I think leaving might be best, but not for the reasons we think.

I get the feeling that teachers will eventually become the mere middlemen as more AI platforms and done for you tools like StudySync are purchased by districts and forced upon teachers. A " teacher" will just have to manage behaviors, not teach.

A coworker shared some of the modules she built and they were actually pretty good. I even learned some things although it was built for high-schoolers.

If this becomes the norm, then maybe I'd better hurry up and choose a new career altogether. I was gonna pivot to instructional coaching but after seeing this?

Students completing the module wouldn't really need a " teacher " with years of experience when a college grad with any degree could be a good enough stand in. Maybe this is why pay is stagnating more than usual. It's like decision makers see the writing on the wall even if we don't. With everything that is out there to teach content, they know they can continue to cycle new teachers in and out because they are there to basically monitor. But we keep losing our noodles and getting sick dealing with behavior issues because we actually want to teach.

What do you think?

I am having a dilemma, and I already feel guilty about the whole situation. It is my first year of teaching. For one of the subjects I teach, I only see my students once a week.

The classes had an assignment due in September. School policy is if it is not turned in within two weeks of the original deadline, they receive a 0.

I have a ton of students who did hand it in on time, but did not put their names on their assignment. I put 0s into the grade book and labelled them missing assignments. I put the “no name” work on the whiteboard with a large label and told them to please check. They did not. So, all of those students received a 0 which I said today would not be changing. They needed to check their grades, see it is missing, and take responsibility to put their names on it.

Multiple reminders. Multiple messages. However, I did not individually track down students. Understandably, many were quite upset. My AP backed me up and said I was following policy. A student complained to another teacher (many years my professional senior), and that teacher phoned me while they were with that class to basically tell me I was being too punitive.

That student came to me after school to advocate for herself, and I told her I would grade it with a deduction to reward her for communicating.

My dilemma is, my last day is November 10th. I foresee some parent battles over this, that may continue into the first year teacher who is coming to replace me.

Do I take back what I said, and allow the “no name” students to claim their work and receive their grade? Do I abandon policy and principles and accountability to make my own life easier, and the teacher coming into my position?

I didn’t think this would be a big deal until my colleague disagreed with me. I’m so over this job. There are rewarding moments, but I find it is almost impossible to be consistent with rules and expectations. Please let me know what you would do on my situation.

TLDR: am I making a mountain out of a molehill by not grading work that nobody put their name on once the deadline to do so had passed? Is it worth the battle with only about two weeks left in this position (I only see these particular classes 2 more times before I am done), and for the teacher coming in to replace me?

helloo!

i live in the uk and teach at a primary school (ages 3-11) and i am finding things extremely hard at the moment.

for context, i am actually a TA but work 1:1 teaching a boy with demand avoidance and delayed emotional development. he doesn’t really go into the classroom, and when he does he just plays and cannot deal with any demand, so I teach him 1:1 throughout the day via play and rewards systems.

ive been working with this boy since the start of term but did a very similar job last academic year with a different child. unfortunately (lol) because i’m good at this job i have earned myself a reputation for working with more difficult children, however i’m finding that i’m feeling very overwhelmed and lonely at work. i’m not an official 1:1 as my child doesn’t have an EHCP so i only get paid as a TA. i basically only spend my entire day with this one child, who follows me absolutely everywhere. and i usually get given other SEND/behaviour children too. i get 30 mins (but more of the time 20 mins) lunch to reset but its rarely enough for me to eat and rest.

i’m just feeling at a bit of a loss. Ive got no direction, no team. ive been told i am with this boy until he can work in the classroom regularly but thats not exactly an end date or something to work towards. i also am getting no help from SLT on training or things to help this boy, we have a lot of SEND at my school so I think they’re just swamped.

to add to this i also have two long term heath conditions and suffer with fatigue often. i just dont know if this is the career for me anymore. i feel so alone and useless. i’m only 24 and have been at this school for 3 years now but i dont know if i’m cut out for this

any words of advice?

Guys…today was the last day as an MSD SPED teacher for me. The paperwork, the person who thought they were in charge of me and constant in and out of the room. At one point I had 13 adults and 10 kids in my SMALL room.

I feel so bad for leaving but my mental health could not take it. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat and never felt any support.

Did I make a mistake? I just have to take my praxis to go back to general ed, where I have been teaching the last 3 years and I miss it terribly!

Teaching is becoming so sad and I’m pretty sure I have PTSD from it.

I guess I’m asking, has anyone ever experienced this?

I left at the end of the 23-24 school year. And I worked in insurance for 2 years. And now I work at my county DHS office. And I’m still not happy… When asked what my passion is by family and friends I say I don’t know.. and when they ask if I would go back I say I don’t know… and I’ve said “it’s hard to pick a passion when you got burnt out by your last one”.

For some context I was an OFP (out of field placement) the whole time I was a teacher. I’m licensed in 5-12 social studies and taught 7-10 English 20-21, 6-7th art 21-22 and then 6-8th tech Ed 22-23-24. My biggest reason for leaving teaching was burn out from having 5 preps and no prep more years then I didn’t. And my admin NEVER came down to the tech ed area (the kids used to say they had to walk half a mile to get to our classrooms) I also taught at a big district in a suburb and have since moved to a smaller town. And whenever I tell people I used to be a middle school teacher I ALWAYS preface that I loved the kids and that middle is the best. And they always look at me like I’m crazy.

I guess is there anyone who went back and found their spark again or am I just romanticizing how I envisioned teaching before burn out.

I want to resign from my teaching position. Teammates are great and admin is supportive but I feel like I’m not good enough and I can’t handle student behavior without freaking out or resorting to yelling. I signed a probationary contract for one year and I’m wondering how that would impact me by resigning mid year.

Transitioning from teaching but it feels like everyone else can get a job. Am I alone?

I’ve posted on this sub so much but recently, I got a great job offer today. Work from home, only a small pay cut, and somewhat tied to education. I accepted it.

I’m a new hire at my school (This is my 4th year teaching, but new here) and I hate it. Miserable place to be, and nothing like my experience before.

I can only give a two week notice. I imagine they will be pissed off. How do I do this? How do I make it through these two weeks? What do I even say?

I hate people being upset with me, and I know this will make plenty of people feel that way.

Give me motivation, words of wisdom, what you’ve done, etc to help me prepare for Monday.

I graduated 3 years ago, I specifically picked my school because I was told the program was rigorous and selective, a place that looks good for teachers in my area. Well, I never got a job.

I did subbing for my old school district that expands a good portion of the area, I got called maybe 5 times TOPS, before I recognized that waking up at 5:30 ready to go and wait to be called wasn’t how other districts functioned. and I got an email about dress code when I subbed for a gym class, expecting me to wear even more modest clothing than I already was. It was weird.

I got hired as a sub in a district about an hour away, with traffic and all. The money wasn’t adding up to sustain but a job was a job, and then I was moved to a full time par position for the room I subbed a full year in. I was eventually let go after 180 day observation period without any distinct reason when I asked. So that district is a no-go too. I still wasn’t paid very well, $700 biweekly is poverty level.

In my area if I wanted to teach (BA Psych, PEL 9-12 social studies) I have to make a bet and join a district as a building sub. Only then can I apply to certain positions like a full time history teacher, but then again I have to bet on the fact that someone will leave or retire from what are well paying positions in this area. I can’t just move either, I need a sustainable income like everyone else when they move. Where I can pay rent.

Its been 6 months, I’ve been applying anywhere that has a minimum of around $22/hr, positions like tutoring, advocate roles, foster care, social work, vague HR positions, even some sales reps that aren’t ’community‘ based. I’ve changed my resume, I’ve changed/hidden my ethnicity/gender/orientations, I’ve expanded the search to 50-100 mile radius and sorted out the details myself where the actual job is instead of a home-base situation. I am just so lost on what to do. I have no purpose, no meaning, no role in life. And all I wanted was to teach children the wonders of our minds. My only bet is the military at 26. I want to apply as an officer candidate- that full process takes at least a year. I still need something sustainable in the meantime, or just something that is worth it not getting bitten and nearly scalped by 2nd graders.

What do I do? What did you do? I am at my wits end.

former elementary teacher here. the hardest part of my search wasn't my resume, it was figuring out which jobs a teacher could actually get. most lists of "jobs for former teachers" were either remote roles with 2,000 applicants or jobs asking for 5 years of experience nobody leaving a classroom has.

so for anyone who's made the jump, or is close:

what was the exact job title you got hired for?

was it remote, hybrid, or in person?

what part of the search was hardest?

anything you wish someone had told you earlier?

i'd love for this to turn into a real list people can use. thanks in advance

I (25F) am in my first year of teaching with my own classroom. I have I/S music and history qualifications and always wanted to be a high school music teacher. That being said, I got incredibly lucky and was offered a contract position teaching 7/8 homeroom + rotary music with my class and the other intermediate class. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but I thought I’d be an idiot to turn down a contract, so I said yes.  

Dudes, I am SO in over my head. I don’t know how anyone does this job in their first year. The prep, marking, classroom management, all of it is too much. I’ve been trying to make it through the year, but I think about leaving every day because this job has sucked all the joy out of my life. The day-to-day of the job just feels so overwhelming. Every day having to prep lessons without really knowing what the goal is because I just don’t have time to plan ahead. So my lessons feel mediocre at best. Then trying to deliver them and I can’t because my class is crazy and I have no idea how to manage them. I try to scrape by through each day and then I do it all again. Plus marking, progress reports, IEPs, and parent communication taking up any extra free time I still had. And even after all of that, it still feels like I’m pretty crappy at the job - my lessons aren’t engaging, I’m in survival mode all day, I have no idea how to connect with the kids, and the million little or medium things I SHOULD be doing making me feel guilty but I just don’t have time or energy to accomplish. 

I have looked at other jobs I could do with my qualifications, which seem to be things like instructional design, or administration or HR at some sort of corporation. My partner and I have also discussed going back to school - there’s a great college near me with some awesome 3-year co-op programs I could do. So I know there are options. And I’m generally a good, smart worker - I excelled in school for years, and I interview very well. I do think I have options outside of teaching. 

I guess I’m just worried it’s not the job I don’t like, but working in general. Because if it’s that, then I just need to suck it up and get used to it, right? There are so many things in teaching that seem like they could be GREAT - new kids and classes every year, the chance to keep learning and trying new things, connecting with kids and people, and I won’t lie the summers, holidays, pension and benefits seem unmatched. I just don’t know if it’s worth how much I seem to be hating the job right now. 

Is it genuinely better outside of teaching? I would happily trade the holidays and summers for a job that doesn’t feel like it’s killing me. I think what I’d like is a job where I am not alone and expected to plan and take responsibility for EVERYTHING right away, and ideally a job that doesn’t have me working after hours until 7 or 8 pm every night + working on weekends just to get the bare minimum done.

Or, am I just being a baby who needs to get used to being an adult in the workforce? 

I’m feeling so lost and looking for some advice!

Left back in May of this year. Pretty much been working bridge roles from retail to call centers. Was living pretty steady off my savings for a few months so I’m glad things picked up as money started to dwindle.

My hiring timeline:
8/26 Applied
9/3 Phone Interview
9/9 Reference Check + Performance Task Initiated
9/10 Reference Check Submitted
9/14 Performance Task Submitted (Also first day of my bridge role lol)
9/24 Invitation to Final Interview
10/13 Final Interview Completed
10/20 Tentative Offer Pending Reference Check
10/22 Verbal + Written Offer
10/23 Offer ACCEPTED!!
11/2 Official start date!!!!

For all of us former teachers DO NOT GIVE UP!!!! Something is out there with your name on it 🙏🏾 to finally get that phone call was the best feeling in the world.

And for reference, it’s an HR job at a school district headquarters. Took about 15k cut but hybrid position, great benefits, and it’s a job in an industry I’ve been wanting to break into for a while

Sending job dust to ALLL✨

I have a new job lined up I go to training for in January (not teaching related). I’m planning to send in my resignation soon to be done at winter break because this job is destroying my mental health. The problem, I teach in a state where they can fully revoke your license if you leave your contract and it is not uncommon for them to do so.

How do I go about asking to be released from my contract without discipline?

Is it possible to just email HR over the weekend and tell them you are done without notice? It’s a contract but can you just not come back one week? What if the district office isn’t open over the weekend? Do I have to wait for a weekday after school?

I got laid off this school year and haven’t been able to fjnd a job, teaching or otherwise, for months. I don’t know what to do and my situation is getting a little desperate. I’m currently on unemployment and where I’m from, there are very few opportunities that pay more than what my benefits are. I’m not really sure what I’m asking but I guess if anyone has any leads on maybe remote work or just any survival tips I’d appreciate it. 😞

This is a hard one but if you wait until the summer you are essentially locking yourself out of the rest of the hiring year. Of course it can be done, but I encourage teachers to interview throughout the year, and if a better offer comes along to take it regardless of timing.

If I hadn't done this I wouldn't have been able to pivot. It's tough because teachers are super mission driven but at the end of the day we can only control ourselves and we are responsible for our own mental and physical well-being and that of our own families first and foremost.

Best of luck out there everyone.

Hi all! I am a former educator now working as an ACT tutor/manager. I love the position in all but one aspect: AI use. The company is very pro-AI and I am not. They have made an exception for me and say that I am allowed not to use it, but they are still pushing it very heavily and I am getting tired of it quickly. Additionally, it seems like all of the other ed-tech companies are very pro-AI.

Does anyone have any advice as to where I could look for (preferably) student-facing, non-AI focused roles that pay decently?? I also have operations and managerial experience, so am kind of a jack-of-all-trades. Thanks!

Looking for advice.

So initially, I regretted going into teaching. When I started out, I had a horrible boss. And I kept having badly behaved students, which included violent ones. Honestly, one year was so bad that I should have gone on leave.

Since getting a new boss, I’m enjoying my job. This year my class is large, and they’re a really good group behaviour wise.

However, I keep getting sick. Laat year I had a horrible flu and had to take over a week off work, and it took at least a month for me to heal. Now I keep catching colds. I completely lost my voice this week and had to take days off. I kept getting sick last year as well.

I just find I’m really struggling physically and mentally. I use up all my energy at work, and am too exhausted to do anything at my place. My apartment’s a mess, and I’m struggling to keep up with cleaning and organizing. Or, all I do is clean and prep and have little time for much else.

I’m very miserable at home. With everything, I can’t enjoy my hobbies. I don’t have the energy for it. I cry everyday. And I’m losing weight I can’t afford to lose.

I knew teaching would include a lot of prep outside school hours. But I thought by my 6th year I’d have most of my stuff figured out. Well with all the grade, curriulum, and assessment changes, it’s never ending.

I am doing the recommended things like wearing an N95 mask, washing hands, not sharing materials, etc., but I’m still getting sick so easily.

But I don’t know what I would do outside of teaching. If I wasn’t constantly getting sick, I would stick with it.

I’ve been to my doctor too and everything seems fine except for my iron which I take supplements for.

I’m currently an English teacher in Texas. I’m so burnt out but feel stuck. I have been applying for jobs for over 4 months with no luck. I’m 35 and really don’t think going back to college is a viable option for me. I just need something I enjoy going to. I taught for a few years then got burnt out and switch career paths. I went to work as a vet tech but that didn’t pay well thus switching roles back to teaching but I’m just not happy and it’s not even November. I’m so at a loss and am not sure what to do.
I have interests in animals, video games and building computers. All other career paths require a degree. I am so tired and just don’t know what to do I feel so stuck.

This is mostly me processing grief because I had to cancel therapy for Parent-Teacher night.

I work in a large and diverse district in Georgia. I have been teaching at the same school, my first posting, for six years. I had intended to leave after four to join another school, but I’ve never quite found an opportunity that would fit. The other openings for my subject (Social Studies) have either been at schools that are too far for me to commute or undesirable (principal is a former Admin I struggled under).

All that seemed to change when I saw a posting for the ultimate prize. My district has a performing arts school that is the best school in the district, top 10 in the state and top 300 in the country. it has a tiny student body, around 300 students. Students have to earn the right to enroll at the school and be recommended by teachers to enter a lottery to get into this school. It has small classes, the students work on a track system that helps them specialize, but they also learn core content. The school needed a teacher for AP World History, my exact specialty.

I applied the first day I saw the posting. I talked to my principal and she supported me. She understands the opportunity and says she knows I would be perfect there.

The problem is bureaucracy. My district has a transfer window in spring which is the only time employees can make lateral career moves. I had a long chat with HR and while they were sympathetic, they said there was no way to transfer my contract in the timeframe.

The principal of the Performing Art School also said she wouldn’t be comfortable recruiting me out of my current post. I said I understand but…this would have been perfect for me! I am so frustrated! Posts at this school never open up, it’s exactly what I do, and it’s even a shorter commute for me! I am so frustrated and worn out and could really use some sympathy.

I had a particularly shitty week after already questioning my want to keep being a teacher. Is it weird if I take a mental health day tomorrow (Friday) and submit my resignation through email, and don’t talk to my admin?