the administrators who are driving us nuts. I had lately experienced the good life where the bosses were there to make our jobs more effective and remove the falderal (sic?) of the game to get to the nitty gritty of educating kids. But lately...geez, it seems like every day there is another probe to do or a test to administer or a piece of paperwork to complete or... or..., can you sense my frustration? One of our staff today stated that she expects the first of the year to be a "head-spin" but that it levels off after a bit. But this year, "I can't even FEEL my head." We have been in school almost six weeks already, which makes it about 30 to go, but who’s counting. Our kids are fine this year, with the inevitable few exceptions, but it is the administrators who are driving us nuts. I had lately experienced the good life where the bosses were there to make our jobs more effective and remove the falderal (sic?) of the game to get to the nitty gritty of educating kids. But lately…geez, it seems like every day there is another probe to do or a test to administer or a piece of paperwork to complete or… or…, can you sense my frustration? One of our staff today stated that she expects the first of the year to be a “head-spin” but that it levels off after a bit. But this year, “I can’t even FEEL my head.”

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]> By: Dochttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-6250 Doc Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:14:04 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-6250 I'm a college professor and I found this site by typing "I hate teaching, now what?" into a search engine. I'm not surprized to hear all you high school and jr. high teachers say that your students actively resist learning. It's obvious when they get here. They cannot write a sentence. They cannot subtract without a calculator (and even then have no idea if the answer they got is reasonable). I've been giving my students the first exam of the semester this week and the class averages so far have been 66, 52, and 56 out of 100. I told them what would be on the exam, to the point of writing a diagram on the board and saying, "This WILL be on the exam. Memorize it" and even so 75% missed the question on the exam. I asked them what happened and, as near as I can find out, they didn't believe me when I told them what would be on the exam. I don't understand. This is my second semester as a professor and, God willing, my last. I love sharing my knowledge and seeing the light come on for students but that NEVER happens here. I don't feel like I'm doing anything worthwhile for anyone. I'm working 15 to 18 hours a day. Last semester I actually ended up in the hospital from stress. I think it might be time to set a minimum age of about 30 for college students and require them to have several years of responsible work experience before they can be admitted. I don't know what to do about the younger kids. When 23 year-olds brag that they've never read an entire book in their lives you know there is something seriously wrong. I just don't know how to fix it. The administration here decided last week that we have too many students failing and so we should let them take exams as many times as it takes to get an A or B and give extra credit and accept papers that aren't done per instructions or are turned in late...anything to make them feel good about themselves. My response is that if they can't do what's asked of them (it isn't much as it is) then they shouldn't feel good about themselves. I've got to get out of here but first...another exam that they'll all fail..... I’m a college professor and I found this site by typing “I hate teaching, now what?” into a search engine. I’m not surprized to hear all you high school and jr. high teachers say that your students actively resist learning. It’s obvious when they get here. They cannot write a sentence. They cannot subtract without a calculator (and even then have no idea if the answer they got is reasonable). I’ve been giving my students the first exam of the semester this week and the class averages so far have been 66, 52, and 56 out of 100. I told them what would be on the exam, to the point of writing a diagram on the board and saying, “This WILL be on the exam. Memorize it” and even so 75% missed the question on the exam. I asked them what happened and, as near as I can find out, they didn’t believe me when I told them what would be on the exam. I don’t understand. This is my second semester as a professor and, God willing, my last. I love sharing my knowledge and seeing the light come on for students but that NEVER happens here. I don’t feel like I’m doing anything worthwhile for anyone. I’m working 15 to 18 hours a day. Last semester I actually ended up in the hospital from stress. I think it might be time to set a minimum age of about 30 for college students and require them to have several years of responsible work experience before they can be admitted. I don’t know what to do about the younger kids. When 23 year-olds brag that they’ve never read an entire book in their lives you know there is something seriously wrong. I just don’t know how to fix it. The administration here decided last week that we have too many students failing and so we should let them take exams as many times as it takes to get an A or B and give extra credit and accept papers that aren’t done per instructions or are turned in late…anything to make them feel good about themselves. My response is that if they can’t do what’s asked of them (it isn’t much as it is) then they shouldn’t feel good about themselves. I’ve got to get out of here but first…another exam that they’ll all fail…..

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]> By: heyhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-6162 hey Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:28:40 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-6162 I've been teaching two weeks and am stressed out to the max. I teach special ed and have to prepare 33 lessons a week. I teach three classes in one hour, jumping from two kids to another to two more. I literally run around all day like a chicken with my head cut off. I work 12 hours a day and constantly worry about my job. I come in on the weekends. I have the worst job for a first year teacher. I hate it. I’ve been teaching two weeks and am stressed out to the max. I teach special ed and have to prepare 33 lessons a week. I teach three classes in one hour, jumping from two kids to another to two more. I literally run around all day like a chicken with my head cut off. I work 12 hours a day and constantly worry about my job. I come in on the weekends. I have the worst job for a first year teacher. I hate it.

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]> By: Disgruntledhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-6161 Disgruntled Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:12:00 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-6161 It's interesting reading all these comments and I was searching the internet for other jobs I could do if I wasn't a teacher.. My story is the opposite. I have a great bunch of students and a really supportive (mostly) group of parents also. I am disgruntled by the workload and also extra things that end up taking all of my time. The processes in my school are frustrating and I feel like we spend all of our time preparing our students to sit standardized testing so that our school results can improve. My frustration comes from not being able to nurture the other aspects of my students and that the day is taken up by all these other commitments. There is no time for doing those 'just because' activities. I am finding it really hard to overcome the politics at my school, the lack of consultation, the procceses and procedures and that unstable employment. It's these things that are weighing in my mind and making me consider all my options. It’s interesting reading all these comments and I was searching the internet for other jobs I could do if I wasn’t a teacher.. My story is the opposite. I have a great bunch of students and a really supportive (mostly) group of parents also. I am disgruntled by the workload and also extra things that end up taking all of my time. The processes in my school are frustrating and I feel like we spend all of our time preparing our students to sit standardized testing so that our school results can improve. My frustration comes from not being able to nurture the other aspects of my students and that the day is taken up by all these other commitments. There is no time for doing those ‘just because’ activities. I am finding it really hard to overcome the politics at my school, the lack of consultation, the procceses and procedures and that unstable employment. It’s these things that are weighing in my mind and making me consider all my options.

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-2840 Joel Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:05:30 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-2840 After rereading most of the comments on here, I realize that this has sort of turned into despair hour on So You Want To Teach? I really recommend everyone who gets to this article reads the link in the comment just before this one. I know there is hope! After rereading most of the comments on here, I realize that this has sort of turned into despair hour on So You Want To Teach?

I really recommend everyone who gets to this article reads the link in the comment just before this one. I know there is hope!

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/help-im-on-the-verge-of-burnout-do-i-quit-teaching-or-what-do-i-do/#comment-2839 Joel Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:01:22 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=437#comment-2839 <a href='#comment-2730' rel="nofollow">@Simone</a> - Hang in there! If you didn't do it yet, read <a href="http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/the-essence-of-hope/" rel="nofollow">The Essence of Hope</a>! @Simone – Hang in there! If you didn’t do it yet, read The Essence of Hope!

Flag this comment as inappropriate

]]>