Why do most teachers seem to hate teaching?

[Anonymous]

There seem to be regular threads on this board about getting out of teaching, and then on FB there are all the people cheering for snow days and winter break, etc. Why are so many people teachers if it’s so awful. Seems like like all just suffer and exist for school closures/summer break.

[Anonymous]

Most don’t. DCUM and social media in general are bad places to get an accurate picture of how most teachers feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most don’t. DCUM and social media in general are bad places to get an accurate picture of how most teachers feel.

+1

Happy people don't post.

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't you be happy to get a free day off?
Many people stick with teaching because they love children and learning. It is a calling for some, that doesn't mean that there aren't significant frustrations. Others stick with it because they trained for it, are in debt, or can't find a "better" job.

[Anonymous]

it's the parents. not the kids that they don't like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't you be happy to get a free day off?
Many people stick with teaching because they love children and learning. It is a calling for some, that doesn't mean that there aren't significant frustrations. Others stick with it because they trained for it, are in debt, or can't find a "better" job.

OP here. I live in Loudoun which gives a ton of pointless snow days, in addition to legitimate ones. It’s fine to secretly celebrate a day off. I think it’s tone deaf to continuously and repeatedly gloat about something that is quite inconvenient to almost anyone that isn’t you. Loudoun teachers in particular seem to really hate working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it's the parents. not the kids that they don't like.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it's the parents. not the kids that they don't like.

Well they are free to change jobs, like anyone else.

[Anonymous]

My family has a lot of teachers and nurses. The nurses complain just as much. They are also posting things on FB and other SM all day that are barely skirting HIPPA violations. But everyone loves nurses, so it’s okay!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it's the parents. not the kids that they don't like.

Well they are free to change jobs, like anyone else.

And you're free not to read their rants

[Anonymous]

As a former teacher, I can tell you I love teaching, I just hated all the stuff that came along with it.

Working with kids, seeing them learn and grow? Best thing ever.

Dealing with ever-changing administrative demands, having to develop and maintain reams of worthless data, expected to teach to children years behind grade level and/or with significant learning disabilities with little to no support, being blamed for things out of my control.....that's the stuff that drives teachers out of teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it's the parents. not the kids that they don't like.

Well they are free to change jobs, like anyone else.

And you're free not to read their rants

I’m also free to think they are lazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it's the parents. not the kids that they don't like.

Well they are free to change jobs, like anyone else.

And you're free not to read their rants

I’m also free to think they are lazy.

Well teachers are human beings too and, like every other profession, a few will be lazy. That goes for lawyers, bus drivers, line cooks, and cops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it's the parents. not the kids that they don't like.

Well they are free to change jobs, like anyone else.

And you're free not to read their rants

I’m also free to think they are lazy.

Well teachers are human beings too and, like every other profession, a few will be lazy. That goes for lawyers, bus drivers, line cooks, and cops.

True, but are those people on Fb loudly praying that an entire county full of parents will need last minute childcare the next day? Yes, I know school is not daycare and it’s my responsibility, but it’s just really grating to me. I don’t think they realize how they sound to other working parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former teacher, I can tell you I love teaching, I just hated all the stuff that came along with it.

Working with kids, seeing them learn and grow? Best thing ever.

Dealing with ever-changing administrative demands, having to develop and maintain reams of worthless data, expected to teach to children years behind grade level and/or with significant learning disabilities with little to no support, being blamed for things out of my control.....that's the stuff that drives teachers out of teaching.

As a daughter of two teachers, I think that teachers loved teaching a lot more when they actually got to teach and didn't have to spend so much time proving that they are actually teaching, which takes away from instruction time. Training in the trend of the day, useless professional development, data gathering, administrative demands all take away from actually teaching students.

In my opinion, in the old days, teachers had more time to get to know their students and really help them. If a kid was struggling, the teacher was more likely to say, "why wouldn't I go out of my way to help?" Now, they are so busy trying to meet administrative demands, we, as parents hear, "why should I have to help?" more often than not.

I grew up in a very working class area with populated with students whose parents who were not well educated. Many families were large Catholic families with moms who were stretched thin and didn't have time to spend working with their kids on homework. My mother taught in this district, and watching her love for her students showed me that teaching is so much more than covering curriculum. Often, the biggest contribution is opening a kid's mind - to education, to his or her potential, to the prospect of a better life. That contribution from teachers isn't measured in standardized testing, and sadly, the more test focused we have become, the less able teachers are to contribute in this meaningful way.