Ugh! Going into my 3rd week and I've been really questioning why I'm being called to teach right now. There's obviously some message that God is trying to get me to understand... is it humility? Compassion? Competence? Self-Worth? Sacrifice?
In the past five years, I've gone from full time college student, to part-time bank teller, to full-time customer service rep, to charter school teacher, to public school teacher and I'm still not satisfied. I feeling like teaching ain't my passion, and it's getting harder to get up and go to school everyday.
What I'd like to do (which is what I was *thisclose* to getting this past summer) is advise students of color about the college admissions process or collect oral histories of African American elders for a museum or college/university. In the meantime, I suppose that this year will be my chance to stack money and set goals for an escape date sooner than later.
Fellow teachers, any advice that you have about 2nd year burnout, charter vs. public schools, quarter year crisis, etc. will be greatly appreciated.
4 comments:
Don't give up! Public school is draining. Very draining. That why summer vacations are earned and well deserved.
If this is your first year teaching in a public school, you can't give up this early in the game. Teaching is hard. However, you won't really know if its your calling until you've been in it a while. We all all struggling this year. Wait until the school year is over, then reflect again and decide if teaching is the profession for you.
In listening to what you'd really like to do, maybe you should consider a guidance counselor position. Or a non profit dedicated to helping students.
Please stay encouraged, even though it is stressful! Sending you tons of hugs!!!! I hope that you can feel my online support
Teaching is draining, and I work at an independent school. So much is asked, and often, for little in return. What keeps me going in spite of it all is the lives of the students I touch. I know that I am making a difference.
BTW: I worked in college admissions for five years, following two dissatisfying years as a teacher at a boarding school. I returned to teaching because I believed I could do more for students in the classroom than I could as a drive-by professional visiting high schools. I did, however, enjoy my five years in admissions.
Thanks, Miss A! I have been considering guidance counseling positions. As a matter of fact, I've requested applications from quite a few counseling programs for fall 2008 admission.
Miss Profe, I hear you. And that's why I'm slightly hesitant. I know that many guidance counselors have responsibilities that are just as stressful as being on the front lines. Only 2 more weeks 'til Columbus Day, lol!
You say that you think God is trying to get you to understand something. Well, ask Him to show you what it is that He wants you to understand. I know for certain that God will not torment us to make a point. He loves us too much to do that. Will we go through trying times, you bet. But the end result is always greatness.
From a practical standpoint, I would look into personally figuring out what you want out of this whole deal. What can you get from this year of teaching? It gets so hard, especially in the early years, to get much out of teaching. But learn as much as you can.
A bit of encouragement...
I am now in my sixth year of teaching and my fourth year in this school district and I have found that the third year in a district was much easier than the first two. I knew more people, had friends in my school whom I could discuss things with, and knew administrators better. Those are big helps.
Also, my third year of teaching overall was MUCH better than my first two. I used the end of my second year as a kind of classroom management lab session where my students were unwitting participants. Don't be afraid to mess up. As long as everything you do is done with a loving motivation, take control and guide the students to do what you want/need them to do. :)
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