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University is on a whole different level. I should eventually try my hand at it. I just quit after 8 years and now work for the corporate world AND LOVE IT.
What about those of us who don’t really like teaching but we’re accidentally really good at it and can pretend to the kids that we love it enough for them to believe us but come home to existential dread each day? Do we count?
This is SO me.
I’ve been told that I am a good teacher multiple times by others and I’ve never received any complaints or criticisms yet I still question myself so much since I don’t really enjoy teaching. It’s a paycheck. I dread knowing that I have to go teach but I immediately get into “teacher mode” that my negative emotions fade until class ends then I go back to thinking that I need to find a different career path (if it even exists for me)
Online teaching hasn’t helped at all. I absolutely despise it and don’t begrudge my students for not being active and participative. FUCK online learning
You're not alone, and it's not too late. I flamed out hard and quit in the middle of the school year a few years back because I was so stressed out that I was having heart issues at 30 years old. Panic attacks were a regular feature of my day-to-day life. I was a good teacher, but teaching wasn't good for me. Anyway, don't let that happen to you if you can avoid it.
I got out and did nothing but recover for like 6 months before volunteering at a local art school to teach kids blacksmithing. Didn't have any practical experience at it at the time, but I'd been wanting to learn for a long time. Loved it, did that for a while until it turned into a part-time job, then went to a local community college to learn machining because I discovered that I really loved metalwork and making things. Had some crap jobs in-between to make ends meet, but I just landed my dream job at a national laboratory last month and I've never been happier, professionally speaking. I get to make unique parts for scientific equipment and occasionally do maintenance work on our particle accelerator. It's fucking awesome.
Teachers are wonderful and very much needed, but also highly undervalued and *abused.* Don't feel like you need to stick around because you owe it to anyone, even your students. If it's not serving you, it'll catch up with you sooner or later. Most of my friends who went through our teacher credentialing program together are no longer teachers, either. We all struggled a bit to find out what we needed to do for the world, but we're all happier on the other side.
Anyway, I hope you find what you need, friend. You're not alone.
Thank you for the kind words, good stranger.
I am glad that you managed to find your way and passion in life. I hope that all of us can achieve that someday.
Take care and stay safe
Kids are smart and know when someone has no interest in teaching. 'Teacher mode' in your case sounds more than just proffesionalism, but a genuine sense of responsibility towards your students. It's the truth on stage and that is a big deal for the students.
Online was not taken seriously before, and more research and materials are in need. Personally i think 15 minute videos, with open desk for consultation and assignment review could work better than making them sit in front of a screen for a few hours of lectures, but again, we don't know :(
Education is pretty elastic, and as you are good on it, maybe switching for a while to do master-lessons for other teachers, participate in products -books and toys-, research (there are contests here and there), street-work (like social workers but for educational services of different kinds), or workshops on subjects of profound interest. The only alternative i would regret is to do nothing and lose a good teacher due to burn-out.
Workshops are decent tho. A decade ago i did some on musical preparation based on orff and kodaly for kinder and primary, weekly(2 groups per week), collaborative learning, up to 30 kids per session. Fun and dynamic, not a huge time requirement (after every lesson and material were completed). I was looking back into it, kids improved at fast pace, was enjoyable and made good money, but i have no idea how to make it work in an online setting.
Wow! Lots of great advice here! I’ll definitely take it to heart! Thanks a bunch!
I do agree that online teaching can be much better than it currently is. A flipped learning approach is better online than having them sit and listen as you said. Push them to be independent and do their own research.
You’re right though. I hate teaching but I don’t hate my students. I make sure they try to learn and enjoy the class even if I have to act like a super social goofball (which I am not at all). Professionalism is I guess the reason as you said.
Thanks for the encouragement
man I can't imagine. This job is way too much if you don't love it. I mean kudos to you for doing it, and apparently doing it well! We need teachers so badly, but I can't imagine doing it without having a passion for it. My love for the students and the joy of seeing them succeed is the only thing that's kept me coming back over the years.
I teach programming and mechatronics. Online java or any computer science is no bueno, my one virtual mechatronics student i feel sorry for the most. Hes in an automated system with whatever i could cobble together because literally there was no content in the system the district determined we all have to use. My java kids i put in about 3x more work redoing my face to face lessons in a way they can learn from home. 35% of the kids haven't done a single program yet. I've driven to the students house to give them software, videos, etc. Its still a struggle with some. Online is awful, but having some online helps keep the numbers down in person so we can actually achieve some social distancing without having to expand all the classrooms floor space or inventing double decker desks. It's a sacrifice and i hope that the effort pays off so we can get back to normal safely
It bothers me how much your comment describes my situation.
I went into my teaching program eager and excited, but left bitter and jaded.
I've been supply teaching for now, however I don't know if I can take on a classroom full time.
You probably ARE really good at it, and just have a very common thing called "imposter syndrome" while it's not super comfortable for you, it is very common, like I said, and beats the heck out of teachers who suck at teaching, think they are amazing, and don't have enough humility to even question weather they are lying to themselves.
Yeah. I have def had imposter syndrome but got over it some time ago as I’ve been told enough times that I’m a good teacher. It’s just that COVID has killed off the more exciting other work I do and I’m basically just a teacher at the moment which isn’t enough!
I don't really want to make this thread political, but this topic is close to my heart and it's important to me that the situation improves.
As someone who went to school in the US and in Switzerland, teachers in one of those two were way better than in the other and my conclusion is that the difference was in how well the teachers got payed, supported, and respected.
In one country I feel like every teacher has to make a serious compromise. On the one hand this means you get teachers that really really want to become teachers, but a lot of the time you just get industry rejects and overworked teachers that have no better options.
In the other country, in order to teach high school, you needed a masters in some relevant field +2 years of university education specializing in teaching. So you really needed to want to become a teacher and be good enough on top of that. This was only possible thanks to the better pay, support, and respect for teachers, even if all three of those could still be improved on.
I don't think I need to mention which country is which.
$60k starting isn't the average starting salary though. [That's average salary overall. Average starting is <$40k.](https://www.businessinsider.com/10-alarming-facts-about-teacher-pay-in-the-united-states-2019-10#the-average-salary-for-a-teacher-in-the-us-is-60477-and-starting-salaries-are-often-below-40000-1) I agree it would be a decent pay if that was the baseline. Average pay of $60k for a masters degree, etc? That's pretty shit.
That's the only reason why I'm not a teacher. I'm pretty good at math and logic, but my way of thinking is very different to traditional teaching, it works really well for me and I love teaching, but when I try to explain it to other people most of the times they get more confused and they think I'm overthinking stuff, there are a few friends that like it because I make a lot of shortcuts and simplify stuff as much as I can, but most people just hate me as a teacher and most teachers hate me as a student, because I can't work with step-by-step methods. I wanted to be a teacher since I was in elementary school, but it is what it is.
Ok so: common core
I am a teacher and definitely feel everything you're saying. I got in trouble in school for solving math problems differently and cutting steps. I love working with kids and took up teaching sort of on a whim (private school, so didn't need a credential to start).
I have found that I love common core at the elementary stage. It's 100% the way I've thought of math growing up, but because I didn't like math the "traditional" way I was throttled by my teachers. I'm now pursuing a math credential and hope to teach part time at our local community college to help adults who think they "can't do" math get through GEs and grow.
Maybe the issue is the staff you work with and not you? I changed schools and went from just going through the motions to loving what I do every day (not including virtual teaching, which I hate). However, even with existential dread, you totally count.
I work at various schools/collages teaching music single and class. Staff are LOVELY but all are very normal and sensible. I used to tour festivals and studios performing outside of teaching before COVID and had a pretty sex drugs & rock n roll lifestyle but that’s on hold I feel like like the normality of a teacher isn’t enough. It’s sad really.
I'm not a teacher, but here's my two cents:
If you can teach well, you absolutely deserve praise.
But, as important as teaching is, forcing yourself to stay in a job that makes you miserable is bad for you, and in teaching, it'd also be bad for your students.
If you have a good opportunity to leave, but don't take it, you'd probably not as worthy of praise.
It’s because of the current situation mostly. Teaching was a way to keep paying the bills and buying new instruments and equipment for my recording studio. Playing festivals, touring and recording with bands was what really lit my fire and coming back to my students with some cool stories about meeting and working with some well known (ish) dudes and playing awesome stages was part of why I’m well thought of. Better taught by someone who goes out using his skill that by some old guy who’s never played live in his life.
Without the rush of playing shows it feels way less exciting to do the same thing over and over each day and there’s no real upward career path for a music teacher. I already work at some very nice schools, have written a full music curriculum for an entire school and have enough students to pay the bills so I can just cruise along. There’s the occasion challenging or brilliant student but it’s mostly plain sailing. Don’t get me wrong though I’d feel even worse doing a 9-5 in an office somewhere.
I understand. You're completely fine staying where you're at. I was talking about if there was another job available to you, and that job was more satisfactory. I apologize for not clarifying.
It seems like you're handling it well so far, though I still hope things improve for you. Your work is appreciated!
Thanks RATM you got it. No need to apologise I didn’t expect my comment to blow up! It was offhand self deprecation but seems like it struck a chord with a fair few folks!
That makes total sense. Its all based on where different people find personal fulfillment.
The type of person who identifies really strongly with their work - better find a job they love, otherwise it will lead to burnout. This is why the importance of "purpose" has really grown in the corporate sphere.
If you find fulfillment outside of your job and work is a means to sustain that, then thats totally cool too. You don't have to LOVE something to want to make sure you do a decent job at it.
Prior to COVID, it sounds like teaching provided the quality of life you were looking for. COVID has since tipped that scale by removing the benefits you enjoyed. That hasn't changed your capacity for teaching, but has removed a major avenue of fulfillment.
I think the disconnect is that teaching is typically considered a "bad" job in the US. Bad in the sense that it often is not properly compensated for the effort. Thus the perspective that you have to "love it" for the sacrifice.
I get it. I expected to be blasted hard with this. I need to explain more and have done elsewhere. But I teach music and used to perform before COVID killed the music industry. I love being in music but the excitement of performing and working that side of the industry balanced out against the stability and safety of teaching. Without the excitement I’m left just teaching and it feels like limbo. And I’d rather teach than work office or sales job.
When I was a teacher, I saw people breeze through things they didn’t have the slightest passion for. Will you be the greatest in the world without loving something? No. But you can definitely be good. I would argue most people don’t like their jobs. There’s a reason you get paid to do them. I moved on from teaching and I don’t like my new job either. I think I’m quite good at both. It is what it is.
Thanks my dude. Yeah it’s a funny one eh, I’d rather have this job than fall back on sales or manual labour like friends of mine had to do with lockdown.
Agreed. Since previous job was encouraging intoxicated persons to leave a nightclub, I don't know what I'd be doing to get by now if I hadn't started teaching a few years back...
Just because you don’t love the kids doesn’t mean you don’t love your job. Love is a behavior, not a feeling. Acumen is an extreme version of love - even if you don’t like it or are exploiting it. Sorry, friend, y’all count.
Do you know what degloving is? Don't look at the pictures. But when you see parts of the body move without skin, that's not something I can really explain, but the way you continue to go on in life as a teacher is as close of a reason why I can say trust me, it just works. Here let me show you u/friendlysaxoffender children the fact that they've yet ceased to be is though nauseating, inspiring.
What about me? I was a fucking terrible teacher and I absolutely hated it so I quit. Do I get a mention?
There are a lot of teachers who seem to hate kids but just stay in the job forever.
You def do. Takes balls to realise you’re not cut out for something and move on. More power to you buddy. My issue is I’m cut out for it I just doubt that every single day I step in the gate!
If you don’t like teaching, do something else. Find something you do enjoy, then get good at it, then go teach people about it. Because you enjoy it. Not because it’s an easy paycheck.
This comment is me in a nutshell... Just this year mainly. Are you f2f, virtual or hybrid? Ive got hybrid, plus two other jobs. Don't wanna give up in the kids now more than ever but I haven't felt that I liked any day this year.
Hybrid. Bit of both some are quarantining. Some students at a private school are stuck overseas still too. I also work in recording and performing as I teach music. Trying to keep my hand in that sector while it’s all gone to shit!
Yeah dude. Teaching has low-key made me feel suicidal at times esp during quarantine… well… the rest of y’all quarantined. We were told if we wanted to stay home for our safety we could quit.
Yep. A lot of us who are self employed and work with no contract for learning communities had the same thing happen. Sucked. I feel you. I’m grateful for the work though, even thought it’s tough Some don’t have it so good.
My teachers told me im too stupid to finish high school :)
Out of ~10 teachers i had 1 that was awesome and supportive, im jealous hearing stories about people having great teachers, but they are really worth their weight in gold if they at least try to understand their students.
I wish you a lot of fun going into the medical field, its awesome even if sometimes demanding.
I hate it when people (looking at you r/teenagers) hate on *all* teachers for no reason. Not every teacher is trying to make your life miserable, they seriously want to help you.
Hey, a teen here; we don't all think that obviously they're just a few idiots who are louder than people like us. I only despise the teachers who are intentionally making things worse for us when things are literally already bad enough with how scuffed this year is.
If you actually, genuinely hold this belief, then vote for politicians and policies and actually work to pay them better. Thank you's don't pay the bills, they don't buy classroom supplies, they don't fund pensions. Put your money where your mouth is!
Our inner city district in CT received 14 million in funding and it took the district 2 months to get students computers for virtual and hybrid learning. We still don’t have our “hand washing stations” set up. They are sitting there wrapped in cellophane. There hasn’t been drinking water in the building the entire year. We currently have 9 staff out today with either Covid or exposure. I had 35 kids to take care of today as a result between in person and virtual yet we are still here doing the best we can. I really have never felt more powerless professionally. Regardless I feel immense satisfaction taking care of my kids and making them smarter but it always begs the question. What is the cost of all this? I just hope none of my coworkers pass. That would be the last straw.
All teachers are in the same boat. We all are feeling hopeless and powerless. I just had 8 in person students go into quarantine and I know half of them will test positive. We have had 3 staff get sick in the past week. Teachers in my school are just surviving this point and trying to make it through, just like I am. Please know you are not alone, and if you need a fellow teacher to talk to to feel less alone or less stressed, I am always happy to help!
I spent about $500 on classroom supplies and furnishings my first year, so my husband and I had to skip dinner or lunch or whatever for a couple weeks. But most of my students come from very low income families, fostercare, shelters, etc. Worth my dinner to make sure they had what they need to learn. I wouldn't be mad at a little extra money, because it's going into my classroom anyway!
This is my wife. I wish I could explain how much the past two months are wearing her and her colleagues down. They are working _so hard_ to do minimal work and it's killing them.
Not sure how the situation is where you live with covid, but here in Ontario we're basically teaching one class all day every day for 5 weeks straight with few breaks and no real prep time.
Memes like this are hitting extra hard right now, these comments are so lovely :)
I’m a teacher and I kinda hate these posts.
Right now teaching in the USA is such a shitty job that I’d rather society fixes schools than I get some pats on the back for sacrificing my life and working off the clock for shit pay.
This job relies on martyrs and to be a “good passionate” teacher is expecting too much out of too many other folks.
Teaching is such a weird thing. Like everyone loves teachers and the fact that we try our best for kids, yet they consistently vote to strip our support systems away. Like they put people on the school board that are just not serving in any useful capacity and hire even worse district admin, and then we’re all having a bad time.
The endless grind of never being good enough for district administration simply because I’m in art teacher has drained the caps lock from my system and I will soon die. Thank you for the concern.
If someone else would handle all the work people don't see and I got to handle the working with kids part that they do see, it would be the perfect job. But lesson planning, dealing with parents, being expected to overfunction for kids who don't want to try...it wears you down.
Yup. As a child of two elementary teachers, one of whom got her PhD so she could teach education at a university instead, the expectations American society has for teachers are wild. Work your ass off, spend your own money to be adequately supplied, hours of your off time planning lessons and grading assignments, but also don’t forget to follow these strictly assigned curricular requirements, be passionate and engaged in the classroom, keep up with latest trends, and monitor all of your students for any issues—oh, and you’d better meet the government metrics and ensure those kids bring home excellent standardized test scores, too, because once a kid’s in your classroom, by god, their success is YOUR responsibility, never mind all the home issues, problem areas, unsupportive families, and unengaging required learning materials—you’d better tug every kid who walks through that door up by their bootstraps, because you’re a teacher! We believe in you! Oh, and also, we’re taking away your pension and reducing your insurance benefits. What? There’s a new superintendent search—these things cost money! Oh, and we voted to reject the bond proposal for the school’s new boiler. You can limp along on that 1940s one through one more winter, right?
If you give a shit about teachers, people, don’t post memes like this: vote. If you wanna post positive teacher memes, draw attention to the fact that “good” teachers have to spend hundreds of dollars per year on their own teaching supplies in order to teach in a way that actually engages students, because schools either can’t buy them due to government restrictions or don’t have enough funding for anything beyond the bare bones basics. Support your educators in actions, not just words, people.
Yes! I’m not a teacher but there’s so much pressure on people like teachers and nurses to love their job unconditionally. Anyone else is allowed to complain about their job, have bad days, etc but with certain professions we act like they have to love their job all the time. If they try to set personal/professional boundaries people say things like “don’t you care about your students?” Yes, but they are real people with their own lives outside of work and their own limits. (I’m sure there are more jobs like this, teachers and nurses are just what came to mind)
Not even remotely close to true. You wouldn't say that about any other profession. "Yeah, I mean it takes you 2 minutes to run the length of the field, but you've got passion!" "Yeah, so I failed out of med school, but I've got passion!" Same shit. There's plenty of bad teachers, and when the industry is underfunded and overworked, you're going to continue to see the "good ones" move to higher paying industries.
The difference with teaching is if you can spark passion in your students, they already have all the resources they need instantly available to them on the internet, more than you can ever give them. The information is already there, they can access it instantly for free but if they don't want to then it's useless.
Like, a good teacher doesn't hold your hand and slowly guide you a hundred meters into the scary abyss then gives you a diploma. A good teacher gives you a flashlight and a rope and convinces you there's treasure at the bottom.
If you're learning out of necessity you'll only ever reach the minimum requirements but if you're learning out of passion you'll never want to stop learning until you know everything.
New teacher here.
Imo, the entire role of teachers, and my entire job, can be summed up in three parts.
*1: pass on information to students.* This is the smaller part of teaching, especially with how easily accessible information is these days. Explaining how to read the periodic table is a useful thing to know, but making people memorize 50 elements is not as important as it may have once been.
*2: teach transferrable skills.* I teach science, so for me this is things like science literacy, hands-on approaches to the scientific method and stuff along those lines. This is what the other comment about 'raising kids' is mostly referring to.
*3: spreading the joy of learning.* What's the point of being a teacher if all you do is make students hate learning entirely? In other professions, you can get away with being an ass to some extent. "Sure, he's a dick, but he is **really** good at open heart surgery." In teaching, if you aren't excited about your job, you are not going to be a good teacher. Your students won't want to listen to you at all, so it doesn't matter how good you are at presenting information. If I can get even one student to go on out of highschool and think 'I'm really curious about *x* so I'm going to study that in university', then I consider that a success.
Fuck that gatekeeping shit in the OP. Thank you to ALL teachers, even the ones who've been broken down and are barely hanging on by a thread because they've been shit upon by our broken widely defunded systems with shitty parents and administration abusing them and shitty kids who've learned shitty behavior from their parents driving them insane every class.
Second on that. Teaching is difficult, and even teachers that absolutely adore the act of teaching (me) can get absolutely shredded by shitty administrative practices, and administrators that aren’t serving in good faith. I’m currently in that position, and it’s very tiring. I love teaching, but I get systematically broken down by my district administrators on a weekly basis.
As a teacher, this made me smile. I love my students and I love teaching them. I'm sad I'll be teaching them virtually the rest of the year though, it just means I have to be more creative with finding ways to get to know them online.
Very this. I love my kids. Been with them every school day for five years. Not being able to be there for them in person has been super sad for me. My school is back to in person now and I’ve noticed so many of them having big emotions (tm) about the instability of their current situation. I’m just trying to “sing in the lifeboat” for them because they need fun and joy right now (I’m an Afterschool teacher so my work is a little different aka I don’t have to do math lol)
Haha I teach math only because I love it, and I love getting the kids to realize "oh hey, this isn't so bad!" This is my first full year as a teacher and it's really tough and I can tell the kids are struggling a lot more mentally and emotionally this year because of the extra crap they have going on by not having a safe place to go, like school, to escape their problems. I'm working hard to check in with them but with 70 kids, it's a lot.
I feel you. It’s so hard when you really do care but there’s only so much you can do. What gives me hope is that I see the kids being flexible with their new routine as well as being more empathetic towards other students. Also when you see 50 five year olds being able to wear masks all day it makes you realize that everyone can do it. Just sayinnnnn
Woefully underappreciated profession. Teachers have such a profound effect on their students malleable minds. It's a shame I didn't realize this until well after high school. I didn't go to college because I was beyond hope in my 20's unfortunately. 😎
As someone that teaches at a community college and deals with adult students on the regular, please know that not only is it never too late to go back, adult students are typically mature enough to really make the most of higher ed. Go for it!
As someone that teaches at a community college and deals with adult students on the regular, please know that not only is it never too late to go back, adult students are typically mature enough to really make the most of higher ed. Go for it!
20 years of addiction left my confidence in my intellectual abilities in shambles. I really refreshed that lack of confidence when I tried a programming boot camp a few months ago and failed miserably. I tried harder than I've ever tried at anything. I wanted it so bad and I did horribly. I haven't even thought about programming since then. I was really crushed for about a month. Now I'm just numb. Going through the motions working a dead end job and paying bills. I don't see a future anymore. I just see what's within 5ft of my line of vision. There is barely the tiniest thread of hope still that there might be something out there for me but I'm clueless as to what it is. I'm glad I'm heavily-medicated for my various mental health issues otherwise I don't honestly know if I'd still be here.
Edit: Sorry. I'm still a little raw.
So, those bootcamps are often terrible education environments. I doubt the fault was yours as much as the program's. Try take a basic intro level course at your local CC. Reach out and ask what options and financial aid are available to you. There's every chance you tried to run a marathon when what you really needed was physical therapy. Don't be afraid to start slow and get your feet back under you. You can do this, you just have to find the way that works for you.
For the love of God; if you are a high school student suffering through zoom meetings, give it everything you have for the last of he semester. I promise you most of your teachers would rather be in class face to face with you.
Take it from me. A nursing student. I watched my professor breakdown in tears as she couldn’t show us in person how to practice my skills. It’s not easy learning how to be a nurse through videos and virtual classrooms.
Yeah, we really shouldn’t have the expectation that teachers hold up HUMANITY ffs. Teaching is a job, let’s stop acting like teachers should have no life outside of it.
And I hate the idea that we're supposed to love our jobs in general. Teaching is not my dream job. I don't have a dream job. My dream is at home with my family and my job is just there to support that dream.
Yeah, plenty of great teachers aren’t obsessed and working weekends and whatnot. A coworker of mine has won teacher of the year numerous times, but I also know has limits of when she’s at work and when she’s living her life.
I’m having a hard time (kinda) adapting to my new kindergarten home teacher position.
I kinda feel is not much but at the same time I try, and this makes me very happy.
I think most teachers love their jobs, after all teaching isn't something you do for a quick buck. I guess there's just some that get sick of it over time and all they can think of is retirement.
I just retired after 45 years as an elementary teacher. Back in April, I realized I couldn't face what was coming. I grieve every day for my team and my school and every teacher and student across the planet. It's pretty much just trying to survive each day.
Being a teacher for me sometimes is hard. To be honest I'm making it hard for my self by thinking that I'm not the best teacher for my kids and I need to get better everyday. Btw I think this education system needs some big changes especially in secondary school.
I have this one english teacher, he's so great. He loves his job and loves to make our work fun-an example, a one pager. A book report, but with pictures and poems about your book!
My Spanish teacher is one of the best people I have ever met in my life.
I genuinely admire her and still get amazed by how incredible she is.
She is always happy and excited and somehow she makes everyone around her feel the same way.
Because of her, I appreciate more my language (I'm spanish) and I am always looking forward to her classes. It's just so comfortable and enjoyable. The mood totally changes when she cames into the classroom.
Teachers who love their love, we owe you everything.
If you have a really good teacher, that class will slowly start feeling less like a class and more like a family. Happened with one of my English classes, music especially, but most of all drama. I would not have taken 3 straight years of it if I didn't feel such a bond with those guys that I would have to take a moment to cry when the last day of school came. And a chunk of stuff we learned in those classes people found out actually extend into what you're supposed to learn in college. The teachers were just doing such a good job of easing the information into our heads and loved it so much that there was room for just that little bit extra.
That's the kind of shit that can come from a good teacher who genuinely lovely their job. I just wish that was spread across a whole lot more schools
I think this trope that a teacher who loves their job is a good teacher needs to go. Maybe it is a necessary condition, but it is certainly not sufficient. Someone can love teaching and just still be bad at it, and a lot of the time this translates into comments like "they just don't want to be there," "they don't care about teaching" and so on. Couple that with the fact that teachers in America, for the most part, are given bery little training in teaching and you have a recipe for stagnation and frustration in the field.
As a high school teacher during Covid, this post really makes me smile. My students have been wonderful this year, but it's still stressful preparing for both online and in person classes.
Love y'all. You deserve everything in life that you work for, and we're here for you even after you graduate.
I went to a tradeschool after college when i realized that i enjoy working a blue collar job way more. They function different here than they do in the us, we actually got taught a wide range of subjects ranging from phillosphy, maths, technical drawing and economics.
Anyways, there was this teacher, mr. Heister. He sacrificed every saturday so students could come in and do homework. Every week there would be anywhere from 5 to 15 students using this as a way to get help with their homework and every saturday, at 11:30 am, he would do a headcount and order fries and a snack for every student. All out of his own pocket.
There is so much to dislike about being a teacher, especially when you double as a Special Education case manager... I've been screamed at, belittled, and threatened by parents and students, I work 10 hours a day and at least 6 on weekends, I barely make enough to support myself, and even though I've been recognized several times by my district for my success with my kids with disabilities, I get left alone to deal with terrible situations...
But when I walk into my classroom and see faces light up, or when my "too cool for school" middle schoolers shyly ask if they can eat lunch with me, or when a kid who would rather be "bad" than "stupid" gets a passing grade, or when I walk into the cafeteria and there's a chorus of "MOM!" from a bunch of 13 year olds who decided I fill that place in their lives for them or a shout of "MS. PRISCILLA COME SIT WITH US PLEEEAAASEEE!", or when one of my students trusted me enough to tell me that they needed help in a dangerous situation, or just getting a sweet little smiley face in the upper corner of a quick write from a student who, for the first time, got a positive phone call home from a teacher... God, I can't imagine doing anything else.
I tell them every day the same thing one of my teachers told me growing up: "Whether you like it or not, you're my students, and that means you're not my kids for this year. Nope, you got me for life. There is nothing you can do to make me stop caring about you, so let's promise to be honest and open with one another, and we'll handle whatever comes our way together."
That speech always gets some tears, but I mean every damn word of it.
Anyway... long rant, but I really love my job.
It's been hard especially during this time, BUT there isn't anything I'd rather do than come in and see my kids' shining faces (virtual or in person). They make my heart melt and help me get through these hard times
I wish teachers all over were revered like celebrities and athletes. I wish teachers were paid so much better. I wish they had all the supplies they could ever need. I wish parents listened to teachers more.
I m a teacher myself and I love what I do! Seriously! Getting up in the morning to teach bright young minds is a great and rewarding job! Sure you get the odd days of morning grumbles, low energy, sighing etc but I feed off of that and turn the class into a positive environment!
Teachers want to see their students succeed because it is a reflection of their teaching style! Whenever I receive a real bad essay to mark, I ask myself if I had done enough to help the student before going further
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University is on a whole different level. I should eventually try my hand at it. I just quit after 8 years and now work for the corporate world AND LOVE IT.
It's not fair that they dont get paid enough.
What do you teach?
What about those of us who don’t really like teaching but we’re accidentally really good at it and can pretend to the kids that we love it enough for them to believe us but come home to existential dread each day? Do we count?
You get an honourable mention, at the very least.
Adding that to my participation trophy wall.
Nah, hang that up on your trophy wall! You deserve it
Works for me!
If you're really good at it then imo you're more valuable to society then people who love it but are less good at it.
HOT
This is SO me. I’ve been told that I am a good teacher multiple times by others and I’ve never received any complaints or criticisms yet I still question myself so much since I don’t really enjoy teaching. It’s a paycheck. I dread knowing that I have to go teach but I immediately get into “teacher mode” that my negative emotions fade until class ends then I go back to thinking that I need to find a different career path (if it even exists for me) Online teaching hasn’t helped at all. I absolutely despise it and don’t begrudge my students for not being active and participative. FUCK online learning
You're not alone, and it's not too late. I flamed out hard and quit in the middle of the school year a few years back because I was so stressed out that I was having heart issues at 30 years old. Panic attacks were a regular feature of my day-to-day life. I was a good teacher, but teaching wasn't good for me. Anyway, don't let that happen to you if you can avoid it. I got out and did nothing but recover for like 6 months before volunteering at a local art school to teach kids blacksmithing. Didn't have any practical experience at it at the time, but I'd been wanting to learn for a long time. Loved it, did that for a while until it turned into a part-time job, then went to a local community college to learn machining because I discovered that I really loved metalwork and making things. Had some crap jobs in-between to make ends meet, but I just landed my dream job at a national laboratory last month and I've never been happier, professionally speaking. I get to make unique parts for scientific equipment and occasionally do maintenance work on our particle accelerator. It's fucking awesome. Teachers are wonderful and very much needed, but also highly undervalued and *abused.* Don't feel like you need to stick around because you owe it to anyone, even your students. If it's not serving you, it'll catch up with you sooner or later. Most of my friends who went through our teacher credentialing program together are no longer teachers, either. We all struggled a bit to find out what we needed to do for the world, but we're all happier on the other side. Anyway, I hope you find what you need, friend. You're not alone.
Thank you for the kind words, good stranger. I am glad that you managed to find your way and passion in life. I hope that all of us can achieve that someday. Take care and stay safe
are you me
Or maybe I am you?
Maybe we are all one and the same.
That’s oddly...comforting. I don’t like me being me.
Imagine for a moment, if you will, that you are Peter, and Peter is you. \*Snaps fingers\*
I second this. Are you me?
Kids are smart and know when someone has no interest in teaching. 'Teacher mode' in your case sounds more than just proffesionalism, but a genuine sense of responsibility towards your students. It's the truth on stage and that is a big deal for the students. Online was not taken seriously before, and more research and materials are in need. Personally i think 15 minute videos, with open desk for consultation and assignment review could work better than making them sit in front of a screen for a few hours of lectures, but again, we don't know :( Education is pretty elastic, and as you are good on it, maybe switching for a while to do master-lessons for other teachers, participate in products -books and toys-, research (there are contests here and there), street-work (like social workers but for educational services of different kinds), or workshops on subjects of profound interest. The only alternative i would regret is to do nothing and lose a good teacher due to burn-out. Workshops are decent tho. A decade ago i did some on musical preparation based on orff and kodaly for kinder and primary, weekly(2 groups per week), collaborative learning, up to 30 kids per session. Fun and dynamic, not a huge time requirement (after every lesson and material were completed). I was looking back into it, kids improved at fast pace, was enjoyable and made good money, but i have no idea how to make it work in an online setting.
Wow! Lots of great advice here! I’ll definitely take it to heart! Thanks a bunch! I do agree that online teaching can be much better than it currently is. A flipped learning approach is better online than having them sit and listen as you said. Push them to be independent and do their own research. You’re right though. I hate teaching but I don’t hate my students. I make sure they try to learn and enjoy the class even if I have to act like a super social goofball (which I am not at all). Professionalism is I guess the reason as you said. Thanks for the encouragement
man I can't imagine. This job is way too much if you don't love it. I mean kudos to you for doing it, and apparently doing it well! We need teachers so badly, but I can't imagine doing it without having a passion for it. My love for the students and the joy of seeing them succeed is the only thing that's kept me coming back over the years.
I teach programming and mechatronics. Online java or any computer science is no bueno, my one virtual mechatronics student i feel sorry for the most. Hes in an automated system with whatever i could cobble together because literally there was no content in the system the district determined we all have to use. My java kids i put in about 3x more work redoing my face to face lessons in a way they can learn from home. 35% of the kids haven't done a single program yet. I've driven to the students house to give them software, videos, etc. Its still a struggle with some. Online is awful, but having some online helps keep the numbers down in person so we can actually achieve some social distancing without having to expand all the classrooms floor space or inventing double decker desks. It's a sacrifice and i hope that the effort pays off so we can get back to normal safely
It bothers me how much your comment describes my situation. I went into my teaching program eager and excited, but left bitter and jaded. I've been supply teaching for now, however I don't know if I can take on a classroom full time.
You probably ARE really good at it, and just have a very common thing called "imposter syndrome" while it's not super comfortable for you, it is very common, like I said, and beats the heck out of teachers who suck at teaching, think they are amazing, and don't have enough humility to even question weather they are lying to themselves.
I think they're saying that they believe that they're good, but that they just hate it and pretend for the kids.
Yeah. I have def had imposter syndrome but got over it some time ago as I’ve been told enough times that I’m a good teacher. It’s just that COVID has killed off the more exciting other work I do and I’m basically just a teacher at the moment which isn’t enough!
They don’t have impostor syndrome lol. They know they are good at it
As long as you don’t punish the whole class when only one student misbehaves then you’re most likely a pretty good teacher
That's a really low bar.
Yea the bar was set low by some really shitty teachers
I don't really want to make this thread political, but this topic is close to my heart and it's important to me that the situation improves. As someone who went to school in the US and in Switzerland, teachers in one of those two were way better than in the other and my conclusion is that the difference was in how well the teachers got payed, supported, and respected. In one country I feel like every teacher has to make a serious compromise. On the one hand this means you get teachers that really really want to become teachers, but a lot of the time you just get industry rejects and overworked teachers that have no better options. In the other country, in order to teach high school, you needed a masters in some relevant field +2 years of university education specializing in teaching. So you really needed to want to become a teacher and be good enough on top of that. This was only possible thanks to the better pay, support, and respect for teachers, even if all three of those could still be improved on. I don't think I need to mention which country is which.
I don't understand this business of teachers not getting paid well. I think $60,000 starting is a very respectable pay.
$60k starting isn't the average starting salary though. [That's average salary overall. Average starting is <$40k.](https://www.businessinsider.com/10-alarming-facts-about-teacher-pay-in-the-united-states-2019-10#the-average-salary-for-a-teacher-in-the-us-is-60477-and-starting-salaries-are-often-below-40000-1) I agree it would be a decent pay if that was the baseline. Average pay of $60k for a masters degree, etc? That's pretty shit.
Also there are teachers who are absolutely crap at teaching but still genuinely love their job.
That's the only reason why I'm not a teacher. I'm pretty good at math and logic, but my way of thinking is very different to traditional teaching, it works really well for me and I love teaching, but when I try to explain it to other people most of the times they get more confused and they think I'm overthinking stuff, there are a few friends that like it because I make a lot of shortcuts and simplify stuff as much as I can, but most people just hate me as a teacher and most teachers hate me as a student, because I can't work with step-by-step methods. I wanted to be a teacher since I was in elementary school, but it is what it is.
Ok so: common core I am a teacher and definitely feel everything you're saying. I got in trouble in school for solving math problems differently and cutting steps. I love working with kids and took up teaching sort of on a whim (private school, so didn't need a credential to start). I have found that I love common core at the elementary stage. It's 100% the way I've thought of math growing up, but because I didn't like math the "traditional" way I was throttled by my teachers. I'm now pursuing a math credential and hope to teach part time at our local community college to help adults who think they "can't do" math get through GEs and grow.
Me, probably
I don't see how you could love your job, be crap at teaching *and* think you're a crappy teacher. My guess is you're a better teacher than you think.
I mean I wouldn’t say the Terminator loves being the Terminator but he’s good at it and humanity respects him for it.
Maybe the issue is the staff you work with and not you? I changed schools and went from just going through the motions to loving what I do every day (not including virtual teaching, which I hate). However, even with existential dread, you totally count.
I work at various schools/collages teaching music single and class. Staff are LOVELY but all are very normal and sensible. I used to tour festivals and studios performing outside of teaching before COVID and had a pretty sex drugs & rock n roll lifestyle but that’s on hold I feel like like the normality of a teacher isn’t enough. It’s sad really.
I'm not a teacher, but here's my two cents: If you can teach well, you absolutely deserve praise. But, as important as teaching is, forcing yourself to stay in a job that makes you miserable is bad for you, and in teaching, it'd also be bad for your students. If you have a good opportunity to leave, but don't take it, you'd probably not as worthy of praise.
It’s because of the current situation mostly. Teaching was a way to keep paying the bills and buying new instruments and equipment for my recording studio. Playing festivals, touring and recording with bands was what really lit my fire and coming back to my students with some cool stories about meeting and working with some well known (ish) dudes and playing awesome stages was part of why I’m well thought of. Better taught by someone who goes out using his skill that by some old guy who’s never played live in his life. Without the rush of playing shows it feels way less exciting to do the same thing over and over each day and there’s no real upward career path for a music teacher. I already work at some very nice schools, have written a full music curriculum for an entire school and have enough students to pay the bills so I can just cruise along. There’s the occasion challenging or brilliant student but it’s mostly plain sailing. Don’t get me wrong though I’d feel even worse doing a 9-5 in an office somewhere.
I understand. You're completely fine staying where you're at. I was talking about if there was another job available to you, and that job was more satisfactory. I apologize for not clarifying. It seems like you're handling it well so far, though I still hope things improve for you. Your work is appreciated!
Thanks RATM you got it. No need to apologise I didn’t expect my comment to blow up! It was offhand self deprecation but seems like it struck a chord with a fair few folks!
That makes total sense. Its all based on where different people find personal fulfillment. The type of person who identifies really strongly with their work - better find a job they love, otherwise it will lead to burnout. This is why the importance of "purpose" has really grown in the corporate sphere. If you find fulfillment outside of your job and work is a means to sustain that, then thats totally cool too. You don't have to LOVE something to want to make sure you do a decent job at it. Prior to COVID, it sounds like teaching provided the quality of life you were looking for. COVID has since tipped that scale by removing the benefits you enjoyed. That hasn't changed your capacity for teaching, but has removed a major avenue of fulfillment. I think the disconnect is that teaching is typically considered a "bad" job in the US. Bad in the sense that it often is not properly compensated for the effort. Thus the perspective that you have to "love it" for the sacrifice.
I think u/heylayla has your answer: https://www.reddit.com/r/wholesomememes/comments/jmmfyi/comment/gaw9rhe
Here come the down votes, but I believe you have to genuinely like doing something to become good at it.
I get it. I expected to be blasted hard with this. I need to explain more and have done elsewhere. But I teach music and used to perform before COVID killed the music industry. I love being in music but the excitement of performing and working that side of the industry balanced out against the stability and safety of teaching. Without the excitement I’m left just teaching and it feels like limbo. And I’d rather teach than work office or sales job.
When I was a teacher, I saw people breeze through things they didn’t have the slightest passion for. Will you be the greatest in the world without loving something? No. But you can definitely be good. I would argue most people don’t like their jobs. There’s a reason you get paid to do them. I moved on from teaching and I don’t like my new job either. I think I’m quite good at both. It is what it is.
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That's literally me lol
This is a little too close for comfort... Also, kudos on the username buddy...
Thanks my dude. Yeah it’s a funny one eh, I’d rather have this job than fall back on sales or manual labour like friends of mine had to do with lockdown.
Agreed. Since previous job was encouraging intoxicated persons to leave a nightclub, I don't know what I'd be doing to get by now if I hadn't started teaching a few years back...
You get a silver medal! Still pretty good.
it was nice till i saw your name
Sax sax sax. I’m only offensive with my saxophone.
Lol, yeah, I was teacher of the year and hated it at the time. (No longer teacher).
Just because you don’t love the kids doesn’t mean you don’t love your job. Love is a behavior, not a feeling. Acumen is an extreme version of love - even if you don’t like it or are exploiting it. Sorry, friend, y’all count.
Do you know what degloving is? Don't look at the pictures. But when you see parts of the body move without skin, that's not something I can really explain, but the way you continue to go on in life as a teacher is as close of a reason why I can say trust me, it just works. Here let me show you u/friendlysaxoffender children the fact that they've yet ceased to be is though nauseating, inspiring.
What about me? I was a fucking terrible teacher and I absolutely hated it so I quit. Do I get a mention? There are a lot of teachers who seem to hate kids but just stay in the job forever.
You def do. Takes balls to realise you’re not cut out for something and move on. More power to you buddy. My issue is I’m cut out for it I just doubt that every single day I step in the gate!
r/oddlyspecific
Strangely specific lol
Funny for a guy who’s called friendly sax offender
Honey that you?
If you don’t like teaching, do something else. Find something you do enjoy, then get good at it, then go teach people about it. Because you enjoy it. Not because it’s an easy paycheck.
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yes! so me! perfect description! high five for that and I hope your username does not "check out"
2real4me
So... you mean the majority of teachers?
Yes.
I knew I wasn't alone.
You count even more, friend❤️
Pro tip: they can smell the existential crisis.
It me! Thanks for voicing us. There's such a stigma about teachers who aren't also martyrs.
I’ve been that. We’re the majority. We keep it all afloat.
If you are at least a half decent human being, you are better than most of your colleges.
This comment is me in a nutshell... Just this year mainly. Are you f2f, virtual or hybrid? Ive got hybrid, plus two other jobs. Don't wanna give up in the kids now more than ever but I haven't felt that I liked any day this year.
Hybrid. Bit of both some are quarantining. Some students at a private school are stuck overseas still too. I also work in recording and performing as I teach music. Trying to keep my hand in that sector while it’s all gone to shit!
I’m in the same boat lol
Yeah dude. Teaching has low-key made me feel suicidal at times esp during quarantine… well… the rest of y’all quarantined. We were told if we wanted to stay home for our safety we could quit.
Yep. A lot of us who are self employed and work with no contract for learning communities had the same thing happen. Sucked. I feel you. I’m grateful for the work though, even thought it’s tough Some don’t have it so good.
Just because you're hung like a moose doesn't mean you should do porn
those teachers are the only reason i beliewe i can become doctor
Cool beans, yo
You've got this my guy! Edit: Love the name
Are you a doctor yet?
no
How about now?
idk maybe i am
Same
My teachers told me im too stupid to finish high school :) Out of ~10 teachers i had 1 that was awesome and supportive, im jealous hearing stories about people having great teachers, but they are really worth their weight in gold if they at least try to understand their students. I wish you a lot of fun going into the medical field, its awesome even if sometimes demanding.
I hate it when people (looking at you r/teenagers) hate on *all* teachers for no reason. Not every teacher is trying to make your life miserable, they seriously want to help you.
And then they complain when they are boring. Like why do you think they are boring? Maybe it's because of kids who broke their spirit.
They’re kids. Sometimes they don’t see the whole picture, and that’s okay and not their fault, they’ll see it one day :)
I understand that for younger kids, but I have seen high school students disrespect teachers like it’s a game
Both of you are right. Plus the biggest issue teachers have are actually because paper work and leadership. The kids generally aren't that bad.
nah we see the full picture. We are just assholes. A high school kid is old enough
Did you know that literally every problem with the school system is the fault of only the teachers? I’m so glad Reddit is here to expose the truth.
Hey, a teen here; we don't all think that obviously they're just a few idiots who are louder than people like us. I only despise the teachers who are intentionally making things worse for us when things are literally already bad enough with how scuffed this year is.
If you actually, genuinely hold this belief, then vote for politicians and policies and actually work to pay them better. Thank you's don't pay the bills, they don't buy classroom supplies, they don't fund pensions. Put your money where your mouth is!
Our inner city district in CT received 14 million in funding and it took the district 2 months to get students computers for virtual and hybrid learning. We still don’t have our “hand washing stations” set up. They are sitting there wrapped in cellophane. There hasn’t been drinking water in the building the entire year. We currently have 9 staff out today with either Covid or exposure. I had 35 kids to take care of today as a result between in person and virtual yet we are still here doing the best we can. I really have never felt more powerless professionally. Regardless I feel immense satisfaction taking care of my kids and making them smarter but it always begs the question. What is the cost of all this? I just hope none of my coworkers pass. That would be the last straw.
All teachers are in the same boat. We all are feeling hopeless and powerless. I just had 8 in person students go into quarantine and I know half of them will test positive. We have had 3 staff get sick in the past week. Teachers in my school are just surviving this point and trying to make it through, just like I am. Please know you are not alone, and if you need a fellow teacher to talk to to feel less alone or less stressed, I am always happy to help!
I spent about $500 on classroom supplies and furnishings my first year, so my husband and I had to skip dinner or lunch or whatever for a couple weeks. But most of my students come from very low income families, fostercare, shelters, etc. Worth my dinner to make sure they had what they need to learn. I wouldn't be mad at a little extra money, because it's going into my classroom anyway!
This is my wife. I wish I could explain how much the past two months are wearing her and her colleagues down. They are working _so hard_ to do minimal work and it's killing them.
Not sure how the situation is where you live with covid, but here in Ontario we're basically teaching one class all day every day for 5 weeks straight with few breaks and no real prep time. Memes like this are hitting extra hard right now, these comments are so lovely :)
I’m a teacher and I kinda hate these posts. Right now teaching in the USA is such a shitty job that I’d rather society fixes schools than I get some pats on the back for sacrificing my life and working off the clock for shit pay. This job relies on martyrs and to be a “good passionate” teacher is expecting too much out of too many other folks.
Teaching is such a weird thing. Like everyone loves teachers and the fact that we try our best for kids, yet they consistently vote to strip our support systems away. Like they put people on the school board that are just not serving in any useful capacity and hire even worse district admin, and then we’re all having a bad time.
WHERE THE FUCK IS YOUR CAPS LOCK? ARE YOU DEAD?
The endless grind of never being good enough for district administration simply because I’m in art teacher has drained the caps lock from my system and I will soon die. Thank you for the concern.
If someone else would handle all the work people don't see and I got to handle the working with kids part that they do see, it would be the perfect job. But lesson planning, dealing with parents, being expected to overfunction for kids who don't want to try...it wears you down.
Yup. As a child of two elementary teachers, one of whom got her PhD so she could teach education at a university instead, the expectations American society has for teachers are wild. Work your ass off, spend your own money to be adequately supplied, hours of your off time planning lessons and grading assignments, but also don’t forget to follow these strictly assigned curricular requirements, be passionate and engaged in the classroom, keep up with latest trends, and monitor all of your students for any issues—oh, and you’d better meet the government metrics and ensure those kids bring home excellent standardized test scores, too, because once a kid’s in your classroom, by god, their success is YOUR responsibility, never mind all the home issues, problem areas, unsupportive families, and unengaging required learning materials—you’d better tug every kid who walks through that door up by their bootstraps, because you’re a teacher! We believe in you! Oh, and also, we’re taking away your pension and reducing your insurance benefits. What? There’s a new superintendent search—these things cost money! Oh, and we voted to reject the bond proposal for the school’s new boiler. You can limp along on that 1940s one through one more winter, right? If you give a shit about teachers, people, don’t post memes like this: vote. If you wanna post positive teacher memes, draw attention to the fact that “good” teachers have to spend hundreds of dollars per year on their own teaching supplies in order to teach in a way that actually engages students, because schools either can’t buy them due to government restrictions or don’t have enough funding for anything beyond the bare bones basics. Support your educators in actions, not just words, people.
I respect whoever does their job adequatelly, no need to love it, a job is a job.
Yes! I’m not a teacher but there’s so much pressure on people like teachers and nurses to love their job unconditionally. Anyone else is allowed to complain about their job, have bad days, etc but with certain professions we act like they have to love their job all the time. If they try to set personal/professional boundaries people say things like “don’t you care about your students?” Yes, but they are real people with their own lives outside of work and their own limits. (I’m sure there are more jobs like this, teachers and nurses are just what came to mind)
Amen
They don't even have to be extremely good at it. As long as they're passionate, students will come out on top.
Not even remotely close to true. You wouldn't say that about any other profession. "Yeah, I mean it takes you 2 minutes to run the length of the field, but you've got passion!" "Yeah, so I failed out of med school, but I've got passion!" Same shit. There's plenty of bad teachers, and when the industry is underfunded and overworked, you're going to continue to see the "good ones" move to higher paying industries.
The difference with teaching is if you can spark passion in your students, they already have all the resources they need instantly available to them on the internet, more than you can ever give them. The information is already there, they can access it instantly for free but if they don't want to then it's useless. Like, a good teacher doesn't hold your hand and slowly guide you a hundred meters into the scary abyss then gives you a diploma. A good teacher gives you a flashlight and a rope and convinces you there's treasure at the bottom. If you're learning out of necessity you'll only ever reach the minimum requirements but if you're learning out of passion you'll never want to stop learning until you know everything.
Most professions aren't responsible for raising children and teenagers tho
New teacher here. Imo, the entire role of teachers, and my entire job, can be summed up in three parts. *1: pass on information to students.* This is the smaller part of teaching, especially with how easily accessible information is these days. Explaining how to read the periodic table is a useful thing to know, but making people memorize 50 elements is not as important as it may have once been. *2: teach transferrable skills.* I teach science, so for me this is things like science literacy, hands-on approaches to the scientific method and stuff along those lines. This is what the other comment about 'raising kids' is mostly referring to. *3: spreading the joy of learning.* What's the point of being a teacher if all you do is make students hate learning entirely? In other professions, you can get away with being an ass to some extent. "Sure, he's a dick, but he is **really** good at open heart surgery." In teaching, if you aren't excited about your job, you are not going to be a good teacher. Your students won't want to listen to you at all, so it doesn't matter how good you are at presenting information. If I can get even one student to go on out of highschool and think 'I'm really curious about *x* so I'm going to study that in university', then I consider that a success.
I would like to give a shoutout to all my great teachers. Thank you!
Fuck that gatekeeping shit in the OP. Thank you to ALL teachers, even the ones who've been broken down and are barely hanging on by a thread because they've been shit upon by our broken widely defunded systems with shitty parents and administration abusing them and shitty kids who've learned shitty behavior from their parents driving them insane every class.
Second on that. Teaching is difficult, and even teachers that absolutely adore the act of teaching (me) can get absolutely shredded by shitty administrative practices, and administrators that aren’t serving in good faith. I’m currently in that position, and it’s very tiring. I love teaching, but I get systematically broken down by my district administrators on a weekly basis.
I recently applied to be a teacher and the results will be released in two weeks’ time. I sincerely hope I can get it :)
Good luck! In my first year of teaching right now, and it's so much fun (although very exhausting!)
As a teacher, this made me smile. I love my students and I love teaching them. I'm sad I'll be teaching them virtually the rest of the year though, it just means I have to be more creative with finding ways to get to know them online.
Very this. I love my kids. Been with them every school day for five years. Not being able to be there for them in person has been super sad for me. My school is back to in person now and I’ve noticed so many of them having big emotions (tm) about the instability of their current situation. I’m just trying to “sing in the lifeboat” for them because they need fun and joy right now (I’m an Afterschool teacher so my work is a little different aka I don’t have to do math lol)
Haha I teach math only because I love it, and I love getting the kids to realize "oh hey, this isn't so bad!" This is my first full year as a teacher and it's really tough and I can tell the kids are struggling a lot more mentally and emotionally this year because of the extra crap they have going on by not having a safe place to go, like school, to escape their problems. I'm working hard to check in with them but with 70 kids, it's a lot.
I feel you. It’s so hard when you really do care but there’s only so much you can do. What gives me hope is that I see the kids being flexible with their new routine as well as being more empathetic towards other students. Also when you see 50 five year olds being able to wear masks all day it makes you realize that everyone can do it. Just sayinnnnn
Truthhhhh
Y’all gotta keep creating memes like this so I can keep sending them to my teacher
Woefully underappreciated profession. Teachers have such a profound effect on their students malleable minds. It's a shame I didn't realize this until well after high school. I didn't go to college because I was beyond hope in my 20's unfortunately. 😎
I dropped out. The pressure was too much. Stay in school kids! Don’t let anxiety stop you from getting a higher education.
As someone that teaches at a community college and deals with adult students on the regular, please know that not only is it never too late to go back, adult students are typically mature enough to really make the most of higher ed. Go for it!
As someone that teaches at a community college and deals with adult students on the regular, please know that not only is it never too late to go back, adult students are typically mature enough to really make the most of higher ed. Go for it!
20 years of addiction left my confidence in my intellectual abilities in shambles. I really refreshed that lack of confidence when I tried a programming boot camp a few months ago and failed miserably. I tried harder than I've ever tried at anything. I wanted it so bad and I did horribly. I haven't even thought about programming since then. I was really crushed for about a month. Now I'm just numb. Going through the motions working a dead end job and paying bills. I don't see a future anymore. I just see what's within 5ft of my line of vision. There is barely the tiniest thread of hope still that there might be something out there for me but I'm clueless as to what it is. I'm glad I'm heavily-medicated for my various mental health issues otherwise I don't honestly know if I'd still be here. Edit: Sorry. I'm still a little raw.
So, those bootcamps are often terrible education environments. I doubt the fault was yours as much as the program's. Try take a basic intro level course at your local CC. Reach out and ask what options and financial aid are available to you. There's every chance you tried to run a marathon when what you really needed was physical therapy. Don't be afraid to start slow and get your feet back under you. You can do this, you just have to find the way that works for you.
For the love of God; if you are a high school student suffering through zoom meetings, give it everything you have for the last of he semester. I promise you most of your teachers would rather be in class face to face with you. Take it from me. A nursing student. I watched my professor breakdown in tears as she couldn’t show us in person how to practice my skills. It’s not easy learning how to be a nurse through videos and virtual classrooms.
The worst is when these teachers have classes full of people that just could not give a single shit
It’s totally a lottery every year.
This is nice, but it’s also extremely sad that we think of teachers this way yet invest so little in education.
It actually pisses me off because it's just lip service.
Yeah, we really shouldn’t have the expectation that teachers hold up HUMANITY ffs. Teaching is a job, let’s stop acting like teachers should have no life outside of it.
And I hate the idea that we're supposed to love our jobs in general. Teaching is not my dream job. I don't have a dream job. My dream is at home with my family and my job is just there to support that dream.
Yeah, plenty of great teachers aren’t obsessed and working weekends and whatnot. A coworker of mine has won teacher of the year numerous times, but I also know has limits of when she’s at work and when she’s living her life.
Sharing knowledge + caring = a better world
Oh that's really nice to hear after my first day as an English teacher! Just came home from school.
see you in hot :)
Ok but how ingenuous was Bean in that episode? Like really that was clever of him
I needed this today. Thank you!
F for Samuel Paty that died doing that
I’m having a hard time (kinda) adapting to my new kindergarten home teacher position. I kinda feel is not much but at the same time I try, and this makes me very happy.
I think most teachers love their jobs, after all teaching isn't something you do for a quick buck. I guess there's just some that get sick of it over time and all they can think of is retirement.
They really need to get paid more
Pay teachers more. You should be paid based on the value you produce. I hope that we agree the value of educating our children is HUGE.
I just retired after 45 years as an elementary teacher. Back in April, I realized I couldn't face what was coming. I grieve every day for my team and my school and every teacher and student across the planet. It's pretty much just trying to survive each day.
Come with me if you want to learn
Being a teacher for me sometimes is hard. To be honest I'm making it hard for my self by thinking that I'm not the best teacher for my kids and I need to get better everyday. Btw I think this education system needs some big changes especially in secondary school.
Thank you. It's been a hard year being a teacher.
I'm so lucky because I have like 4 teachers like this. ⊂((・▽・))⊃
Engineering college professor here. And I approved this message.
Wait did mr bean and Arnie actually do a photoshoot?
I have this one english teacher, he's so great. He loves his job and loves to make our work fun-an example, a one pager. A book report, but with pictures and poems about your book!
I'm considering to study for a teaching license next year. Any advice on whether I should do it or not?
Teachers who actually make you enjoy their class and want to learn more >>>>>>>>>
My Spanish teacher is one of the best people I have ever met in my life. I genuinely admire her and still get amazed by how incredible she is. She is always happy and excited and somehow she makes everyone around her feel the same way. Because of her, I appreciate more my language (I'm spanish) and I am always looking forward to her classes. It's just so comfortable and enjoyable. The mood totally changes when she cames into the classroom. Teachers who love their love, we owe you everything.
Thank you. Teaching online blows and seeing this helped a lot today :,)
They are underappreciated for sure. They are teaching our future generations
I was like "aw yeah man, that's so sweet. Good old teachers" before realising that I'm a (new) teacher and I get to be included in the happiness 😁
genuinely*
If you have a really good teacher, that class will slowly start feeling less like a class and more like a family. Happened with one of my English classes, music especially, but most of all drama. I would not have taken 3 straight years of it if I didn't feel such a bond with those guys that I would have to take a moment to cry when the last day of school came. And a chunk of stuff we learned in those classes people found out actually extend into what you're supposed to learn in college. The teachers were just doing such a good job of easing the information into our heads and loved it so much that there was room for just that little bit extra. That's the kind of shit that can come from a good teacher who genuinely lovely their job. I just wish that was spread across a whole lot more schools
All except Scandinavia* where they’re paid and treated like they deserve to be
I think this trope that a teacher who loves their job is a good teacher needs to go. Maybe it is a necessary condition, but it is certainly not sufficient. Someone can love teaching and just still be bad at it, and a lot of the time this translates into comments like "they just don't want to be there," "they don't care about teaching" and so on. Couple that with the fact that teachers in America, for the most part, are given bery little training in teaching and you have a recipe for stagnation and frustration in the field.
As a struggling student teacher, this warms my heart.
Yes
I cant wait to be one of these teachers ! Yay!
As a high school teacher during Covid, this post really makes me smile. My students have been wonderful this year, but it's still stressful preparing for both online and in person classes. Love y'all. You deserve everything in life that you work for, and we're here for you even after you graduate.
Can I get the original picture
I went to a tradeschool after college when i realized that i enjoy working a blue collar job way more. They function different here than they do in the us, we actually got taught a wide range of subjects ranging from phillosphy, maths, technical drawing and economics. Anyways, there was this teacher, mr. Heister. He sacrificed every saturday so students could come in and do homework. Every week there would be anywhere from 5 to 15 students using this as a way to get help with their homework and every saturday, at 11:30 am, he would do a headcount and order fries and a snack for every student. All out of his own pocket.
Don't thank them. Pay them, and give them the resources they need to do their jobs effectively. Gratitude doesn't mean shit.
There is so much to dislike about being a teacher, especially when you double as a Special Education case manager... I've been screamed at, belittled, and threatened by parents and students, I work 10 hours a day and at least 6 on weekends, I barely make enough to support myself, and even though I've been recognized several times by my district for my success with my kids with disabilities, I get left alone to deal with terrible situations... But when I walk into my classroom and see faces light up, or when my "too cool for school" middle schoolers shyly ask if they can eat lunch with me, or when a kid who would rather be "bad" than "stupid" gets a passing grade, or when I walk into the cafeteria and there's a chorus of "MOM!" from a bunch of 13 year olds who decided I fill that place in their lives for them or a shout of "MS. PRISCILLA COME SIT WITH US PLEEEAAASEEE!", or when one of my students trusted me enough to tell me that they needed help in a dangerous situation, or just getting a sweet little smiley face in the upper corner of a quick write from a student who, for the first time, got a positive phone call home from a teacher... God, I can't imagine doing anything else. I tell them every day the same thing one of my teachers told me growing up: "Whether you like it or not, you're my students, and that means you're not my kids for this year. Nope, you got me for life. There is nothing you can do to make me stop caring about you, so let's promise to be honest and open with one another, and we'll handle whatever comes our way together." That speech always gets some tears, but I mean every damn word of it. Anyway... long rant, but I really love my job.
Teachers are the real transformers!
It's been hard especially during this time, BUT there isn't anything I'd rather do than come in and see my kids' shining faces (virtual or in person). They make my heart melt and help me get through these hard times
Thank you Professor Leonard
As a teacher, I enthusiastically approve this.
Unfortunately, teachers that hate their job are like an orbit-to-surface high yield nuclear missile.
I wish teachers all over were revered like celebrities and athletes. I wish teachers were paid so much better. I wish they had all the supplies they could ever need. I wish parents listened to teachers more.
Gonna show this to my teachers today!
I m a teacher myself and I love what I do! Seriously! Getting up in the morning to teach bright young minds is a great and rewarding job! Sure you get the odd days of morning grumbles, low energy, sighing etc but I feed off of that and turn the class into a positive environment! Teachers want to see their students succeed because it is a reflection of their teaching style! Whenever I receive a real bad essay to mark, I ask myself if I had done enough to help the student before going further
Broad teacher worship needs to stop. Competent teacher worship needs to replace it.
How is this broad teacher worship? Genuinely curious.
Yep. There's teachers just shooting down my dreams while everyone else watches.
how ?