10th year teaching. I've been to two school in my career and this is now my 7th principal. I'm tired. I'm tired of having different rules to follow every year. Im tired of having to "prove" myself to new administration. I'm just tired...and then there is the grading and the hour planning that they've taken away for the rest of the semester. It's hard and we are all tired.
@@vanessabayardo9788 In our district the students use to get out an hour early on Monday so that teachers would have an extra hour planning time at the end of the day. We still have a 48 minute prep during the day, however they took away that extra hour for the rest of the year....with less than a two day notice.
I'm a first year teacher, 7 weeks in. Every day I feel stomach pains and nausea. I have work on my mind always, and I feel like I can't ever relax.. I sometimes cry while driving to work. I love working with children, but the stress and anxiety are starting to take a toll on me. I've been thinking about other possible careers, but it feels like I've wasted my time and money to get my teaching degree, only to throw it away... 😞
.ＩＮＺＡＮＥ ＰＡＮＤＡ . Give it time. Your stressed is heightened because everything is new and you probably lack a certain level of confined in your skill set. I say give it a couple of years and know that we’re all feeling the stress, but that what we do is extremely important.
You need to do what is right for you. It is my first year, and I already know that I won't make it. One and done as they say. There are too many extra things we need to do. I feel like I don't even have time to prepare to TEACH. That is my freaking JOB. Not to attend a million useless meetings and "training sessions" that teach me nothing. I want to HELP MY KIDS. That is why I became a teacher! Education needs to be severely altered soon... no one will try and teach anymore. It is getting worse every year
I was a teacher. The biggest rule I would say to have for yourself is do not let the job try to take your dignity, or chip away at it. Do not let it make you into someone you are not. Chances are, if you got the job, there is nothing wrong with you, and alot right with you. You probably have achieved many goals, and that is important to you. Don't get too obsessed with being the greatest teacher on paper. Unions have found that the teachers with the best observation score have a disproportionate amount of the best students. I have had classes where the students do what they are supposed to do, and my evaluations were good, and other classes where the students would turn into deer in the headlights once the AP walks in. These low level classes had me thinking overtime on how to manage these troubled student. It was literally like it didn't shut off for long. Scenarios were consistently running though my mind. You know what I learned after trying to reach 10 of my most difficult student? They have issues, habits and circumstances beyond my control. No matter how much they liked me, or trusted me, it didn't get them to perform as administration wanted. You can't simply redirect a kid who's dad is dying of cancer, or mom just died, a pregnant runaway, or one who is having suicidal thoughts. My administration pushed for me to get on those kids backs and pressure them into performing. Rule #2. Remind yourself of all the good things you have achieved that kept your confidence high, and do not let anyone try to emotionally bring you down from that state of mind. Don't let your self esteem get caught up in this job, because you don't have many avenues to control what is going on. Rule#3 Go outside of your department and school for specific advice on classroom management and planning. I found out people try to keep you from knowing certain things because they are trying to either be lazy with discipline, or keep you from knowing the truth, which might make you quit, OR make their life more difficult. You can have students removed from your class that are chronic problems, at least in my state you could. Teachers, APs and my mentor were keeping this from me. Rule#4 Divide and conquer. If you get a student who is consistently disruptive. Have them removed from the roster-as early as possible. If you see a group of students who are getting thick as thieves, have one or both removed. Remove the leader asap. Rule#5 Transfer out of corrupt schools and districts. Do it mid-year if you are having doubts. Don't ever come back for the second year with a crappy school. You don't have anything to prove to corrupt/inept people-not a thing. Transfer!
I’m a second year teacher at a title 1 school with a challenging population. I’ve been there girl! It is so so so hard, and it reallly doesn’t change. What has been most powerful and helpful for me is changing my mindset, trying to prioritize self care and just trying to be as kind to myself as I can. The demands placed upon teachers are insane. It is impossible. The work will never never never be done so at a point you have to do what you can, do what must be done, and then go home and leave it at school! I love watching RU-vid vids like this and podcasts too to help feel like I’m not the only one. Check out Angela Watson and the cult of pedagogy podcast too. They really helped me out of dark places.
@@dowhateverfree yes, and you may be able to still use your degree in education, but tweak it in another way. For instance, I get stressed having to teach 30 middle schoolers who are disrespectful. But I've thought about doing Resource or being a reading specialist or some kind of job like that, where you'd have a much smaller group of students to deal with.
It’s like a veteran teacher told me, “The first year might be the hardest, but it never gets better.” And it really doesn’t. 5th year teaching and I probably feel more lost and disorganized than ever before.
Robert Leabo I so totally agree with you! 😀. I am in my 2nd year and I am learning that not everything my students do doesn’t need to be graded. I will place a V+ (fully correct), V(Mostly correct), or V-(some correct). I moved from teaching 3rd grade last year to teaching 5th grade this school year, and the pressures of learning a new curriculum has been stressful, but I continue to plan more diligently for my students, and I save some planning (Intervention Block) for weekends (eventually this will get to the beginning of the week). I pray that I don’t burn myself out in a profession that I love so much. Thank you for your insight! 😀
Year 25. Stress level is higher now. I’ve started going to massage therapy every month, I say what I think regardless if people don’t like it, I do more of the things that I love and quit that which I don’t. I take luxury baths when I feel like it. I commit to what I like and let go of everything else.
💥 totally agree. I think being organize help a lot, however, you have maintain that work life balance. I try to make everything fun. I drink my favorite coffee while grading. I surround myself constantly with things I love. I'm efficient at work so I don't have to take work home. Occasionally, I may bring some work home but I make sure to have fun with it. I usually choose to bring home a new work projects I'm eager to see strive. On another h hand, my administration this year is requiring more. It's annoying but I keep my eyes on the prize. The prize is to provide for my two baby girls...
AGREE, AGREE, AGREE!!!! Unlike most other jobs, we must do our jobs with CHILDREN underfoot for most of the day! As teachers our job is to educate ALL OF SOCIETY in its nascent form . . . . and that is extremely rewarding, but also extremely tough. And in addition to helping to "raise" and educate our young citizens, we also do all the paperwork, AND attend all the meetings, AND join the committees, AND make sure we are prepared for active shooters and other emergencies, AND build rapport with families, AND etc, etc, etc. I feel like 30% of my day is spent teaching kids (which I love) and 70% is all the EXTRA! So no it's not a first year thing, it's every year. It's the nature of the beast!
Hi! First year teacher here and I am DROWNING! I am at work from 6:45am - 5:00pm almost every day and still bring work home on nights and weekends. I only get 2 45min planning periods during the week because of PLCs and at least 1 of those has a meeting. I knew when I took a position at a targeted, extended day school it would be extra hard, but this is ridiculous. I have no freedom in my core classes and am behind on progressions because of behaviors. 5/17 students are repeating the grade and I have had no less than 4 fights in the past 6 weeks. Not to mention the fact that I am too exhausted every night to spend time with my own 3 kids or my husband... I keep being told that it will get better, but I have a hard time believing that...
No it does not! Get out now while you can. When you want to help kids, volunteer and you will feel much better about yourself. I wish I would have taken this advice 25 years ago.
@@mariaclayton9892 I wish it were that easy for me. I've been teaching for 20 years and I'm having a hard time finding a new career to transition into, with the same or near same salary. Any suggestions?
I really wish a study could be done to compare the stress of teachers to other professions. I think of doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers, police officers, and firefighters as having high stress professions. How do we compare with them? I also feel like we've resigned ourselves to the idea that this is the way teaching is...perpetually exhausting. But, is it really supposed to be that way? Is it really "ain't no tired like teacher tired?" Districts continue to add more to teachers' plates, and we not only accept this, but we also accomplish these extras tasks and goals with efficiency. Sometimes, I feel like we're taken advantage of.
@@DebraJohnson I can imagine that you're getting asked that from friends/family but what I should've clarified was on the job. In my experience, teachers are asked to do so much outside of their contracted obligations.
When I was a teacher I’d plan days off to reset because I was having panicky feelings constantly. I perpetually felt like I was failing.... I loved the work but the stress was heavy
We are now lucky and New Zealand that we have added an extra 15 grand onto our salaries but still it's an extremely difficult job and the burnout is huge.
It just feels like every year there is something new. A new principal, a new curriculum, more expectations, etc.......... Changes all the time!!!!! Just let us keep what works and stop changing things around. Frustrating!!!
Are the kids really getting anything new out of this whole mess? NO!!!!!! And if I have to fill out another behavior plan for an unmedicated child whose parent believe in beating it out of them I'm gonna scream. At this point I'm just filling out anything on the form. So sad. We don't have time to take notes and hand out slips of smily faces to have them torn up on the floor. I just can't!
Ruth Lopez Why do you think there are so many changes all the time? I am going to start student teaching in two semesters but I still am nervous about going into this profession. I can imagine how frustrating all the changes can be and I’m trying to understand why this is a thing?
It’s an abusive relationship. We stay even though deep down we know things won’t change and will only get worse because we love our kids to a fault. But at what point will we love ourselves enough to let go? The kids are suffering more and more every year due to tired teachers and a horrendous pile of conflicting standards, expectations, and regulations. So how much help are we really giving them - long term - by participating in this farce?
I am a year 7 teacher. At the end of last year, I literally had a major panic attack at the job because of the demands of the job and professional development. Observation after observation. Demand after demand. Performance after performance. (Music teacher) Teaching is rewarding but feels like all of your energy and hard work is being sucked into a black hole. When you done with one thing, there are 5 more to do. It only stops in June.
So sad, so true. I highly suggest Angela Watson’s podcast and program. She is like a teacher therapist! Great ideas for productivity and setting boundaries. Year 16, and I’m with you. Thinking about what education related jobs might be an option
Angela Watson is a lifesaver. I joined the Unshakeable Book Club about 4 years ago. I was really thinking about quitting. Her book is so uplifting and I was able to do a 180.
I also love Angela Watson and her awesome ideas for productivity and classroom organization! I joined her 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club and appreciated the things I learned and used to manage the work load and save time. Great benefits! Check it out! 40htw.com
You never should apologize. We love your videos but we are not paying you. I have been teaching elementary for 25 years and I think I have more stress now than when I first started. The demands placed upon us is outrageous. We are demanded to attend events during non working hours and our days are so long. My anxiety is real. Now taking hypertension meds due to the high demands of One student. I love teaching but it takes so much out of me.
I hear you! I have ended up on blood pressure meds too, I believe because of my work. I am a mature-age early career teacher and I've never been more stressed over a consistently long period of time.
This is my 8th teaching. For the last 7 years I taught 2nd grade and I was stressed most days just trying to get things done. Now I’ve moved to a testing grade and I am so overwhelmed. We are going on 7 weeks and I can’t catch my breath. There’s always more to do. On top of the things required from day to day, it seems as though each year something new is added to the pile. New programs, new tasks, new stress! It never goes away because the expectation to perform never goes away. I sometimes google ”jobs a teacher with a masters degree can do” just to check my options!
At the start of the school year I had nearly 40 students in each of my 7th grade classes. That meant interacting with 160 students throughout the week. I was assigned Language Arts with the department requiring no less than three writing assignments, per child per day. At the end of the week, I was looking at nearly a thousand sheets to grade over the weekend. In class behavior issues were a constant stressed grind. It was unsustainable.
Everybody is feeling it. I keep saying to my teachers "You're not alone." Stress symptoms are super real with stomach issues (me!). I am curious what the solution is? Also, chest pains are scary, take care of yourself!
I also forgot to add this is my ninth year of teaching and we got brand new math curriculum this year so it’s back to trying to figure out how to teach it. Every year changes with new leadership and new materials and the learning never seems to end. Once you think you got it down they change things on you and it’s back to the drawing board.
Thank you for this video❤️❤️ You described how I feel completely. This is year 3 for me and sadly there is nothing else that I am passionate about or can see myself doing, but I think about quitting teaching daily. I am always told how good of a teacher I am by parents, admin, students etc but what people don’t realize is that it takes everything out of me to keep my classroom running the way that it does. I am so depleted when I get home that I have nothing left to give to anyone including myself. Even daily self-care practices seem not to be as effective as they once were. Hmmmm. Hopefully something will change ❤️❤️ Hang in there, we all love you and appreciate the work that you do for us!
Every year is stressful! We are doing the best we can and that should be celebrated. Education needs a reformed and teachers need to be compensated and respected. It will be amazing when the U.S. re-organizes education. Love your channel, keep going!
I totally agree; I'm in my 17th year and get a sense that the work is perpetually mundane. If the work was commensurate to student achievement, most veteran teachers would hang tight and remain motivated, despite the challenge. However, most of this recent work dynamic in education involves micromanaging tasks and collecting "pseudo" data to support whatever new notion (administrator/vendor) that comes to the districts, especially title one. Prayer, commitment and connection to my students gets me through.
Thank you for brining this topic to the forefront. I taught for 21 years in the classroom and library and every year seemed to get more and more stressful with all of the added demands. I totally LOVE teaching and being with students, and understand we all want our students to be successful in this rapidly changing world, but the system needs to slow down a bit and take another look at what we are doing to our teachers and students. I actually got OFF my blood pressure medication when it dropped to normal after I quit teaching full time, and was surprised to realize how much the stress was directly effecting my health! This job does take a toll on us and our health. It needs to be brought to the attention of the district leaders and administrators. Maybe counselors can make suggestions for mindfulness and meditation school-wide, which can benefit students, too. I think the admin know it’s going on but they are not sure how to help.
I know our district has begun to mention self-care, but at the same time we as teachers are still feeling the need to meet the demands of our district.
SmartieStyle I know they understand and will mention self care, but IMHO, they need to give teachers TIME for self care and make it a district priority.
The school system in America is run by the Democrats. Our schools were top notch and our teachers respected back before education got in the hands of the Democrats back in the late 50s/60s. Put our schools back in the hands of Republicans and watch these problems go away, watch our schools excel and watch our teachers get their sanity back.
Yaelra Yaelra R. Schools are in the hands of republicans now and I’ve seen no improvement. Both sides are ill equipped to even begin to fix things. Politicians shouldn’t be involved in decision making unless they have concrete experience in education. Currently, education is being ran by a woman who is completely clueless. It’s not a Democrat vs. Republican issue. It’s an experience issue.
I agree with you.... we are multitasking to the max, juggling situations and learning content to teach all the time...trying to respond to students needs etc. ...It's a real issue. I mean, we talk about student wellbeing and anxiety....it's not right that often most teachers feel this way on a regular basis.
I'm so glad I clicked on this video today. I am in my 3rd year of teaching in Texas. In my school pretty much all of the teachers are feeling the same way that you are. Most of the time I feel like I'm treading water simply trying to stay afloat. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. I feel like if you truly care about the kids it will not get any easier. I love what I'm doing, but I never thought I'd feel this way 3 years in. I've followed you since before my first year. Thank you for your honesty.
Me too. I’ve been working with kids since 2009 and in elementary since 2016. I feel more confident about what I need to do, but I really do feel like teaching a full day with my 5th graders with 0 prep time, 0 specials, and only 30 minutes of a break makes it very difficult to excel. I love what I do, I put I’m 100% when I’m at work, but I’m only getting 70% of the results I want. It’s maddening! This isn’t sustainable.
As a retired veteran teacher of 35 years, I get it! My first year was hellacious, but the next several were great. The last 3-4 years were extremely difficult as well. I did my best teaching when my principals left me alone to do my best. Yes there were the normal observations, etc., but they trusted me to teach well & didn't micromanage. I was happy & my students learned well. Additional oversight (for all staff), additional procedures & paperwork to get a student the help he/ needed, meetings that stole planning time on a regular basis, & suspicious & fickle admin finally took their toll on me. I miss it so much! I hope to begin tutoring in a few months after 2 knee surgeries & rehab. Bottom line is real teachers do much better when they are encouraged/allowed to be creative & make learning engaging for those particular students. One size curriculum does not fit all kids. Good teachers don't have to be micromanaged & paperworked to death. Guaranteed burnout!
Sad to hear those things pushed you out of the profession. I hope that your surgeries go well and that tutoring brings back some of the things you really miss about teaching.
I totally agree with everything you said. I do my best when I’m trusted and not micromanaged and paperwork day or meetinged to death. When you said Liza was getting to school at 5 in the morning, I thought, “ This has got to change!” I’m at school before 7 and don’t leave until 5, taking home hours of work and work all weekend, too. It’s wrong and it’s too much.
I wholeheartedly agree. I've been in special education since 1997. I have been diagnosed with anxiety & depression. I had a fall at school and injured my tailbone and wrist at the beginning of the school year. I'm currently the primary caregiver for my 80 year old mother. I'm not married. I don't have any assistance. I'm expected to have reports and answer emails on Sundays. I can't attend worship. I love what I do however I'm exhausted!!!! Like you. I enjoy what I do. I enjoy the school I'm at. I love my leaders.
Update. My mom was hospitalized last week. I spent the week with her at the hospital. I was terminated on Friday due to not submitting lesson plans. I'm done!
I agree!!! For 2 weeks straight I had bad headaches that caused pain all down my neck. I thought at first it was my blood pressure until my teammate said it could be stressed. I was having tension headaches and muscle spasm. Dang it!!!! So I treated myself to two days of professional development which is work, but mindless work hat required nothing of me, but to sit. I did this to avoid using any leave!!!! It helped a lot!!! I think the demands are higher than when I began teaching nearly 20 years ago. My first year WAS NOT nearly as stressful as this year and the previous 2 years!!!
Stressed.. beyond... and I’ve decided to unfollow all those teacher-celebrities who make me feel that if I’m not transforming my classroom then I’m not rocking it! I rock my classroom every single day by working hard.
I don’t know why but I’m comforted that this is a shared experience. I think the need for social and emotional lessons and connections it’s what makes it draining. After 15 years, I’m trying to set healthy boundaries. I have a family predisposition and have depression and anxiety that I’ve been on meds for. Teaching triggers panic attacks and now I’m having additional medical needs. Thank you so much for this video. You speak openly about the realities of our roles and expectations.
Make sure to take care of yourself. Predisposition or not. Stay comforted in all the comments on this video and know that we are all struggling with you.
I was just having a conversation with my partner and some colleagues about how much I would love to just work a 9-5 job sometimes. Just fantasizing about coming home without having to do work, or feeling guilt about not doing enough.
I love this video. I’m feeling it too. I just remind myself that after Christmas break it gets easier. If I can get to the Christmas break I’ll be alright. I’m going into week 3 in Kindergarten. The work load is massive and the lack of support sometimes from parents and others is frustrating. You are definitely not alone.
This is my 5th year in the classroom, and on Thursday I broke out in stress hives. I'm in the middle of the classroom, and I can't stop scratching... I was just so overwhelmed by the amount of work I had to accomplish. What was mindboggling is that I'd spent more than 12 hours working every day that week already--meaning that by the end of THURSDAY I had worked over 50 hours. This is not sustainable.
Thank you for this video!! I am finally in my own classroom and have been so overwhelmed that I have been sick twice so far this year. It doesn't help that I was asked to switch grade levels with another teacher about 3 weeks ago because of my experience with my new grade level. The stress has compounded to a point where I have considered taking a day off for my own sanity. This video does provide some solace hearing that more experienced teachers are having the exact same issues.
This is my 8th year teaching and I'm feeling more stressed than I ever felt. I've been attending meetings, PD's and some type of planning almost everyday. The work load is never ending, I go to bed with work on my mind, and wake up feeling stressed. There's not enough hours in the day to complete all the demands. I feel like I'm not able to fullfil my motherly duty because I'm always so tired.#teacherlife
I agree with everything you said. I work til 7:00 pm twice a week just to stay a float. I’m passionate but between the paper work, DI, whole group instruction, planning field trips, parents, etc. it seems to be too much.
I love how open and honest you are... You are real!! Being a first year teacher, I totally agree it's super overwhelming but I have no doubt it continues on over the years as well. You got this...we got this!! I hope things start looking up!! 💖
Oh my lanta!!! I agree!!! You just put all my feelings into words!!!! I was just telling my partner teacher that this feeling must be THE teacher feeling. I am in year 8. People tell me that I should not complain because I get 2.5 months off. We squeeze 12 months worth of work into 10 months. Thank you for sharing.
Yes, I’m in my 16th year of teaching and I am feeling so stressed out this year and just finished week 3! The work load has increased so much. I love teaching but find myself thinking about retirement! Yes survival mode for sure! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you for your words. It is comforting to know I am not alone!
You are so right! It's my 26th year and I feel more overwhelmed than ever before. So much is expected of teachers beyond curriculum. I am trying to figure out how to get my weekends back. Hang in there!
I guess the stress of education is sweeping the nation. I feel it too. I took a personal day on Thursday. My principal told me to just keep smiling, focus on one small thing I can fix each day to make tomorrow better and don't stress about all the other stuff I can't readily control. He also reminded me that unfortunately there will be a day worse than this 😩. Take care of myself so I am equipped to deal with it when it comes. I have hung on to those words since he spoke them to me. Hope things get better for you.
And then your principal goes home with his/her six-figure income and no papers to grade, no lessons to plan, and probably goes out for a relaxing dinner with the family because they get home early enough to be able to do that.
13 years into this rewarding career and each year that goes by gets more difficult and challenging. Do more with less. We are responsible for things that are beyond our control. This is what makes me feel discouraged; however, I love my students and the community in which I serve and that keeps me going. My goal this year and going forward is to take care of my physical and mental health. I will no longer “forget” I have a family that needs me even more than my wonderful students. This is a job, not my life. I am determined to balance both! Thank you for sharing your experiences.
This is the story of my life right now !! Overwhelmed!!! I’m stressed and can feel it ! Teaching use to be fun now I dread going to work ! Trying to make the best of it ! Glad to know I’m not the only one that feels this way !
I’m happy to know I am not alone. I get to work at 6:30 am and usually do not leave until 7:00 pm. The other day I did not leave until 9:00 pm. The janitor was begging me to leave. I’m at a new school and my new team is teaching the content at a much faster pace than I am used to. I’m trying to keep up and teach my AP classes. Im so stressed that it has made me physically ill. I don’t see an end to it.
I'm glad you took your apology back. We've allowed social media to deceive us into thinking that we're entitled to the display of the inner workings of the lives of persons. Your sharing with us is your choice and yours alone, definitely not an obligation to the viewing public! And can I just say how I am *loving* your new specs?! They fit you so nicely!
Thank you so much for saying that. I do feel guilty and that I am letting you guys down when I don't upload, but I am learning that I have to remember that I have supportive and understanding subscribers and that the world won't end if I don't upload.
I’ve always been anxious. I’m in student teaching now, and I’m overwhelmed. But I know myself, so I’ve been making adjustments. Not procrastinating, taking legit breaks for long periods of time. I hope I can remain that way. Something that always sticks in my head is, a job is a job. They can replace you. Currently, I’m working on my issues with perfection. And putting myself down. Idk how to stop.
I agree with everything you said! This is year 22 for me and I am struggling. I feel guilty for resting on Saturday because I’m always behind. Behavioral issues also impact our ability to be effective and cover the required curriculum.
I am a first year teacher and my mother is a returning teacher. I see the same levels of stress for her years of experience as my first year teaching. Totally agree with you!
If this keeps happening (dumping more and more on teachers) then first year teacher truly will become extinct (as in NO ONE will go into education because it is just too much).
Thank you so much for posting this! Here I sit on a Sunday, under a hair dryer, reading the words you are saying via closed captioning and(left my headphones at home) and I wholeheartedly agree with with everything you said. I literally thought I was the only one who had to force herself to just breathe in the mornings to the thought of just going to work. I teach 2nd Grade and even though it is my 3rd year, I just feel more overwhelmed than I’ve ever felt and no passion follows. Every time I turn around, there’s a new deadline or SOMETHING! Doesn’t help when you’re having to deal with behavioral on top of everything else and just feeling as though you’re getting no emotional support. Thank you for posting this. This gives me the motivation to speak on this to my Admin team and try to make a plan to support one another.
I am a third year teacher too. Going into my third week and I haven't felt that underlying excitement or passion at all yet this year. I hope your admin is responsive.
I'm not a teacher, and I don't have kids in school. I am a mama to 4 and I homeschool. I don't think it is just the teachers that are stressed more and more. Our pediatrician said they are seeing ridiculous numbers of depressed and anxious kids because of the increasing demands placed on young children. Honestly, even as a homeschooling parent, I feel the educational system's stress misting onto me because people expect me and my children to keep pace with public schools. I very much allow my children to take as much time as necessary to grasp a concept, to dive into the things that really grab their interest, and to put off what they clearly are not ready to tackle. The result is me constantly having to remind myself that I am not a failure because they aren't "at grade level" in every subject. I do not know how you educators, or the children you pour so much love and attention into, do it. I really don't. God bless you all!
I'm always impressed with people that choose to take on homeschooling, so kuddos to you. I am not sure what the fix is, but we have to do something. We can't go on with teachers and kids in some cases feeling this overwhelmed.
I am so glad to hear you are taking time for yourself before your vlogs. That is extremely important! This is my 16th year of teaching, yet every year feels like my first these days. Demands are higher each year. Thank you for taking the time to share your story and help so many of us feel that we are not alone. My one "go to" this year is trying to find the positive in each day. When my stress has peaked, I just have to focus on what is positive in my life and know that I am doing the best I can. Take good care of yourself.
Girl you hit the nail on the head!!! I have over 20+ years of teaching under my belt and I still feel all that you've described. If I were not passionate about education I don't think I would have survived all of these years!
Let me tell you being a teacher was my dream, my DREAM!!!! I've wanted this since I was 8 years old. I did everything I was supposed to, read books, studied, graduated.....EVERYTHING!! During college, I was a preschool teacher between taking courses. Then my senior year of college I gave up. I saw all of my mentor teachers drained. No one encouraged me to teach, everyone said get out, do not graduate and become a teacher. Long story short I saw the stress these people experienced and I didn't want it for myself. However, after 3 semesters off I went back and finished. Teaching in any district is unbelievably difficult the stress is insurmountable. After 7 years I left and came overseas to teach. Teaching overseas has been a godsend for me. I love it! I would advise anyone that still wants to teach go abroad. My only issue is there are so many American's that love teaching who leave the states to come overseas and teach, where does that leave our American students? In 10, 20 years from now will these countries out perform American countries because teachers are leaving? I don't know but I do know teaching here I have way less stress, I don't get migraines like I use to. Overall move overseas and teach. Thanks for coming to my TED talk enjoy your day :)
My 15th year to teach K. It’s so ridiculous all the things they want us to do. And most of us are people with Masters degrees or beyond....we are smart people!!!! The powers that be need to come INTO the classroom and see everything we do on a daily basis.
Oh my God! I thought it was just me. I return to the classroom this year from admin to escape that stress not realizing or forgetting how much work actually goes into the classroom itself. I’m a seasoned teacher yet I feel like a first-year teacher all over again.
I am so glad that you did this video. It’s the reality of teaching and it’s very sad. Many of my friends who are long time educators say that teaching didn’t used to be this way. Yes, it was a stressful at times but not ALL of the time . The stress of this job and ever increasing responsibilities has made me question whether I should continue. This is my 13th year. 😔
This "real talk" type video is so very necessary and completely heart breaking. I want to give a hug, a real hug and I'm NOT a hugger! It raises a question: Is district required PD only curriculum and practice based? It's time to address and feed the souls of our nations teachers! Even a small improvement here would have a major impact. Please and thank you
I had a hard week too. In my state if you are on a higher pay scale you are required to be on committees. So now I am on a very time consuming committee. Plus the PTO is saying they are too broke to give us are normal reimbursement for supplies so they are requiring us to volunteer for night events in order to get the money. It’s all very disheartening.
Oh.My. Goodness! I am so grateful that you uploaded this video because I have been thinking and saying the exact same things! I am going on my fifteenth year of teaching and I have been feeling like a "first year" teacher for the past few years! I can completely relate to being overwhelmed with administrative and teaching responsibilities,feeling the anxiousness "from nowhere" (especially on Sunday evenings, Monday mornings upon arriving at work and throughout the school day), never having time (let alone the energy) to do simple things like workout, cook, clean up my house or pay bills. The extreme fatigue from the week keeps me even less productive on the weekends when I actually have the time to do more. Plus feeling as if I am plugging my life into my work schedule rather than the other way around is definitely getting to me. I am finding that adding moments or days of self-care (for me, this begins on Thursday nights) has been helping...taking a bath mid-week, lighting candles, doing a face mask, committing to doing a workout even if its 15-20 min.long every other day just to decompress etc. Thank you so much for your transparency in this video...it helps more than you know!
My first year, last year, I didn’t feel overwhelmed or stressed. I was tired but only because I wasn’t use to standing up and walking around all day. I feel more confident this year and even more prepared and organized than I was last year. I’m hoping to stay this way throughout all my years teaching. I love the work and staying busy all day and going home feeling very accomplished.
I agree with you! The struggle is real everywhere! Especially, in our Golden State California. 😊 It's like our plates are full and more is being added on. We have to do what we can to try and manage by taking some things off. Our job is very important and those who are not in our profession don't get it. My siblings don't understand what demands we have.
It is such a high pressure job that is so important. We just want to feel like we are putting out our best teaching, but sometimes (most of the time) it is just so hard to manage.
Thank you so much for making this video! I feel like no one in my life understands including my husband. My marriage and social life have suffered greatly because of teaching and I'm so exhausted ALL THE TIME. The work NEVER ends and I feel like I'm always on the clock. I almost quit at the beginning of the year due to a meltdown. I'm currently looking into other career options but no one seems to be interested in hiring teachers outside of education.
Yes. I fill extremely pressured. I am going into my 17th year in education. I was thinking it was because I changed states but now reflecting back I have felt this way for some years. I cannot stay organized and cannot catch up. I am staying 1 hour to 2 hours daily after school just to stay afloat. I appreciate your candidness.
I agree. Stress levels are high. The work day consists of teaching in action. The research, planning and preparation of materials happens outside of the work hours for most people. People don’t understand the number of hours, teachers really work. I knew my year would have increased stress. I started restorative yoga to bring balance to my life.
Hi SmartieStyle! I always look forward to your videos. Never apologize for when you can’t upload. You must and deserve to take time to enjoy life. I am a former educator. I left the classroom after this past school year and returned to a career outside of education. Why? The stress of the workload and lack of pay. What I traded it for? Much better pay and and less stress. Please don’t get me wrong, I love being an educator, but I also needed a quality of life. My heart and prayers are with all of you who stay in education. You are a hero! Please take care of yourself!
I didn't think I would experience the first year teacher stress because of previous experience as a Head start teacher but teaching 1st grade is a completely different animal. I have already cried. It has been a rollercoaster and it's only been 4 weeks.
If I had written a diary entry about the last few weeks of teaching third grade, it would have every single word you just spoke in this video. Thank you so much for putting this out there and for expressing what so many of us teachers (old and new) are feeling. I just shared it with my husband, in an effort to help him understand why I have been a bit beastly at home! This is my 18th year of teaching and I absolutely love what I do. However, I have been feeling a bit resentful about how much of my life my job consumes. I literally never stop planning or working on some aspect of my life... reading professionally, researching, watching videos, etc. As you mentioned, we need to create balance for ourselves. This is a difficult thing to do, especially when you are trying to be awesome in the classroom and give your students the best possible version of you. BALANCE... a work in progress:) Thanks so much!
Hi SmartieStyle, this is my first year. I was the only person in early at my school to set up my classroom and thought there was something wrong with me. I'm also the last person to leave school...usually after 5:00. It's only Week 4 and the custodians already know around what time to expect me to leave. I was feeling bad about it until Friday last week when I saw another (much older) teacher from my team in the teachers lube. I asked her how she was doing and she said she's still trying to get her bearings. It was interesting to hear because she's one of the teachers who stays late as well. I was told before I pressured this career change that teaching is not an 8-hr. job. Now I'm experiencing that. I like it so much more than office work, but I'm experiencing a different kind of stress, namely performance anxiety and feeling like I may fail my students if I don't do certain things.
I completely agree!! This is my 12th year and I haven’t been this stressed in forever!! The sad thing is that teachers are retiring early because of all the stress. It’s hard, but like you said, I too have a passion for teaching and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. However, something in education needs to change.
You are preaching! Thank you for sharing this. I have been feeling like I’m drowning lately and so terrible about myself. We are so overwhelmed. It’s helps to know I’m not alone. Thank you.
Yes you are on point. We just finished our third week of school and we are exhausted. Some teachers have taken off work for three to four days straight and don’t care if their checks get cut because they don’t have sick time to put in. Wowww
Thank you, thank you, thank you for voicing ALL THE THINGS that teachers are feeling!! This year my school added a few more non-negotiable items to our already packed daily schedules. There are no extra hours in the day, but we are expected to do it all anyway! This is my 17th year and I feel like a new teacher. I think it might be more appropriate to say that VETERAN teachers are extinct, since we all feel like we are new, inexperienced teachers all the time! Stay strong!
I'm in my first year of teaching (also middle school, also in Southern California) and the ELA teacher down the hall from me who, like you, has gone from teaching elementary for a number of years to middle school this year has been saying much of the same stuff you are saying in this video. It's not that it discourages me from continuing being a teacher, but it's still a bit disheartening to hear that my stress levels are nearly the same as someone who has been in the profession for 10, 20, 30 years etc. Fortunately, I love what I do and I cherish the relationships I've formed with my students. The best advice I've received so far is just to do and say whatever makes me feel comfortable and based on your video here, that's a bit of advice I'll be taking with me for a while. Best of luck to you!
Thanks so much for sharing this. This is my first year teaching elementary school after teaching preschool. Teaching preschool is hard, but this is another level with virtually no prep time, meetings, and making under $50k in Oakland, CA means another job on top of everything. I’m so exhausted. I teach TK and there really should be 3 teachers in the room. Love my kids a bunch and they get me through it, but the system needs to change.
I think the more that we see that teaching is actually a matter of life and death we take on that stress load. We want to reach each kid because we know it matters but the teacher support is non existent.
Anxiety is THE WORST! One year, I had panic attacks and anxiety 90% of the day and I would have to teach through it! I’ve learned some coping mechanisms that have helped a lot. Also, the stress of teaching just never goes away.... now I just try to choose what I stress about. Some things are just out of my control and I have to be ok with that. Thanks for shedding light on this and sharing your story ❤️
I am in my 29th year and if anything teaching has turned into a never ending job. I had never thought about leaving until last year. It is like being on the hamsters wheel. Teaching has become emotionally and physically exhausting. If education does not change “ there will be no teacher left standing.”😓
