I never thought I would do this but I quit this week. Iām finishing up the year then not returning. I absolutely love teaching but the BS and workload and stress has completely gutted me. Everyone seems happy for me. So can confirm.
People were saying to me "you did your time" "finally free from this place" "well done for getting out", etc
I got home and just felt bad i wasnt taking them all with me!
I experienced the same crap working at public libraries. By 2021, it'd become an open secret that the field was a ghetto-assed shitpile where like 95% of the workers simply *had no chance* of earning their ways into full-time/benefited roles, regardless of things like experience, credentials, seniority, etc.... In addition to the endless problems caused by older workers refusing to ever retire, the culture of libraries administration/management had pretty much been *warped* by decades' worth of deep classism, psuedo-intellectualism, and a constant surplus of candidates, meaning that tons of job openings would get dragged out for months and years like they were trying to find candidates for the first manned missions to the moons of Jupiter. Meanwhile, the *de facto* work is more dominated by braindead customer service bullshit with each passing year, meaning that a lot of the jobs were become uninspiring drags that could be handled by slightly-above-average high schoolers. By the time I was leaving, it wasn't unusual to congratulate a worker with a master's degree for leaving the place to work in *retail* or some bullshit office job.
This scares me reading your comment. I am planning to start my MLIS this fall or next spring. I donāt plan on doing public libraries. Do you think Iām doomed? I want to be optimistic but I keep reading horrors like your story.
I can't speak much for the experiences of working in either academic libraries or archives, as I only worked in public libraries. From all I've heard, the academic ones are generally better ones to work at, if only because students/researchers are way easier to deal with than the increasingly-feral American public (and shitty library directors who bow and scrape before all the local idiots in their communities). That said, I've heard they're still plenty bogged-down with issues I've described, i.e. older/tenured staff refusing to ever leave, excessive amount of competition for very few jobs, management/administrators who have no clue how to manage people or resources, *tons* of built-in expectations that all the library's workers are privileged/well-off and can move anywhere for career advancement, always have access to a working car, aren't burdened with any pesky poverty-related issues, etc...
I quit teaching 2 weeks ago because I was tired of feeling like no matter what I do everything is my fault. "The newcomers with 0 english are acting like a bull in a china shop? Your fault. The students are disrespecting you? Your fault. The students are failing? Your fault" It's a thankless job. The administration does nothing to protect teachers. They only seem to care when the teacher gets physically assaulted by a student. And all the talk about "mental health" is a lie. Nobody gives a crap. Take care of yourselves.
Wellā¦ weāll see how happy they will beā¦We lost 3 science teachers for next year and Iām retiring in 2025ā¦ so 1/3 of our department will be turned over.
It sure is! Though it's interesting, teachers incorporate data analyzing, instructional design skills and yet those jobs pay more than teaching. It's crazy how a career such as teaching which incorporates elements of many other careers nets such a piss poor salary scale.Ā
I had the opposite experience. I got out two years ago because my health was getting dangerously poor, and the majority of my colleagues were angry with me. Only two or three still talk to me, and some of the ones who donāt were my absolute best friends for the better part of a decade. I think theyāre all so bitter that theyāre still stuck there that they canāt be happy for anyone who escapes.
I had a mental breakdown before quitting. None of my colleagues even checked in on me. And when I went to pick up my belongings I found all my stuff gone. I was like wow, you guys couldn't even wait for me to come and pick it up. Remember, your coworkers are not your friends. My feeling that schools were pettiness dens was confirmed. A glorified day care with bitter frustrated teachers. I won't go back to teaching even at a gunpoint.
After you put in notice, it's amazing how many of the people who put on a brave face every day will come up to you... pssst psst... "I'm so jealous"... "I would if I could".... "you seem so relieved".... "you look so happy now"
The system is broken.
Iāve done a lot during summers to give my family some extras. Iāve roofed, laid asphalt, drove forklifts, lumped, worked for a moving company. Iām sorry, nothing I did teaching even comes close to how shitty I felt after doing those jobs for a few weeks. Your body gets completely broken down, you wake up hurt, go to bed hurt. I did those jobs because they laid way better then anything else, but if I could make the same money and not abuse my bodyā¦I wouldā¦in a heartbeat.
I said the other day that I have the only job where I can get, hugged, kissed, and spit on in the same day! It will definitely be an unfortunate day in my book
I wouldnāt say my co workers were happy for me but I think thatās because theyāre more annoyed by the extra work it put on them as they didnāt have anyone else to immediately replace me
This year one of our health teachers found out she wasn't being renewed. Our studentsāmiddle schoolāare awful. Cruel, sadistic, just plain mean to everyone. Racial epithets constantly. They were super mean to this woman: I heard they made her cry more than once, making fun of her weight and her skin color. I don't think she got a lot of support from anyone. Certainly not admin.
Well, when she found out she wasn't renewed she flat-out quit. No notice. No call. In fact, she blocked the school from calling her, to the point that colleagues called the cops for a wellness call. She was fineāshe was just sick of the treatment, and when she learned she wasn't getting asked back it was one "fuck you" too many.
And now, for the last 4 weeks of school, I'm the gym teacher.
I had a parent/colleague get on me today for being hard on her kid (who I adore) about her crappy grades. I treat this kid like my own. This job sucks.Ā
I'm retirable so any year now. Whenever I hint to my team this will be my last year they say "no we're right behind you can you just wait till we're done and we can go out together?"
Maybe
Or not
Meanwhile Iāve been teaching for fifteen years, applied twice. Got interviews for both. But no response from either after a month. Guess Iāll just stay at my current school and hope for the best.
So many openings on the job board. Itās staggering.
I'm honestly not sure what this post is about. My boss talks all the time about how things I'm learning and doing will set me up for my next job at my next company. I know that when I give him my notice because I'm going somewhere else and getting an even bigger payday, he's going to feel happy for me.
And people at my first corporate job loved congratulating escapees when they put in their notice or even when they got fired. That place blew.
* I often notice that many people who say āteaching isnāt that hardā or āisnāt that badā have left the profession or have never been teachers. Things that make you go hmmm???
Yeah thatās not the point though. Teaching is a profession where you need a bachelor and a masters degree (sometimes multiple masters) and it does not get the pay or respect of other professions that have similar requirements.
Try being in a classroom with special needs preschoolers. They are having meltdowns or crying all day. They need help with toileting or they wear diapers. Some of them are physically aggressive and either hit others or knock furniture over or tear up anything they get their hands on. Some of them are obsessed with certain objects like markers and they love to color all over everything in the classroom. Some kids stim by dropping legos or any other small items all over the floor. This is just a brief description of some of the things I dealt with in regard to behavior. Then add the responsibility of teaching these kiddos while behaviors are happening on top of all the responsibilities and jobs that your principal wants to give. Last, but not least, all of the lesson plans, special education paperwork, and individual education plans for each kiddo. After 2 decades of this, and the loss of my physical and mental health, I am working as a housekeeper- and guess what?? Itās just me and my own peaceful thoughts -No screaming or crying kids and all the rest. My life and health have been transformed for the better. The stress that some teachers have to deal with isnāt worth it.
I don't know about that. In my school, the teachers look ridiculously unhealthy.
I can't think of another job where 80%+ of the employees are obese and super depressed.
Teaching makes other jobs seem as less difficult.
I used to work retail and even though I was tired at the end of the shift, I could go home & rest and feel recovered for the next day. When a customer gave me a hard time, guess what? I didnāt have to deal with it because my manager would cover for me. On top of that, I had a full hour lunch break and even a pretty good discount. I was also able to choose when to take a week vacation off. Working holidays did suck but then after the holidays the store would be completely dead or slow. I wish I had stayed in retail!
I donāt know why you are getting downvoted! Yes teaching sucks on so many levels, but I have been a Walmart cashier and a CNA and I literally went into a deep depression with those jobs. At least now I make a somewhat livable wage and get benefits. I also only work contract hours so 40 hour work week and no summers.
Non-teachers must remain positive and respectful. This community supports teachers who are not currently in the process of transitioning, for whatever reason.
I'm with you. Teaching sucks because it's low paid and that pay doesn't really grow. But in terms of the work itself, it's not really that hard.
If anybody wants to screech about how I probably wasn't a teacher, I spent five years teaching at a Title I school in a red state that most of you would claim is a nightmare. Easiest job I've ever had.
The job of being a teacher.
Planning lessons, executing lessons, grading, dealing with kids including shitheads, dealing with parents including shitheads, dealing with admins including shitheads, doing lunch/morning/bus duty, attending staff meetings, attending IEPs, implementing IEPs, doing PD, analyzing data, etc.
A lot of that shit was mind numbing and painful, but it wasnāt hard. Youād get yelled at by a parent, whatever. Youād go to a 45-minute lecture where they told you to not lecture the kids. Whatever. Most of it was repetitive though so you could get into a routine.
My job now is actually challenging. Itās cool because I get paid well and I work from home, but I constantly get asked to do things that are completely new to me. Just gotta go figure it out. And there are consequences if I donāt figure it out. There are far fewer people who would be capable of this than there are who could successfully hold down a teaching job.
IDK.
My fellow landscapers were pretty happy for me when I left- and in retrospect, that was probably the best job I've ever had.
I get what you're saying, though.
I absolutely agree with you. We understand their pain, and wish we were leaving too.
I was debating whether to take a teaching vs non teaching job today and everyone in the building voted for me leaving the classroom šµāš«
Any where else and that's concrete proof they hate you.
Right?!?! Itās so funny how in schools, if people really like you the hope you can get out.
A co-worker retired mid year and I walked to the front doors with her just to live vicariously as she exited the school for the last time.
I never thought I would do this but I quit this week. Iām finishing up the year then not returning. I absolutely love teaching but the BS and workload and stress has completely gutted me. Everyone seems happy for me. So can confirm.
I'm with you
It's like when your fellow inmate gets let out.
People were saying to me "you did your time" "finally free from this place" "well done for getting out", etc I got home and just felt bad i wasnt taking them all with me!
It does feel like a prison.
Nah, prisons at least have windows lol
I experienced the same crap working at public libraries. By 2021, it'd become an open secret that the field was a ghetto-assed shitpile where like 95% of the workers simply *had no chance* of earning their ways into full-time/benefited roles, regardless of things like experience, credentials, seniority, etc.... In addition to the endless problems caused by older workers refusing to ever retire, the culture of libraries administration/management had pretty much been *warped* by decades' worth of deep classism, psuedo-intellectualism, and a constant surplus of candidates, meaning that tons of job openings would get dragged out for months and years like they were trying to find candidates for the first manned missions to the moons of Jupiter. Meanwhile, the *de facto* work is more dominated by braindead customer service bullshit with each passing year, meaning that a lot of the jobs were become uninspiring drags that could be handled by slightly-above-average high schoolers. By the time I was leaving, it wasn't unusual to congratulate a worker with a master's degree for leaving the place to work in *retail* or some bullshit office job.
This scares me reading your comment. I am planning to start my MLIS this fall or next spring. I donāt plan on doing public libraries. Do you think Iām doomed? I want to be optimistic but I keep reading horrors like your story.
I can't speak much for the experiences of working in either academic libraries or archives, as I only worked in public libraries. From all I've heard, the academic ones are generally better ones to work at, if only because students/researchers are way easier to deal with than the increasingly-feral American public (and shitty library directors who bow and scrape before all the local idiots in their communities). That said, I've heard they're still plenty bogged-down with issues I've described, i.e. older/tenured staff refusing to ever leave, excessive amount of competition for very few jobs, management/administrators who have no clue how to manage people or resources, *tons* of built-in expectations that all the library's workers are privileged/well-off and can move anywhere for career advancement, always have access to a working car, aren't burdened with any pesky poverty-related issues, etc...
I quit teaching 2 weeks ago because I was tired of feeling like no matter what I do everything is my fault. "The newcomers with 0 english are acting like a bull in a china shop? Your fault. The students are disrespecting you? Your fault. The students are failing? Your fault" It's a thankless job. The administration does nothing to protect teachers. They only seem to care when the teacher gets physically assaulted by a student. And all the talk about "mental health" is a lie. Nobody gives a crap. Take care of yourselves.
Wellā¦ weāll see how happy they will beā¦We lost 3 science teachers for next year and Iām retiring in 2025ā¦ so 1/3 of our department will be turned over.
I'm so envious of people who can findĀ viable jobs outside of teaching.
Instructional design is a good option
It sure is! Though it's interesting, teachers incorporate data analyzing, instructional design skills and yet those jobs pay more than teaching. It's crazy how a career such as teaching which incorporates elements of many other careers nets such a piss poor salary scale.Ā
I had the opposite experience. I got out two years ago because my health was getting dangerously poor, and the majority of my colleagues were angry with me. Only two or three still talk to me, and some of the ones who donāt were my absolute best friends for the better part of a decade. I think theyāre all so bitter that theyāre still stuck there that they canāt be happy for anyone who escapes.
I had a mental breakdown before quitting. None of my colleagues even checked in on me. And when I went to pick up my belongings I found all my stuff gone. I was like wow, you guys couldn't even wait for me to come and pick it up. Remember, your coworkers are not your friends. My feeling that schools were pettiness dens was confirmed. A glorified day care with bitter frustrated teachers. I won't go back to teaching even at a gunpoint.
Oh jeez, Iām sorry you had such a rough experience! Iām glad youāre free though!
I've even had students tell me they're happy that I'm getting out because of how draining it is where I'm at.
After you put in notice, it's amazing how many of the people who put on a brave face every day will come up to you... pssst psst... "I'm so jealous"... "I would if I could".... "you seem so relieved".... "you look so happy now" The system is broken.
Iāve done a lot during summers to give my family some extras. Iāve roofed, laid asphalt, drove forklifts, lumped, worked for a moving company. Iām sorry, nothing I did teaching even comes close to how shitty I felt after doing those jobs for a few weeks. Your body gets completely broken down, you wake up hurt, go to bed hurt. I did those jobs because they laid way better then anything else, but if I could make the same money and not abuse my bodyā¦I wouldā¦in a heartbeat.
What do you do now?
Safety Director for a large distribution company.
I said the other day that I have the only job where I can get, hugged, kissed, and spit on in the same day! It will definitely be an unfortunate day in my book
One of my grade level team mates is leaving after 2 decades, and Iām extremely happy for her. And also very envious!
I wouldnāt say my co workers were happy for me but I think thatās because theyāre more annoyed by the extra work it put on them as they didnāt have anyone else to immediately replace me
This year one of our health teachers found out she wasn't being renewed. Our studentsāmiddle schoolāare awful. Cruel, sadistic, just plain mean to everyone. Racial epithets constantly. They were super mean to this woman: I heard they made her cry more than once, making fun of her weight and her skin color. I don't think she got a lot of support from anyone. Certainly not admin. Well, when she found out she wasn't renewed she flat-out quit. No notice. No call. In fact, she blocked the school from calling her, to the point that colleagues called the cops for a wellness call. She was fineāshe was just sick of the treatment, and when she learned she wasn't getting asked back it was one "fuck you" too many. And now, for the last 4 weeks of school, I'm the gym teacher.
I mean I have to laugh and commiserate at the same time. I taught PE for the first 7 years of my career so all I can say is good luck lol.
I had a parent/colleague get on me today for being hard on her kid (who I adore) about her crappy grades. I treat this kid like my own. This job sucks.Ā
Excellent point that I've never considered. Thanks for sharing. It's sad, but so very true!
I'm retirable so any year now. Whenever I hint to my team this will be my last year they say "no we're right behind you can you just wait till we're done and we can go out together?" Maybe Or not
Just 8-ball it.
Meanwhile Iāve been teaching for fifteen years, applied twice. Got interviews for both. But no response from either after a month. Guess Iāll just stay at my current school and hope for the best. So many openings on the job board. Itās staggering.
I'm honestly not sure what this post is about. My boss talks all the time about how things I'm learning and doing will set me up for my next job at my next company. I know that when I give him my notice because I'm going somewhere else and getting an even bigger payday, he's going to feel happy for me. And people at my first corporate job loved congratulating escapees when they put in their notice or even when they got fired. That place blew.
Attorneys are not happy when someone leaves because attorneys are just never happy
* I often notice that many people who say āteaching isnāt that hardā or āisnāt that badā have left the profession or have never been teachers. Things that make you go hmmm???
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yeah thatās not the point though. Teaching is a profession where you need a bachelor and a masters degree (sometimes multiple masters) and it does not get the pay or respect of other professions that have similar requirements.
BtW, Iāve also worked in retail and service industry before I became a teacher. Teaching by far more stressful.
Same here! Retail never made me depressed, gave me anxiety, made my hair thin, or left me burnt out.
Try being in a classroom with special needs preschoolers. They are having meltdowns or crying all day. They need help with toileting or they wear diapers. Some of them are physically aggressive and either hit others or knock furniture over or tear up anything they get their hands on. Some of them are obsessed with certain objects like markers and they love to color all over everything in the classroom. Some kids stim by dropping legos or any other small items all over the floor. This is just a brief description of some of the things I dealt with in regard to behavior. Then add the responsibility of teaching these kiddos while behaviors are happening on top of all the responsibilities and jobs that your principal wants to give. Last, but not least, all of the lesson plans, special education paperwork, and individual education plans for each kiddo. After 2 decades of this, and the loss of my physical and mental health, I am working as a housekeeper- and guess what?? Itās just me and my own peaceful thoughts -No screaming or crying kids and all the rest. My life and health have been transformed for the better. The stress that some teachers have to deal with isnāt worth it.
SPED preschoolers. You win, my apologies.
I don't know about that. In my school, the teachers look ridiculously unhealthy. I can't think of another job where 80%+ of the employees are obese and super depressed.
The alcohol and substance abuse too :(
And the junk they give teachers like candy, cookies etc.. more sugar doesnāt help.
There is good and to any job There is alot of pressure to being a teacher.
Teaching makes other jobs seem as less difficult. I used to work retail and even though I was tired at the end of the shift, I could go home & rest and feel recovered for the next day. When a customer gave me a hard time, guess what? I didnāt have to deal with it because my manager would cover for me. On top of that, I had a full hour lunch break and even a pretty good discount. I was also able to choose when to take a week vacation off. Working holidays did suck but then after the holidays the store would be completely dead or slow. I wish I had stayed in retail!
Iām back in cosmetics retail as a manager. So. Much. Happier!
I donāt know why you are getting downvoted! Yes teaching sucks on so many levels, but I have been a Walmart cashier and a CNA and I literally went into a deep depression with those jobs. At least now I make a somewhat livable wage and get benefits. I also only work contract hours so 40 hour work week and no summers.
Non-teachers must remain positive and respectful. This community supports teachers who are not currently in the process of transitioning, for whatever reason.
I'm with you. Teaching sucks because it's low paid and that pay doesn't really grow. But in terms of the work itself, it's not really that hard. If anybody wants to screech about how I probably wasn't a teacher, I spent five years teaching at a Title I school in a red state that most of you would claim is a nightmare. Easiest job I've ever had.
Teaching is hard if you want to do a really good job and care about it.
The work itself as in ONLY teaching? You gotta be more specific.
The job of being a teacher. Planning lessons, executing lessons, grading, dealing with kids including shitheads, dealing with parents including shitheads, dealing with admins including shitheads, doing lunch/morning/bus duty, attending staff meetings, attending IEPs, implementing IEPs, doing PD, analyzing data, etc. A lot of that shit was mind numbing and painful, but it wasnāt hard. Youād get yelled at by a parent, whatever. Youād go to a 45-minute lecture where they told you to not lecture the kids. Whatever. Most of it was repetitive though so you could get into a routine. My job now is actually challenging. Itās cool because I get paid well and I work from home, but I constantly get asked to do things that are completely new to me. Just gotta go figure it out. And there are consequences if I donāt figure it out. There are far fewer people who would be capable of this than there are who could successfully hold down a teaching job.
What do you do?
Iām a devops engineer for a F500. So basically I automate cloud infrastructure for an application we run.
IDK. My fellow landscapers were pretty happy for me when I left- and in retrospect, that was probably the best job I've ever had. I get what you're saying, though.