Why Has Teaching Become So Hard?
Why Has Teaching Become So Hard?
Remember when you were a little girl and you would play school? Remember how your heart ached for the day you would have your own classroom? You would go into your toy bin and find the dress-up clothes from your mom’s closet that made you feel most like a teacher. Oh, and don’t forget those perfect shoes that made that clicky noise when you would walk on tile floors in your house. You knew from this very young age that you were meant to be a teacher.
Our Current State of Education
Fast forward to a world that has quickly become quite digital and led by instant gratification on so many levels. Fast forward to a world where attention spans for even the most developed of adults is only about 8.25 seconds. For reference, according to ABA therapist, Steve Zauderer, a goldfish has a longer attention span than the average human.
As an educator, you have to continue to keep up with the current studies and processes of brain development. This is a HUGE piece to the puzzle of our current state in education. We want so badly to keep teaching to the image and fantasy we had when we were little girls, but it is simply NOT going to work.
Imposter Syndrome
Now let’s couple this lack of attention of not only our students, but ourselves too, and tie that into the dreaded imposter syndrome we all experience when we hop online to the world of social media. It is no wonder we all have so many sleepless nights and feelings of defeat.
Guess what?
We all started on day 1! Each and every teacher you meet had to build classroom resources over the years. Each and every teacher you meet had to tackle classroom management and find what works best in their classrooms. Each and every teacher you meet, experienced days of overwhelm and frustration beyond belief.
What is different now is that our society has become a state where we post about our lives being perfect or “Pinteresty.” You may walk the halls of your school and see the teacher who has it all together, and then when you go home you start scrolling the world wide web and soon feel like you’re the only person who is lost and out of her league.
Ehhhh! WRONG!
You were made to teach. You were hired at your school because they know and see your potential. You have what it takes, but it may take time to develop your teacher self.
Yes, we live in a very instant gratification society, but your job is not to fall into that fear of failure because it’s the first week of school and you are still working on classroom management. SPOILER ALERT: YOU SHOULD BE WORKING ON CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT!
You have to know and believe that you are right where you are meant to be doing the job that you were called to do. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was the veteran teacher with years of classroom management experience behind her. Your goal should be to grow just 1% each day both as a teacher and a class as a whole. Imagine the growth after just your first year of teaching…WOW!
Resources Galore!
Websites such as Teachers Pay Teachers and the like have been created to save teachers time so they don’t have to create their own materials. However, start to consider how much time you are spending on Teachers Pay Teachers, Instagram, Pinterest, and even listening to podcasts to help you craft your art of teaching. It is probably hours MORE A DAY than you realize.
Beyond that, you have to choose resources that aren’t just “fluff” because believe it or not your principal can spot the “fluff” pretty quickly. Have you ever considered tapping into your own creativity to see what your students can make with classroom materials that would help step up a lesson? Now, this would knock your principal’s socks off!
Yes, I know that you have a passion for teaching, but when we are spending 3 hours and 16 minutes on our phones each day something just isn’t right. This is when the job begins to take over and becomes all-consuming. This is when boundaries become so important.
And right about now, you might be wondering, “Well, how in the world am I supposed to find resources and set boundaries? My only time is when I am at home watching tv.” This is a very good point, but of course, there’s always a solution. Keep reading the “Solutions” section to discover how to solve this problem.
Student Behavior
It was tough not to list this as the first option for why teaching has become so hard, but here it is in second place. Let’s be honest: student behavior has shifted drastically these past few years. Yes, this could be due to Covid, but honestly, if you didn’t see this coming before Covid hit you may have been hiding under a rock.
Somewhere along the line in education, students have been given more power than most adults in the school building. You try to correct a student for behavior, even as an administrator, and guarantee that parents will be calling or emailing demanding a reason for your actions. (HINT: THIS IS WHY IT IS CRUCIAL TO DOCUMENT BEHAVIOR!)
Schools have taken on so many roles of the homelife such as providing breakfast, lunch, teaching manners, and teaching students to share but our society is not willing to allow teachers and administrators to provide consequences for misconduct. Gone are the days of the parent supporting the teacher and providing further consequences at home to show support for the teacher. Nowadays teachers pretty much have to have a sentence-by-sentence dialogue transcribed in each parent meeting that is called which takes hours of time each week.
The result of this lack of trust and respect is unfolding before our very eyes. Young adults don’t want to get into education because they witness firsthand how teachers are treated. Meanwhile, veteran teachers, are leaving the profession because they will no longer take this inappropriate behavior that is being ignored over and over again.
Students across grade levels know that they are in control. Until our society starts treating teachers as the professionals they are, it is going to be a bumpy road especially as classrooms are being filled with more and more students due to the teacher shortage.
Lack of Support
Education is facing a serious situation right now with so many educators fleeing the profession. This not only impacts teachers in the sense that they will probably have larger class sizes, but your admins will feel the impact too.
Administrators are stepping up to cover classes as often as they can to help alleviate the burden of not enough staffing. However, this means that admins will be less available to teachers during the school day which often has a negative impact on the school morale.
In fact, this lack of support is the main reason I started Lesson Plan Toolbox. After 19 years in education, I hit rock bottom because of having no support from my school’s administration. I never felt so helpless or clueless in my life which is when I made the decision to use my experience in administration and the classroom to support other K-3 educators. NOBODY should EVER feel that desperate no matter what the career.
S-O-L-U-T-I-O-N-S
Hearing all of this may seem like this profession is a real drag, but it can truly be the most rewarding job of all time. The best advice is to simply take things one day at a time. Show up, do your best for that day, and learn to grow through the process.
The truth is that teaching does not have to be this hard. We put so much pressure on ourselves as teachers with an innate perfectionism that could be our downfall, that we often need to just quiet ourselves. At the end of the day, what’s done is done and what’s not can wait until tomorrow. If you choose to bring work home with you, go for it! If you choose to leave work at work, go for it! You-be-you!
This all being said, you have to bring yourself to a frame of mind where you are not comparing yourself to your colleagues. Ask questions, pick their brains if they're open to it, but don’t ever feel like you’re not enough. You have a teacher’s heart inside you that is just waiting to explode!
Guess what else? You don’t have to do all those fancy themes and craftivities you see online. Figure out the vibe of your students and what you are able to manage. Starting the year with a classroom makeover or theme may not be where you’re at on your journey…it’s A-OKAY! Love your students and let them love you and you will have the perfect recipe for the perfect classroom.
Whatever happens during your school day in regard to student behavior, remember that there is probably more to the story. Students’ behaviors are a reflection of their feelings. If it is inappropriate behavior or jeopardizes the safety of individuals in the classroom, yourself included, it is perfectly acceptable to give consequences and have the student removed if needed. No matter what, safety comes first!
Finally, let’s cover the solution to the lack of support. This is a HUGE reason why many teachers are leaving the profession. My stomach sinks each and every time I read a post about a teacher feeling defeated and having nowhere to turn for help.
After 19 years in education, I was that teacher working in a new building feeling like if I breathed the wrong way I would be fired. Yes, the other teachers were amazing, but I always felt so bad taking up their time because they all had so much work to do themselves. So…
On October 6, 2021, I made the decision that no other teacher will have this feeling of desperation if I could help it. I would take my administrative and classroom experiences and help serve other K-3 educators that are experiencing the overwhelm that comes with this job. With that came the birth of Lesson Plan Toolbox.
Lesson Plan Toolbox is a membership that comprises of a virtual teacher assistant. Members will utilize me as their virtual teacher assistant. You will have access to message or email me with your needs or concerns, and I will serve as your assistant providing the resources and/or advice to questions you may have along the way. I am literally at your service:)
Best of all, if you are in need of professional development hours, we’ve got you covered! Each month you will be invited to a mastermind Zoom call which will be recorded. You can participate as much or as little as you would like. If you can’t make the call, then listen to the recording at your convenience. You will also receive a monthly reflection journal to document thoughts and feelings, totally for you, but you will be compensated for professional development hours for your time. Overall, in one year you should earn at least 60 of the easiest and most beneficial professional development hours of your life.
The whole scope of Lesson Plan Toolbox is to make your life as an educator as easy as possible. Let’s take a load off your plate and give you back plenty of personal time for family and friends. Let’s bring the joy back to education and say goodbye to all of the stress. We’ve got you covered.
Did you know...
We are so passionate about helping primary teachers that we are now inviting teachers to simply write a reflection on this blog post, take a picture, and send it to us on Instagram or via email ([email protected]).
Once you do that, then you will receive a 1-hour professional development certificate for FREE!
If you enjoyed this post...
If you enjoyed this post, then you'll want to read about the 4 Cs of 21st-century learning.
And if you haven't grabbed your FREEBIE: 7 Habits For Preventing Teacher Burnout, then what are you waiting for? Now is a perfect time...you NEED this in your life!
Reminder...
We continue to support K-3 teachers, both new teachers, and veterans, on their journeys. If you are interested in earning the EASIEST PD hours you will ever learn, then be sure to check this out. Feel free to contact us with any thoughts or questions. You can earn 60 HOURS in 1 year! (Grant opportunities are available!)
The Mission of Lesson Plan Toolbox:
Our mission at Lesson Plan Toolbox is to save K-3 teachers time and energy while providing resources and knowledge of 21st-century learning.
Until next week...
Teach~Relax~Repeat
Lauren
