Teaching is not for sissies!
I am a tough strong woman and I can stand firmly on my own two feet, but these last two days at school had me contemplating murder. I don't know if there is some contagious disease spreading under the students but I am sure they have all caught the disease LAZYTITIS! Yesterday I wrote a post about dumb questions and if you missed that, you can find it here.
What doesn't help is the way my co-worker (another teacher) feels exactly the same. We are tired and frustrated! I don't know if these teenagers are going through some weird stage in their lives, but I do know that I am too old for these fun and games, I feel more like a sheepherder than a teacher. I am overworked and underpaid. Perhaps I am going through some kind of midlife crisis and I need to set some new exciting goals for myself.
I have always been a hard working, positive-minded kind of teacher. I have never had performance issues in my career, and I do think I have achieved a lot in my twenty-three years as a teacher. Some of my students became lawyers, others doctors, and some achieved great things in their lives. I still have contact with many of them and that always keeps me motivated.
I know I will get through this in one piece...but my students might not...
Teaching is a hard, stressful work with long hours, but I don't think I would easily trade this job for anything else. There is a very thin line between love and hate!
Any exciting job offers out there?
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I believe that society is responsible... Kids today (God I sound like an old man) are raised without ever having to work for anything... their parents give them so much that they come to expect it from everyone- even you!
I hear you. Perhaps we should just blame the parents right from the start!
Even when I was in college in the early 90's it was the same... Students expect good grades just for enrolling- half don't even attend classes! What grade do you teach?
I have grade 11 and 12. Maths, Science and Language. A lot of work:)
Oh Lord... Big egos and raging hormones... I'll say a Rosary for you tonight!!!
Thank you so much...that will surely help!
Not sure how your school works...where I'm at kids start getting out for summer vacation in the coming weeks. It's usually around this time that students are lazy and ready to be done for the summer. Hard to get work done. The 12th graders might be coming down with senoritis which is a popular term used by U.S teachers defined as "a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance."
Hi there...we just had a holiday. I hope that we are just having a very slow start this term. Here in South Africa our year works from January to December and in my school the year is divided into three terms. We have midterm breaks of a few days in between as well. Works great actually! I am sure you hit that nail right on the head. Senoritis is the correct term for their little disease....LOL!
I can imagine what you must go through with teens these days. They seem to get more disrespectful and lazy all the time. I am only 34, so I was a teen not all that long ago. I can remember the way I acted. But I wasn't nearly as bad as some of these kids these days.
I must admit that not all kids are like that but my one class is terrible. Bad attitudes all over!
Yes, I can understand your feelings today. It is very hard to see it happening in front of your eyes when you care a lot for your students. (It hurts to see when somebody cutting the same branch on which he/she is sitting, but it can be fun for some others). I know you will get through it but your stress is because of your love towards your students.
I know...I just don't like them very much at this stage. Tomorrow is another day and I will sort them out like usual. I refuse to send spineless creatures into the world! Ha ha ha!
Yes, because you are a true teacher and a true teachers satisfy only if their students are taking 100% benefit of their expertise.
Teaching is one of the hardest and yet most rewarding jobs. I have only worked in the education field for 4 years and have taken time off now that I'm a new mom but there were days that were amazing and says that I felt defeated. It's amazing you've been in the field so long. I have heard there is a staggering rate of teachers who burn out within the first five years! You sound like a wonderful teacher. Luckily not much longer until summer break!
I feel for you. It seems that there's a lack of purpose in our youth today.
I feel very sorry for myself....but it will get better! You are hitting the nail right on the head....lack of purpose! I know what I am going to talk about tomorrow in class now!