Comments on: 9 Reasons To Quit Teaching (And 10 Reasons To Stick) http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:59:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Nicolettehttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7399 Nicolette Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:28:11 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7399 To add to my previous comment, I have a two year old daughter who is my world. I took the minimal time off when she was born, mostly for financial reasons. How do others with young children cope with the stresses of the job in addition to family responsibilities? Obviously what I'm doing is not working............ To add to my previous comment, I have a two year old daughter who is my world. I took the minimal time off when she was born, mostly for financial reasons. How do others with young children cope with the stresses of the job in addition to family responsibilities? Obviously what I’m doing is not working…………

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]]> By: Nicolettehttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7398 Nicolette Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:37:56 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7398 I love this site. Reading all the comments is great therapy. Right now I believe I'm in the midst of burnout. I have been a teacher of first graders at my current school for 6 years. I have taught K-2 students for a total of 10; 1 year in my native Australia, three in the UK and the past 6 in America. I don't know what has happened to me over the past few years. Teaching is my heart; I know I'm good at it and in essence I love it, but I have gotten to where I dread going to school. A few years ago I was a master of classroom management - my principal at the time said I was a model manager and had other teachers come observe me. Then, something happened.......... I was forced to resign at the end of my second year in the States while I worked out visa issues (I had originally planned to stay for 2 years and then met my wonderful husband.) After sorting out the visa, I was offered a job at the same school after the school year began in the same grade level. A new class was created for me due to high numbers. My wonderful co-workers hand picked the kids I would have - most of whom they were happy to get rid of. The resulting class was a mass of behavior issues, with a child who tried to stab another child in the face with scissors and told me he would come to my house in the middle of the night and kill my family (1st grade!) sitting like a cherry on top. My confidence in my own abilities was rocked. There was no taking advantage of the honeymoon period at the very beginning to lay out and practice rules and expectations - they had already been in school for two weeks and looked upon me as a substitute. I became reactive rather than proactive as I became increasingly frustrated. I became a teacher I did not like. I was not mean and nasty, just saddened and overwhelmed by thoughts of what my class had looked like in the past and how things flipped seemingly overnight due to circumstances I could not control. The worst part was, after this difficult year, I couldn't seem to get myself back on track. I became timid, even frightened to enforce expectations for fear of tantrums and parent complaints. For the last four years, it has been a battle. I am constantly frustrated with myself as I know that I am the one who sets the tone in the room and I just can't make things like they used to be. Every summer I have enthusiastically prepared my room, looked forward to meeting my students, and told myself things will be different this year, to no avail. Right now I am at the point of resignation. I have the most difficult class I have had to date. There are 5 students who feed off of each other in the worst way, and when one starts, they all start. I am ignored completely - I may as well not even be in the room. They have no respect for me or the other students, stand up and walk over to one another in the middle of a lesson and just starting chatting or fighting, yell out constantly and are scared of no one. Administration has not been a whole lot of help. I have another child who is my 'cherry on top' - he was returned to class 30 minutes after calling me an 'expletive punk expletive' which did not make a good impression on the other students, meaning it is now ok seemingly to call me whatever you feel like. Parents have not blamed me, but all of them are either apathetic or, if they are enforcing consequences at home, the consequences seem to be ineffective. In the middle of it all is me, a defeated, hurt, depressed little mess. I have tried 'incentives/rewards' but this sticks in my craw because if you strip away the PC language it is really just bribery. I find it hard to 'bribe' the students into submission when I know that if I were on my game they would be walking the chalk line. In all of this, I blame myself. Today I left school early. I was sick with a sinus infection, but part of it was a need to just run to avoid a meltdown in front of the students (which I have been dangerously close to 3 times this year.) Although money would be tight, my husband is fully supportive of me leaving my current position and hopefully finding some tutoring or classroom assistant work for the remainder of the year while I try to get my head together. As a type A personality, it is sooooooooo hard for me to admit that I just can't do this right now. On the other side, I feel like I should take the initiative and step away to try and salvage my love of teaching as it is definitely still there. Teaching is such an odd world - it can often be hard to talk to colleagues, although they are the ones who understand the most. There is this unspoken culture of 'you can handle it or you can't handle it' and if you can't handle it you are quietly looked down on by the ones that do as someone who just doesn't understand or 'get' the art of teaching. I do get it! But I can't work it! I would so appreciate hearing from some folks who have had similar experiences! I love this site. Reading all the comments is great therapy. Right now I believe I’m in the midst of burnout. I have been a teacher of first graders at my current school for 6 years. I have taught K-2 students for a total of 10; 1 year in my native Australia, three in the UK and the past 6 in America. I don’t know what has happened to me over the past few years. Teaching is my heart; I know I’m good at it and in essence I love it, but I have gotten to where I dread going to school. A few years ago I was a master of classroom management – my principal at the time said I was a model manager and had other teachers come observe me. Then, something happened………. I was forced to resign at the end of my second year in the States while I worked out visa issues (I had originally planned to stay for 2 years and then met my wonderful husband.) After sorting out the visa, I was offered a job at the same school after the school year began in the same grade level. A new class was created for me due to high numbers. My wonderful co-workers hand picked the kids I would have – most of whom they were happy to get rid of. The resulting class was a mass of behavior issues, with a child who tried to stab another child in the face with scissors and told me he would come to my house in the middle of the night and kill my family (1st grade!) sitting like a cherry on top. My confidence in my own abilities was rocked. There was no taking advantage of the honeymoon period at the very beginning to lay out and practice rules and expectations – they had already been in school for two weeks and looked upon me as a substitute. I became reactive rather than proactive as I became increasingly frustrated. I became a teacher I did not like. I was not mean and nasty, just saddened and overwhelmed by thoughts of what my class had looked like in the past and how things flipped seemingly overnight due to circumstances I could not control.

The worst part was, after this difficult year, I couldn’t seem to get myself back on track. I became timid, even frightened to enforce expectations for fear of tantrums and parent complaints. For the last four years, it has been a battle. I am constantly frustrated with myself as I know that I am the one who sets the tone in the room and I just can’t make things like they used to be. Every summer I have enthusiastically prepared my room, looked forward to meeting my students, and told myself things will be different this year, to no avail.

Right now I am at the point of resignation. I have the most difficult class I have had to date. There are 5 students who feed off of each other in the worst way, and when one starts, they all start. I am ignored completely – I may as well not even be in the room. They have no respect for me or the other students, stand up and walk over to one another in the middle of a lesson and just starting chatting or fighting, yell out constantly and are scared of no one. Administration has not been a whole lot of help. I have another child who is my ‘cherry on top’ – he was returned to class 30 minutes after calling me an ‘expletive punk expletive’ which did not make a good impression on the other students, meaning it is now ok seemingly to call me whatever you feel like. Parents have not blamed me, but all of them are either apathetic or, if they are enforcing consequences at home, the consequences seem to be ineffective. In the middle of it all is me, a defeated, hurt, depressed little mess. I have tried ‘incentives/rewards’ but this sticks in my craw because if you strip away the PC language it is really just bribery. I find it hard to ‘bribe’ the students into submission when I know that if I were on my game they would be walking the chalk line. In all of this, I blame myself.

Today I left school early. I was sick with a sinus infection, but part of it was a need to just run to avoid a meltdown in front of the students (which I have been dangerously close to 3 times this year.) Although money would be tight, my husband is fully supportive of me leaving my current position and hopefully finding some tutoring or classroom assistant work for the remainder of the year while I try to get my head together. As a type A personality, it is sooooooooo hard for me to admit that I just can’t do this right now. On the other side, I feel like I should take the initiative and step away to try and salvage my love of teaching as it is definitely still there.

Teaching is such an odd world – it can often be hard to talk to colleagues, although they are the ones who understand the most. There is this unspoken culture of ‘you can handle it or you can’t handle it’ and if you can’t handle it you are quietly looked down on by the ones that do as someone who just doesn’t understand or ‘get’ the art of teaching. I do get it! But I can’t work it! I would so appreciate hearing from some folks who have had similar experiences!

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]]> By: Nine Year Stretchhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7391 Nine Year Stretch Tue, 30 Nov 2010 03:06:38 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7391 I am in my ninth year of teaching and quite seriously considering hanging up the towel. I am currently teaching high school literature and speech. I absolutely despise high school. I prefer middle school, but I wasn't endorsed. I am now, so if I can possibly make it through the year I will try to get back to middle school. It doesn't help that I'm in a city I do not like either. I'm just tired of students not coming prepared for class and "forgetting" books, assignments, etc. They have no problem remembering cell phones, what they're doing on the weekend, etc. However, when they fail it always the teacher's fault. No one ever holds these students accountable. I can only do so much without going to their homes and packing their backpacks. Maybe I should get a cell phone dedicated to school only. Then I'll send text message reminders! Oh yeah, forgot to mention the no contact/no stalking order I have to get against a student who wants to kill me. I love teaching! I did enjoy reading the reasons to quit and the reasons to stay. Still deciding on what to do... I am in my ninth year of teaching and quite seriously considering hanging up the towel. I am currently teaching high school literature and speech. I absolutely despise high school. I prefer middle school, but I wasn’t endorsed. I am now, so if I can possibly make it through the year I will try to get back to middle school. It doesn’t help that I’m in a city I do not like either.

I’m just tired of students not coming prepared for class and "forgetting" books, assignments, etc. They have no problem remembering cell phones, what they’re doing on the weekend, etc. However, when they fail it always the teacher’s fault. No one ever holds these students accountable. I can only do so much without going to their homes and packing their backpacks. Maybe I should get a cell phone dedicated to school only. Then I’ll send text message reminders!

Oh yeah, forgot to mention the no contact/no stalking order I have to get against a student who wants to kill me. I love teaching!

I did enjoy reading the reasons to quit and the reasons to stay. Still deciding on what to do…

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7388 Joel Wed, 24 Nov 2010 05:13:37 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7388 Heya Amélia, I really do hope you'll stick with it for a little while longer. You have made it through the hard part already (college) and now you're struggling with figuring out how the system works. But soon you'll be to the place where it's second-nature for you...if you continue working and thinking about it. You're on the right path...stay the course! Heya Amélia,

I really do hope you’ll stick with it for a little while longer. You have made it through the hard part already (college) and now you’re struggling with figuring out how the system works. But soon you’ll be to the place where it’s second-nature for you…if you continue working and thinking about it. You’re on the right path…stay the course!

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]]> By: Améliahttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7387 Amélia Wed, 24 Nov 2010 02:05:36 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7387 Hey! I loved this post..It really reflects my own inner struggle..deciding whether I want to teach or not. I've started and like it but is it really what I want to do of my life?? euhhmmm ..still haven't decided but getting there! Thanks for the read! Hey! I loved this post..It really reflects my own inner struggle..deciding whether I want to teach or not. I’ve started and like it but is it really what I want to do of my life?? euhhmmm ..still haven’t decided but getting there!
Thanks for the read!

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]]> By: #PassionDriven Conversations: Guest Blogger – Joel W | Angela Maiers Educational Services, Inc.http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7385 #PassionDriven Conversations: Guest Blogger – Joel W | Angela Maiers Educational Services, Inc. Fri, 19 Nov 2010 22:52:19 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7385 [...] was when I came across Seth Godin's writings (specifically his book "The Dip", which I addressed in 9 Reasons To Quit Teaching (And 10 Reasons To Stick) on my blog). In an interview Guy Kawasaki did with Seth, he [...] [...] was when I came across Seth Godin's writings (specifically his book "The Dip", which I addressed in 9 Reasons To Quit Teaching (And 10 Reasons To Stick) on my blog). In an interview Guy Kawasaki did with Seth, he [...]

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]]> By: jamiehttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7381 jamie Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:58:17 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7381 im quiting now thnx im quiting now thnx

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]]> By: KarenEhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7363 KarenE Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:32:43 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7363 I need help. I 've been teaching in NYC alternative high school for 9 years. I can't get my act together. I can't plan lessons, it just seems like such torture. my mentor(thank you uft) keeps telling me to keep the objective in mind...well, I can't seem to do it, am I in the Dip or am i just a dip? I don't know where I would go if I didnt teach, but how can I get 20 lesson plans written each sunday? I can't keep it straight, any suggestions? I need help. I ‘ve been teaching in NYC alternative high school for 9 years. I can’t get my act together. I can’t plan lessons, it just seems like such torture. my mentor(thank you uft) keeps telling me to keep the objective in mind…well, I can’t seem to do it, am I in the Dip or am i just a dip? I don’t know where I would go if I didnt teach, but how can I get 20 lesson plans written each sunday? I can’t keep it straight, any suggestions?

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]]> By: Katiehttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7354 Katie Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:32:56 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7354 I LOVE this blog!! :) Although, the reasons why NOT to be a teacher can sometimes seem overwhelming... the reasons WHY to be a teacher should always way MORE! Excellent Post! And very much enjoyed! :) I LOVE this blog!! :) Although, the reasons why NOT to be a teacher can sometimes seem overwhelming… the reasons WHY to be a teacher should always way MORE! Excellent Post! And very much enjoyed! :)

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]]> By: mllehttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7275 mlle Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:55:16 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/2007/06/18/nine-reasons-to-quit-teaching-and-ten-reasons-to-stick/#comment-7275 I have just had to make a decision: Am I leaving teaching because I don't want to be a teacher? OR Am I leaving teaching because I can't get full-time work where I am? Thanks for your help. (I have realised that it is because I can't get full-time work - because of your page) I have just had to make a decision:
Am I leaving teaching because I don’t want to be a teacher?
OR
Am I leaving teaching because I can’t get full-time work where I am?

Thanks for your help. (I have realised that it is because I can’t get full-time work – because of your page)

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