Before covid, I was planning to retire at the end of my 42nd year of teaching, at age 65. the past 3 years made me change those plans. I left at the end of the last school year. Those were years of hell, dealing with remote learning, student apathy and poor behavior, and constantly increasing class loads. I decided to bail at age 60, after putting in 37 years. I did not look back. My blood pressure has improved dramatically. I don't have the weight of the world on my shoulders. This past summer, I realized that the loss of the stress of anticipating the onrushing school year had been a huge burden to bear. It had become irrelevant. The job is thankless, and when you leave, they'll just go on without you. Ms. Stewart, you seem like an intelligent and capable person. I wish you nothing but the best and have confidence that you'll find something in which you can be successful and flourish. Best of luick.
thanks for making this video honey, i totally empathise the level of stress and anxiety sounds so intense. Yes, you are right to prioritise yourself and step back xx
I had so many heavy experiences of anxiety my first few years of teaching. Even under good circumstances, teaching is a stressful job. My third - sixth years went a lot better. I’m in my 7th year right now and it’s been my first tough year in a while. I think a lot of the issues are systemic. I have had friends step away from full time teaching and decide to substitute, which they seem to like much better.
Exactly as you say, under the right circumstances and in a good school, it is stressful. Anything else on top and it can be an anxiety hole. 7 years in the job is amazing, and it sounds like you have enough experience to be able to handle a tougher year group. But it is much wider than the experience than you hold as a teacher, it's like systems are in place to fail the children and blame everything on the teachers - change is needed! Wish you all the best with it!
@NaturallyLluvme it's the same here in America 🇺🇸 I substitute teach for over 20 years. I teach. I go home and pass out. Lucky if I don't loose my voice.
Teaching is exhausting ! Thank you for such an insightful video! You should do more on your experiences of supply teaching and tips on how to survive your first day.
I’m so sorry you had such a terrible time teaching. I recognise absolutely everything you said here. I am handing in my notice today and I feel so relieved. It’s really great that you know yourself and value yourself enough to recognise when something is bad for you and change course. I hope that a year on you are happier.
Congrats! I'm so glad you've put yourself first and done what you think is best for you - the only way is up :) I'm doing much better a year on, currently on maternity with my first and not thinking about teaching and I have no anxiety anymore!
Wow, that sounds horrifically exhausting. Do you have a 4 or 5 day work week? I was reading that in some EU countries, they have a four-day work week for teachers. Teachers in the United States are burning out left and right as well.
I worked 4 days full time, and I had one day (mandatory in school) to plan and have meetings with senior leadership. In Scotland this is normal in your probation year to ease you in, and in the Spring term you can choose to work 5 days (this is strongly encouraged by leadership). It is normal to work 5 days, though sometimes schools will have job shares so one teacher will work 3 days, and another teacher 2 days (often when teachers have young children). I felt like job shares and part time were the way forward as you have the consistency of the class, but time to plan and time to yourself. I know some supply teachers who job share 2/3 days a week, and are open to supply work for the remaining week. Teachers are burning out over here in the UK too, it's unsustainable!
that’s so interesting, I had always made an assumption that here in the US, things are much more stressful for teachers, and that in western industrialized countries the funding was much better and stress much less. Thanks for sharing!
Turns out they had it right in the 1800s when there were graded set books for reading, writing, arithmetic, history and geography and you didn't have to do all the planning yourself and organise heaps of resources yourself. Did it myself, 4 years training, 6 weeks teaching. No support. That's New Zealand but I believe it's worldwide now.
Yep, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having set programmes of work, at least to base planning from and adjust to individual kids thereafter. Crazy that everywhere is like this now… it’s such a shame!
Sorry to hear that. I expected teaching in Europe or scotland to be less challenging. In Algeria 🇩🇿 teaching is so challenging mainly because of students's behaviour.
I used to be a GCSE Maths teacher. Even with well-behaved classes, I found it stressful. The sheer amount of work you have to do for the sake of Ofsted was just ridiculous. I quit, and I privately tutor now. Much more flexible and better for my mental health.
How do you find tutees, if you don't mind me asking? I just had to walk out of a long term supply post due to aggressive students who kept wrecking the classroom and fighting. 17 years in and I think I need to stay out of the classroom
@rebecca7410 I have a network of friends and family, who are very helpful in getting the word out. I'm also on a WhatsApp group with hundreds of parents and guardians in the city. Easy to get the word out there as well
I wish I could teach adults, but adult teachers in the United States don't get enough hours, benefits, or job security. If they do get those things in your country, that may be option.
It is a shame, I'm not sure if you could work at colleges or anything? Even high schools might be better? But yes, a lot of people leave teaching and work in education within companies as training directors etc which makes sense. I am currently pregnant so not teaching much, and this is something I'd consider post baby!
I teach 10th grade history in the United States and I am on the verge of quitting. I said I would give one more year a chance, but it’s gotten so bad since COVID.
Am i right in thinking a lot of people who have anxiety go into teaching thinking it will be nice and calm but they find the class work overwhelming What about being a supply teacher you get the best of teaching without the pressure
probably! You remember it so fondly from childhood and think it a lovely career, even if you volunteer for experience, nothing compares to being the teacher. I must admit, I have enjoyed supply, but then I miss the relationships with the kids.. pros and cons, but definitely less pressure :)
Sounds like the school should have assigned a seasoned teacher for you to confer with to show you some shortcuts and time savers. Little things like pick up as you go along instead of waiting until class is over to put everything away. There's also a trick to grading papers-if you lay them out for printing in columns, such as multiple choice or spelling words, you can place five papers on top of each other and grade the first column of five papers at a time. Anyway, hang in there - find another teaching venue-I teach online. There's tutoring, textbook and school supply sales, and many other things for teachers to do. Good luck!
If you can try it again, do it. Your probationer year is asking you to jump through hoops. Im 24, in my 3rd year of teaching maths in GCC, it gets easier.
I’m now on the flexi route which is very difficult to navigate… I wish they warned people wanting to quit probation to go onto flexi and told them what it is like, I would probably have stayed on. It feels impossible to qualify through supply!
2024 and teachers are quitting left and right due to - disrespect by children, parents and employers (overtime+, do this and that extra) - actual violence. Kids getting physical. - uncontrollable classrooms. Noise, interrupting, not listening, not doing exercises - kids go unpunished for misbehavior. Current rules make it impossible to hold children accountable - just passing kids on the next grade, regardless of their abilities. (everybody is a winner) - parents fail to parent theirs children (screen time instead of helping with homework, making sure their child can read, learning about the world and showing them by, for example, excursions to farms, musea, planetarium, castles,..etc. -... Plenty more, feel free to expand the list
Thank you for your video. I'm sure you are summing up how a lot of teachers feel in the UK. I teach swimming in England and have some great swim sessions and also some very testing times.
I left teaching just after my pace and I'm so glad, I went into supply which is so much better. I only have to work 8:30 - 3:30 and no extra expectations. the only problem is I i dont know what else I could do other than teaching so there is that
100%! I really enjoyed supply, especially if you can do a few days so you can build relationships with the pupils. Takes all the other stressors away and makes the job actually managable!
Oglądam ostatnio takie filmiki właśnie o nauczycielach porzucając ich swoją pracę. Ja pracuję w Polsce jako nauczyciel. Jestem zdziwiona bo podobne procesy zachodzą w całym świecie. W Polsce jest dokładnie tak samo jak u was.
Yes! I began doing supply work shortly after I left full time teaching. It was MUCH better and had many pros. I am on maternity now so haven't done it in a while :)
I didn’t really plan the video out in advance of recording as much as I should’ve done. I tried to make coherent arguments using my random footage tbh haha! Maybe I’ll record a better one 🤣
I have been teaching high school in America for thirty years. My kids are great. My parents are good and the admin is fine. I am 63 and I will teach until they throw me out. I think some teachers take on too much. Do your best and then go home. Don't try to save the world.
This sounds like a mess! Soooo disorganized. U were in an impossible situation. No lesson plan and all the kids are of different level??? And no one trying to support u. Its good u left, its an unsalvagable situation.
I think it’s the fact that there’s no support from teaching assistants to support those kids that need it - there’s been such a massacre in funding that kids who need extra adult help, don’t get it. Then the teacher gets marked down for struggling to give every child individual support, because they just can’t!
perhaps I did, but the job has definitely been pushing the boundaries and expectations upon teachers (along with many other changes such as an increase in behavioural problems and the ways that teachers have to resolve them, for instance)
I’m trying hard to sympathize, but living in the UK you have health care and no fear of being shot in the classroom, what exactly are you anxious about.
I assume you're from the U.S. Standards in public schools in the U.S are awful compared to Scotland. Overall pedagogy is poor in both countries however
Sorry to hear that. I expected teaching in Europe or scotland to be less challenging. In Algeria 🇩🇿 teaching is so challenging mainly because of students's behaviour.
I taught in Asia for a while and it was wonderful. Then I went to the UK and it was hell. From what I've seen its the leftist ideologies on education that has destroyed the teaching environment in the UK. I went back to very conservative Japan and teaching has been wonderful again.
@@jw841 i fully agree since punishment was abbolished by the leftie mob teaching has gone down hill , get back to reciting the times tables , spelling and adding and subtraction ,,plus how to count money and the value of each coin , this helps in later life but in a larger scale
Before covid, I was planning to retire at the end of my 42nd year of teaching, at age 65. the past 3 years made me change those plans. I left at the end of the last school year. Those were years of hell, dealing with remote learning, student apathy and poor behavior, and constantly increasing class loads. I decided to bail at age 60, after putting in 37 years.
I did not look back. My blood pressure has improved dramatically. I don't have the weight of the world on my shoulders. This past summer, I realized that the loss of the stress of anticipating the onrushing school year had been a huge burden to bear. It had become irrelevant. The job is thankless, and when you leave, they'll just go on without you.
Ms. Stewart, you seem like an intelligent and capable person. I wish you nothing but the best and have confidence that you'll find something in which you can be successful and flourish.
Best of luick.
thanks for making this video honey, i totally empathise the level of stress and anxiety sounds so intense. Yes, you are right to prioritise yourself and step back xx
💖
I had so many heavy experiences of anxiety my first few years of teaching.
Even under good circumstances, teaching is a stressful job.
My third - sixth years went a lot better. I’m in my 7th year right now and it’s been my first tough year in a while. I think a lot of the issues are systemic.
I have had friends step away from full time teaching and decide to substitute, which they seem to like much better.
Exactly as you say, under the right circumstances and in a good school, it is stressful. Anything else on top and it can be an anxiety hole. 7 years in the job is amazing, and it sounds like you have enough experience to be able to handle a tougher year group. But it is much wider than the experience than you hold as a teacher, it's like systems are in place to fail the children and blame everything on the teachers - change is needed! Wish you all the best with it!
Another former teacher also pointed out that this is deliberately being done. I am starting to believe that the system is set up for failure.
@NaturallyLluvme it's the same here in America 🇺🇸
I substitute teach for over 20 years. I teach. I go home and pass out. Lucky if I don't loose my voice.
Teaching is exhausting ! Thank you for such an insightful video! You should do more on your experiences of supply teaching and tips on how to survive your first day.
Thank you for the feedback! It was bit a of an off the cuff video but I'll definitely make some more content if this is interesting! :)
What is supply teaching?
It sounds like it's just what they call substitute teaching in England. @@kenyonbissett3512
I’m so sorry you had such a terrible time teaching. I recognise absolutely everything you said here. I am handing in my notice today and I feel so relieved. It’s really great that you know yourself and value yourself enough to recognise when something is bad for you and change course. I hope that a year on you are happier.
Congrats! I'm so glad you've put yourself first and done what you think is best for you - the only way is up :)
I'm doing much better a year on, currently on maternity with my first and not thinking about teaching and I have no anxiety anymore!
Wow, that sounds horrifically exhausting. Do you have a 4 or 5 day work week? I was reading that in some EU countries, they have a four-day work week for teachers. Teachers in the United States are burning out left and right as well.
I worked 4 days full time, and I had one day (mandatory in school) to plan and have meetings with senior leadership. In Scotland this is normal in your probation year to ease you in, and in the Spring term you can choose to work 5 days (this is strongly encouraged by leadership). It is normal to work 5 days, though sometimes schools will have job shares so one teacher will work 3 days, and another teacher 2 days (often when teachers have young children). I felt like job shares and part time were the way forward as you have the consistency of the class, but time to plan and time to yourself. I know some supply teachers who job share 2/3 days a week, and are open to supply work for the remaining week. Teachers are burning out over here in the UK too, it's unsustainable!
that’s so interesting, I had always made an assumption that here in the US, things are much more stressful for teachers, and that in western industrialized countries the funding was much better and stress much less. Thanks for sharing!
Turns out they had it right in the 1800s when there were graded set books for reading, writing, arithmetic, history and geography and you didn't have to do all the planning yourself and organise heaps of resources yourself. Did it myself, 4 years training, 6 weeks teaching. No support. That's New Zealand but I believe it's worldwide now.
Yep, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having set programmes of work, at least to base planning from and adjust to individual kids thereafter. Crazy that everywhere is like this now… it’s such a shame!
Sorry to hear that. I expected teaching in Europe or scotland to be less challenging. In Algeria 🇩🇿 teaching is so challenging mainly because of students's behaviour.
I used to be a GCSE Maths teacher. Even with well-behaved classes, I found it stressful. The sheer amount of work you have to do for the sake of Ofsted was just ridiculous. I quit, and I privately tutor now. Much more flexible and better for my mental health.
I’m glad you found something the works for you! Especially maths tutoring, I imagine there can be a steady demand for it. Best of luck :)
@@JoannaStewart Thank you so much, and best of luck to you too:)
How do you find tutees, if you don't mind me asking? I just had to walk out of a long term supply post due to aggressive students who kept wrecking the classroom and fighting. 17 years in and I think I need to stay out of the classroom
@rebecca7410 I have a network of friends and family, who are very helpful in getting the word out. I'm also on a WhatsApp group with hundreds of parents and guardians in the city. Easy to get the word out there as well
I wish I could teach adults, but adult teachers in the United States don't get enough hours, benefits, or job security. If they do get those things in your country, that may be option.
It is a shame, I'm not sure if you could work at colleges or anything? Even high schools might be better? But yes, a lot of people leave teaching and work in education within companies as training directors etc which makes sense. I am currently pregnant so not teaching much, and this is something I'd consider post baby!
Typically an advanced degree like a doctorate is required to teach at the college level. @@JoannaStewart
I teach 10th grade history in the United States and I am on the verge of quitting. I said I would give one more year a chance, but it’s gotten so bad since COVID.
I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you find the right decision and the path for you, and it gets better!
Bless you. My wife works full time in local primary school, very demanding.
Am i right in thinking a lot of people who have anxiety go into teaching thinking it will be nice and calm but they find the class work overwhelming
What about being a supply teacher you get the best of teaching without the pressure
probably! You remember it so fondly from childhood and think it a lovely career, even if you volunteer for experience, nothing compares to being the teacher. I must admit, I have enjoyed supply, but then I miss the relationships with the kids.. pros and cons, but definitely less pressure :)
Sounds like the school should have assigned a seasoned teacher for you to confer with to show you some shortcuts and time savers. Little things like pick up as you go along instead of waiting until class is over to put everything away. There's also a trick to grading papers-if you lay them out for printing in columns, such as multiple choice or spelling words, you can place five papers on top of each other and grade the first column of five papers at a time. Anyway, hang in there - find another teaching venue-I teach online. There's tutoring, textbook and school supply sales, and many other things for teachers to do. Good luck!
If you can try it again, do it. Your probationer year is asking you to jump through hoops. Im 24, in my 3rd year of teaching maths in GCC, it gets easier.
I’m now on the flexi route which is very difficult to navigate… I wish they warned people wanting to quit probation to go onto flexi and told them what it is like, I would probably have stayed on. It feels impossible to qualify through supply!
2024 and teachers are quitting left and right due to
- disrespect by children, parents and employers (overtime+, do this and that extra)
- actual violence. Kids getting physical.
- uncontrollable classrooms. Noise, interrupting, not listening, not doing exercises
- kids go unpunished for misbehavior. Current rules make it impossible to hold children accountable
- just passing kids on the next grade, regardless of their abilities. (everybody is a winner)
- parents fail to parent theirs children (screen time instead of helping with homework, making sure their child can read, learning about the world and showing them by, for example, excursions to farms, musea, planetarium, castles,..etc.
-...
Plenty more, feel free to expand the list
I couldn’t agree more. Plus, the negative working environment from particular staff and head teachers.
Sheesh! I thought this was only in the US. Sorry about your experience.
Thank you for your video. I'm sure you are summing up how a lot of teachers feel in the UK. I teach swimming in England and have some great swim sessions and also some very testing times.
I left teaching just after my pace and I'm so glad, I went into supply which is so much better. I only have to work 8:30 - 3:30 and no extra expectations. the only problem is I i dont know what else I could do other than teaching so there is that
100%! I really enjoyed supply, especially if you can do a few days so you can build relationships with the pupils. Takes all the other stressors away and makes the job actually managable!
I haven't read all comments but I was a primary tutor for 9 years and left for all the common reasons. Have you considered tutoring?
Oglądam ostatnio takie filmiki właśnie o nauczycielach porzucając ich swoją pracę. Ja pracuję w Polsce jako nauczyciel. Jestem zdziwiona bo podobne procesy zachodzą w całym świecie. W Polsce jest dokładnie tak samo jak u was.
Have you considered supply teaching?
Yes! I began doing supply work shortly after I left full time teaching. It was MUCH better and had many pros. I am on maternity now so haven't done it in a while :)
@@JoannaStewart oh congrats on motherhood 🌸
why do you keep using jump cuts
I didn’t really plan the video out in advance of recording as much as I should’ve done. I tried to make coherent arguments using my random footage tbh haha! Maybe I’ll record a better one 🤣
Have you considered one to one tutoring?
Are men quitting their teaching jobs too?
I have been teaching high school in America for thirty years. My kids are great. My parents are good and the admin is fine. I am 63 and I will teach until they throw me out. I think some teachers take on too much. Do your best and then go home. Don't try to save the world.
How do you expect to know what all children been doing? That’s impossible. You do not expect every child to understand the subject.
What is with this editing? There's a cut after every word.
I kno I have improved thank u
Why are there so many jarring cuts in the video? :(
It’s pretty rough lol, I’m getting better slowly 😩😂
@@JoannaStewart yeah sorry I was finding your advice really useful tho 😄
This sounds like a mess! Soooo disorganized. U were in an impossible situation. No lesson plan and all the kids are of different level??? And no one trying to support u. Its good u left, its an unsalvagable situation.
I think it’s the fact that there’s no support from teaching assistants to support those kids that need it - there’s been such a massacre in funding that kids who need extra adult help, don’t get it. Then the teacher gets marked down for struggling to give every child individual support, because they just can’t!
I'm in a primary school in Scotland
Will all due respect, it sounds like you underestimated the job. If it were easy, anyone could do it.
perhaps I did, but the job has definitely been pushing the boundaries and expectations upon teachers (along with many other changes such as an increase in behavioural problems and the ways that teachers have to resolve them, for instance)
I've been teaching since 1990. She is absolutely right. I would not do it again.@@JoannaStewart
I’m trying hard to sympathize, but living in the UK you have health care and no fear of being shot in the classroom, what exactly are you anxious about.
are you mentally ill? real question. cos otherwise i don't see how you can say something as idiotic as this
Did you not listen to the video you tool?
I assume you're from the U.S. Standards in public schools in the U.S are awful compared to Scotland. Overall pedagogy is poor in both countries however
How do you know that ? The Health care system is on a state of collapse and crime is a huge issue
You need to work on your video editing
see latest vids
Jesus, this editing is trafic.
:)
Beep beep 🚦
Snowflake
Playing with your hair all the time ….
Yep
Sorry to hear that. I expected teaching in Europe or scotland to be less challenging. In Algeria 🇩🇿 teaching is so challenging mainly because of students's behaviour.
Even here in South Africa it’s the worst. I’m in my 3rd of teaching already m planing to leave.
I taught in Asia for a while and it was wonderful. Then I went to the UK and it was hell. From what I've seen its the leftist ideologies on education that has destroyed the teaching environment in the UK. I went back to very conservative Japan and teaching has been wonderful again.
@@jw841 i fully agree since punishment was abbolished by the leftie mob teaching has gone down hill , get back to reciting the times tables , spelling and adding and subtraction ,,plus how to count money and the value of each coin , this helps in later life but in a larger scale