Don't wanna be a teacher anymore...

eminenz2

eminenz2

Cathlete
I'm dreading the upcoming school year. Not looking forward to putting together an Art/Music/PE schedule (I'm the music teacher). I don't need/want the hassle or the stress.

However, since this is my 15th year, I am up the pay scale and because of my past health problems I need the primo benefits.

Other teacher have suggested I do something else in the county - just not in the classroom. But the problem is I don't know *how* to do anything else! At least not anything else worth paying me for.

Have any members here left teaching? What did you do instead?

You know, I actually like teaching, I just don't want to be a teacher, if that makes any sense.

Thanks in advance for opinions/advice,etc.

Susan L.G.
 
Oh, Susan...I am so sorry you are dreading the upcoming year. I have had years like that, too. I have taught PE and coached 3 seasons for 8 years and I sometimes dread the start, too. Once, I am into, though...I love it again. I swear vacations make it harder to work again.

I am not teaching anymore for awhile because I had twins last year. (I just couldn't be with other kids all day and then come home to two more! lol)

Could you ask to share your load for awhile? Could they hire someone, even a student teacher to help you with one of your programs? What I have learned, since I never got paid to coach...IS TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT!! Which is so foreign to us teachers...hence, why we all get paid nothing to do a very difficult and emotionally demanding job! We are too giving of our talents. Ask for what you want~

Do you have the luxury to take a year's leave to rediscover who you are and what you want in your life? Can you go part time without losing your benefits? Ask, ask, ask!

I am so sorry that you are having a tough time...I think every single teacher has been there...there are full months in which I dread writing another lesson plan or staying until dark!! Hang in there - just remember to put yourself first in your life and find out what it is that you want...You can do much more than you think~~
 
May I ask what grade(s) do you teach? I am a mother of 4 and I feel for teachers! It is hard just to handle homework and daily things let alone a classroom duck
 
I am a music teacher, which means I teach everybody in the school!

In this particular case, our school has over 600 children, and I teach 500 of them , including three Special Ed classes.

Jennifit -

Thanks so much for your kind words! Maybe being off so much for while sick made me spoiled. And believe it or not - it's not the kids. Its really all the other junk that goes with teaching.

You're probably right - I'm just being kvetchy and once the year gets going I'll be OK. It's always the beginning of the year scheduling that causes me so much strain. It always seems to be more planning time for the classroom teachers at the expense of the Art, Music, and PE program.

I would love to take a sabbatical, but unfortunately, my county does not offer such a luxury.

Thanks for the encouragment!

Susan L.G.
 
HI.... I can most definately relate. I have had, no kidding, nightmares about going back this year. I have already been accepted into the school counseling graduate program. I 100% support that education in the key to a bright future for everyone, but it is extremely difficult to teach in such poor, demandng conditions and is not for everyone. I want to stay in the schools, and support the schools by creating bridges of opportunities and resources with the surrounding community or least do my best, but under no conditions do I want to stay teaching. I love psychology and I love helping kids find their way in life. I'm not sure where you could go from here, but here is one suggestion:

Try finding a job in a local music shop, they might need a manager, or assistant, and most likely would need someone that other instructors would have to report to and someone who would know if they are doing their jobs to the best of their abilities. You might be just the "Asset" their business has been looking for:) Or, even open up your own music store, lots of business incentives out there for entrepreneurs. Keep your school job until that business gets off the ground, that way your still playing it safe and keeping ongoing benefits.

Carrie

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>I am a music teacher, which means I teach everybody in the
>school!
>
>In this particular case, our school has over 600 children, and
>I teach 500 of them , including three Special Ed classes.
>
>

I REALLY feel your pain...I think special teachers are the ONLY ones who knows every child in the school! And, we "get" to write each of their comments and meet all their parents! lucky us!! ha ha
 
I am a teacher and the only thing that got me there in the first place - and the reason why I stay is because I love kids.

Period!

Not the paperwork though! Yuck!








"Life is short so be the best you can be every day of your life!"

"Running feels great for my soul!"

:) CHEETAH :)
 
That's something to think about, Carrie! I never fancied myself a business person (bad with keeping track of money), but it seems more and more people are giving it a try, doesn't it?

BTW, congrats on the weight loss!

Susan L.G.

P.S. Edited to say I think 'regular' classroom teachers have got the most stressful jobs in the whole school system! Who needs all the stress from testing and such?
 
I'm a former regular ed teacher turned special ed teacher. My job as a SPED teacher is the best job in the world!

But it's not unheard of to love being a teacher, but not wanting to teach. Are there administrative jobs at the superintendents office for music/arts? ALso, I sometimes think that the public schools are the worst places to be a teacher. You might look into special community programs, camps, private/parochial schools, after school programs, etc. Or how about Music or Art therapy? I also know that there is a boom with toddlers who go to music sessions with their mothers/parents. There are many options outside of the public school classroom setting.
 
Thanks, the weight loss is real slow this summer though, something about the ice cream}(

Anyways, yeah, I would completely look into being your own boss. It's worked for many people, as a matter of fact, I intend on getting dual licensed as a school counselor and a community counselor, and have thought about a private counseling practice.

I love helping kids, but something has to be done about our public school systems.

I agree, 'regular' classroom teachers do have the most stressful jobs in the whole school system, I commend each and every one of the them, it is indeed a noble profession.

Carrie

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http://www.picturetrail.com/uid67
 
Editing above, it was driving me crazy:) I had previously wrote, in, instead of is:

"education IS the key, not IN"

OK, I had a teacher moment, all done now, continue:)

Carrie

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http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/tulip-bar/slider-snail1/lb/209/145/178/.png"

http://www.picturetrail.com/uid67
 
I am not a teacher but I work in the public schools as a psychologist. It is indeed very difficult to go back after having the summer off.

I have a dear friend who has been writing about education for many years. His books are INCREDIBLY inspiring and make me realize why I stay in public education. His name is Jonathan Kozol. Some recommendations for specific books are: "Savage Inequalities," "Shame of the Nation," "Amazing Grace," and "Ordinary Resurrections."

We need good teachers. They are the key to the future.
 
Lorie-You KNOW Jonathan Kozol??? Wow! I loved reading Savage Inequalities (I had to read it for a college course, and it opened my eyes big time!). Sorry to highjack this thread...

Now for the original poster,
I teach 1st grade, and it is really hard to go back after the summer. I tend to forget how much I have to teach the children during the first few weeks (the kindergarten is in a separate building, so they have to learn a ton the first week in regards to routines, eating lunch in the caf, names of teachers, rules, etc). But then October rolls around, and everything is running like a fine oiled machine, and I seem to forget all of that.

Music, or any special, is difficult because you have so many kids to teach/know and that can be a hard transistion after so many weeks off.

I agree with many other posters...explore other options like opening your own business, providing music therapy (to both young and old), teaching at a community college or university, going back to school for something related to you degree, etc.). I went back for spec. ed, but I am not quite ready to change. I am now going back to school to be a reading specialist because I have been teaching for 10 years, and I don't feel like having my "own" class for another 20 years. Think about what you are passionate about and go for it! You can even go back to school while you are teaching. My school district pays 100% of tuition as long as the program of study is related to education. See if your district will pay for all or some. You can even take a sabbatical to study (check your contract).

Good luck!
-Jen
 
I know! That's what I said to myself when I read Lorie's post, "Wow! She's friends with Kozol?!" :) How cool.

Susan ~ I am a middle school lang. arts teacher and have not hit the wall yet in terms of not wanting to be in the classroom anymore, but I know that day could come eventually. I think you've gotten great advice here. It is hard to leave a district (or the system) when you've got 15 years in (and, as you mentioned, primo benefits), so as others already suggested, perhaps you can identify other positions (e.g. reading specialist, counselor, administrator, librarian, supervisor of curriculum, etc.) within the school which might appeal to you. Just going back to school to obtain a new degree or certification could rejuvenate your teaching. But then at least you have options - and a boost on the pay scale.

You might consider getting National Board certification. I have just begun the process and have been told by those who have been through it that it will completely change your approach to teaching. And something that hadn't occurred to me: it apparently opens "a lot of doors" professionally. If interested, here's the site: www.nbpts.org

Best of luck! And count me in among those who don't want summer to end!
~Cathy http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif

"Out on the roads there is fitness and self-discovery and the persons we were destined to be." -George Sheehan
 
Jen and Cathy,

Yes, I am EXTREMELY proud to be able to call Jonathan my friend. I actually went up to Boston and stayed with him two summers ago. He is truly an amazing man. I can not even begin to tell you how incredible it is to know him. His life, his experiences, and his stories are amazing. What a wonderful man.

"Pick battles small enough to win and big enough to matter." Jonathan Kozol
 
Hi Susan,

I'm a special ed resource teacher. I work with teachers instead of kids. There is a really high rate of attrition with this particular group. I'm not sure if this is an option, but what about switching to another school in your district? I can never understand how teachers can stay in the same building for 20...30 years. It doesn't seem healthy to me.

The National Board Certification might be a good idea to put a spark back into the whole teaching process, refocus you, and lead you on to something new. It's hard, but some districts actually give bonuses or more money.

What about part time and tutoring until you figure somethng else out. Part time teachers still get the benefits in my district.

A gen ed kindergarten teacher (25 years in the county) that I worked with found a whole new perspective by learning about the special ed kids and then applying new techniques to her teaching. I think that you constantly have to work to make teaching different and fresh.

Being in special ed we are overloaded with paperwork and BS. My motto, is "whatever" to that as I complete it and I focus on the parts that I really enjoy.

Tracy
 
OK, I don't know if my experience will even be helpful, since I only taught for a year and I wasn't even an Education major in college. I had an English major and Spanish minor in college. Somehow I got a job at a private school teaching Spanish. I was woefully unprepared but I managed to survive the school year! I had two problems--my Spanish was probably not good enough (I knew enough to teach all the grammar, etc. but didn't speak fluently or even very confidently so it was hard to teach the higher levels.) and I was clueless about discipline. Considering it was private school, I probably would have been eaten alive in the public school system. I also looked as young as the students at the time, though luckily they wore uniforms. OK, don't want to go into a long thing here, just want to say I sympathize with the dread! I still have nightmares that I'm teaching again.

My next job after teaching was a secretarial job. Then I moved into a job as a word processor/proofreader, which was a little closer to my college degree. Now I'm a stay-at-home mom, and plan to work again some time if I can figure out what I like. I might still do a form of teaching, actually (because there were parts of it I liked)--but something more like teaching English as a second language to adults. My mother is a college professor and insists I'd do better teaching in a college setting, but I'm not convinced.

I'm sure with your experience teachng music, there are plenty of options out there for a career change that you just haven't considered yet. On the other hand, it could be like some have said that once the school year gets going you will get back in the swing of things and feel fine. Good luck!


***Lainie***

http://web.mac.com/lainiefig/iWeb/Site/Exercise/Exercise.html

"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself." -- Mark Twain
 
Hi There!

I've read your post and all the replies with great interest. I too am a public school music teacher (middle school...yikes!) and have been for 15 years. During the first few years of my career I felt the EXACT same way as you did. My only advice is to seriously consider all the suggestions on this thread. Although I do like my job and love the people I work with, I wish I had the courage to branch out and try some other music and teaching-related opportunities. Once I met my future husband, being all in love and stuff kind of pushed all those doubts I had about teaching for the rest of my life aside. Once I had kids, forget it! I am the primary breadwinner for our famiily and since I teach in a district that actually pays well and we're able to live off my salary practically by itself, there is no way I could leave my current position for something else...at least for now!

I wish someone had told me 10 years ago to be brave...so I'm telling you...BE BRAVE!
 
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