Hated Work Today

[BPA]

Most days I don't hate my job but today I hated it to the point of insomnia.  Gah!

I find in teaching, it's never the kids who make me want to quit, it's stupid policies made by people who have never actually taught and lately my union that make me want to quit...and I've been actively involved in my union for the last 13 years.

I'm so mad I can't sleep. 

Anyone else have a similar day? 

[Nudelkopf]

I find it is the kids who make me want to quit, and the admin who don't have any policies to support continually disruptive students.

[BPA]

I teach at the kind of school where supply teachers always say they want to return.

I am really lucky for that.

I am ready to lose it on some kids who have taken over a staircase at lunch and leave garbage all over the stairs and try to intimidate the other kids.  They even graffitied it, "Smokers [sic] Stairs."  <sigh> 

[Dicey]

I'm not a teacher, so I can't say I know what you're going through. Wait! I totally get the sleeplessness part, which completely sucks. I feel that pain for you acutely. I hope that knowing that you're on a steady path to FIRE will help ease your current stress. Imagine how much worse it would feel if you were buried in a morass of debt with no compass or plan. Hang in there, there's a long weekend just ahead...

[BPA]

I'm not a teacher, so I can't say I know what you're going through. Wait! I totally get the sleeplessness part, which completely sucks. I feel that pain for you acutely. I hope that knowing that you're on a steady path to FIRE will help ease your current stress. Imagine how much worse it would feel if you were buried in a morass of debt with no compass or plan. Hang in there, there's a long weekend just ahead...

Thanks!  I said to a friend of mine, "I'm so glad that if I had many more days like this, I could just quit."  My annoyance is more at the union and I'm sure at this point they would love it if I just went away.  I won't give them the satisfaction...yet.

I'm Canadian, so no long weekend coming up for me, but Christmas Holidays are just around the corner.

Today is already shaping up to be a better day luckily. 

[dude]

My friend is a teacher, and for him it's all about the shithead kids.  He teaches in a public school in a very affluent area, and he says the kids are so entitled and arrogant as to be worthless human beings.  They don't give a shit, they spend all day in class on their cell phones, and their parents are totally dismissive of any criticism of them.  He really dislikes many of his student a lot.

[BPA]

My friend is a teacher, and for him it's all about the shithead kids.  He teaches in a public school in a very affluent area, and he says the kids are so entitled and arrogant as to be worthless human beings.  They don't give a shit, they spend all day in class on their cell phones, and their parents are totally dismissive of any criticism of them.  He really dislikes many of his student a lot.

That's too bad.  I've had to deal with some doozies of parents before.  You know, their kids skip, get high instead, don't get their work done, and when they fail, I'm the one to blame.  Thing is that I've always liked their kids even if they aren't making good choices.  But like I said, I work at a pretty good school. 

I find the phone thing very frustrating.  They really can't focus on two things at once.  One kid missed the ending of Of Mice and Men when I was reading out loud because he was texting back and forth with his mom.  When we move to teaching off ipads, I might just lose my mind.  At least now most times I am aware of when they are playing Clash of Clans and when they are supposed to be reading.

If there ever comes a point that I don't like my students, I need to pack it in.  I love them like nieces and nephews.  But like I said, I work at a good school. 

ETA:  This article sums up a lot of teacher frustration.  I laughed so hard when I was reading it because I was having so many issues with technology that week, I did call out, "Just give me chalk and books!  Chalk and books!"  https://poeticdevicesx.wordpress.com/2014/09/09/to-the-stratosphere-and-beyond/

[firewalker]

WOW. Teachers cant set up a "no cell phones" rule in the class? Teachers have to wait til the kid fails for the parents to know and cant call parents to tell them mid course? How can you teach with your arms tied behind your back?

[BPA]

WOW. Teachers cant set up a "no cell phones" rule in the class? Teachers have to wait til the kid fails for the parents to know and cant call parents to tell them mid course? How can you teach with your arms tied behind your back?

We aren't allowed to establish that rule in our classes.  We have even been told that we will be responsible for escalating the situation if we try to confiscate phones when they are impeding learning. 

Also, we do contact parents ahead of time.  Several times.  They still blame us.  Not to mention several report cards are sent out each semester.

Thanks for your ignorant assumptions though.  I think your brain is tied behind your back. 


MOD EDIT: Don't be rude.  Forum rule #1.

[Rural]

It's bad everywhere, not the kids -- they're the real high point -- but administrators who don't do their jobs and so much paperwork that it's only possible to also teach by working 60 hour weeks.


My husband is giving up after this year, almost certainly, and it's a damn shame because he's wanted to teach at his alma mater, a very good school, for most of his life. But he's planning to go back to hard science, less work, and twice the pay.

[Schaefer Light]

WOW. Teachers cant set up a "no cell phones" rule in the class?

It is pretty ridiculous if teachers can't establish this rule.

[BPA]

WOW. Teachers cant set up a "no cell phones" rule in the class?

It is pretty ridiculous if teachers can't establish this rule.

I agree.  As Rural points out, often it's a case that the principals won't enforce any consequences, and so attempting to establish any rules parents might not like can be difficult.

I believe there is a place for technology in the classroom, but usually kids just use it for texting or playing games.

I have a good boss, but even still, we've been told not to confiscate phones. 

Anyway, today was a really good day.  Got excellent news regarding a colleague which made it even better.  And my boss was instrumental in bringing about that good news.  It's nice when people feel appreciated. 

[skunkfunk]

Check this out! http://www.greatexpectations.org/article_viewer.php?id=111

A bunch of meaningless drivel that results in quitting teachers and angry tirades more than anything.

[BPA]

Check this out! http://www.greatexpectations.org/article_viewer.php?id=111

A bunch of meaningless drivel that results in quitting teachers and angry tirades more than anything.

Is there a quiz on this after?

It's funny, isn't it?  It all sounds so reasonable and yes, common sense dictates that respectful environments are important, but then reality sets in.  Like this one, "the environment is non-threatening and conducive to risk-taking."  Of course that's the goal.  I remember an administrator coming down on me for not preventing a new kid announcing to the class that he was going to jail in the summer because he cut someone's finger off in a botched drug deal.  "What exactly was I supposed to do," I asked.  "Leap over three rows of desks and gag him?"  It's not like I asked him to share that information.  (Aside: I love that the court system had decided that he was a danger to society and needed jail time but he wasn't considered dangerous in my classroom.)

I once gave up the local coke dealer and lived in fear because the vp let it slip that I was the one who gave him up.  That fits nicely with, "Learners assume responsibility for their own behavior. Their choices determine consequences."  He chose to deal, I chose to rat, I lived in fear as a consequence.  He did not get busted.

I don't know if anyone else has taken Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training, a lot of which is common sense.  Tips on how to de-escalate a situation are essential.  And this works 95% of the time, but when it fails, it fails spectacularly.  In almost 19 years, I've only been told to fuck off three times.  That's pretty awesome really.  The most recent time, a girl with FAS lost it on me spectacularly because I was trying to mediate a conflict between her and her foster sister in the hallway and even though I was sympathetic to her, I wasn't mean enough to the foster sister.  "Fuck you both!  You are nothing but a couple of fucking cunts!  Cunts!!!!"  Then she went running through the school screaming that we were cunts on Awards Assembly Day so that all the parents could hear.  That reminds me of this idea:  "Educators and learners employ effective interpersonal communications skills."  lol

Yeah.  We teachers have some good stories.  I do love my students and have compassion for the young lady who called me a cunt.  It's not her fault she has FAS. 

[skunkfunk]

Check this out! http://www.greatexpectations.org/article_viewer.php?id=111

A bunch of meaningless drivel that results in quitting teachers and angry tirades more than anything.

Is there a quiz on this after?

It's funny, isn't it?  It all sounds so reasonable and yes, common sense dictates that respectful environments are important, but then reality sets in. 

Yes I believe there was a quiz.

It does sound reasonable, and that's probably how they got it sold through the school board. A bunch of dentists and people that don't actually teach in a classroom. The best part - that whole program is basically a private business made up by some people who aren't even qualified educators. They get paid quite a bit of money to "teach" this garbage and enforce it.

[Jon_Snow]

"See You Next Tuesday" is such an awful word.

[BPA]

Check this out! http://www.greatexpectations.org/article_viewer.php?id=111

A bunch of meaningless drivel that results in quitting teachers and angry tirades more than anything.

Is there a quiz on this after?

It's funny, isn't it?  It all sounds so reasonable and yes, common sense dictates that respectful environments are important, but then reality sets in. 

Yes I believe there was a quiz.

It does sound reasonable, and that's probably how they got it sold through the school board. A bunch of dentists and people that don't actually teach in a classroom. The best part - that whole program is basically a private business made up by some people who aren't even qualified educators. They get paid quite a bit of money to "teach" this garbage and enforce it.

My non-teaching friends think Professional Development Days are perks.  I hate them because that's when they roll all this stuff out.  I die more quickly on PD Days.  A friend of mine has to be off for surgery.  She got so excited to miss a PD Day during the week or so she is off. 

Part of the problem is that people think they understand the job so well because everyone has seen it from the perspective of a student.  I often joke to my students, "Well, they didn't teach us how to teach this in Teachers' College."

Recently I had to teach my students how to hold in farts until they could be excused to the bathroom.  Never thought I'd have to teach that, but I have one student who had no idea that the rest of us have to do it sometimes, but we don't because it's rude to let it out.  And these were the worst farts I've ever smelled. Then he told me that one of his other teachers showed the class a video called The Hidden Rules about how it's rude to fart in public.  So now he doesn't fart in my class or this other class, but he hasn't generalized to other classes or social situations. 

He's really sweet, but no one had ever taught him about this idea nor had he figured it out for himself. 

[BPA]

"See You Next Tuesday" is such an awful word.

Yes, yes it is.  Fortunately in nearly 19 years only one student has called me that.  But she called me that about 75 times. 

[skunkfunk]

Yes I believe there was a quiz.

Wife just chimed in.

"Also, you should say that there isn't a quiz exactly but that you have to go through about 30 hours of training aka brainwashing to teach in one of these schools. "

[BPA]

Yes I believe there was a quiz.

Wife just chimed in.

"Also, you should say that there isn't a quiz exactly but that you have to go through about 30 hours of training aka brainwashing to teach in one of these schools. "

Yikes!  That's like six PD Days.

I really don't understand part of this:  "Memory work, recitations, and/or writing occur daily. These enhance character development and effective communication skills while extending curricula."

How do memory work and recitations enhance character development, I wonder?  Or am I using too much critical thought here?

[skunkfunk]

Yes I believe there was a quiz.

Wife just chimed in.

"Also, you should say that there isn't a quiz exactly but that you have to go through about 30 hours of training aka brainwashing to teach in one of these schools. "

Yikes!  That's like six PD Days.

I really don't understand part of this:  "Memory work, recitations, and/or writing occur daily. These enhance character development and effective communication skills while extending curricula."

How do memory work and recitations enhance character development, I wonder?  Or am I using too much critical thought here?

http://www.greatexpectations.org/implementation_expectations.php

Probably referring to that. They recite eight expectations every morning, the schools creed, even an individual class creed. It's like the church, if you have a creed everyone becomes 10x better little robots by repetition right?

Apparently an insurance agent came up with it. Checks out.

[sheepstache]

I really don't understand part of this:  "Memory work, recitations, and/or writing occur daily. These enhance character development and effective communication skills while extending curricula."

How do memory work and recitations enhance character development, I wonder?  Or am I using too much critical thought here?

Maybe it's the 'it sucks and it's boring but you just gotta power down and get it done' type of character building.

[The Architect]

WOW. Teachers cant set up a "no cell phones" rule in the class?

It is pretty ridiculous if teachers can't establish this rule.

I agree.  As Rural points out, often it's a case that the principals won't enforce any consequences, and so attempting to establish any rules parents might not like can be difficult.

Can you enforce other consequences on that rule, like "If I see you on a phone you will receive a failing grade"? Or a less-dire "Staying off your cell phone is worth 1 pt/day of classes; tests and homework are worth the other 66% of points"? Or are you totally bound to curriculum/school policy on it? No need to confiscate, though I agree that should be an option.

[BPA]

WOW. Teachers cant set up a "no cell phones" rule in the class?

It is pretty ridiculous if teachers can't establish this rule.

I agree.  As Rural points out, often it's a case that the principals won't enforce any consequences, and so attempting to establish any rules parents might not like can be difficult.

Can you enforce other consequences on that rule, like "If I see you on a phone you will receive a failing grade"? Or a less-dire "Staying off your cell phone is worth 1 pt/day of classes; tests and homework are worth the other 66% of points"? Or are you totally bound to curriculum/school policy on it? No need to confiscate, though I agree that should be an option.

That's it.  Grades are to be based on academic achievement only.  I would have been able to do that 10 years ago, but very kids had phones then anyway. 

What I have done before is let parents know that I think it is impeding their child's progress and get their permission to confiscate the phone.  Most parents are good about it, but it's not fair that some parents won't give permission.  I want my classroom to be a fair place.  For some of them saying, "I know how your Mom/Dad feels about this" sometimes works.  One parent told my colleague that if only her teaching were more interesting than playing games on his phone, sonny would have a higher mark than 63%.  This kid is in the stream that is supposed to end in university. 

[BPA]

Yes I believe there was a quiz.

Wife just chimed in.

"Also, you should say that there isn't a quiz exactly but that you have to go through about 30 hours of training aka brainwashing to teach in one of these schools. "

Yikes!  That's like six PD Days.

I really don't understand part of this:  "Memory work, recitations, and/or writing occur daily. These enhance character development and effective communication skills while extending curricula."

How do memory work and recitations enhance character development, I wonder?  Or am I using too much critical thought here?

http://www.greatexpectations.org/implementation_expectations.php

Probably referring to that. They recite eight expectations every morning, the schools creed, even an individual class creed. It's like the church, if you have a creed everyone becomes 10x better little robots by repetition right?

Apparently an insurance agent came up with it. Checks out.

lol  Kinda at odds with critical thought, isn't it?

[BPA]

I really don't understand part of this:  "Memory work, recitations, and/or writing occur daily. These enhance character development and effective communication skills while extending curricula."

How do memory work and recitations enhance character development, I wonder?  Or am I using too much critical thought here?

Maybe it's the 'it sucks and it's boring but you just gotta power down and get it done' type of character building.

I thought that standardized testing already accomplished that.  ;)

[The Architect]

That's it.  Grades are to be based on academic achievement only.  I would have been able to do that 10 years ago, but very kids had phones then anyway.

Now, when I was in university, you could be marked down for attendance; which seems non-academic.

Would an oblique approach work? Say, making answering questions in class a portion of the grade, and then asking them "randomly."

[BPA]

That's it.  Grades are to be based on academic achievement only.  I would have been able to do that 10 years ago, but very kids had phones then anyway. 

Now, when I was in university, you could be marked down for attendance; which seems non-academic.

Would an oblique approach work? Say, making answering questions in class a portion of the grade, and then asking them "randomly."

Yes.  I can do that but then I have to give them a chance to make up some of those marks if they are unsatisfactory.  Many of them don't bother to make them up though. 

They don't really care much about grades in the courses I teach.  Most kids just want to pass.  And they've learned how to work the system.  We aren't allowed to give zeroes for any late work until the last day of the semester.  So, they often do as little as possible and ask for make up work at the end.  So, I can do this, but it really has no impact on them overall. 

Once a student earned 25% in my class, his mother complained (she knew he was failing all along, but waited until the last six days of the semester to do something about it), and then (by someone who wasn't me) he was given 3 hours of pointless boondoggle work and earned a credit.  This was after his mom admitted she wrote his essay for him (she got 17%) and he received 14% on the exam. 

You have to work hard to fail courses in this system. 

[The Architect]

That's it.  Grades are to be based on academic achievement only.  I would have been able to do that 10 years ago, but very kids had phones then anyway. 

Now, when I was in university, you could be marked down for attendance; which seems non-academic.

Would an oblique approach work? Say, making answering questions in class a portion of the grade, and then asking them "randomly."

Yes.  I can do that but then I have to give them a chance to make up some of those marks if they are unsatisfactory.  Many of them don't bother to make them up though. 

They don't really care much about grades in the courses I teach.  Most kids just want to pass.  And they've learned how to work the system.  We aren't allowed to give zeroes for any late work until the last day of the semester.  So, they often do as little as possible and ask for make up work at the end.  So, I can do this, but it really has no impact on them overall. 

Once a student earned 25% in my class, his mother complained (she knew he was failing all along, but waited until the last six days of the semester to do something about it), and then (by someone who wasn't me) he was given 3 hours of pointless boondoggle work and earned a credit.  This was after his mom admitted she wrote his essay for him (she got 17%) and he received 14% on the exam. 

You have to work hard to fail courses in this system.

Yeowch. When I was in school, you *could* fail, but doing it required doing little of the assigned work, failing tests, and being absent all the time. I knew people who failed, but anyone actually trying would be fine - and I thought that was lax. If it's set up such that you can't fail, what's the point (other than to provide taxpayer-subsidized babysitting)?

[BPA]

That's it.  Grades are to be based on academic achievement only.  I would have been able to do that 10 years ago, but very kids had phones then anyway. 

Now, when I was in university, you could be marked down for attendance; which seems non-academic.

Would an oblique approach work? Say, making answering questions in class a portion of the grade, and then asking them "randomly."

Yes.  I can do that but then I have to give them a chance to make up some of those marks if they are unsatisfactory.  Many of them don't bother to make them up though. 

They don't really care much about grades in the courses I teach.  Most kids just want to pass.  And they've learned how to work the system.  We aren't allowed to give zeroes for any late work until the last day of the semester.  So, they often do as little as possible and ask for make up work at the end.  So, I can do this, but it really has no impact on them overall. 

Once a student earned 25% in my class, his mother complained (she knew he was failing all along, but waited until the last six days of the semester to do something about it), and then (by someone who wasn't me) he was given 3 hours of pointless boondoggle work and earned a credit.  This was after his mom admitted she wrote his essay for him (she got 17%) and he received 14% on the exam. 

You have to work hard to fail courses in this system.

Yeowch. When I was in school, you *could* fail, but doing it required doing little of the assigned work, failing tests, and being absent all the time. I knew people who failed, but anyone actually trying would be fine - and I thought that was lax. If it's set up such that you can't fail, what's the point (other than to provide taxpayer-subsidized babysitting)?

I've had parents ask me to fail their kids to teach them a lesson (because they honestly deserved to fail), but there is a vocal enough minority that doesn't ever want their kids to fail.  I keep arguing that failure breeds resilience, and rescuing them gives them no experience in understanding that they can fail, pick themselves up, and try again.  But I'm just one of many teachers who feel that way in a world where politics dictates that no special snowflake should fail. 

My boyfriend got a call from his son's teacher asking him for permission to fail his son.  We were horrified that that might be what happens at our school next.  Right now if a kid fails and the parent complains, it takes a lot of time and effort to make a case for why the kid failed.  Many of my colleagues will pass kids to avoid the hassle.  I'm more of a hardass though.  I will spend the number of hours it takes to prove a kid deserved not to pass.  And I give so many chances.  I offer so much help. 

This is the kind of stuff that burns teachers out.  The last time I went through this justifying why a student deserved to fail, the mother called me a fucking bitch, accused me of not following her son's IEP (a legal document which outlines how students with exceptionalities like learning disabilities), and demanded that her son be given a credit.  I had meetings with Special Ed, Guidance, my principal and two vps to justify the mark he earned.  I had to give examples of how I had followed his IEP (and he has the same LD as my son...I know how to accommodate for it).  The vp in charge of the student agreed that I had done everything right.  That was last June.  He transferred, a new vp came in, and she accused me of the same stuff and we had to go through the whole stinking process again.  All told, I spent about 15 hours dealing with this.  That is way, way more time than the student put into the course.

Thing is that I like the kid.  We get along great.  He admits he was stoned all the time and didn't do his work.  If it were only about the kids, this would be the best job ever...even if once in 19 years I get called a c word 75 times.  :)

[amyable]

Whaaaat?  That is just insane.  I'm pretty sure if I was called the "C" word by a parent, my principal would ask them to leave immediately.  If a student called me that, he or she would be sent to our disciplinary campus.  I once had a student call me a bitch loudly to my face and bow up to me, and I was asked if I wanted press charges--I didn't because she was such a troubled kid, but she was sent to alternative school for this incident.  This is literally the only time I've ever had a student curse at me! 

Dude--move to rural Texas.  At my district, students are allowed to have phones if they're using them to study, etc.; otherwise, if they were playing on their phone or texting, I could take those suckers up, and they'd have to pay $15 to get their phone back.  I actually feel like that's a little harsh, but it beats your alternative! 

Also, I'm a school counselor now, and kids definitely still fail here!  I spend about 40% of my day giving pep talks to kids, trying to motivate them to actually study, so they can pass and graduate! 

We're a very poor district with some problems, but it sounds like you're in an awful place.  Or, maybe it's just different in your part of the world?  We definitely have to document speaking with parents about student failures, but I make these calls at the 6 weeks progress reports as well, so we often have several people (teacher, counselor, admin) to confirm that the parent was contacted and informed. 

[BPA]

Whaaaat?  That is just insane.  I'm pretty sure if I was called the "C" word by a parent, my principal would ask them to leave immediately.  If a student called me that, he or she would be sent to our disciplinary campus.  I once had a student call me a bitch loudly to my face and bow up to me, and I was asked if I wanted press charges--I didn't because she was such a troubled kid, but she was sent to alternative school for this incident.  This is literally the only time I've ever had a student curse at me! 

Dude--move to rural Texas.  At my district, students are allowed to have phones if they're using them to study, etc.; otherwise, if they were playing on their phone or texting, I could take those suckers up, and they'd have to pay $15 to get their phone back.  I actually feel like that's a little harsh, but it beats your alternative! 

Also, I'm a school counselor now, and kids definitely still fail here!  I spend about 40% of my day giving pep talks to kids, trying to motivate them to actually study, so they can pass and graduate! 

We're a very poor district with some problems, but it sounds like you're in an awful place.  Or, maybe it's just different in your part of the world?  We definitely have to document speaking with parents about student failures, but I make these calls at the 6 weeks progress reports as well, so we often have several people (teacher, counselor, admin) to confirm that the parent was contacted and informed.

I'm in Ontario, Canada.  There's a little education document that shifts responsibility for learning from shared among students, teachers, and parents over to just teachers.  Hence the mother saying that her son isn't doing well in my colleague's class because she isn't more interesting than Candy Crush or Clash of Clans. 

This op ed written by a Toronto teacher explains what it's like in Ontario currently.  http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/4595033-the-problem-of-overprotective-parents/ (Interesting fact: the author is the famed "shirtless jogger" who took on Rob Ford on Canada Day)

That with the article I posted above pretty much sums up what's wrong in education from a teacher's point of view. 

The parent called me a "fucking bitch" over the phone at which point I hung up on her.  The kid who called me the c word did have FAS, so while she did get suspended for a day, it's not really her fault.  FAS makes me so angry because it's so preventable and destroys another person's life.

I can't wait to share your experiences with my colleagues. They won't believe it.  Today one parent told off my colleague because my colleague was concerned about her daughter's attendance.  She has missed over twenty days since the beginning of September. "When she misses the school bus, she has to miss school, because I'm not home to drive her."  Uh.  They are my neighbours.  I walk to work (when I don't cycle).  It's only 3.2km and takes me half an hour to walk.  My son takes that same school bus.  If he misses it, I make him walk.  Amazingly he has only missed the bus once this year. 

[expatartist]

You can't confiscate mobile phones?! Mobile devices are crack for the attention span.
Where I work, kids are allowed to have them, but if they're caught using them during class, they're confiscated for the rest of the day. Parents are notified by email.

[Heather in Ottawa]

I just read your post about walking to school to my husband, who is a HS teacher (who bikes 3.5 km to school). He loved it. A comedy and tragedy.

[BPA]

You can't confiscate mobile phones?! Mobile devices are crack for the attention span.
Where I work, kids are allowed to have them, but if they're caught using them during class, they're confiscated for the rest of the day. Parents are notified by email.

When we let the vp know how the mother said that my friend's class just needed to be more interesting than his iPhone, we all laughed.  So ridiculous. 

I just read your post about walking to school to my husband, who is a HS teacher (who bikes 3.5 km to school). He loved it. A comedy and tragedy.

Ah yes. An Ontario teacher.  He will understand.  :)

[wacokid]

i actually found this site about 6 months ago because i hated teaching so much.  I always think its just me and while as unfortunate as it may be i actually love to hear other people hate it just as much cuz then i'm vindicated its not me and society as whole is circling the drain and i just dont think there is any reversing it. 

There is zero responsibility or consequences for students/parents and slowly they are all starting to realize it. teaching consumes me because i cant stop thinking about dreading the next school day its miserable.  i know i should go back to school and find something else i just never pull the trigger on it. 

ive actually been writing a movie and even mocked up an idea for an app as ways to say to myself this is what will get me out of teaching.  too bad my background isn't in writing and i have less than zero coding/software ability

[BPA]

i actually found this site about 6 months ago because i hated teaching so much.  I always think its just me and while as unfortunate as it may be i actually love to hear other people hate it just as much cuz then i'm vindicated its not me and society as whole is circling the drain and i just dont think there is any reversing it. 

There is zero responsibility or consequences for students/parents and slowly they are all starting to realize it. teaching consumes me because i cant stop thinking about dreading the next school day its miserable.  i know i should go back to school and find something else i just never pull the trigger on it. 

ive actually been writing a movie and even mocked up an idea for an app as ways to say to myself this is what will get me out of teaching.  too bad my background isn't in writing and i have less than zero coding/software ability

Teaching part-time and being a union rep has helped me not lose my mind.  I spend a lot of time defending teachers against unreasonable parental demands and I easily spend as much time doing that unpaid as working at my actual paid position.

[amyable]

i know i should go back to school and find something else i just never pull the trigger on it. 

Do it!   There are far too many teachers who stick around hating it!  This is your facepunch--pull the trigger and do something else!

[mancityfan]

I have been teaching for 16 years in a very good middle school. For the first time in my teaching career I am starting to get a little jaded, and am starting to look toward the finish line. Whenever I have a tough day I just try to throw myself into my lessons as much as possible, and to focus on the kids that want to learn. In my 16 years I have seen some very noticeable changes in education. Teachers are simply not respected. The "profession" is not respected. Parents and students show this a little more each year. Teachers to many in society are seen as "freeloaders", and students increasingly feel that they should be "entertained" in class. I think this leads to the feeling of being powerless, and thus growing dissatisfaction. I still enjoy many of my days, and I am certainly talking in broad generalizations. Take care of yourself.

[BPA]

I have been teaching for 16 years in a very good middle school. For the first time in my teaching career I am starting to get a little jaded, and am starting to look toward the finish line. Whenever I have a tough day I just try to throw myself into my lessons as much as possible, and to focus on the kids that want to learn. In my 16 years I have seen some very noticeable changes in education. Teachers are simply not respected. The "profession" is not respected. Parents and students show this a little more each year. Teachers to many in society are seen as "freeloaders", and students increasingly feel that they should be "entertained" in class. I think this leads to the feeling of being powerless, and thus growing dissatisfaction. I still enjoy many of my days, and I am certainly talking in broad generalizations. Take care of yourself.

Thanks!  I do love the kids.  They are so much fun.  But I hear you about the rest. 

One thing that I find perplexing is parents who want to gossip with me about other teachers.  Admittedly we have a couple of duds on staff, but overall I work with really great people.  Even if I weren't their union rep I wouldn't gossip about my colleagues with parents.  What makes someone I met three minutes before think that it's okay to trash my colleague of nineteen years whom I like and respect?  I guess they don't realize that we aren't like the students.  So very strange.

[going2ER]

A couple of days ago I was at a meeting regarding the changing school system. Our numbers of students is decreasing rapidly so we need to make changes that are sustainable. One item that was brought up is parental responsibility. Parents have to be involved in the school system, but in a way that is constructive. We were told that if parents put as much effort into their childrens education as they do their hockey then we would have too much support in our school system.

I also, am a mean mother. My daughter skipped a test to go to the library to study, as she didn't think she was ready for it. She didn't discuss this with anyone, just decided to do it. So she told me about it after school since she knew the teacher would be calling. when the teacher called I asked what do they usually do when a student skips a test, she responded, they get a zero. My response was then she gets a zero. The teacher didn't know how to respond, I think she was stunned that I didn't want to argue and agreed to the punishment that was set out by the school. My daughter had to work extra hard in that course to bring up her mark and she also learned there are consequences to her actions, no matter how seemingly inocent those actions may be.

[BPA]

A couple of days ago I was at a meeting regarding the changing school system. Our numbers of students is decreasing rapidly so we need to make changes that are sustainable. One item that was brought up is parental responsibility. Parents have to be involved in the school system, but in a way that is constructive. We were told that if parents put as much effort into their childrens education as they do their hockey then we would have too much support in our school system.

I also, am a mean mother. My daughter skipped a test to go to the library to study, as she didn't think she was ready for it. She didn't discuss this with anyone, just decided to do it. So she told me about it after school since she knew the teacher would be calling. when the teacher called I asked what do they usually do when a student skips a test, she responded, they get a zero. My response was then she gets a zero. The teacher didn't know how to respond, I think she was stunned that I didn't want to argue and agreed to the punishment that was set out by the school. My daughter had to work extra hard in that course to bring up her mark and she also learned there are consequences to her actions, no matter how seemingly inocent those actions may be.

That is awesome!  Your daughter might not realize exactly how much you've helped her learn about life and consequences, but some day she will.

[Nudelkopf]

I got called a 'festy cunt' by a student this year. The VP told me his mum sent him to bed without dinner that night, so that was enough of a punishment. This was a 14 year old male. Wtf.

[BPA]

I got called a 'festy cunt' by a student this year. The VP told me his mum sent him to bed without dinner that night, so that was enough of a punishment. This was a 14 year old male. Wtf.

!!! I'd like to say I'm surprised.

Many people really don't get the reality of teaching.  This website made me laugh so hard.  Funny thing is that I eat apples all of the time in front of my class, but yeah, I don't use them as props.  I do think it's funny when my students say to me, "I'd never be a teacher.  I would kill kids."  I want to redo these stock photos with some of the incidents that led to my students having sympathy for us.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/weareteachers/i-teach-for-seven-straight-hours-in-stilletos-and-h0xt

[toodleoo]

i actually found this site about 6 months ago because i hated teaching so much.  I always think its just me and while as unfortunate as it may be i actually love to hear other people hate it just as much cuz then i'm vindicated its not me and society as whole is circling the drain and i just dont think there is any reversing it. 

There is zero responsibility or consequences for students/parents and slowly they are all starting to realize it. teaching consumes me because i cant stop thinking about dreading the next school day its miserable.  i know i should go back to school and find something else i just never pull the trigger on it. 

I lasted for two years before I got out. It's not worth your sanity. Start planning your exit path now. My only advice would be, do everything in your power not to quit in the middle of the school year. It's difficult to explain sufficiently to future employers, especially those that don't know what teaching is really like.

[BPA]

I used to have an anxiety problem and then my doctor messed with my meds which sent me into depression.  This was at the same time that a student I was really close to committed suicide and I'd been the the teacher who reported  a case to child protection which then went bad.  I was pretty messed up: couldn't concentrate, would cry easily, and after she messed with my meds, I couldn't even get out of bed.  My doctor allowed me two weeks off and no more.  I was NOT ready to go back to work after two weeks.

I met with her and her "therapist" and she said to me, "I don't know why teachers would ever need stress leave.  They get two months off every year."  You know, because when she rips me off anti-anxiety meds too quickly and they mess with my brain chemistry, I should just be able to hold off plunging into depression for five months.  Her therapist asked, "What is the worst thing that could happen at work right now if you went back to work."

"I would have a meltdown in front of my class."

"Would that really be so bad?"  WTF?  That really showed me how much neither my doctor nor her therapist understood this job.  I suspect there is NO job where weeping at your desk would be acceptable.  But could you imagine what life would be like if you broke down in front of 30 teenagers?  Not only that, I am thinking they would be nervous having an unstable person teaching them. 

Anyway, I spoke to the school board shrink (the one the board employees to try to prove that doctors are too lenient) and he agreed that not only was I not able to return to work yet, but he spoke with my doctor about her dangerous way of trying to adjust my meds. 

I'm glad to say that I no longer medicated for the anxiety problem, but when a colleague of mine, who shared the same family doctor, went off on stress leave, I called her to make sure she was aware of how the doctor just didn't understand our jobs.  Turns out she'd dumped that doctor six months before I did for the same reason.