I Hate My Job!!!!!

[Dogg]

hello all, I HATE MY JOB!!!!! I am a teacher, who has always loved what I do, th problem is that right now I am doing something that I did not "sign up" for! I feel like I got a screw job and the position that I have now is in no way what I wanted to do, what I got my 2 degress for, or what they said that it would be. Another problem that I am having with this job is that I always have people breathing down my neck and more or less talking about me for one reason or another. I truly believe that it is jealousy because I am a young, good looking, male teacher who has a dual masters degree and is getting paid very well considering that this is my first "real" job. I really don't know what it is, but this place is the pits!!!! I have already started looking for another job, and already my current job is asking me to get "notes" about what i am doing and when I am doing it like I am a .... I have to get out of here ASAP..........I want to burn this place to the ground, yuppie, rich folks......

[BellaDonna]

I am a teacher, who has always loved what I do, th problem is that right now I am doing something that I did not "sign up" for!

 

What happened? What are the making you "do"?

 

Did they overload your class, or make you work with students/age groups that you are not certified to teach...and without any help? Did they turn your class into an inclusion class without giving you the proper support? I'm trying to think of the common scenerios that cause good teachers to "burn out".

 

Don't let a bad experience ruin your drive to teach- you might just be in a school district which doesn't exhibit best practice or that does not have good administration.

 

 

BellaDonna

[BellaDonna]

When you look for another teaching job- use the interview as a chance to ask the schools and districts some very important questions of your own:

 

Questions You May Want to Ask

1. What is the teacher/student ratio in your district?
   
2. Do you encourage teachers to earn graduate degrees?
   
3. How many classes a day will I be expected to teach?
   
4. What types of school activities promote parent-teacher-student interactions?
   
5. Tell me about the students who attend this school.
   
6. What textbooks does the district use in this subject area?
   
7. Do teachers participate in curriculum review and change?
   
8. Does your district promote staff development activities and conferences? What types of programs have the teachers attended in the last year?
   
9. How does the teaching staff feel about new teachers?
   
10. What discipline procedures does the district use?
    
11. Do parents support the schools? Does the community?
    
12. Do your schools use teacher aides or parent volunteers?
    
13. To what extent do staff members work collaboratively to solve problems and respond to the needs of students?
    
14. Does the administration encourage field trips for students?
    
15. How are teachers assigned to extracurricular activities? Is compensation provided?
    
16. Does the district have a statement of educational philosophy or mission?
    
17. What are prospects for future growth in this community and its schools?
    
18. What technology resources will be available to me in the classroom?

Don't read directly from this list of questions.

 

 

 

That list is from this website: link removed

 

 

BellaDonna

[Dogg]

what happened is this:

 

First of all I was hired to be a reading teacher that is what i am certified in and that is what I wanted to do (6th grade). When I was given the curriculum, it turned out that I was teaching a new program that the school had implemented that is basically a "study skills" course in which it is my job to teach the students different strategies for reading comprehension and such but the whole thing is simply based around them being ready for the state test which is just ridiculous. Then after a while, I had been teaching what I was told to teach in the given curriculum using the given books adn doing EXACTLY what they told me to do. I received an unsatisfactory evaluation for more or less "not puttin enough of myself in to my lessons"!!!!!!! This is where it began. Now, I teach the ENTIRE 6th grade, that is over 400 students broken down into 17 classes!!!! The major problem that I have is this, I have to teach the EXACT same thing 17 times in a row before moving on to something new!!!!!! IT IS SOOOOO BORING!!!!!!!!!!! I get no recognition or respect from the administration who are constantly breathing down my neck because I am new, this is a "new program" and I am a young male. basically my situation just sucks really bad and I hate getting up everyday and coming here....I need to get out bad!

[BellaDonna]

the whole thing is simply based around them being ready for the state test which is just ridiculous

 

Sadly, many schools have resorted to things like this because of the pressure that state testing puts upon them. Everything is about standards now- especially in the U.S. with No Child Left Behind. Teachers no longer feel like they are teaching kids anymore, or that they can be creative- instead they feel like they are teaching standards.

 

 

I received an unsatisfactory evaluation for more or less "not puttin enough of myself in to my lessons"!!!!!!!

 

Do you think they sense your dread in waking up every morning and going there? You might have a hard time hiding how unhappy you are, even if you are following the outlined curriculum 100%.

 

I think looking for another teaching job is a good idea, however be careful because you need your current employer to serve as a reference for your next position.

 

It sounds to me like the best remedy for your current situation would be if the school created some type of new teacher mentoring program that assigned a veteran teacher (and one that you liked) as a mentor for you to go to when you needed it. (i.e. not someone breathing down your neck- but someone who could serve as a resource to you when YOU wanted/needed them)

 

I have to teach the EXACT same thing 17 times in a row before moving on to something new!!!!!! IT IS SOOOOO BORING!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Is there any way for you to put a spin on the lesson at all? I know you have limited time with the students to teach a specified curriculum- but are there ways to use the concepts of that curriculum to develop activities, discussion, among the students etc.

 

BellaDonna

[slacker3299]

I don't have a solution, the only thing I can offer is sympathy. I just took a teaching job and have come to dread going to school each day as well. I keep thinking how much I'd love to just quit and find something else, but I'm afraid it will look bad on my resume to quit part way through the year. Well anyways. If you ever need someone to vent to you have me, because I'm stuck in a similar situation.

[astatine]

17 classes? Were you looking to just teach a regular class in which you have like 6 periods per day? I would suggest that you just look for another school. How far in to your job are you? After one year it should pretty easy to just find another school. I'm not a teacher or anything but I can certainly offer my sympathy. Very hard job.