Teacher might quit

[Anonymous]

I have a HS Senior with no behavioral issues. But I don’t get these K-2 teachers who think kids are poorly socialized because of poor parenting. A parent can teach a kid to behave around the house. But group socializing was shut down for over a year. Of course 1sr grade students are behaving like PK. The have had no group socialization. And until very recently no vaccines, which meant that parents were being told by the CDC to keep them masked and limit socialization.

Then you throw these kids into a 1st grade classroom and blame parents? Even assuming parents and all the time and resources in the world, how were they supposed to socialize kids while protecting them from COVID while school was shut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every few weeks but I am a single parent so I can't. It's been wonderful to be in person this year but the behaviors are just so out there. It is draining. We found out today that we are getting a half day on December 23rd and I felt such relief that I almost cried. Lots of teachers are on the edge.

Would you mind elaborating? I hear this a lot - that students are not well behaved this year and the class is hard to control. But why do you think that is? I know it probably has something to do with the stress of covid (sick family members, job loss, routine changes etc) but what do you think in particular is causing this? Also why is it that teachers all want to quit? Asking not to criticize but to see what we should be advocating for (I know better salaries of course but trying to understand what else). What about student behavior? What do students need for things to get better?

It's far beyond "not well behaved" and "hard to control". Listen, in my school we have a kindergarten room that has regularly needed 3-4 additional adults in the room because so many kids are displaying behaviors similar to what you might see in a psychiatric facility for children. I don't know what the hell happened when kids were home, but it wasn't anything good. Teachers want to quit it is emotionally and physically exhausting. Honestly, what students and schools need? No one will ever be willing to pay for.

I am sure some had traumatic situations, but overall I think it's the pandemic has impacted all of us. I feel like teachers are using this time to show how terrible parents are. Really, it is/was a pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Well, when you meet their parents and see the kid behaving the same way toward them..... I've never had students tell me "no!" until this year. One parent told me that she doesn't like to say no to her daughter because she only "does positive parenting." I asked her what she meant and she said that she lets her kid do what she wants. Mmmkay. That doesn't translate well to the school environment. Plus, all of my students online last year were always playing with each other, having sleepovers, birthday parties. They had plenty of social interaction. Lots of Covid went around the neighborhood last year. Their parents also said that their kids don't need vaccinations because so many of them have already had Covid. I'm not even going to touch that reasoning. Needless to say, we've had a lot of cases at our school this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every few weeks but I am a single parent so I can't. It's been wonderful to be in person this year but the behaviors are just so out there. It is draining. We found out today that we are getting a half day on December 23rd and I felt such relief that I almost cried. Lots of teachers are on the edge.

Would you mind elaborating? I hear this a lot - that students are not well behaved this year and the class is hard to control. But why do you think that is? I know it probably has something to do with the stress of covid (sick family members, job loss, routine changes etc) but what do you think in particular is causing this? Also why is it that teachers all want to quit? Asking not to criticize but to see what we should be advocating for (I know better salaries of course but trying to understand what else). What about student behavior? What do students need for things to get better?

It's far beyond "not well behaved" and "hard to control". Listen, in my school we have a kindergarten room that has regularly needed 3-4 additional adults in the room because so many kids are displaying behaviors similar to what you might see in a psychiatric facility for children. I don't know what the hell happened when kids were home, but it wasn't anything good. Teachers want to quit it is emotionally and physically exhausting. Honestly, what students and schools need? No one will ever be willing to pay for.

Well many of these kids had both parents working outside the home and were entrusted to a MS or HS kid who has their own DL to do. And were plopped in front of a screen 7 hours a day. It’s like teachers don’t get that FCPS is 1/3 FARMS. They seem to believe every parent has a SAHM who could sit their with their kid and do school all day.

What happened at home? Parents were doing their jobs, dealing with multiple kids, dealing with elderly parents, cobbling together sunstandard childcare on a day to days basis, losing jobs, getting sick, being evicted….

+100

So were teachers who are also parents. Did you forget that part?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a HS Senior with no behavioral issues. But I don’t get these K-2 teachers who think kids are poorly socialized because of poor parenting. A parent can teach a kid to behave around the house. But group socializing was shut down for over a year. Of course 1sr grade students are behaving like PK. The have had no group socialization. And until very recently no vaccines, which meant that parents were being told by the CDC to keep them masked and limit socialization.

Then you throw these kids into a 1st grade classroom and blame parents? Even assuming parents and all the time and resources in the world, how were they supposed to socialize kids while protecting them from COVID while school was shut.

It’s not the group behavior. It’s the individual behavior at our school that is an issue. They do not care about right vs wrong. They swear, they vandalize school property etc and these are elementary school students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every few weeks but I am a single parent so I can't. It's been wonderful to be in person this year but the behaviors are just so out there. It is draining. We found out today that we are getting a half day on December 23rd and I felt such relief that I almost cried. Lots of teachers are on the edge.

Would you mind elaborating? I hear this a lot - that students are not well behaved this year and the class is hard to control. But why do you think that is? I know it probably has something to do with the stress of covid (sick family members, job loss, routine changes etc) but what do you think in particular is causing this? Also why is it that teachers all want to quit? Asking not to criticize but to see what we should be advocating for (I know better salaries of course but trying to understand what else). What about student behavior? What do students need for things to get better?

It's far beyond "not well behaved" and "hard to control". Listen, in my school we have a kindergarten room that has regularly needed 3-4 additional adults in the room because so many kids are displaying behaviors similar to what you might see in a psychiatric facility for children. I don't know what the hell happened when kids were home, but it wasn't anything good. Teachers want to quit it is emotionally and physically exhausting. Honestly, what students and schools need? No one will ever be willing to pay for.

Well many of these kids had both parents working outside the home and were entrusted to a MS or HS kid who has their own DL to do. And were plopped in front of a screen 7 hours a day. It’s like teachers don’t get that FCPS is 1/3 FARMS. They seem to believe every parent has a SAHM who could sit their with their kid and do school all day.

What happened at home? Parents were doing their jobs, dealing with multiple kids, dealing with elderly parents, cobbling together sunstandard childcare on a day to days basis, losing jobs, getting sick, being evicted….

+100

So were teachers who are also parents. Did you forget that part?

By definition, teachers aren’t low SES and did have the education and background to help their kids. I’m sure many struggled with young kids and teaching. But, they demanded childcare to return to the classroom. And got it in our district.

I know a couple teachers with teens who were very vocal in the never open movement and insisted kids were fine in DL and that their kids were thriving. . However, one of the kids had their grades tank and both teens appear to have serious mental health issues. It’s like the Moms was so dug in on DL is great that they couldn’t acknowledge their formerly active engaged kid were not thriving. One gained 40 pounds, never left the sofa where she binged TV instead of doing DL. The others teen is completely disengaged this year, communicates via monosyllabic grunt and has parents freaking out because she did not get into W&M ED and her senior year grades, which are a disaster, will go to RD schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a HS Senior with no behavioral issues. But I don’t get these K-2 teachers who think kids are poorly socialized because of poor parenting. A parent can teach a kid to behave around the house. But group socializing was shut down for over a year. Of course 1sr grade students are behaving like PK. The have had no group socialization. And until very recently no vaccines, which meant that parents were being told by the CDC to keep them masked and limit socialization.

Then you throw these kids into a 1st grade classroom and blame parents? Even assuming parents and all the time and resources in the world, how were they supposed to socialize kids while protecting them from COVID while school was shut.

It’s not the group behavior. It’s the individual behavior at our school that is an issue. They do not care about right vs wrong. They swear, they vandalize school property etc and these are elementary school students.

Often because the are overstimulated in groups.

[Anonymous]

Talk to the Admin Op. whatever this teacher’s issues, telling ES kids she may quit is not appropriate. She needs to discuss this with the admin, not the children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every single day and don’t know if I’m returning next year. I keep going back because of the students. They are the easy part. The administration constantly undermines us and is making my job difficult to impossible. They are the reason it’s difficult for me to walk in the building every single day. I feel support from parents so I’m lucky there.

I am leaving after this year. I don’t go back every day because of the kids (or at least not all of them), I just can’t leave my team like that. We had other teacher leave mid-year and with no replacement the other teacher absorbed the class or they got a long-term sub - meaning more work for the other teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every single day and don’t know if I’m returning next year. I keep going back because of the students. They are the easy part. The administration constantly undermines us and is making my job difficult to impossible. They are the reason it’s difficult for me to walk in the building every single day. I feel support from parents so I’m lucky there.

I’ve been teaching for two decades and I think about quitting every single day, as well. I’m expected to give up everything for my job. This weekend? I chaperoned an event Friday night. I planned lessons for 6 hours yesterday and I anticipate grading for 8-10 hours today. This is my time! I have children of my own. I miss their concerts, parent/teacher conferences, and games regularly because I am doing the work of 3 people. This isn’t sustainable. I like teaching, but I am losing enthusiasm as the responsibilities pile on. I already know I’ll have to sub classes all 5 days next week, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every single day and don’t know if I’m returning next year. I keep going back because of the students. They are the easy part. The administration constantly undermines us and is making my job difficult to impossible. They are the reason it’s difficult for me to walk in the building every single day. I feel support from parents so I’m lucky there.

I am leaving after this year. I don’t go back every day because of the kids (or at least not all of them), I just can’t leave my team like that. We had other teacher leave mid-year and with no replacement the other teacher absorbed the class or they got a long-term sub - meaning more work for the other teachers.

This is the only reason I am trying to hold out until the end of thee year. My team is also down 2 members (HR teacher and Co Teacher) so everyone is struggling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every single day and don’t know if I’m returning next year. I keep going back because of the students. They are the easy part. The administration constantly undermines us and is making my job difficult to impossible. They are the reason it’s difficult for me to walk in the building every single day. I feel support from parents so I’m lucky there.

I’ve been teaching for two decades and I think about quitting every single day, as well. I’m expected to give up everything for my job. This weekend? I chaperoned an event Friday night. I planned lessons for 6 hours yesterday and I anticipate grading for 8-10 hours today. This is my time! I have children of my own. I miss their concerts, parent/teacher conferences, and games regularly because I am doing the work of 3 people. This isn’t sustainable. I like teaching, but I am losing enthusiasm as the responsibilities pile on. I already know I’ll have to sub classes all 5 days next week, too.

This is my 29th year. Remember how they said it would get easier after the first few years? That was true for a while, but not anymore. I hear people tell new teachers this and it’s absolutely not true. Even if I give myself Friday night free I easily spend 55 hours a week working. That’s with very little down time. If I'm in the building 8-8.5 hours it’s constant “go, go, go”. Even lunch is rushed. Nights are spent planning math workshop, math groups, reading groups, reading through science prep, grading, etc…and I’m still not doing everything that I’m supposed to do or the way it supposed to be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every single day and don’t know if I’m returning next year. I keep going back because of the students. They are the easy part. The administration constantly undermines us and is making my job difficult to impossible. They are the reason it’s difficult for me to walk in the building every single day. I feel support from parents so I’m lucky there.

I am leaving after this year. I don’t go back every day because of the kids (or at least not all of them), I just can’t leave my team like that. We had other teacher leave mid-year and with no replacement the other teacher absorbed the class or they got a long-term sub - meaning more work for the other teachers.

This is the only reason I am trying to hold out until the end of thee year. My team is also down 2 members (HR teacher and Co Teacher) so everyone is struggling.

It isn’t your problem, though. If the administration doesn’t cover the class, parents should complain. They can easily reassign a coach or specials teacher. Covering classrooms should be the priority. It is NOT the responsibility of the teachers to manage and delegate work. If it is, then why do administrators exist and how do we justify taxpayers funding their high salaries?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every single day and don’t know if I’m returning next year. I keep going back because of the students. They are the easy part. The administration constantly undermines us and is making my job difficult to impossible. They are the reason it’s difficult for me to walk in the building every single day. I feel support from parents so I’m lucky there.

I’ve been teaching for two decades and I think about quitting every single day, as well. I’m expected to give up everything for my job. This weekend? I chaperoned an event Friday night. I planned lessons for 6 hours yesterday and I anticipate grading for 8-10 hours today. This is my time! I have children of my own. I miss their concerts, parent/teacher conferences, and games regularly because I am doing the work of 3 people. This isn’t sustainable. I like teaching, but I am losing enthusiasm as the responsibilities pile on. I already know I’ll have to sub classes all 5 days next week, too.

This is my 29th year. Remember how they said it would get easier after the first few years? That was true for a while, but not anymore. I hear people tell new teachers this and it’s absolutely not true. Even if I give myself Friday night free I easily spend 55 hours a week working. That’s with very little down time. If I'm in the building 8-8.5 hours it’s constant “go, go, go”. Even lunch is rushed. Nights are spent planning math workshop, math groups, reading groups, reading through science prep, grading, etc…and I’m still not doing everything that I’m supposed to do or the way it supposed to be done.

Yes! (I’m the PP.) Time in the building is a blur and lunch is often a granola bar on my way to covering a colleague’s class. You’re right… there aren’t enough hours to get it all done.

I was definitely told that it would get easier when I was a new teacher. You are correct… that absolutely is not true. I have a mentee this year and she told me two weeks ago she is looking at job sites already. I’m being very realistic with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think about quitting every single day and don’t know if I’m returning next year. I keep going back because of the students. They are the easy part. The administration constantly undermines us and is making my job difficult to impossible. They are the reason it’s difficult for me to walk in the building every single day. I feel support from parents so I’m lucky there.

I am leaving after this year. I don’t go back every day because of the kids (or at least not all of them), I just can’t leave my team like that. We had other teacher leave mid-year and with no replacement the other teacher absorbed the class or they got a long-term sub - meaning more work for the other teachers.

This is the only reason I am trying to hold out until the end of thee year. My team is also down 2 members (HR teacher and Co Teacher) so everyone is struggling.

It isn’t your problem, though. If the administration doesn’t cover the class, parents should complain. They can easily reassign a coach or specials teacher. Covering classrooms should be the priority. It is NOT the responsibility of the teachers to manage and delegate work. If it is, then why do administrators exist and how do we justify taxpayers funding their high salaries?

They are already using resource teachers, ESOL teachers, coaches, reading specialists, etc to cover classes. It still isn't enough. I'm an ESOL teacher and I rarely teach my students more than twice a week. Ditto with the reading specialist. So parents complain that their below-grade-level students aren't getting pulled out. Great! By all means, complain about it but it won't help. There are not enough warm bodies to go around. They've already taken our student teachers away from us early this year. If they are graduating in December, they let them go in mid-November to get FT teaching jobs.