First year teachers quitting

[Anonymous]

My SIL taught for 20 years in PS in PA. She switch to a Catholic school 2 years ago. She felt she couldn’t do it prior as the salary is sadly even lower in most areas. But then kids college was paid and husband making more and she needed a change. She said the biggest difference for her was 1) behavior in the classroom- though this was marginal), expectations from administration, and expectations and communication with parents (biggest difference).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entitled Parents: "If you don't like your working conditions, quit."
Also Entitled Parents: "What...what do you MEAN you QUIT? You horrible monster! What about THE CHILDRENNNNNN????"

Yep. Teachers aren't indentured servants. I don't want to hear another contrived news story about the teacher shortage. If the jobs aren't filling it's because the compensation and conditions are poor. The market bhas spoken. End of story. The entitled parents won't care until principals in their schools are hiring J1 Visa teachers from abroad. I hope you all don't overspend on your house because your ZIP code entitles you to nothing in any public school system!

This has been a common theme when unemployment was low, jobs with poor pay/conditions can't compete. We shall see what happens in this recession. Although nthis recession has impacted more people in low wage retail/food service/entertainint jobs

States still had lists of content area shortages back in 2008. The people who leave have options and the ones who don't will stay.

Education programs in colleges/universities also aren't training as many teachers so the supply of young, fresh blood for the churn and burn is low as well. I don't think economic downturn will lead to improved teacher quality nor higher parent/student satisfaction.

I have stayed despite having options —teaching is my second career. I wanted to serve my community. I thought of the teachers I had that made so huge a difference for me as a poor child. I ended up stuck in MCPS teaching mostly the children of DCUM. Transferred 3x to schools with high farms rates, always got assigned to programs and classes with middle class students. Pre-pandemic, thought about getting dual certified in ESOL to stop that bait and switch. Now I might just want out period. I am not serving the kids I wanted to and the kids I do teach have such horrible parents.

If the complaints and reassignments are a reoccurring problem, have you considered that maybe the problem is with you rather than the parents?

And there goes another teacher. Great job PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My SIL taught for 20 years in PS in PA. She switch to a Catholic school 2 years ago. She felt she couldn’t do it prior as the salary is sadly even lower in most areas. But then kids college was paid and husband making more and she needed a change. She said the biggest difference for her was 1) behavior in the classroom- though this was marginal), expectations from administration, and expectations and communication with parents (biggest difference).

Those two offset each other, no? I know people that have done the public to private school switch and was told the private school parents are much more obnoxious. But behavioral problems were much lower. And far fewer pregnancies, too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These 22 year olds aren't quitting because they're afraid of covid. Each one has said the job is too hard. One was my teaching partner. I gave him all my plans. I spent hours helping him prep. He cried EVERY DAY in my classroom after school.

Wait until he’s an actual parent and has to do it 24/7 for 20+ years of raising kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These 22 year olds aren't quitting because they're afraid of covid. Each one has said the job is too hard. One was my teaching partner. I gave him all my plans. I spent hours helping him prep. He cried EVERY DAY in my classroom after school.

Wait until he’s an actual parent and has to do it 24/7 for 20+ years of raising kids.

Lol since when does everything HAVE to have kids? Most of my friends don’t want kids. I’m 30. I like working with kids but I don’t want my own. I don’t like babies, toddlers, or teens enough to want one. That’s why I teach elementary. And I see how much parents struggle emotionally and financially. Many take it out on their kids’ teachers lol.... Some of my friends that don’t want kids realized after working in schools or nannying. It’s not something everyone wants to do or has to do. I’m sure he’ll opt out.

[Anonymous]

^Also, no one has 20+ kids. Teachers deal with 20-200 kids (depending on their grade level). A lot of parents are “one and done” for a reason. They can hardly handle one, never mind a whole class full of kids. But they can’t quit being a parent. You can quit your job though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's rather ignorant to pin all the blame on first year teachers for quitting, the entire system is broken and to top it off we're living amidst a severe health and social crisis. Having no work-life balance, sh*t pay, poor work conditions, and no satisfaction or gratification with seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel is brutal. Nowadays every day of school reminds me of the daily chess matches that Kasparov played against Deep Blue in the late 90's. Man vs inhuman machine. Every day. Teachers have to have a paper trail for everything, they have to know how to act, what to say, when to say it, how to appease to everyone, just so that admin and parents don't stick a big red target on their back. I'm a first year teacher for all intents and purposes and since I can still live with my parents, i'll try to stick it out at least until my preliminary 5 year teaching credential runs out. I'll try to save as much money as possible, and hopefully if i'm still in this by year 5 i will either stay at a good school or change careers. Definitely won't be coming back to my current school next year, and I have more than enough reasons 2 months in.

I'm a career changer and a second-year teacher and I'm starting to think getting into this profession is one of the dumbest things I ever did in my life. It's shocking how broken the system is. Everything you say is true, but I have grown children and I never realized to what extent teachers are held for student learning, as opposed to teaching. I teach HS and it doesn't matter if the kid is lazy ne'er do well who doesn't do any work--you have to find ways to engage and coax and somehow get the kid to pass and reach out again and again to the parents. Every behavioral issue is a disability. Troublemakers prevent serious students from learning and you can't do anything about it, really. And all I hear from veteran teachers is stuff about record-keeping about everything--interactions with students, and parents, and what you've done to help the student, and this paperwork, and that paperwork. I spend more time coaxing students to work than actually teaching. Add to that the pointless meetings and the generally worthless mandatory PD.
Last year, our school made us let students who hadn't done anything all year retake all exams for the year--remotely mind you--to help them "remediate" and pass. Most passed--surprise, surprise--and many of those signed up for follow on classes that they're not qualified for by a long shot. No wonder a high school degree is worthless--we're graduating a ton of students who can't write, can barely read, can't reason, and can't compute 3x4. And I'm not even teaching at a "bad" school.
I took a pay cut to do this (yeah, stupid me) and I'm working over-12-hour days and weekends right now and having to read the disgusting comments of delusional parents on these boards, while my corporate-type spouse who makes six times what I make sleeps in and does remodeling projects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These 22 year olds aren't quitting because they're afraid of covid. Each one has said the job is too hard. One was my teaching partner. I gave him all my plans. I spent hours helping him prep. He cried EVERY DAY in my classroom after school.

Wait until he’s an actual parent and has to do it 24/7 for 20+ years of raising kids.

I’m only four years in, but so far I find that it’s marginally easier to be a parent than a teacher. One kid has issues, but gosh, his dad is nice, and I get to steer the ship, so to speak. I decide which behavior management philosophy to use. The freedom is incredible. Maybe I will change my mind, but I did teach for over a decade. How long did you teach, pp?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, each year is worse than the previous one. I have taught for 21 years and would never encourage my kids to go into this profession. The reason it is so hard is because no matter how hard you try, how many hours you put in, and how much you care , it is never enough. I love teaching. I love watching young children, especially the ones that have huge hurtles to overcome (think poverty, abuse, family situations), finally start to read or figure out the number system. I spend 6 hours a day laughing and enjoying my job. But.... I also spend another 6 hours documenting the thirty phone calls to parents, begging for materials, and being told I am the problem by entitled, and quite frankly, lazy parents who think I am suppose to be superhuman and that I should find a way to teach a child that shows up once a week or refuses to complete an assignment.

The hardest part of teaching is dealing with the politics and abuse from both admin and parents. In order to keep doing this job you have to get thick skin. Unfortunately, to develop that thick skin you have care a little less. My principal and I have a decent relationship but he, my colleagues, and the parents I work with are going to be shocked when I resign at the end of this year. Everyone will say they didn’t see it coming even when I have expressed that I am physically incapable of working 16 hours a day and then being told by parents and central that it isn’t enough.

I am lucky I have the option to resign and most of my fellow teachers do not this option. I will miss this job. I will miss the kids. I will never enjoy anything as much as I do working with students. Still, I am leaving. Most of us who can, will. Good luck parents.

[Anonymous]

My nephew just started his first job in August in South Carolina. And he’s loving it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! This thread is depressing. Is teaching easy or fun every day? No. No job is. The first or second year can be brutal emotionally if you are in a tough school. That is usually the biggest problem. Some people just don't have the IQ/EQ to handle it depending on their placement, but it is mostly just about hard work. Slackers, people who are entitled, or those that have personality issues don't make it. It's like being in the military in a way. You need to be from a certain variety of mindsets to be successful.

What I like about teaching is that I don't have to sit at a desk all day. Every day is different. I like challenges. I can get a job in many different countries without too much effort. I have never concerned myself with admin politics. Waste of my energy. My only complaints have been about student behavior, especially when it affects others or is unsafe. Very frustrating at the moment.

I like having flexible time in summers. Some times I'll take classes all summer. Mostly it is home improvement and hobbies in the summer while taking care of my family. I can't stand to sit around and read a book on the beach like some imply. Salaries are decent and reliable if you are in a good school system/state with union support. I have benefits, pension, Roth IRA, 403b, and 457b. I can take care of my family members when they are sick. I get the same days off as my children.

I agree! I love teaching even though it is hard. The school and situation makes a huge difference, too. I have worked at my school 12 years and while it isn’t perfect I wouldn’t go elsewhere. As a veteran teacher, I am in that sweet spot of having the experience to be effective and also efficient, so I am not working outrageous hours. But teaching well demands a really wide ranging skill set. You have to have empathy and love the kids, but you also have to be ruthlessly efficient and organized to stay on top of it all. And you need to be creative in your lesson planning so you don’t bore everyone to tears, but you also need to be super clear so everyone understands the material. I love the challenge and I find it incredibly rewarding to watch my students grow.

If we started to respect education in this country, and treated teaching like the demanding profession it is, we would have much better luck. Train teachers the way you train doctors, with internships and residencies and the quality would go up immediately. And our kids would be learning a lot more.

[Anonymous]

Pp from above. I just wanted to add that the reason I can continue to love teaching is thanks to my workplace where teachers are respected and not forced to pass students who do nothing, etc. I really feel for the teachers like 06:42, and I do think our system overall is broken. It doesn’t have to be this way. Make the job more appealing, prepare teachers better (in all the ways many posters have suggested in this thread) and these problems are eminently solvable. But we need the political and cultural will to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's rather ignorant to pin all the blame on first year teachers for quitting, the entire system is broken and to top it off we're living amidst a severe health and social crisis. Having no work-life balance, sh*t pay, poor work conditions, and no satisfaction or gratification with seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel is brutal. Nowadays every day of school reminds me of the daily chess matches that Kasparov played against Deep Blue in the late 90's. Man vs inhuman machine. Every day. Teachers have to have a paper trail for everything, they have to know how to act, what to say, when to say it, how to appease to everyone, just so that admin and parents don't stick a big red target on their back. I'm a first year teacher for all intents and purposes and since I can still live with my parents, i'll try to stick it out at least until my preliminary 5 year teaching credential runs out. I'll try to save as much money as possible, and hopefully if i'm still in this by year 5 i will either stay at a good school or change careers. Definitely won't be coming back to my current school next year, and I have more than enough reasons 2 months in.

I'm a career changer and a second-year teacher and I'm starting to think getting into this profession is one of the dumbest things I ever did in my life. It's shocking how broken the system is. Everything you say is true, but I have grown children and I never realized to what extent teachers are held for student learning, as opposed to teaching. I teach HS and it doesn't matter if the kid is lazy ne'er do well who doesn't do any work--you have to find ways to engage and coax and somehow get the kid to pass and reach out again and again to the parents. Every behavioral issue is a disability. Troublemakers prevent serious students from learning and you can't do anything about it, really. And all I hear from veteran teachers is stuff about record-keeping about everything--interactions with students, and parents, and what you've done to help the student, and this paperwork, and that paperwork. I spend more time coaxing students to work than actually teaching. Add to that the pointless meetings and the generally worthless mandatory PD.
Last year, our school made us let students who hadn't done anything all year retake all exams for the year--remotely mind you--to help them "remediate" and pass. Most passed--surprise, surprise--and many of those signed up for follow on classes that they're not qualified for by a long shot. No wonder a high school degree is worthless--we're graduating a ton of students who can't write, can barely read, can't reason, and can't compute 3x4. And I'm not even teaching at a "bad" school.
I took a pay cut to do this (yeah, stupid me) and I'm working over-12-hour days and weekends right now and having to read the disgusting comments of delusional parents on these boards, while my corporate-type spouse who makes six times what I make sleeps in and does remodeling projects.

I’m a second year teacher and career changer, too. You can go back to corporate! Harder with the pandemic, but you can. I’m working on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These 22 year olds aren't quitting because they're afraid of covid. Each one has said the job is too hard. One was my teaching partner. I gave him all my plans. I spent hours helping him prep. He cried EVERY DAY in my classroom after school.

Wait until he’s an actual parent and has to do it 24/7 for 20+ years of raising kids.

Lol since when does everything HAVE to have kids? Most of my friends don’t want kids. I’m 30. I like working with kids but I don’t want my own. I don’t like babies, toddlers, or teens enough to want one. That’s why I teach elementary. And I see how much parents struggle emotionally and financially. Many take it out on their kids’ teachers lol.... Some of my friends that don’t want kids realized after working in schools or nannying. It’s not something everyone wants to do or has to do. I’m sure he’ll opt out.

So when ur old You’ll be ok dying alone? That’s how sad and lame westerners have become. Allowing society and the grind not continue procreating. Sad indeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These 22 year olds aren't quitting because they're afraid of covid. Each one has said the job is too hard. One was my teaching partner. I gave him all my plans. I spent hours helping him prep. He cried EVERY DAY in my classroom after school.

Wait until he’s an actual parent and has to do it 24/7 for 20+ years of raising kids.

Lol since when does everything HAVE to have kids? Most of my friends don’t want kids. I’m 30. I like working with kids but I don’t want my own. I don’t like babies, toddlers, or teens enough to want one. That’s why I teach elementary. And I see how much parents struggle emotionally and financially. Many take it out on their kids’ teachers lol.... Some of my friends that don’t want kids realized after working in schools or nannying. It’s not something everyone wants to do or has to do. I’m sure he’ll opt out.

So when ur old You’ll be ok dying alone? That’s how sad and lame westerners have become. Allowing society and the grind not continue procreating. Sad indeed.

Ask anyone who works at a nursing home if every person who had kids isn’t alone... many are... but okay...

Also, there are literally social media pages dedicated to parents venting about how much they regret having kids...

It’s a choice and not a “must do.”