Why does no one acknowledge how overworked teachers are?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People don’t acknowledge how overworked teachers are because they don’t acknowledge how overworked everyone is. It’s not unique to teachers. I think teachers actually get slightly more recognition for their hard work than other jobs. Maybe not as much as they deserve, but I mean, who outside of high paid professionals like doctors and lawyers gets recognized as much as they should. Do trash collectors get recognized enough? We’d all be totally screwed without them, their jobs are hard labor and very few people want to do it, and when is the last you took a moment to appreciate it? Like never.

I think teachers on DCUM see the people posting about their huge incomes and fancy vacations and vacation homes and they think “look at these parents with everything who don’t appreciate how hard I work?” But most parents of public school kids work, and most of us work in jobs where we are underappreciated and overworked. So it’s just weird to phrase this as though teachers are unique in this regard. The very people you are asking to recognize your hard work are probably rarely recognized for their hard work. That’s the culture we live in.

If everything’s changed such that everyone is working this hard, there’s a good chance a large number of kids are being emotionally neglected at school. Then come home to quickly eat, do work and bed. That would explain the increased need for SEL. Everyone from the trash collector’s kid to the teacher’s kid. This is why maybe European children are different. When adults live in a more reasonable world, they can nurture the children better.

Maybe America is what’s dysfunctional. Everyone’s working overtime trying to deal with all kinds of dysfunction, meaning a lot of it isn’t even productive time. It could be we’re all working harder for less, with the kids paying the price

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This generation of teachers is the most under-worked and over-entitled ever.

In the 1970s my mother would carry bags of books home with her every single night and sit up grading her HS kids French homework, putting in corrections and encouragement and grades. Every single night.

Homework just doesn't exist on that level any more. You'r'e lucky if the teacher checks its been done, but they don't engage with it at all.

I do this. Every single night. I work every Saturday. Every Sunday. I am comfortable estimating I work 70 hours at least one week a month and never under 60. My coworkers are quitting because of the workload and I’m seriously considering it.

I’m underworked and over-entitled?

Most teachers are not grading. It’s auto grade on the computer and if teachers review it it’s a grade and no comments.

I know hundreds of teachers and not one uses auto grade. It isn’t reliable and most MS & HS kids know how to hack the answers. It never made sense in ES to collect grades in canvas anyways.

To the anti-teachers, unless you have been a teacher (not even a sub) you won’t ever understand what teachers are facing every day in the classroom. By gaslighting their thoughts and feelings you’re only making the teacher shortage worse. Clearly there’s an issue and until the system (some of it is societal) is fixed, we are going to lose the best teachers and not attract any quality teachers to replace them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This generation of teachers is the most under-worked and over-entitled ever.

In the 1970s my mother would carry bags of books home with her every single night and sit up grading her HS kids French homework, putting in corrections and encouragement and grades. Every single night.

Homework just doesn't exist on that level any more. You'r'e lucky if the teacher checks its been done, but they don't engage with it at all.

I do this. Every single night. I work every Saturday. Every Sunday. I am comfortable estimating I work 70 hours at least one week a month and never under 60. My coworkers are quitting because of the workload and I’m seriously considering it.

I’m underworked and over-entitled?

Most teachers are not grading. It’s auto grade on the computer and if teachers review it it’s a grade and no comments.

I know hundreds of teachers and not one uses auto grade. It isn’t reliable and most MS & HS kids know how to hack the answers. It never made sense in ES to collect grades in canvas anyways.

To the anti-teachers, unless you have been a teacher (not even a sub) you won’t ever understand what teachers are facing every day in the classroom. By gaslighting their thoughts and feelings you’re only making the teacher shortage worse. Clearly there’s an issue and until the system (some of it is societal) is fixed, we are going to lose the best teachers and not attract any quality teachers to replace them.

Thank you!
I’m in my 18th year, and I’m tired of watching great teachers quit. We turn over 1/3 of our department every year. Each teacher leaving cites burnout for their reason why. The replacements are usually less qualified.

I’m tired. I’m only staying because I’ve invested 18 years to this, but each year I feel more resentful. There are more demands and less support. The hours aren’t sustainable. The students’ needs are so severe that I’m plagued with worry most nights about things I can’t control and things the system would rather sweep under the rug.

Are there demanding jobs other than teaching? Of course. Is the teaching profession at a crisis right now because of the demands on it? Yes, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This generation of teachers is the most under-worked and over-entitled ever.

In the 1970s my mother would carry bags of books home with her every single night and sit up grading her HS kids French homework, putting in corrections and encouragement and grades. Every single night.

Homework just doesn't exist on that level any more. You'r'e lucky if the teacher checks its been done, but they don't engage with it at all.

I do this. Every single night. I work every Saturday. Every Sunday. I am comfortable estimating I work 70 hours at least one week a month and never under 60. My coworkers are quitting because of the workload and I’m seriously considering it.

I’m underworked and over-entitled?

Most teachers are not grading. It’s auto grade on the computer and if teachers review it it’s a grade and no comments.

I know hundreds of teachers and not one uses auto grade. It isn’t reliable and most MS & HS kids know how to hack the answers. It never made sense in ES to collect grades in canvas anyways.

To the anti-teachers, unless you have been a teacher (not even a sub) you won’t ever understand what teachers are facing every day in the classroom. By gaslighting their thoughts and feelings you’re only making the teacher shortage worse. Clearly there’s an issue and until the system (some of it is societal) is fixed, we are going to lose the best teachers and not attract any quality teachers to replace them.

Thank you!
I’m in my 18th year, and I’m tired of watching great teachers quit. We turn over 1/3 of our department every year. Each teacher leaving cites burnout for their reason why. The replacements are usually less qualified.

I’m tired. I’m only staying because I’ve invested 18 years to this, but each year I feel more resentful. There are more demands and less support. The hours aren’t sustainable. The students’ needs are so severe that I’m plagued with worry most nights about things I can’t control and things the system would rather sweep under the rug.

Are there demanding jobs other than teaching? Of course. Is the teaching profession at a crisis right now because of the demands on it? Yes, of course.

I think you hit it the nail on the head. The issue is the system. Private equity coming for toddler gyms and charter schools, fleecing mattress companies, baby music, hospitals. Everyone’s burnt out. Many are quiet quitting. Industries where people can’t quiet quit, like teaching and nursing, are in crisis.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/business/economy/little-gym-private-equity.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think teaching is easy be a sub for one day in public American schools and you will be eaten alive as kids treat you like Jackie Robinson on his first game ever in MLB throwing trash and cussing you out as you lose your voice trying to talk over them. Then your principal comes in and berates you for being terrible at your job and being stupid for not being able to control students. It's horrible horrible horrible. The helplessness and zero life control give teachers pstd.

My job has meetings in the middle of the night occasionally. I survived.

Given the choice, I’ll take middle-of-the-night meetings any day over teaching. You also mention they happen “occasionally,” whereas the stress/panic of teaching happens all day, every day.

Except you’re not teaching all day, every day during the year, are you? Look, I get it, teaching is hard and maybe you don’t like your career decision. That’s totally ok. But wild exaggerations like that don’t help. We all know your get massive amounts of time off. You’re up at night in the middle of July or on Christmas Eve with night terrors about something that happened at work that day? That actually is some people’s reality. So let’s at least try to have some perspective.

This is why DCUM is so toxic. Guess what? I go to therapy because of teaching. I have been for years. This job can be so abusive and can break the toughest of people. Also: I am always working. ALWAYS. If I’m not at work, I’m at home prepping for work. That’s on weekends. That’s over the summer.

You can tell me to gain perspective, and I’m going to ask the same of you. There’s a reason DCUM is filled with threads like this one. It’s because teaching is HARD, and it’s only those who haven’t tried it who think otherwise.

I am a career changer. I came from a tough corporate job. It was a breeze compared to what I do now.

New to this thread, but man. Teachers really do think they have the hardest job in the world, don't they? Why does it always have to be crappy job Olympics? I haven't once seen a teacher say something like "wow, that is not a problem we have to deal with!" or "gee that also sounds hard!"

It's like someone can say that their job is high-stress dangerous muck diving in sewage to re-weld old plumbing (a job which exists!), and a teacher will be like "well at least you have a muck diving suit! I accidentally touched poop with my bare hands once!!!!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think teaching is easy be a sub for one day in public American schools and you will be eaten alive as kids treat you like Jackie Robinson on his first game ever in MLB throwing trash and cussing you out as you lose your voice trying to talk over them. Then your principal comes in and berates you for being terrible at your job and being stupid for not being able to control students. It's horrible horrible horrible. The helplessness and zero life control give teachers pstd.

My job has meetings in the middle of the night occasionally. I survived.

Given the choice, I’ll take middle-of-the-night meetings any day over teaching. You also mention they happen “occasionally,” whereas the stress/panic of teaching happens all day, every day.

Except you’re not teaching all day, every day during the year, are you? Look, I get it, teaching is hard and maybe you don’t like your career decision. That’s totally ok. But wild exaggerations like that don’t help. We all know your get massive amounts of time off. You’re up at night in the middle of July or on Christmas Eve with night terrors about something that happened at work that day? That actually is some people’s reality. So let’s at least try to have some perspective.

This is why DCUM is so toxic. Guess what? I go to therapy because of teaching. I have been for years. This job can be so abusive and can break the toughest of people. Also: I am always working. ALWAYS. If I’m not at work, I’m at home prepping for work. That’s on weekends. That’s over the summer.

You can tell me to gain perspective, and I’m going to ask the same of you. There’s a reason DCUM is filled with threads like this one. It’s because teaching is HARD, and it’s only those who haven’t tried it who think otherwise.

I am a career changer. I came from a tough corporate job. It was a breeze compared to what I do now.

New to this thread, but man. Teachers really do think they have the hardest job in the world, don't they? Why does it always have to be crappy job Olympics? I haven't once seen a teacher say something like "wow, that is not a problem we have to deal with!" or "gee that also sounds hard!"

It's like someone can say that their job is high-stress dangerous muck diving in sewage to re-weld old plumbing (a job which exists!), and a teacher will be like "well at least you have a muck diving suit! I accidentally touched poop with my bare hands once!!!!"

Well considering we also have to deal with bathroom issues, at least in ES, this is a bad example. I think the reason you never see teachers say the bolded is because our job is all encompassing. We are lawyers and doctors, we are managers and low level data entry employees, we are secretaries and diplomats (and plumbers). Im curious what part of your jobs that you think are unique that teachers don't actually do!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think teaching is easy be a sub for one day in public American schools and you will be eaten alive as kids treat you like Jackie Robinson on his first game ever in MLB throwing trash and cussing you out as you lose your voice trying to talk over them. Then your principal comes in and berates you for being terrible at your job and being stupid for not being able to control students. It's horrible horrible horrible. The helplessness and zero life control give teachers pstd.

My job has meetings in the middle of the night occasionally. I survived.

Given the choice, I’ll take middle-of-the-night meetings any day over teaching. You also mention they happen “occasionally,” whereas the stress/panic of teaching happens all day, every day.

Except you’re not teaching all day, every day during the year, are you? Look, I get it, teaching is hard and maybe you don’t like your career decision. That’s totally ok. But wild exaggerations like that don’t help. We all know your get massive amounts of time off. You’re up at night in the middle of July or on Christmas Eve with night terrors about something that happened at work that day? That actually is some people’s reality. So let’s at least try to have some perspective.

This is why DCUM is so toxic. Guess what? I go to therapy because of teaching. I have been for years. This job can be so abusive and can break the toughest of people. Also: I am always working. ALWAYS. If I’m not at work, I’m at home prepping for work. That’s on weekends. That’s over the summer.

You can tell me to gain perspective, and I’m going to ask the same of you. There’s a reason DCUM is filled with threads like this one. It’s because teaching is HARD, and it’s only those who haven’t tried it who think otherwise.

I am a career changer. I came from a tough corporate job. It was a breeze compared to what I do now.

New to this thread, but man. Teachers really do think they have the hardest job in the world, don't they? Why does it always have to be crappy job Olympics? I haven't once seen a teacher say something like "wow, that is not a problem we have to deal with!" or "gee that also sounds hard!"

It's like someone can say that their job is high-stress dangerous muck diving in sewage to re-weld old plumbing (a job which exists!), and a teacher will be like "well at least you have a muck diving suit! I accidentally touched poop with my bare hands once!!!!"

Ok well you start a thread on all the other crappy jobs

[Anonymous]

People that hate teachers shouldnt be parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People that hate teachers shouldnt be parents.

I do love the ever-present “Parents are bad” teacher poster. Part of your job is going to be interaction with parents. Eventually you need to learn to deal, or you need to realize the job isn’t for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People that hate teachers shouldnt be parents.

I do love the ever-present “Parents are bad” teacher poster. Part of your job is going to be interaction with parents. Eventually you need to learn to deal, or you need to realize the job isn’t for you.

People who hate and burn with hate and anger are probably either depressed or need help and should seek therapy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People that hate teachers shouldnt be parents.

I do love the ever-present “Parents are bad” teacher poster. Part of your job is going to be interaction with parents. Eventually you need to learn to deal, or you need to realize the job isn’t for you.

People who hate and burn with hate and anger are probably either depressed or need help and should seek therapy.

Exactly. The ever-present "parents are bad" teacher should probably seek therapy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think teaching is easy be a sub for one day in public American schools and you will be eaten alive as kids treat you like Jackie Robinson on his first game ever in MLB throwing trash and cussing you out as you lose your voice trying to talk over them. Then your principal comes in and berates you for being terrible at your job and being stupid for not being able to control students. It's horrible horrible horrible. The helplessness and zero life control give teachers pstd.

My job has meetings in the middle of the night occasionally. I survived.

Given the choice, I’ll take middle-of-the-night meetings any day over teaching. You also mention they happen “occasionally,” whereas the stress/panic of teaching happens all day, every day.

Except you’re not teaching all day, every day during the year, are you? Look, I get it, teaching is hard and maybe you don’t like your career decision. That’s totally ok. But wild exaggerations like that don’t help. We all know your get massive amounts of time off. You’re up at night in the middle of July or on Christmas Eve with night terrors about something that happened at work that day? That actually is some people’s reality. So let’s at least try to have some perspective.

You still explaining a teachers perspective. They still have some sleepless nights over breaks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think teaching is easy be a sub for one day in public American schools and you will be eaten alive as kids treat you like Jackie Robinson on his first game ever in MLB throwing trash and cussing you out as you lose your voice trying to talk over them. Then your principal comes in and berates you for being terrible at your job and being stupid for not being able to control students. It's horrible horrible horrible. The helplessness and zero life control give teachers pstd.

My job has meetings in the middle of the night occasionally. I survived.

Given the choice, I’ll take middle-of-the-night meetings any day over teaching. You also mention they happen “occasionally,” whereas the stress/panic of teaching happens all day, every day.

Except you’re not teaching all day, every day during the year, are you? Look, I get it, teaching is hard and maybe you don’t like your career decision. That’s totally ok. But wild exaggerations like that don’t help. We all know your get massive amounts of time off. You’re up at night in the middle of July or on Christmas Eve with night terrors about something that happened at work that day? That actually is some people’s reality. So let’s at least try to have some perspective.

This is why DCUM is so toxic. Guess what? I go to therapy because of teaching. I have been for years. This job can be so abusive and can break the toughest of people. Also: I am always working. ALWAYS. If I’m not at work, I’m at home prepping for work. That’s on weekends. That’s over the summer.

You can tell me to gain perspective, and I’m going to ask the same of you. There’s a reason DCUM is filled with threads like this one. It’s because teaching is HARD, and it’s only those who haven’t tried it who think otherwise.

I am a career changer. I came from a tough corporate job. It was a breeze compared to what I do now.

New to this thread, but man. Teachers really do think they have the hardest job in the world, don't they? Why does it always have to be crappy job Olympics? I haven't once seen a teacher say something like "wow, that is not a problem we have to deal with!" or "gee that also sounds hard!"

It's like someone can say that their job is high-stress dangerous muck diving in sewage to re-weld old plumbing (a job which exists!), and a teacher will be like "well at least you have a muck diving suit! I accidentally touched poop with my bare hands once!!!!"

Well considering we also have to deal with bathroom issues, at least in ES, this is a bad example. I think the reason you never see teachers say the bolded is because our job is all encompassing. We are lawyers and doctors, we are managers and low level data entry employees, we are secretaries and diplomats (and plumbers). Im curious what part of your jobs that you think are unique that teachers don't actually do!

NP. Look, I agree teaching is a hard job but it’s this kind of melodramatic exaggeration that makes people roll their eyes and then discredit any actual point you may be trying to make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think teaching is easy be a sub for one day in public American schools and you will be eaten alive as kids treat you like Jackie Robinson on his first game ever in MLB throwing trash and cussing you out as you lose your voice trying to talk over them. Then your principal comes in and berates you for being terrible at your job and being stupid for not being able to control students. It's horrible horrible horrible. The helplessness and zero life control give teachers pstd.

My job has meetings in the middle of the night occasionally. I survived.

Given the choice, I’ll take middle-of-the-night meetings any day over teaching. You also mention they happen “occasionally,” whereas the stress/panic of teaching happens all day, every day.

Except you’re not teaching all day, every day during the year, are you? Look, I get it, teaching is hard and maybe you don’t like your career decision. That’s totally ok. But wild exaggerations like that don’t help. We all know your get massive amounts of time off. You’re up at night in the middle of July or on Christmas Eve with night terrors about something that happened at work that day? That actually is some people’s reality. So let’s at least try to have some perspective.

This is why DCUM is so toxic. Guess what? I go to therapy because of teaching. I have been for years. This job can be so abusive and can break the toughest of people. Also: I am always working. ALWAYS. If I’m not at work, I’m at home prepping for work. That’s on weekends. That’s over the summer.

You can tell me to gain perspective, and I’m going to ask the same of you. There’s a reason DCUM is filled with threads like this one. It’s because teaching is HARD, and it’s only those who haven’t tried it who think otherwise.

I am a career changer. I came from a tough corporate job. It was a breeze compared to what I do now.

New to this thread, but man. Teachers really do think they have the hardest job in the world, don't they? Why does it always have to be crappy job Olympics? I haven't once seen a teacher say something like "wow, that is not a problem we have to deal with!" or "gee that also sounds hard!"

It's like someone can say that their job is high-stress dangerous muck diving in sewage to re-weld old plumbing (a job which exists!), and a teacher will be like "well at least you have a muck diving suit! I accidentally touched poop with my bare hands once!!!!"

Well considering we also have to deal with bathroom issues, at least in ES, this is a bad example. I think the reason you never see teachers say the bolded is because our job is all encompassing. We are lawyers and doctors, we are managers and low level data entry employees, we are secretaries and diplomats (and plumbers). Im curious what part of your jobs that you think are unique that teachers don't actually do!

NP. Look, I agree teaching is a hard job but it’s this kind of melodramatic exaggeration that makes people roll their eyes and then discredit any actual point you may be trying to make.

Teacher here. Where is the melodramatic exaggeration? I have no problem seeing the PP’s point. A good teacher has to draw from skills used in many professions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think teaching is easy be a sub for one day in public American schools and you will be eaten alive as kids treat you like Jackie Robinson on his first game ever in MLB throwing trash and cussing you out as you lose your voice trying to talk over them. Then your principal comes in and berates you for being terrible at your job and being stupid for not being able to control students. It's horrible horrible horrible. The helplessness and zero life control give teachers pstd.

My job has meetings in the middle of the night occasionally. I survived.

Given the choice, I’ll take middle-of-the-night meetings any day over teaching. You also mention they happen “occasionally,” whereas the stress/panic of teaching happens all day, every day.

Except you’re not teaching all day, every day during the year, are you? Look, I get it, teaching is hard and maybe you don’t like your career decision. That’s totally ok. But wild exaggerations like that don’t help. We all know your get massive amounts of time off. You’re up at night in the middle of July or on Christmas Eve with night terrors about something that happened at work that day? That actually is some people’s reality. So let’s at least try to have some perspective.

This is why DCUM is so toxic. Guess what? I go to therapy because of teaching. I have been for years. This job can be so abusive and can break the toughest of people. Also: I am always working. ALWAYS. If I’m not at work, I’m at home prepping for work. That’s on weekends. That’s over the summer.

You can tell me to gain perspective, and I’m going to ask the same of you. There’s a reason DCUM is filled with threads like this one. It’s because teaching is HARD, and it’s only those who haven’t tried it who think otherwise.

I am a career changer. I came from a tough corporate job. It was a breeze compared to what I do now.

New to this thread, but man. Teachers really do think they have the hardest job in the world, don't they? Why does it always have to be crappy job Olympics? I haven't once seen a teacher say something like "wow, that is not a problem we have to deal with!" or "gee that also sounds hard!"

It's like someone can say that their job is high-stress dangerous muck diving in sewage to re-weld old plumbing (a job which exists!), and a teacher will be like "well at least you have a muck diving suit! I accidentally touched poop with my bare hands once!!!!"

Well considering we also have to deal with bathroom issues, at least in ES, this is a bad example. I think the reason you never see teachers say the bolded is because our job is all encompassing. We are lawyers and doctors, we are managers and low level data entry employees, we are secretaries and diplomats (and plumbers). Im curious what part of your jobs that you think are unique that teachers don't actually do!

NP. Look, I agree teaching is a hard job but it’s this kind of melodramatic exaggeration that makes people roll their eyes and then discredit any actual point you may be trying to make.

Teacher here. Where is the melodramatic exaggeration? I have no problem seeing the PP’s point. A good teacher has to draw from skills used in many professions.

DP. I'm in the eyeroll camp.