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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
 [quote]+1. I've been teaching for 10 years and a LOT has changed in those 10 years. My physical and mental health are suffering, as well as time with my family. Dealing with administrators who stick their head in the sand about the fact that 6 hours in school can't make up for poverty, lack of academic language in the first language, uninvolved parents (by choice or not) and the attitude that school is not important.

I should magically be able to make these kids meet benchmark standards through my engaging lessons. That is the cure for why they're not meeting benchmark. Because they are just data points, not humans.

Like lab rats. Gotta get the data to look good to impress those associate superintendents even though I could count on two fingers the number of days the principal has actually been in the building over the last 2 weeks. Of course one of those days was for the Halloween celebration. Gotta put in face time when the parents will be there!

OP--don't do it. Education is a very different place than what you're imagining it to be.[/quote]

I agree with this, OP, and I came to teaching late after a demanding job working 70+ hours a week. While the teaching hours are less than what I did before, and probably less than what you're used to, I take home a lot of work every night, and the emotional toll is much greater.

A big difference is the way teachers are managed by administrators. In the private sector, it's understood that employees can leave at any time and find a new job, so managers make an effort to treat their employees well (most of the time). In teaching, a teacher signs a contract promising they'll stay the whole year, so the administrators take total advantage. They are bullies, and will blame you for every poor test score, every call from a parent, etc. Most of them have no managerial training whatsoever---you can't even believe the lack of professionalism sometimes.

Don't do it. Find another position somewhere.

One last thing: if something isn't done about the way teachers are being treated around here, there won't be any. The pay has always sucked, but now, the lack of respect, the bullying, the constant blame, the ridiculous data collection--no one will be left to do this job. Seriously.

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