I can’t believe there are still schools in the US. I’m(29F) a second year teacher in TX. Last year I worked my ass off to learn on the job to be a teacher after applying to a position on a whim a week before the year started. I was contracted to work 8.5 hours a day but in reality I was working more like 12 and working Saturday or Sunday. I thrive in a difficult, fact paced environment and I was fucking drowning. All to make about 50k minus whatever supplies weren’t provided (most of them). This doesn’t include the time we are encouraged to attend as many school events as possible. Most teachers have a second job to make ends meet and I have no idea how, because as much as I need one, I can’t find the time or energy.
This year is already a mess. Everyone has been burnt out since day one, admin is breathing down our necks, TEA keeps moving the benchmarks because they don’t give a shit about public schools, and every time we turn around there are new vague demands that make no sense at best but usually contradict each other. We have to all be lock step on the team and plan together but we can’t get our time to actually plan. We can’t turn in the same lesson plans even though we ar planning together to do the exact same things or previous instructions. But also don’t be different, but also can you do backwards planning? And dontforget to plan from the teaching standard first and then attach the content because it doesn’t actually matter, and also use the one WE picked that doesn’t even work because LOCK STEP because it doesn’t matter except that it does but….
It cannot last. And I want to cry more often than not. I’m not particularly soft about work. I’ve had a lot of different jobs over the years and I know how to work hard, keep my mouth shut, deal with crazy demanding customers and bosses who want to take advantage of you, but this is the most hopeless about a situation I’ve ever felt. At least I knew I was respected at my old jobs. I could be moving garbage or out counting boxes or being harassed by insane people but at the end of the day I knew if I said there was a problem and we couldn’t do this this way, I’d be heard. Now i think I would be lectured. Why the hell anyone stays in teaching I have no idea. I love the kids, and I’m good at my job, but I deserve to feel respected as an adult by my superiors when there is a problem.
Oh, and I never had to wonder if someone else was going to bring a gun to my catering gigs. So there’s that.