High school math teacher here. It's the kids. They're funny, smart, hard-working, and eager. I love being around them, and I love those light bulb moments when things click. I wish parents would encourage their kids to advocate for themselves. I also wish they would ease up. An A- is a really good grade. It takes a lot of work and grit to earn, and I've seen parents who just aren't happy with anything less than perfection. There's so much more to life. Love them and let us teach them!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved working with the kids-even the difficult ones. If I could have a secretary I'd go back to teaching in a heartbeat. It was all the non-teaching BS that drove me out.

+1

That's a shame because as they say "preparation is everything".

We don't mean lesson prep.

We mean documenting everything about troublesome students and parents, dealing with useless admins, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved working with the kids-even the difficult ones. If I could have a secretary I'd go back to teaching in a heartbeat. It was all the non-teaching BS that drove me out.

+1

That's a shame because as they say "preparation is everything".

Kids are so much more real than adults.

Adults are imperfect (as co-workers/clients). Kids are works in progress.
I am blown away several times a week by how kid children can be to each other and how they can grow given the proper support.

I also care a lot about the parents in my school. I want to help their kids and I want to repay them for investing in our community by providing the best for their kids and helping them not to worry.

The kids. It is a privilege to have a job where I get to teach kids things they never knew before, to do things they never thought they could. All day in my classroom, faces light up when someone "gets it." It's the greatest job ever.

That said, I left the classroom for a specialist position because the testing and data was killing my soul. My current position lets me teach all day instead of tests, and it is a joy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved working with the kids-even the difficult ones. If I could have a secretary I'd go back to teaching in a heartbeat. It was all the non-teaching BS that drove me out.

+1

This. It's no wonder why so many teachers quit. In your mind, you think teaching is about teaching students. In reality, it is all about data.

Anonymous wrote:One of the things I love is when kids see me outside of school or after the school year is over and they act like seeing me is the best thing ever. They come running with big hugs. That doesn't happen with many jobs! Teaching is a calling.

Seeing a teacher outside of school as a kid was sooooo weird. It was like, "You go to the mall too?" I guess I thought they only existed at school in the hours we were there.

Anonymous wrote:The kids are the best part, but I realized today that I also really working with 5-6 of my colleagues. We aren't friends, but we are really on the same page about supporting the students and being positive. It's a big change from my last school which made me depressed and anxious because everyone was constantly terrified of the abusive principal.

Unfortunately, there are more than a few abusive principals in this business. That is something I do NOT like about our job. Love my coworkers, though.

One of the things I love is when kids see me outside of school or after the school year is over and they act like seeing me is the best thing ever. They come running with big hugs. That doesn't happen with many jobs! Teaching is a calling.

Anonymous wrote:I loved working with the kids-even the difficult ones. If I could have a secretary I'd go back to teaching in a heartbeat. It was all the non-teaching BS that drove me out.

+1

I loved working with the kids-even the difficult ones. If I could have a secretary I'd go back to teaching in a heartbeat. It was all the non-teaching BS that drove me out.

I like being on the same schedule as my child. It's good to know well in advance when my vacation/time off will be.

Summer gives me time to volunteer in the neighborhood. My DW is also a teacher so we are very involved with this in the summer.

You meet and interact with many people (think of all the families over the years). It doesn't get stale.

The kids are the best part, but I realized today that I also really working with 5-6 of my colleagues. We aren't friends, but we are really on the same page about supporting the students and being positive. It's a big change from my last school which made me depressed and anxious because everyone was constantly terrified of the abusive principal.

High school teacher here. The kids are great. Funny, smart, sensitive, thoughtful, hopeful, honest... I love watching them think and work together.

I hate watching their confidence shot by parents who think they are failures if they don't get straight As and an acceptance to Yale.

High school math. Like everyone else I love working with the students. Some love math and some don't but seeing them overcome struggles or how excited they get over a certain topic. They impress me every year with their accomplishments in their lives and I love hearing about all they do. So many high school students are mature young men and women and I am proud that I can work with them.

I also love my co-workers. They are some of my best friends and I enjoy seeing them every day.

Thanks for starting this, OP. I was getting a little depressed about going back with all the meetings and emails already starting. It is good to remember I will be much happier when the students come back.