So unhappy- please help!

Im sorry about the hiding, i am a regular poster and dont want to use my real screen name.

Ladies, Im miserable. I have come to the conclusion that i just cant stand teaching anymore. I have been teaching over 10 yrs and i am SICK of it. I work in a middle school (in a great district) and i am sick of being on a schedule every day of my life. Many people think that teaching is a job that is always changing, but i disagree. I find that my days, year after year, are the same, just w/ different kids. Im tired of the planning, the kids, the hard-to-please administration, the workday, EVERYTHING!!!! I do not claim to believe that it is better in other industries, in most cases its worse.

Unfortunately i only stay teaching for the wrong reasons: time off, work hours, pension, pay. But i am unfulfilled. I rec'd the most amazing email from a parent the other day telling me that her daughters first day of middle school was fantastic bc of me. I was happy to read it, but at the same time, it didnt have much of an affect on me, where the same email years ago would have,

Dh and i WISH i could work P/T but living on LI doesnt allow that. I need a f/t salary.

Im at a loss. I have thought about moving grade levels but i know that wont help. Im so sad!

Re: So unhappy- please help!

Have you thought about going back to school for administration?

Can you apply your content area to the "business world"?

Is there another aspect of education that interests you.... ie. textbooks, conferences, college level?

Sorry you're so unhappy!

Maybe once you get to know your new group of kids this year you will feel better!

Re: So unhappy- please help!

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I am so sorry that you feel this way. I know how it feels. I went from the business world to education. I was miserable working in an office and the commute killed me! Even though my commute blows now I was just getting on the train at 5:33 meanwhile by that time now I have been on LIF for an hour and a half \

Think long and hard about the decision. Try and explore other industries that you might not need to go back to school for.

Re: So unhappy- please help!

i was unhappy in my career before switching to teaching. so i know what it's like to feel like you are not doing what you are meant to be doing. i think you have to think about what you want your day-to day life and responsibilities to be like. and what kinds of things do you like about your job or dislike about your job that you want to be on the lookout for in your next career. what are your strengths as a teacher that you can apply somewhere else? have you thought about teaching adults? i don't know what kind of degrees you have but i know that there are programs out there where the professors are teachers with masters degrees (not phd's). also, lately i've been very curious about the job of staff developer that comes to us from a publishing company. maybe you could look into companies like that where you would work with schools or teachers in a different capacity. i don't know if you want to stay related to the teaching field but i'm just thinking of ways you can use the knowledge you already have. otherwise my best advice is to talk to other people about their jobs. something may spark an interest. hang in there. you can make a change. you don't have to stay in a job that makes you unhappy forever.

Re: So unhappy- please help!

What about guidance counseling or speech? Something that would have all the benefits of teaching but would give you more variety in your day?

I taught 7th and 8th grade for 3 years before my current position (5th grade). Elementary is totally different than middle school if that's something you are interested in. I do think it's more work, though, so I 'm not sure if you'd want that.

I'm so sorry you feel like this, though. It must feel strange, because so many people would love to take your place, but the reality is that if it isn't making you happy, you have to find something that will. You don't want to live your life not liking your job. Too many people do that their whole lives.....

Good luck to you!

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I was going to suggest maybe going into speech therapy. You'd need to get your Masters in speech pathology- and it's a grueling program, but so worth it. I work at the elementary level and LOVE it. Whats nice is that it's never the same- there is always something new coming around the corner.

That said, dealing with the paperwork, and the parents can be rough, but totally worth it (to me anyway).

Whats also nice is that it is such a BROAD field. You can work at all levels of education including early intervention. You can work in hospitals, nursing homes, or go into private practice. There is SUCH a wide range that you could never grow sick of it.....

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I know how you feel. No disrespect to teachers on this board but I switched from teaching to counseling. I felt trapped in a classroom for six hours a day and my heart was with children academically and emotionally. I have that flexibility now outside of the classroom. When I was teaching, I was looking at the clock everyday because I wanted to go home. However, I am currently in the administration program and maybe that can be a thought. I know that you said that your husband is in administration, but you can make a difference in children lives as a whole. Good Luck!!! Stay positive :)

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I can totally empathize with you.
'
This is my 9th year teaching and I am done, actually I have been done for a while.

I always love it in Sept., Oct., Nov, but then my passion fades away so fast after that.

I had to really sit down and think about what I liked and disliked about my job and what it came down to was that I love the kids, love helping them, talking to them, advising them. I hate planning, grading essays (HS English teacher,) the BS curriculum, PD days etc.

I decided last year to enroll in a School Counseling program and it is the best move I have made.

It is going to take a while for me to become certified (2 more years, part time at CUNY, though there are faster options at private schools) but I figure I can lat that long.

I really urge you to look into counseling, speech pathology, and school psychology. They're all great, rewarding fields.

On the other hand, I have a friend who just quit teaching after 9 years to be a SAHM (she is due in January) and she doesn't miss it at all. She is thrilled.

Re: So unhappy- please help!

What about maybe teaching on a different level. Maybe HS Depending on your education you could get into teaching AP classes or some electives within your tenure area. My Dh use to teach Creative Writing to break up the constant English 11 curriculum. It was a nice change and rejuvinated him. Can you do something like that?

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I'm also a GC, and I'm doing a million different things each day. Lol I don't have time to be bored - I barely have time to use the bathroom! A grade level move or different aspect of education may be what you need. Check out master's in counseling, school social work, speech therapy, special education, curriculum specialists.... there are LOTS of things to do in schools outside of teach!

Good luck!!

Re: So unhappy- please help!

How about switching to another position w/in the district...like high school or go for a different cert. Just some suggestions.

Re: So unhappy- please help!

Maybe you might want to look into working with a textbook company or something like TEI. I have been teaching 13 years and I agree with A LOT of what you said, except I still enjoy my kids, though I am finding that to be more and more difficult every year.

Re: So unhappy- please help!

You have FM!!!!!

Re: So unhappy- please help!

To all the school counselors out there:

With school counseling jobs hard to come by and not in demand, would you still suggest someone do the program. I took 15 credits and loved it (plus i have a BA in Psych). However, I know the job opportunities are very low.

Re: So unhappy- please help!

What about working for a non-profit organization that helps kids?

If it didn't work out for me in teaching, that was the avenue I was going to pursue.

Look into Summer Search and Fiver . You work with kids to help them get into college and you act as a sort of mentor to them.

If you want a one-on-one job with kids, this is the way to do it without going back to get certified in counseling.

Good luck!

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I can relate on many levels.

This is only my 4th year teaching, and I REALLY think I dread Sunday nights more than the average person. They say you can tell if you're in the right field by the way you feel on Sunday night. I know for a fact that DH never dreads going back to work on Monday the way I do.

This is sad to say, but...I went back to school for a week and a half before the pain in my back got SO bad that I decided I really can't work to capacity until after I give birth. And I'm embarrassed to admit that part of me is a little bit relieved...

Would you be interested in a position where you get to train teachers, such as a Literacy Specialist? That's where I'm headed eventually--I have the Masters degree but would like a little more classroom experience. I do know that my permanent place is NOT in the elementary classroom the way I'd always pictured it...

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I would not give up on something that I enjoy. I work in nyc and I know that we have a high demand for school counselors. We have social workers working as a guidance counselors in nyc because we are in need of guidance counselors. If you are applying in LI for a school counselor position, those positions are very hard to come by. GOOD LUCK!!

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I HATED teaching, and only did it for 3 years. I was miserable every day, I got up each day with dread. Sundays were awful - I couldn't even stand to think of a whole week ahead of me.
Now I edit textbooks and am much happier. No, I do not get summers off, and I do not get a pension, but I am so much less stressed and a much happier person. If you'd like more details, send me an FM.

Message edited 9/10/2008 10:36:30 AM.

Re: So unhappy- please help!

Message edited 9/11/2008 4:51:45 PM.

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I think we all hit a slump at some point. How about looking elsewhere in the teaching field. Are you special ed. Maybe you can work for an agency and work a few hrs a day??

Re: So unhappy- please help!

Can you change up your curriculum at all? It might be easier on the el. ed level, but one thing I try to do is make sure that while the core curriculum is the same because I have no choice in that, the other stuff we do varies and is a lot more fun. Any way that you can create long term projects? Things that spice it up a bit because yes, it can be teh same thing day after day after day. I love the days though, when 'school' goes out the window and my class learns something amazing, fun and cool because WE ALL approach it differently.

Good luck to you.

Re: So unhappy- please help!

I was going to suggest you apply for an out-of-classroom position to change things up a bit. Good luck!