Don't wanna be a teacher anymore...

YOU are BRAVE - middle school! WOW! My hat is off to you!

Elemntary School is a piece o' cake compared to middle schoolers.

Susan L.G.
 
I ALMOST quit at the end of last year. I'm a special education teacher and we're overworked and underpaid. I put up with a lot of crap from parents but the thing that gets me is the people in my district who are supposed to be helping and supporting me, seem to go out of their way to make my job harder. My dilemma comes when all the powers that be push the paperwork which ends up interfering with my teaching. My name tag says teacher, but it seems that every new law generates more accountability which means more paperwork. I'm all for accountability but some of the paperwork and meetings have to go so I can actually teach! I love my job and the challenges my children bring but I will be surprised if I retire as a teacher, especially in my county. I have spent close to $500 on my classroom this year and I have my mojo back for now. I went in yesterday and began putting my class back together. There was a shake up and someone who has made my life miserable for 5 years has been assigned to another school so that has definitely been a positive change for me. I now pretty much take it one year at a time. I've gathered the paperwork I've needed to update my resume' so that I can be ready whenever opportunity knocks at my door. I'm keeping my eye on a publication company that I would love to work for. I may get my master's degree in business or communication to be more well rounded should I end up finding a new career path to follow. That being said, I know nothing will ever give me the satisfaction I receive from teaching my little challenges. There is never a dull moment in my day and with all the problems my little ones have, they are so fun and unique and interesting and I love trying to find the best in them and bring that to the surface. When the light bulb goes on for them it's a priceless moment and we all share in the joy of the aha moment! I teach a kindergarten behavior class, and I'm amazed at the progress most of them make even without parental support sometimes! The ones that have parents that support me and the program make HUGE progress. I've had a lot of little ones go on to "regular" first grade classes (I mean, let's define regular) but you know what I mean...staffed out of special education. I'm happy to be back for this year, but I know what you mean and this will only be year 7 for me. I definitely hit the wall last year, but I feel I've come over the wall for now. Good luck and please keep us posted on what you end up doing. I think it is important to explore your options and to realize, there are more opportunities than you think. Teachers have a lot of skills to offer in other career paths. I wish you the best of luck!
Angela:7
 
Thank you, Angela, for the encouragement.

I think the reason we teachers keep going back is because we live for those little "a-ha"/lightbulb moments in our students.

Nothing gives me a better kick when I can start talking with my 5th graders about the music they play on their recorders as if they are musicians and not just kids struggling along anymore, or when the youngsters start to make connections between what I've been telling them and what they're hearing. They do remember stuff occasionally and a lot of times the child you think isn't paying attention was the keenest listener all along.

Susan L.G.
 
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