Why I QUIT teaching 

"Respect is the cornerstone of any meaningful relationship, especially between teachers and students. It's disheartening to see a dedicated educator driven to leave their passion because of a lack of respect and chaos in the classroom. Teaching isn't just about imparting knowledge; it's about fostering an environment of mutual respect, learning, and growth. My heart goes out to this teacher and all educators who face similar challenges. Let's use this as a wake-up call to prioritize respect and support in our schools, because every teacher deserves to feel valued and appreciated for the incredible work they do."

It doesn’t seem like you failed at teaching. The profession is too demanding; the expectations for teachers are unreasonable. As teachers we should NOT be expected to work 12-16 hours a day. I set boundaries and do not work after hours.

I’m (currently) a history teacher in NY: I had a VERY similar experience throughout my student teaching placements, and in these past 2 years of having my own classroom and teaching full time. I too have decided to find a job that will not drain my physical and mental health, cause me all kinds of anxiety, and take over My entire life. Your decision to leave this profession and find something else is NOT a failure. It’s simply a change of the course of the path of your life. True failure would be to stay in a job that would end up killing you with stress and anxiety. You know what you want; go get it.

I'm in the process of transitioning careers as well from teaching! I think I always new deep down it wasn't truly for me...one thing I will tell anyone who is thinking about going into teaching is this: Ask yourself if you are willing to spend everyday micro managing students, constantly managing behaviours and repeating yourself nonstop, trying to get people to do work who do not want to do work (no matter the grade level). No fault of the kids, but that's what teaching is EVERYDAY. It's the reality of it - and I wish I really sat down and thought about that aspect of teaching before I got into it. I have no regrets because like you said, it's part of the journey, but as I got older, I realized the parts of teaching I did resonate with (the creative side of it, the "casual" ease, working with kids, and designing a class that resonated with me) were far overshadowed by the consistently rude behaviour of students, the disrespect that they were not taught, the constant nagging on my end to get their work done (I hated how I felt/who I was in these scenarios)...it didn't align with who I was. I wanted a place of peace (which is not found at school lol), I worked better independently (you hardly get any quiet time at school), and the kids I enjoyed interacting with were kids who WANTED to learn and were responsive....and this was actually really far and few. Sorry for the long rant lol - but these types of videos are super encouraging to know that we are all in a similar boat! Also, may I ask what job you are going into next?

Thank you for sharing ❤ don’t feel like a bum, I too left public school teaching and I am older than you and don’t have a job lined up yet. I’m not stressing, I’m enjoying my well deserved time away from work and the constant struggles of the public school. I still teach, but I volunteer at my local church and I love it!❤

I started my probation year as a secondary music teacher in 2023 and had officially resigned by Boxing day of the same year. In the end I left for mental health reasons. The teaching staff and regent were extremely kind and supportive in this regard although I could have done little else in the end. The extent to which the job is extremely stressful is actually quite disturbing. My reasons for quitting were not just to do with the demands of the job and the horrible, disgraceful behaviour/attitudes/ language of (some) of the pupils but also at the thought of doing this job for potentially years to come and feeling as miserable/crappy as I was feeling. There are too many stories of teachers quitting to 'reclaim their lives', or because they feel unsupported or smothered with work each day from dawn to dusk. It's just not a good way to live. I am going back to China to teach English in universities and despite everything, I am happier with that. Perhaps ironically, I don't want to live a life where I am constantly under scrutiny and constrained by the narrow parameters of a failing system. Also happy at the prospect of not having to suffer the slings and arrows of stroppy, rude adolescents anymore. I wish you luck with your own life post-teaching.

I teach history in Texas. You’re not a failure at all. This job is overwhelming and nothing adequately prepares you for it. In Texas, all you need to do to become a teacher is have a Bachelor’s, take an online alternative certification class that you can finish in 5 months, pass a content exam and then you can get hired (this is what I did). I walked in on that very first day having never taught a class before, with no idea of how to plan lessons, no clue as to what the language of the discipline meant at all (my degree was in English, not Education, and I was teaching World History. I cried every single day those first two weeks. Even now, a year later, I still feel like I only KIND of know what I’m doing. You did the right thing by prioritizing your mental health and well being. Thank you for sharing ❤

Great video! As a former teacher myself, I can totally relate to these mistakes. It's so important for educators transitioning into new careers to be aware of these pitfalls. Thanks for sharing!

Teacher training courses are designed (improvised) by those getting paid by a hierachy of theorists. They make something up and proclaim it's official, until the next promoted method comes along. Certificate courses should just be a few days of learning general tips and confirmed methods.

I was in early years for 20 years. It never got easier, in fact it just got harder and more demanding. My colleagues were never supportive. Teaching is so competitive, teachers always compare themselves to others . They resent others, don’t support each other and suck up to the boss. I didn’t sleep, spent hours planning and got loads of health issues. Since leaving although I have no regrets I have low self esteem. Teaching should be such a lovely job but the profession is ruined by horrible, competitive and unsupportive colleagues. The government setting impossible targets and socially and emotionally damaged children which the curriculum doesn’t allow for. It’s an impossible job. Don’t feel inadequate, you tried and you realised far earlier than me that it was no place for a lovely, sensitive person. Go and throw yourself into a rewarding job that will allow you to flourish.

I'm in my first year teaching in the US through an alternative certification program. I feel this right to my core. I've been considering switching to teaching since around 2005 and now that I'm in it, I hate everything about it except the kids. I have no life. I plan, I grade, and I work on my coursework. I live on 4-5 hours of sleep a night. I spend maybe an hour with my wife and kids on weekdays, and that's when we're preparing and eating dinner. My wife has taken on the workload of household chores that I no longer have time to help with. If I take a Saturday or Sunday to spend extra time with my wife and kids, I just stress about the work I'm not getting done. I'm just trying to make it to summer vacation and then who knows. I'll have 2.5 paid months to figure things out.

Lesson planning is the worst part of teaching when all things are going well. Curriculum should include all forms of lesson planning. Teachers shouldn't be forced to write. Teachers should only teach in the classroom.

I've been teaching for 7 years abroad, online and in the UK. A range of issues I have come across is severe behavioral issues, large classroom sizes, lack of support, terrible senior leadership, too much admin, awful parents, little teacher autonomy and little time to plan/ mark tests. When I started abroad I loved my job, but 7 years on I have been close to handing in the towel. Education Reform is needed for the well being of both teachers and students.

I greatly empathize with you. I just finished year 29 and am counting down till the end of next school year. Best wishes on your next journey.

Thank you for talking about this. I just quit and I’m so sad. But I was getting really sick. 😞

I quit last week it was a safety issue for me kept getting threats of violence from mentally ill children at an inner city school. I want to change subjects to math and move to a richer neighborhood district and give it one more chance if it doesn't work out after that I'm switching professions lol

Gosh, you certainly tried hard for something you wanted to do. Well done for sharing. Good luck for the future 🤗

EVERYTHING you said resonated with me. I also find planning excruciating. I stare at the screen for hours only to write nothing. I’m leaving

Hello! I have a very similar story to you but you got much further in your teaching career than I did. I also started my PGDE but dropped out after a couple of months of placement. I had the same feelings of guilt coupled with shame - it took around five years to recover from the anxiety the course had given me. Teaching is far too regimented and political these days. I wanted to teach children about the world around them but you can't with the veritable minefield you have to walk across. On top of that, I feel that the course pushes a set of values that does not quite line up with my own, but if you don't share those values then you will fail. Equity/equality of outcome versus equality of opportunity being one of them. It's all gone too far and teachers are suffering for it. Well done for getting so far. For me, being a teacher was the best thing that never happened. Good luck with your future endeavours; your experience in teaching will be a great asset for your CV and future interviews. I hope you find prosperity and fulfillment in your future.

Hi - Congrats on making the decision to leave a job that was destructive. I too am a teacher, currently in my sixth year and looking to transition out soon. What is your future job and did your prior teaching experience play a role landing your new gig?

You've succeeded in discovering that teaching in a classroom setting isn't for you. You had every reason to assume otherwise because you're good with kids. As an aside, your intelligence, authenticity, and kindness shine from every word of this video. Be proud of the person you've become. I'm sure you have many friends who enjoy your company. What's more, you have the potential to be a wonderful wife and an outstanding mother. Not everyone can say that.

Taught for over 20 years- mostly history. The planning, structure, management does get easier over time. But teaching never gets easy. Ever. A perfectionist streak is pretty common among many of the good teachers I know, but it makes it even harder. You can never be perfect as a teacher, the job is too complex, and with too many conflicting priorities to do well all the time. Some people can deal with that reality, some people can't. It's much better that you got out early. You did exactly the right thing. Although you might feel that you "wasted" all that time, you shouldn't. You tried, you learned, and you will be better for it. Good luck

I would say I found lesson planning and processes challenging. There are many ways to teach different topics it can be overwhelming. But wanting to work in education is definitely an aspiration of mine because I want to work with young people... I wanted to share knowledge and education with others and I also wanted to work and travel and teaching can give the opportunity to go abroad. I totally get what you mean about the basics of a 50 minute lesson... There are many variables to what makes a lesson successful. I want to go back to it in years but for now I'm looking to work a 'regular job.'

You might think that's it's you, that you just weren't cut out for teaching. But it's not you. Teaching sucks for everyone. I don't encourage anyone to do it.

I’m sure they have teaching planners that help you meet all the standards. I used them when I homeschooled. Your a great person and will find your path.

I wanted to be a math teacher but school officials, particularly the DOE, discouraged me from chasing my dream. I also recall CUNY guidance counselors discouraging me from pursuing my academic objectives. This was all done in an effort to keep certain minorities from reaching success and job security. So, I did others things with my life. Now at 59 years old with three college degrees, I find myself working as a security guard making peanuts for a living in a dead-end job. How about that for a story?

I left 3 months ago, after serving 10 years in a system who didn't value me on any level. The kids are out of control and the administration is wacked out of shape when it comes to standing up for their teachers. The system is broken and teachers are leaving everywhere but leaving was the best thing I ever did, because it showed me how valuable I was for the company I now work hard for each day. And i'm getting paid well better than before.

I’m a nurse, so, I’m an outsider looking into your world. From what I’m seeing, you didn’t fail, however, I do say that teaching failed YOU. They placed unrealistic demands upon you. You aren’t a glorified babysitter and it takes a VILLAGE to raise children. The natural instinct is to preserve self first. They tell us this each time we’re about to take off in a plane…put that mask on yourself even before you place it on your child. Save yourself. The children who are meant to survive will make it, because their parents (who are ULTIMATELY responsible for their children) will have to pull their bootstraps to make it happen. When you see your community and society render support. Only then should you grace yourself to even wade in those waters. I wish you well.

I handed in my notice today, which means I will be leaving teaching at the end of my 3rd year in teaching, one year after completing the two year ECT program. I recognise everything you have said here. It’s not you. It sounds like you really cared and were very dedicated, but it’s just a completely punishing and unreasonably demanding working environment. I burned out in a way that almost completely destroyed my mental health. You did the right thing by listening to yourself and not accepting feeling exhausted, stressed and exposed every day.

When you are new to teaching you are best off just following the Textbook available and improving your technical ability of the process and developing a good classroom management strategy.

Well done in leaving what now has become a toxic occupation. I taught primary school for 34 yrs and took early retirement. At the start it was a dream job , fulfilling all my expectations. At the close of my career it was nothing like the job I had signed up for. Mentally challenging and unattainable. You did the right thing. Good luck in your next venture.

The planning thing got me, too. So much stress, so much time spent on it. Maybe teacher colleges should devote more time to helping us become better lesson planners.

I can appreciate your honesty

Why don't you go freelance work when you want leave at 3:20 pm no marking jsut being a teacher and go home

Why not be an in-home private tutor?

I left my good life for trauma. I had panic attacks and anxiety.

Nice, honest presentation! James

Odd how schools have gone awry. It seems to be global but there are good schools, great kids and great admin. Hard to find but you can get lucky. Otherwise, life can be challenging in a dodgy school. Giving up is so common that it is normal, wise and justifiable.

The way teaching is taught and discussed in the education field is really not helpful to perfectionists, or anyone really. There's no way you can possibly to do all the things they tell you you're supposed to be doing all the time, and a lot of it is just pseudoscientific bullshit anyway, weaponized to scapegoat teachers for the system's failings. What helped me get better as a teacher was learning to trust my own instincts, values, and common sense, rather than worrying about whether I was ticking all the boxes for some administrator who doesn't even teach. (I find it odd that teachers are evaluated and "supported" by administrators who left teaching because they were no happier and no better at the job than the teachers they supervise, and were probably worse teachers in many cases. That's how it seems to work in the US anyway; the worst/least dedicated teachers rise to the top as vice principals.) Anyway I quit after four years so don't feel bad for quitting after one.

I think if they increased salary significantly it might change the teacher shortage. That's only way to increase the numbers in this profession.

I want to quit.

Distilled down to its essence the central problem with the public schools is that they are no longer operated the way in which they were designed to function so the system has in fact broken down. And it’s no fun working for a broke ass entity like today’s schools. And since teaching doesn’t pay very much if it’s not even fun then it’s time to get your resume polished up to go job hunting. And not getting paid enough is virtually tantamount to not getting paid.

Interesting the soundtrack.

Please share jobs for ex teacher!!! X

Liked and subbed. Love your accent :)

Do u know how to cut hair or design hair hair stylist be a good career make good money

QQ worklife is so hard...

Scottish accents are the best.

What else do you do with a historian degree? Become Herodotus 2.0?

Damn

Your reasons sound like mine but then it sucks the life out of you 😢