Why do most teachers seem to hate teaching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The job has changed tremendously over the years. It’s frustrating to receive new mandated curriculum materials each year-many of which aren’t great. Bad administration can make even the best intentioned teachers hate the job. Very few consequences are in place anymore so some children make it a difficult learning environment for all involved.

We are piloting a new curriculum this year. Training by the vendor has been terrible. It's not necessarily their fault, but the curriculum is written for teaching in a vacuum. They're training us to implement it as written, but there are logistical issues that my school district won't acknowledge (we don't have a long enough teaching block for implementing the lessons as written--that we're supposed to be following "with fidelity", the ELD component of the curriculum is supposed to be taught in an entirely separate block than the ELA so that students don't miss any part of the ELA block but my district doesn't allow for that etc).

If we ask too many follow up questions at trainings and don't just accept the vague answers, the district central office staff take notes and then contact principals to tell them that their staff wasn't representing the school well because they asked too many questions. We're all just supposed to smile and nod and pretend that things that make sense on paper (to these people to haven't stepped foot in a school in years) translate to real life classrooms. If you don't pretend there will be consequences.

Then as soon as you feel a certain level of familiarity with a curriculum, the principal decides to shuffle around grade level teams and you're left starting from scratch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Nah, I'm not in Loudoun. I think it is everywhere.

In the past, I have tried to advocate for some flexibility with when snow days fall around the "professional days" and "work days" and asked whether grading can't be done on a snow day rather than a work day. Often, schools are closed due to transportation issues, but every other adult in every other profession is able to safely travel to work (and is expected to). The response is always that teachers can't work on "snow days" because they don't have childcare. Apparently they are the only ones with that problem. Don't worry about other parents who have to use all their vacation days for any number of work days, professional days, and other half days on the regular calendar. If roads are fine for adults in other professions, I just don't see why teachers can't drive to school and do their grading. I'm a big supporter of teachers, but this makes me angry.

End of quarter grading can’t always be done on a snow day because teachers can’t predict when a snow day will fall. Here’s an example.

My 7th graders have an essay due on Friday that I planned to grade over winter break. There was a snow day today. I can’t grade it today because I don’t have it yet. Moreover, they are entitled to 5 classes to work on it so now it won’t be due until after Winter Break. I will still need the planned grading day unless a snow day falls between Winter Break ending and the end of the quarter.

And welcome to the unexpected and unrealistic deadlines of just about every profession. I do not intend to be snarky, but IRL shit happens, and not always in ways that positively affect your work requirements. Non-teacher parents have to deal with this when unexpected/unnecessary snow days happen. We are still expected to meet sales targets, complete white papers, what have you. Is there a reason you should be immune from this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Nah, I'm not in Loudoun. I think it is everywhere.

In the past, I have tried to advocate for some flexibility with when snow days fall around the "professional days" and "work days" and asked whether grading can't be done on a snow day rather than a work day. Often, schools are closed due to transportation issues, but every other adult in every other profession is able to safely travel to work (and is expected to). The response is always that teachers can't work on "snow days" because they don't have childcare. Apparently they are the only ones with that problem. Don't worry about other parents who have to use all their vacation days for any number of work days, professional days, and other half days on the regular calendar. If roads are fine for adults in other professions, I just don't see why teachers can't drive to school and do their grading. I'm a big supporter of teachers, but this makes me angry.

End of quarter grading can’t always be done on a snow day because teachers can’t predict when a snow day will fall. Here’s an example.

My 7th graders have an essay due on Friday that I planned to grade over winter break. There was a snow day today. I can’t grade it today because I don’t have it yet. Moreover, they are entitled to 5 classes to work on it so now it won’t be due until after Winter Break. I will still need the planned grading day unless a snow day falls between Winter Break ending and the end of the quarter.

And welcome to the unexpected and unrealistic deadlines of just about every profession. I do not intend to be snarky, but IRL shit happens, and not always in ways that positively affect your work requirements. Non-teacher parents have to deal with this when unexpected/unnecessary snow days happen. We are still expected to meet sales targets, complete white papers, what have you. Is there a reason you should be immune from this?

Did you read everything above? This is in response to a parent who thinks teachers can do end of marking period grading on any snow day that falls near the end of the marking period rather than having a dedicated day. Would you want your deadline for an entire white paper moved up a week just because of a random weather event?

[Anonymous]

I love teaching but large class sizes and students with major behavior problems can make it miserable. Some days can be overwhelming but others can be amazingly awesome!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Nah, I'm not in Loudoun. I think it is everywhere.

In the past, I have tried to advocate for some flexibility with when snow days fall around the "professional days" and "work days" and asked whether grading can't be done on a snow day rather than a work day. Often, schools are closed due to transportation issues, but every other adult in every other profession is able to safely travel to work (and is expected to). The response is always that teachers can't work on "snow days" because they don't have childcare. Apparently they are the only ones with that problem. Don't worry about other parents who have to use all their vacation days for any number of work days, professional days, and other half days on the regular calendar. If roads are fine for adults in other professions, I just don't see why teachers can't drive to school and do their grading. I'm a big supporter of teachers, but this makes me angry.

End of quarter grading can’t always be done on a snow day because teachers can’t predict when a snow day will fall. Here’s an example.

My 7th graders have an essay due on Friday that I planned to grade over winter break. There was a snow day today. I can’t grade it today because I don’t have it yet. Moreover, they are entitled to 5 classes to work on it so now it won’t be due until after Winter Break. I will still need the planned grading day unless a snow day falls between Winter Break ending and the end of the quarter.

And welcome to the unexpected and unrealistic deadlines of just about every profession. I do not intend to be snarky, but IRL shit happens, and not always in ways that positively affect your work requirements. Non-teacher parents have to deal with this when unexpected/unnecessary snow days happen. We are still expected to meet sales targets, complete white papers, what have you. Is there a reason you should be immune from this?

You are snarky, inconsiderate and ignorant.

I teach English. Even one set of papers from 30+ kids (smallest class is 30) takes forever to grade. Try working with 30 different skill sets - focusing not only on content but on mechanics - down to the WORD CHOICE level.

You have no clue.

But I'll say this much - that people like you will push more and more of us out b/c we can't take the ignorant slaps. I have over 20+ years in the same system. (longest career-changer in my school) I've trained teachers, written curriculum, and worked with the very high and the very low.

Thanks for giving me that push to get out. Good luck with your own kids if you have any. Teaching these days is a revolving door.

Happy 2020!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

And happy people don’t post things mocking teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Find a better employer, then.

[Anonymous]

Upper elementary teacher here. I like teaching. I work hard but I'm not complaining about that. What discourages me is that single set of parents who are critical of me. I had lots of notes before the holidays thanking me for my hard work and concern for the kids. I'm glad to feel appreciated - it meant a lot. But all if takes for me (and maybe this is just me) is one parent to criticize, and then I feel horrible. I know I should brush it off, let it go, but I don't know how to do that. It's hard for me to do.

And I even know what the parents were doing. They were coming at me because I had let them know more than once that their child wasn't doing in-class work - wasn't turning in assignments that students had been given time in class to complete. They took it as an attack and and attacked back, blaming me for not motivating their kid and making their kid feel badly. Of course I know that's unwarranted, but it still hurts. As a parent, I understand what it feels like when your child is criticized. It's easy to go on the offensive. I've been guilty of it, but then I reign myself in before doing any damage. I just wish I weren't so sensitive, damn it!

[Anonymous]

And students hate to study. And basically, a lot of people all over the world hate their job so it's a common thing in my opinion. As a student, I hate studying because of all the countless assignments and it gets really tough when I can't use assignment help. I guess, teachers have their own reasons to hate teaching as well.

[Anonymous]

I teach. And I love my job. I don’t teach for the $, but I do like my paycheck. I teach because I love to. I was a SAHM for a decade. Now I teach in a MS. Love it, love it, love it! Love the students. Love the admin. Love Mondays. I don’t love all the teachers, tho. Some are lazy. Some are mean. Some are indifferent. But MANY are like me and truly love it!

[Anonymous]

Teaching has a high burnout rate. It’s not the same folks complaining- it’s the constant churn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

And happy people don’t post things mocking teachers.

I don’t know, I’m a happy person, but my SIL is a teacher and she is a HORRIBLE PERSON, so this thread gives me a lot of satisfaction.