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Unfortunately, many teachers, many times feel exactly what you are feeling now. It’s the cycle of “the seven year itch.” There are hard but important questions you need to ask yourself. First, if you’re feeling this down it might be time to see a therapist. How you feel daily about your job/effort to be a teacher can have a huge impact on your mental health…which can also affect your personal life. Schedule an appointment with a therapist. Go. If you feel like it’s not helping then you can stop, but I think this could be your first step in addressing your hopelessness about teaching this year. Second, ask yourself if you want to continue as a teacher. There is no failure in admitting that you need a break. Look for other jobs you would enjoy. You can always resume teaching if you feel the “call” again. Third, take some time off using sick/personal days. Taking these days could help you feel refreshed and ready to tackle the remainder of the year. While I normally wouldn’t suggest this, you need to do it for your own self preservation.
I know exactly how you are feeling. While I recently retired, I remember some days I would cry while driving in and leaving work. I felt so overloaded; like no matter what I did I couldn’t get caught up. The apathy of some students and parents made me feel like, “Why do I even bother?” The year I left I felt much better about teaching. I can’t say for sure if it was because I could see the light at the end of the tunnel or forcing myself to not put in extra time and effort to change others performance; students and teachers. Finally, cut yourself some slack. You are doing the best you can. I wanted to retire after 30 years. I just couldn’t do it anymore and retired after 27 years in the classroom. I can’t begin to explain the weight I felt leave me after…many noticed the visible change in my attitude and face. Do what you need to do to get on the right path again. Life is too short to be stuck in a place you don’t want to be. I wish you luck and the clarity to make decisions that are best for you. ❤️❤️
This is my 8th year.
Teaching is a stressful profession. It certainly has its rewards. There are advantages and disadvantages to other professions. It seems there is so much paperwork involved in the job outside of the classroom instruction itself. I could be wrong, or I may be reflecting my life onto you, but your comments sound like there are more issues at play than your work. The fact is, what happens at work affects our home life and what happens at home affects our work life. To regain some pep at work, focus on one or two success stories in your class. That will let you know that you are making a difference. If there are issues at home, identify them and take steps to resolve them. If your personal life improves, you will feel it at work as well.
It is definitely my 6 year old and 2 year old twins. We are on the edge of an ED diagnosis, or autism in kindergarten and I am so depleted from his new behaviors and then running on empty chasing the twins. I have nothing left to give at work in this phase of parenthood.
I’m so sorry you’re feeling like this :( this was 100% me last year. I was BURNT OUT. Getting through every day was a major struggle. My mental health was deteriorating so much it was affecting my physical health. I started seeing a therapist and that helped but I also put my foot down at the end of the year and told my sped director that i could not have another year where my caseload was so huge and I was expected to co-plan with 8 different teachers in 2 grade levels for three different subjects. I’m lucky she heard me and made the changes she did but I was one step out the door already and actively applying to other jobs as a safety net if my workload wasn’t reduced. This year I’ve tried really hard to set some firm boundaries! I make it a rule that I absolutely leave school no more than 45 minutes after contract hours. If things don’t get done, they don’t get done! I’ve asked for some extensions of deadlines throughout the year and no one has died because of it!! Good luck with everything - I’m rooting for you!!!!
I am so glad things are better for you this year. My home life is really rough right now and it is making it difficult to care about school.
I am sorry that you are feeling overwhelmed. The feelings that you are experiencing and so tangible that they touch every part of your life. Please remember that you are important, valuable, and needed. You may be the difference that just one child needs, but you still need to take care of you. If you are stressed and emotionally spent, it affects your physical health, too. Take some time for yourself, if you can take a personal day, take it! Thoughts and prayers sent your way.
I am taking a half day today, I am hoping the stress of traveling with my kids wont eat up all the joy from getting a break.
I hope you are feeling a bit better about things today. Still sending some positive thoughts your way.
I'm not quite ready for a new week, but I will find my big girl panties in this load of laundry I need to fold.
I have been in your shoes OP. I had to really dig deep and remember why I started teaching to begin with. Going back to my why is really what keeps me going from year to eyra.