this teacher has left the building

[me2]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 11:32am

I just wanted to share somewhere that I have finally gotten a real non-teaching job. I had wanted to be a teacher ever since the 3rd grade, but after my first two years of teaching, I realized that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life grading essays and re-reading books to teach.

As some of you know, I quit my last teaching job in hopes of going to NYC or LA to follow my dreams, but when another job never opened up, I finally had to face the facts--I'm stuck in the Mid-West and need stability.

The good news is that I think I'm really going to like my new job, particularly the people I'll be working for and with. Sometimes you have an instant connection with people, and I had that with my two bosses. Plus, it is a job that helps people, which is really good.

Now I can focus on writing instead of being divided between either working way too much as a teacher or trying to scramble for substitute teaching jobs and part-time jobs. I'm really enjoying the sound of that!

I am a little sad, though. I do love kids and while I haven't enjoyed teaching as much as a teacher should, the reality is that I was a darn good teacher, and I really worked hard for my kids. I am exactly the type of teacher that schools need. In a way, I am a little sad that that door of my life is closing forever. Though I am also happy that it is closing forever.
Broadway Mouth: From the Mouth of Jerome Kern (via Mary Martin): Don’t Be a Dime a Dozen

[nmartin]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 11:35am

Good luck with your new career! I've taught twenty-one years, but left the profession twice just to find myself right back in it. Now I've gone too far to turn back. Hope you find happiness with your new job.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 5:54pm

"I was a darn good teacher, and I really worked hard for my kids. I am exactly the type of teacher that schools need."

so remind us again why you are quitting?
I come from a long line of teachers.......so the above makes no sense to me...(especially if you've only been teaching for two years)...if you are indeed THAT good, and worked THAT hard, and are exactly THE type of teacher that schools need (and have wanted to teach since you were very young)....why leave?

[nmartin]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 5:58pm

I have always told beginning teachers to give the job five years before they quit.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 7:05pm

Congratulations on making a wise shoice. I've been teaching for 36 years and have hated it more with every passing year. I hate the kids I teach, I hate the administration I work for and I'm growing to hate my co-workers (most of the people I started teaching with have either retired or died).

You could mop floors at Burger King and have more dignity than teachers do!

[cturtle]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 7:39pm

i lasted in the classroom for 2 yrs, but i loved education ... so now i'm a school librarian ... i still get to teach, and i work hard, but i don't have all the crap teachers have. did you think of becominging some kind of resource teacher? we have it much easier than classroom teachers.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 8:06pm

I am graduating in 2 more semesters. While I realize it's hard (I'm working in the classroom now in addition to classes), I feel it's going to be very rewarding.

However, I must admit that this thread is a little intimidating.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 4/7/08 at 8:59pm

I don't think anyone can criticize leaving the classroom unless they've actually taught. Some people are born for this type of job, and others are discouraged by the buracreacy and nonsense that goes along with teaching.

You can work hard at this job, but dislike many aspects of the job. You can also ignore the responsibility of molding young minds and work in the school system for years.

Sometimes, I think that people who leave the classroom actually care too much. And sometimes, a person decides to do what they can do within the system.

It is a hard choice, and something that shouldn't be judged by people who haven't had the responsibility of teaching a classroom full of children.

[BkCollector]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 9:40am

"Congratulations on making a wise shoice. I've been teaching for 36 years and have hated it more with every passing year. I hate the kids I teach"

Wow, something makes me think your students probably don't care too much for you either, Dolly.

[george95]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 9:48am

Yeah I dont think 2 years is enough time in the teaching profession. I agree that about 5 years is enough time before you could say that youre a good or bad teacher or if you needed to get out. I'm nearing the end of my 7th year, and there are lots of days when I fantasize about having a non-teaching job (like I would loooove love love to be one of the tourguides on those double-decker buses in ny) but then I have a good day that makes me decide to stay.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 10:04am

couple of comments:

I totally agree George and nmartin.

Cturtle, it's different here in California. CA ranks dead last in funding for library budgets, and many, I might even say most times administrators consider librarians "expendable" and the first on the chopping block.

I was actually visiting a customer, one who is well-respected in CSLA, and her principal said (in front of me)...
'My mother could run a library'

I looked at him and saud, "sure maybe 75 years ago."

CT you are lucky you are in a state where school librarians are appreciated.

"It is a hard choice, and something that shouldn't be judged by people who haven't had the responsibility of teaching a classroom full of children."

Hermione, well that's a load of malarky. I'm not fighting in Iraq, yet I know it's wrong. I don't drink, yet I know driving drunk is wrong.

As to Dolly, well......he's in his own world, proud that he hates his job, his students, and proud to be negative...EXACTLY the reason people like me2 who apparently like teaching, and apparently is so good at it, SHOULD stay in the profession

[me2]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 5:59pm

SweetQintheLights, don't be discouraged! There are many people out there who really enjoy teaching. The big, big, big thing is to NOT get into debt. Spend and save your money wisely so that, should you decide to pursue other options, you're not limited, like I was.

Dolly, I don't think there's anything wrong with what you said. You can still be a great teacher and not like your job. I've been there?

Why I am leaving? Because I just plain old don't like teaching. I mean, I don't like hassling with parents, taking home 30+ hours of other work, don't like scrambling to make ends meet, don't like teaching things more than once or twice, don't like spending large chunks of my time in a room by myself reading essays or grading other papers, and I HATE fighting kids to learn.

So, it pretty much sums up the reason 50% of teachers leave in the first 5 years.

On top of it, I really want to write and pursue a career in writing. That's nearly impossible to do during the school year.

Thanks for all your encouragement!

[nmartin]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 6:28pm

Me2, I truly hope you find great success with your writing career!

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 6:33pm

Updated On: 1/23/09 at 06:33 PM

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 9:00pm

"Hermione, well that's a load of malarky. I'm not fighting in Iraq, yet I know it's wrong. I don't drink, yet I know driving drunk is wrong. "


WOW--- what an ignorant comment. I would never say that my opinion was more valid than a soldier who has been in Iraq or a mother who has lost a son in a DWI accident.

In both cases, there would be a range of reactions to these experiences. As there is with people who leave/stay in the education system.

Until you are in a classroom, you have NO right to comment upon someone else's decision to leave or stay.

Thank God for the people stay in the profession and teach children for their entire life. It is needed and appreciated. But to jump to the assumption that all teachers who leave the profession hate teaching, aren't good teachers, and don't care for the students- that's just ignorant. And why there are so many problems with the education system.

The sad thing is that a teacher can care for every child in their classroom and still feel like they haven't done enough. Pick up a few books by Kozol before adding your expert comments to the discussion.

Updated On: 4/8/08 at 09:00 PM

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 9:02pm

I think there are a lot better books than Kozel's but speaking of him, have you read "Savage Inequalities?" That's one the best ones he wrote, I think.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 9:09pm

I have... more than once. And I agree that there are better books - however he addresses some really important points regarding public education.

I'm actually very interested in his new book where he corresponds with a first year teacher. I can't recall the title at the moment.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 9:12pm

Have you ever watched any Harry Wong videos? They aren't really about public education- they are about how to have a successful, productive, and controlled class. Many of his ideas are fantastic and he presents them in an entertaining way.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 9:37pm

Nope, but I've read his book "The First Days of School." SweetQ -- as a soon to be first year teacher, this book should be your new best friend. Read the entire book, and use the ideas in it. He is a genius when it comes to classroom management and teaching. The difference between this and so many other teacher prep books is that the ideas can be applied.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 9:41pm

hermione, most of the videos we watched pretty much summed up his books. My friend has the book and she says she got a lot more information from the videos. If you can, you should try and view some of the videos, if not just for the amusement aspect.

If I may ask, hermione, how long have you been a teacher, what grade and in what state?

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 4/8/08 at 9:46pm

SweetQ, I would rather not share any professional information with the World Wide Web, but I'll send you a PM.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 10:10am

"Until you are in a classroom, you have NO right to comment upon someone else's decision to leave or stay."

oh now I get it, you're one of those little "know-it-alls" that infest the board telling everyone what they have the right to do or not have the right to do.
Shoo little girl, shoo.....that doesn't work here......

Updated On: 4/9/08 at 10:10 AM

[DG]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 10:21am

"I don't like hassling with parents, taking home 30+ hours of other work, don't like scrambling to make ends meet, don't like teaching things more than once or twice, don't like spending large chunks of my time in a room by myself reading essays or grading other papers, and I HATE fighting kids to learn."

"I really worked hard for my kids. I am exactly the type of teacher that schools need."

I'm not quite understanding these comments coming from the same person.

[jasonf]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 10:30am

Of course anyone has the right to talk about anything - that's what makes freedom of speech so great. The difference is, opinions can be judged based on experience, and the opinions of those who have the experience can and SHOULD carry more weight than those who haven't. I can talk till I'm blue in the face about solidiers in Iraq, but I haven't been there, and I wouldn't presume to think someone should take my word over that of someone who's been there and experienced it. The hubris and self-centered view you would have to have to think that your opinion (and this is a general comment about any topic) matters more than someone who lived through something is astounding.

That said, I'm nearing the end of my sixth year teaching. Up until this year, I've loved teaching. This year, I've run into some problems with co-workers and honestly, I'm so discouraged by the results of NCLB that the life of a professional writer is looking better and better to me every day. I work on my novel when I can, and I know it'll be a couple of years before I get there, if at all, but I'm certainly not in the place I was 5 years ago where I was sure that I wanted to teach for the rest of my life. The trends I see in education are all moving in a downward spiral, and unless the government steps in to fix it soon, our entire system will completely flounder within the next ten years. Teachers are not respected, funding isn't what it should be for us to keep up with other countries, and NCLB HAS made our children less able to function in the real world (sure, they can answer a multiple choice question, but God forbid we ask them to think!). I love working with the kids, but all these things are VERY discouraging. I'm in the middle of conferences week now, and I've been told (a little braggy here, forgive me) that the kids love me and that I'm doing a great job by many parents, and that helps keep my head above water, but there's so much pushing us under that, to continue the already belabored metaphor, the whole system will soon drown beneath the weight of all the nonsense that's thrown at us.

[nmartin]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 10:30am

DG, I think he is having conflicting emotions that many teachers have. There is nothing unusual about a teacher feeling that way.