While I am beyond the student apathy towards learning & the inappropriate behavior that is coupled with a lack of consequences, I am fortunate that I see light at the end of the tunnel -- the 2025 school year will do it for me!
In 41 years, I've had my share of October "maybe I need to be done" moments! I am blessed that I was able to start my teaching when it was sooooooo much less stressful. Less pressures from all sides. Less students in the room, less toxic attitudes about public education, less behavior issues, less scary social media influences, less standards, less (you-name-it). I was lucky that by the time these negative factors increased and I had somehow developed two autoimmune diseases caused by anxiety, I could take a year's leave of absence to examine how I wanted to proceed in my career. I realized that I still had much to give, and that students were needier than ever. I decided to try part time. I had to apply to another district and was fortunate enough to get hired to teach small groups of English Language Learners. It was still pretty stressful and that's when I discovered your course on Student Motivation. It and everything you have offered to the teaching world since (especially satisficing and focusing on the importance of students' long-term flourishing) is precisely why I am still here. I've expressed my gratitude to you before, and I'm thanking you again, Dave!
November is when this used to hit me. I worked too hard to do the right in traditional classrooms. Between family and lack of support, I quit. But I couldn’t leave the profession. So I work with kids and I make a lot, A LOT, less. But it’s what I could handle. My biggest struggle is not having the groups and community I’ve had in previous years. When I did return for a year (different school), teaching had changed and not in favor of learning. Thanks for the “satisfied” tip. It can definitely apply to many jobs.
I have taught pre k for around forty years ( hard to believe it ) and things are so different now ! Parents basically throw their kids in my room and NOW they are your problem!😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.I don't want to end my career this way but I have less than a year before I turn 65) wow to all my teacher friends you are wonderful and so cool.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I understand your advice about setting boundaries but this kind of job does not lead to having enough mental energy on the weekends to find “time for self-directed activities”. Mostly it’s just rest time
