Why Are Teachers So Resentful?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I started twenty years ago, I could get my work done in 40 or 45 hours a week. I had balance.

I work 7 days a week now. It never ends. I’m always grading papers, responding to emails, and revising lessons. If I’m awake, I’m working or thinking about the work that needs to get done.

The demands of the job have grown exponentially.

As a parent, I also felt we have to enrich so much outside school. Somehow it is very exhausting to be parent in this country.

I’m the teacher PP.

We have lost our way. 20 years ago, my job was to teach. I had clear lessons, clear expectations, and time to provide clear feedback. I had fewer students and more planning time.

Now I have larger classes and more of them. I am no longer supposed to teach. We aren’t supposed to be “the sage on the stage”; in fact, we are marked down in our evaluations if we are caught doing that. We are supposed to be the “guide on the side,” as students learn cooperatively through group work and gallery walks. I am now a guide, a counselor, a social worker, a nurse, an entertainer, a mentor, and a data collector. Teacher? That’s just one of many hats now and I don’t think it’s considered the most important.

And this new version of teaching isn’t benefiting the students. And those of us who have been in the profession a long time know it.

Teacher PP, I would expect your posts on a public school forum. Is this really the case in private schools too?

[Anonymous]

The teachers aren’t well trained either. They present worksheets with incorrect spelling. They don’t know how to teach phonics. They are poor in math skills and even poorer in explaining concepts. They don’t understand higher level math and how they should be better supporting it. They don’t prepare kids adequately for the next grade. They are inexperienced and think that grabbing worksheets off TpT website is a best practice! I’ve not seen much creativity in the method of teaching in 9+ years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I started twenty years ago, I could get my work done in 40 or 45 hours a week. I had balance.

I work 7 days a week now. It never ends. I’m always grading papers, responding to emails, and revising lessons. If I’m awake, I’m working or thinking about the work that needs to get done.

The demands of the job have grown exponentially.

As a parent, I also felt we have to enrich so much outside school. Somehow it is very exhausting to be parent in this country.

I’m the teacher PP.

We have lost our way. 20 years ago, my job was to teach. I had clear lessons, clear expectations, and time to provide clear feedback. I had fewer students and more planning time.

Now I have larger classes and more of them. I am no longer supposed to teach. We aren’t supposed to be “the sage on the stage”; in fact, we are marked down in our evaluations if we are caught doing that. We are supposed to be the “guide on the side,” as students learn cooperatively through group work and gallery walks. I am now a guide, a counselor, a social worker, a nurse, an entertainer, a mentor, and a data collector. Teacher? That’s just one of many hats now and I don’t think it’s considered the most important.

And this new version of teaching isn’t benefiting the students. And those of us who have been in the profession a long time know it.

Teacher PP, I would expect your posts on a public school forum. Is this really the case in private schools too?

Great question. I’ve taught in both settings. These problems are rampant in public schools and growing in private schools.

If I had to guess, it’s because of growing administration/support roles. Teaching is tough and people look for ways out of the classroom. And once they find it, they have to justify their new position. This creates more work for those of us still in the classroom. I was thrilled when I transferred to a private school years ago. Each year, it feels more like what I left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because they think they deserve a lot more money and respect than the job actually calls for.

Neat. Enjoy homeschooling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because they think they deserve a lot more money and respect than the job actually calls for.

Neat. Enjoy homeschooling.[/quote

It’s best to ignore the trolls. That poster doesn’t even believe that themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I started twenty years ago, I could get my work done in 40 or 45 hours a week. I had balance.

I work 7 days a week now. It never ends. I’m always grading papers, responding to emails, and revising lessons. If I’m awake, I’m working or thinking about the work that needs to get done.

The demands of the job have grown exponentially.

As a parent, I also felt we have to enrich so much outside school. Somehow it is very exhausting to be parent in this country.

I’m the teacher PP.

We have lost our way. 20 years ago, my job was to teach. I had clear lessons, clear expectations, and time to provide clear feedback. I had fewer students and more planning time.

Now I have larger classes and more of them. I am no longer supposed to teach. We aren’t supposed to be “the sage on the stage”; in fact, we are marked down in our evaluations if we are caught doing that. We are supposed to be the “guide on the side,” as students learn cooperatively through group work and gallery walks. I am now a guide, a counselor, a social worker, a nurse, an entertainer, a mentor, and a data collector. Teacher? That’s just one of many hats now and I don’t think it’s considered the most important.

And this new version of teaching isn’t benefiting the students. And those of us who have been in the profession a long time know it.

100%

My late dad who taught from 1968 to 2001 would have agreed completely with your critique. He was kind of despondent at his time of retirement

Listening to him, we chose to spend money we didn’t really have to a school we selected knowing it would kick our kid’s ass, respectfully. I am not sorry

[Anonymous]

This thread belongs in the public school forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?

Ugh more AI clickbait, probably trying to get views on the ads here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two things IMO:

(1) Educational standards have changed, making teaching more difficult. Textbooks are not used, which force teachers to come up with curriculum every day and find resources on their own. There are expectations that teachers teach to every level of student, which is, of course, impossible. It's exhausting and you cannot be successful.

(2) Parenting has changed. We wanted to believe that our child's peers would have engaged parents who cared about them and truly wanted to be there for their kids. What we found at private school was that the parents were disengaged and the kids were brats. At public, it was split with the good kids in the advanced classes and the kids with totally checked out parents in the other classes. You cannot teach when the kids don't care to learn.

I wanted to be a teacher and thought I would move to it when my financial situation allowed, but now at age 52, I have no interest in returning. I don't think they want teachers like me who like to teach math by the book with plenty of practice and repetition, regular tests and quizzes with fair grades, and a strict classroom with no phones or devices period.

It sounds like you are describing WES. Maybe apply there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Decent pay and 3 months of paid vacation has never been true.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?

Summers are not paid, they are on a 10 month contract. Privates pay lower than publics which is crazy when they charge more per student than some teachers make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It used to be that teaching was one of the best jobs around — decent pay, good work–life balance, and a fulfilling career with three months of paid vacation. Yet when I talk to current teachers, they don’t seem to feel that way anymore in any of these areas.

What exactly has changed in recent years that turned teaching from a dream job into such a difficult one? Do you think teachers now see students, administrators, and parents as ungrateful?

Ugh more AI clickbait, probably trying to get views on the ads here.

How can you tell that is AI?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two things IMO:

(1) Educational standards have changed, making teaching more difficult. Textbooks are not used, which force teachers to come up with curriculum every day and find resources on their own. There are expectations that teachers teach to every level of student, which is, of course, impossible. It's exhausting and you cannot be successful.

(2) Parenting has changed. We wanted to believe that our child's peers would have engaged parents who cared about them and truly wanted to be there for their kids. What we found at private school was that the parents were disengaged and the kids were brats. At public, it was split with the good kids in the advanced classes and the kids with totally checked out parents in the other classes. You cannot teach when the kids don't care to learn.

I wanted to be a teacher and thought I would move to it when my financial situation allowed, but now at age 52, I have no interest in returning. I don't think they want teachers like me who like to teach math by the book with plenty of practice and repetition, regular tests and quizzes with fair grades, and a strict classroom with no phones or devices period.

It sounds like you are describing WES. Maybe apply there?

Parenting hasn't changed that much. And, many teachers buy a bad curriculum online, few do it themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teachers aren’t well trained either. They present worksheets with incorrect spelling. They don’t know how to teach phonics. They are poor in math skills and even poorer in explaining concepts. They don’t understand higher level math and how they should be better supporting it. They don’t prepare kids adequately for the next grade. They are inexperienced and think that grabbing worksheets off TpT website is a best practice! I’ve not seen much creativity in the method of teaching in 9+ years.

50 years ago, smart women became teachers. Now they have lots more options, so the pool of candidates for teaching positions is of significantly worse quality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two things IMO:

(1) Educational standards have changed, making teaching more difficult. Textbooks are not used, which force teachers to come up with curriculum every day and find resources on their own. There are expectations that teachers teach to every level of student, which is, of course, impossible. It's exhausting and you cannot be successful.

(2) Parenting has changed. We wanted to believe that our child's peers would have engaged parents who cared about them and truly wanted to be there for their kids. What we found at private school was that the parents were disengaged and the kids were brats. At public, it was split with the good kids in the advanced classes and the kids with totally checked out parents in the other classes. You cannot teach when the kids don't care to learn.

I wanted to be a teacher and thought I would move to it when my financial situation allowed, but now at age 52, I have no interest in returning. I don't think they want teachers like me who like to teach math by the book with plenty of practice and repetition, regular tests and quizzes with fair grades, and a strict classroom with no phones or devices period.

It sounds like you are describing WES. Maybe apply there?

Parenting hasn't changed that much. And, many teachers buy a bad curriculum online, few do it themselves.

Parenting has changed a ton. Many parents are overly permissive now and they are also quick to jump in, not allowing their own children to grow/learn from mistakes. I’ve been watching this transition for a couple of decades as a teacher.

As for curriculum, many of us actually do create our own. That’s why we work weekends and summers, giving our own time to improving the lessons we develop. We may purchase the occasional activity from a site like TeachersPayTeachers to supplement what we create, but that’s it. (And public school teachers create very little. Their districts drive the curricula.)