👩🏻🏫 WHY I QUIT TEACHING … my story
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ต.ค. 2022
- Hello, it is Andrea Michelle with The Longest Video of All Time!
No, but seriously. Sorry this is so long and I sound like I'm running out of breath by the end! You try talking for 30+ minutes straight!
Today I am telling you the somewhat sad story of how I decided to quit teaching elementary after only 3 years. There is a mass exodus of teachers right now and I know the "Great Resignation" has been going on for a couple years. I respect teachers SO much. They do so much more than anyone really thinks about or knows. It is such a taxing and emotional job. I wish I could have stayed in without sacrificing my mental well-being but it wasn't really an option. Maybe one day the profession will improve for all those who so greatly deserve it.
I am so happy to be in design now and get to do something I LOVE with better work/life balance. I miss my former students constantly but I know that being in a job that was unsustainable for me wasn't fair to them or myself. Please; thank a teacher. They are probably more tired/overwhelmed than you think and they are almost certainly struggling to pour from an empty cup in an effort to give all they can to their students. I know I was.
Thanks for listening! And teachers are heroes... amen!
Twitter: / hithereimandrea
I am a first year teacher and I am trying to get out. I’ve been interviewing and have been exploring different career options. I don’t understand how anyone can be in this career for multiple years, especially with how messed up the public education system is now. Absolutely no accountability for students and everything is somehow the teachers fault.
I feel for you, the first year is the hardest! Wishing you luck in your job hunt!
It's always always been the teacher's fault. I started teaching in 1979, retired in 2011. I tried to get out, took two breaks and tried other lines of work. Both times I went back to the classroom. At times it was sheer he _ _.
It is sad that so many take an expencive education and then do not like the work. Does nobody know about all the struggles?
When most Americans think of public schools, they think of the nationally popular radio show “Our Miss Brooks”. How well does that show compare to conditions in the schools today?
I want out so badly. I’m a sub, and I can’t get a job outside of education.
I hate it.
I just want everyone to take a good look at the comments here... these comments are EXACTLY why we are quitting teaching. That lack of empathy and horrid disrespect is exactly how all of your kids act.
As a father of the 6 year old daughter in a charter school kindergarten, I am also appalled by some of the suggestions in this comments section.
We actually live in a predominantly Latino neighborhood, so I do think most of the kids do have some concept of respect.
I hope all teachers quit, you guys are being used by parents as babysitters not educators.
The state of education is sad! It’s a shame even very good teachers are leaving, the kids deserve better! ☹️
As a former teacher, I "liked" this comment.
Sorry, it’s worse than that, because a babysitter can choose who they babysit.
Only teachers staying are the one teaching wokeness
I have been teaching for 16 years and living from pay check to pay check, and You can feel how hard it is. The work never ends. I think you made a good decision. Wish you all the best.
Thank you- it is so challenging! Teachers deserve far better pay!
Thank you for what you do. Teachers are the real heroes of America - treated like disposable bodies while raising our future.
I’m so glad you have found a career you enjoy. Life is to short to “stick it out.”
Thank you! I feel truly blessed. And I totally agree, no regrets from me on leaving!
I'm in my second year teaching.
I'm still struggling with not being able to "shut my brain off"
I feel like I'm always working
I was the exact same way ❤️🩹 I hope things improve for you soon!
@@AndreaMichelleYT thanks
I'm a teacher from Spain, I've taught for 7 years now( In Spain). Last school year I went to the US to teach as a part of a teacher exchange program. That year got me question my whole career too. Never happened to me before
I’ve heard teaching abroad is SO different from the US! Mainly that abroad is much better, so sadly this doesn’t surprise me. 😞
I'm in year 15 (and with one foot out the door). What I don't understand is how parents can't handle their 1-2 kids, but get frustrated that we can't handle 150 (high school, up to 33 kids at a time) kids!!
Amen!!!
I am getting out of student teaching today. I’m so unhappy and don’t like where education is going.
I was very unhappy during student teaching also. Now, 11 years later, I'm considering leaving the profession. I only lasted this long, because I taught part time for 10 years.
I just finished my student teaching and graduated with my master's and credentials. I knew coming into this career that the system was broken. I knew what problems and issues I would face in this field. However, once I got to dip my feet into the water. The reality hits you differently.
I’m still going for it, no matter what. One thing I learned is that there are going to be dark times when you will have to rely on yourself and maybe your kiddos 😮
More than 20 years in and it NEVER gets easier. I'm still putting in late hours. The stress is horrible.
stress is even worse I think sometimes. 20 years and teaching in three different states.same problems different states
I resonated with this video so much. I am currently a 2nd grade teacher and am struggling with burnout and overall anxiety from the work load. I actually just put in my two weeks. I realize I need to put my mental health first. Thanks for sharing❤️
I hope your mental health improves! Best of luck on your new journey! 😊
Being treated like a child ...wow girl thanks for saying that. You really nailed it...sad truth
Reasons for leaving: horrible principal, horrible admin, racism, anti military, told I had to pay for everything I needed, which of course was EVERYTHING, being locked out of main offices because principal brought grandchildren to work (that’s where copy machine and supplies were), no support, constant criticism, no lunch break, misbehaving kids forced on me during my planning period, no time to even pee. Final straw: being downgraded on my observations because I didn’t have enough room. Seriously. Most horrible job on the planet.
The state of education is pretty sad nowadays, I don’t fault anyone for seeking other options! I personally am much happier since leaving!
If America's government run schools are in fact this bad then it's time to try privatization. Treat public education as they do in Asia, like a business; not as they do in the US, as just another government racket. Under a privatized system, good teachers would make more money and get bonuses, while the rest would be shown the door. America would finally get the better teachers and smarter students it so desperately needs. I'm betting that won't happen since teachers unions are the most powerful and most feared public sector unions the world has ever known. Besides, any politician with two brain cells to rub together knows that their political futures rest entirely upon doing whatever the teachers unions tell them to do. So it's damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead until the money runs out. And then they'll just print more. The federal government is now taxing people who've yet to be born, as Americans just aren't having kids at the same rate as they once did. This is why our government will allow immigration, both legal and illegal, to continue.
After 40+ years of teaching, I’m becoming increasingly convinced college is a huge waste of time and money for most people. Go only if you have a specific goal that requires it, and work at least a quarter time while doing so. Do not take out humongous loans you’ll regret.
It’s a very tough job that only teachers and their immediate family can see. I’m sure you feel so much healthier.
So much better! My ocular migraines, brain fog, and episodes of aphasia have entirely gone away. 😌
I think it’s pretty crazy that you turn 18 and you’re expected to choose a major. You’re 18. You don’t even know who you really are. I blame the high school counselors for aggressively pushing college right after hs instead of taking an active year off where you work/travel and figure it out.
I definitely wish I’d have thought the decision of changing my major through a bit more!
Or better yet, high schools should offer more vocational courses that are geared toward high schoolers figuring out where they want to go in life rather than requiring the typical, boring English, Math, Social Studies, etc
@@mmdmmj1 agreed. Parents too busy to guide Thor kids and rely on schools
Yep. College isn't for everyone. Trade schools set people up for good jobs. Military is also an option and you start getting hands on training after 10 weeks of basic training (boot camp)
"Everyone needs to go to college" is a babyboomer meme. I know guys that work for Raytheon fixing air defense systems making $100K that never went to college, let alone too the SAT or ACT
School counselor do a piss poor job of utilizing interest inventories and test scores to facilitate students planning for higher education and vocation. Just a simple Myers-Brigs and an ASVAB would save graduating students tens of thousands of dollars on useless college degrees.
I'm close to retirement but would not have stuck it out if I was 20 years younger. Lack of support for students with diverse needs is the biggest challenge in my experience. It's not that we don't care. We do!! It's just not a hill we are willing to die (literally) on.
100%!!! A lot of my former coworkers (included my admin) said the same thing. That they were happy I was exploring while I was young and I was always welcome to come back if needed but they’d probably be retired by then. 😅
I can’t see the new generation of teachers lasting 30 years I just can’t. Those days are done!
Apparently third year itch is a real thing in teaching. This is my 2nd year teaching and I'm most definitely not working as hard as I did last year.
I'm not staying behind. I'm not going above and beyond or volunteering for extra things. I only do things unless I'm told or the deadline is near. I don't have school email on my phone and never reply unless it's specifically directed at me with my name on the email. I've not be printing anything this year, it's all on Google classroom to save printing everything and it also saves precious planning time. I phone for help if behaviour gets out of hand. I do spreadsheets within my own time and don't rush things. I feel so much more relaxed. I leave about 20 minutes after students leave and only do a little bit of work at home (e.g. open all tabs and powerpoints on my computer for next day or a little bit of marking).
I don't care what anyone else says, but if teacher wellbeing and mental health in isn't prioritised, the teaching quality will be poor. Seriously. Students push the boundaries to see how much they can get away with and how little work they can do.
As staff, try the same. Stop going OTT and working so hard and see what happens. Because the way education is going, just being in the building with lessons prepared is enough. This doesn't mean you don't care about your students. It means you care about your health and your wellbeing that is vital for teaching good lessons, and this will rub off on your students education and wellbeing. There is nothing wrong with this!
Good luck and I'm sure you have made a good decision.
Taking my work email notifications off of my phone was game changing! 🙌🏼
Smart to get out at the three year mark. Teaching never gets any better. I made it 24 years and retired. Admin beats loving teachers to death and they enjoy doing it!
Yep- sadly three years was enough for me! Kudos for 24!! I’m so much happier/healthier now, hope you are as well!
Thank you for sharing your story. I’ve been trying to leave teaching since my 2nd year and now I’m on my 6th. I’m terrified of making another terrible decision. I moved into high school, which is so much better than elementary (I can use the bathroom!!) but I still need to get out. The problem is when? The past two weeks I’ve been running on less than 4 hours of sleep due to this job. It’s so hard to start something new. I know I’ll get out, though!
Having the courage to try something new is more than half the battle! 🤍 one thing that really helped me was speaking to colleagues and reminding myself that if something went awry I could always go back! But now I don’t foresee that ever happening.
This video made me realize as a kid I should have told a classmate to stop bothering the teacher. The kid was a real jerk.
Hahaha epiphanies!
Lord Jesus I pray I get blessed with an at home job so I can be a mom and wife 😭
I’m on year 3 of teaching and it’s too much.
Praying this happens for you! 🙌🏼 you could perhaps consider teaching some type of virtual school to give you that work from home flexibility while still staying in the field! Just one option of many!
It is too much. I worked 81 hours a week in 3rd grade. It's a testing year for students and I was also grade chair. I needed work-life-balance and don't get me started about student behavior....
I feel the same. I love my kids and admin was supportive but the amount of money I had to spend to fund my classroom all while being paid so little plus working 60 hour weeks. It's just not worth it. If they pay teachers more I would go back but until then I found a job that pays way more for doing less work.
They need to have a separate secretary for teachers to help with decorating and contacting parents and the other minor stuff
I definitely agree with you on your comment
That would be so helpful! I thought about that, if every teacher had an assistant to do all the administrative work (grading, making copies, sending out communication to parents, planning field trips, managing absences and make up work) it would be sooo different
I retired last year after 21 years of teaching. My life is blissful right now without undisciplined students, entitled parents, and fake “I understand what you’re going through” administrators.
Happy retirement! I hope you are soaking up all the peace and quiet these days. 😂😄
Middle school teacher here ... I went back to teaching last year after a really long hiatus of being a SAHM. Teaching is a whole different world since I left. Covid really changed things dramatically. However, it's also just dealing with constant BS either from admin, co-workers that are hard to work with, difficult parents, students with significant educational needs or emotional problems, not to mention the insane workload. Let's not forget the ridiculous meetings that are pointless, or the lack of planning periods. I will give another year a shot, but honestly I'm not sure I can stick it out beyond that. I'm looking for a new job in a new school, so I guess I'll see how it goes.
Yes! I never really got to experience teaching “pre-COVID” (other than internships) but I heard from many of my more experienced co-workers that things shifted drastically for the worse. 😞
@@AndreaMichelleYT just started teaching after a military career. Middle school students don't understand they need to do homework and lack any work ethic.
They got accustomed to school being "sitting at home and playing on phone while on Zoom" and figure if they drag their feet it will eventually go back to that.
It will take 4-5 years for the new cohort of students to come about that will be back to somewhat normal. However current batch of students are ruined and need tons of repair
I've decided to give teaching another try except this time through an agency. I'm going in with the attitude that I have needs and not wants.
I just quit my teaching job, in California, after 22 years. Everything you said in this video is true. The profession needs a major overhaul. Due to its dysfunctional nature you will be emotionally drained and your attitude will become extremely negative about the job. You will feel like your dreams of teaching (and making a difference) are being crushed! And, yes, the workload is tremendous and the pay is crap. Kudos! Your heart was in the right place...💙
Thank you for your kindness. 😊 I don’t regret my decision for a second, and I hope you find your experience to be the same! Cheers!
Thank you for making this video. There is so much I want to say. I quit teaching a few months ago, mid-year because it was destroying my soul and I was no longer taking care of myself. Just...thank you for this video. Thank you. Truly.
I’m glad this video helped you to feel heard & understood. I am even more glad you got out of a situation that was causing you emotional distress! I felt the exact same way, and I hope you find happiness in whatever you decide to do next! The sky is the limit now!
When I was growing up,m (2000 - 2012) none of my teachers seemed as stressed as my colleagues and I seem now. They certainly weren’t leaving left and right.
Totally- many of my own elementary teachers have been in the profession for around 30 years and they’ve said that it’s never been as bad as it has the past 5-ish years.
Thank you so much for sharing. I am a 27 year veteran teacher and feel stuck. I have made the decision to transition from the teaching profession for my own mental and physical health. Some of us stay way too long reminiscing of the good times. I’m so glad that you got out when you did.
Thank you! I definitely heard from my more experienced coworkers that it used to be completely different (see also: better) than it is today. Which is unfortunate!
I’m so tired of this. A student threw up all over her desk and the floor yesterday. I told administration and they just told me to push her desk to the back. We had to stay in the room the rest of the day. The vomit was still there when I got in today and it smelled sooooo bad. Luckily I finally convinced them to get the janitor in….. ugh I hate it here
Oh no! That sounds unsanitary for all the students and you… I’m so sorry you had to work in those conditions! Hope your student is feeling better and no one else caught the bug!
@@MeowCatTrio I ended up quitting. I realized it wasn’t worth it
Thanks. I just cried alone in my class after my Grade 2s. They don't stop talking, no matter what I do. I'm a specialist music teacher in a Private school. I cried while brushing my teeth this morning, and my mom noticed and had to console me. 3 months in, and .... I'm not sure this role is for me anymore. I'm going to start sending resumes tonight. Thanks for sharing your light, and "there is always something to be thankful for" is really helpful for me at this moment.
I’ve definitely been there and am so sorry you’re going through a tough time in the classroom 😔 sending you all the good vibes for success in sending out your resume!
This is my 15th school year. My first 7 or so were great years- then I started getting classes from hell with seriously disturbed students (some of which are currently in prison for serious crimes). It broke my teaching soul. I started seeing all of these issues a few years before the pandemic so as much as people like to blame Covid, that just isn't true. Apathy, overbearing parents, and unrealistic district expectations are pushing many of us away and out. I feel sad because I dedicated my life to this profession, and don't want to leave, but this has become unsustainable.
How do You think the future is? Teacher shortage? Problems getting new?
Here in scandinavia There is also issues but pay is getting better. . Kids with problems here too. One kod did bite my brother. My sister in law was so tired that she cried .
Great video! As a former teacher myself, I can totally relate to these mistakes. It's so important for educators transitioning into new careers to be aware of these pitfalls. Thanks for sharing!
American society has devolved to a point where teaching school is no longer possible.
What can we do? That’s what I want to scream out in the world.
We all don’t believe each-other, we’re all so divided now. It’s almost like it’s on purpose .
We’re all in this together.
Thank You for accommodating the kids that needed it! Good Luck in your new journey
Thank you. 🤍 I cherish the memories with the 70-ish students I did get to teach over my 3 years!
Hi Andrea. Just came across your video and I am currently in the same boat. I’ve been teaching for five years and am currently on sick leave for burnout and anxiety. I find it encouraging to see that there are other teachers out there who left the profession and are doing well. Thank you ❤
I know that feeling of burnout and anxiety all too well :/ I hope you are able to heal and find something else you can look forward to! I don’t regret my decision for a second- it was what I needed! There are just so many options out there! Sending you all the best wishes! 🥰
I’m on that’s same boat. I’ve been teaching for 5 years. I’m about ready to leave the profession.
I respect your decision completely. I was in a similar boat. Teaching took a toll on my health.
Society will no longer allow teaching......it is sad
I 100% relate, my health has improved significantly since leaving. At one point I had 13 ocular migraines in a month and now I can’t remember the last time I had one!
Just happen to come across your video and I am glad I did. In fall of 2019 I graduated for elementary Ed. However I have yet to start in the career field. I was even an EA just to make sure I wanted to be in the schools. I love it, but I don’t think I can mentally handle the stress. Or even physically because I have a lot of medical issues. Although, I am sort of struggling to find another profession. I am hopeful I can find something, because I am unsure teaching is for me. It is definitely a lot! I admire teachers, but it is so tough. And I had no idea how hard this job is. I admire your story tho. You stuck through a lot of major changes! Thank you for your real story.
Thank you for watching! It was an extremely turbulent 3 years for me. I learned a lot and grew a lot from the experience for sure!
Hope you are still doing well - IT is an amazing world - there is sooooo much under the hood that you can get into (and if you have the drive, desire, and aptitude it can be extremely rewarding - my passion was databases and back-end servers (including middle tier servers) - even the buzzword "Cloud" is still just a different front-end to the "real" back-end). Word of warning though, IT can consume you if you let it (and, if you move into management, be sure you understand what that means in the long run - some love it, some hate it).
My wife is an awesome 2nd grade teacher, she loves her job. BUT, student behavior is out of control. And there are no consequences and little support from Admin. I’m not sure how much longer she can continue. Teacher morale at her school is in the toilet.
I’m glad she loves her job. I understand the lack of student consequences completely. I hope things improve for her. 😔
Thank you for being so candid on this. You worked hard and had a tough experience through Covid to add to everything else that comes with being a new teacher.
I think Covid has taught a lot of us that time is short, we get one shot at life and we have to be happy and healthy. I am glad you feel better for choosing another career right now.
One of the good things is that you have your qualifications and lots of experience, nobody can take that away.
Maybe one day in the distant future you could tutor privately. There are always options, we have to be brave and stand up for ourselves and sometimes take a whole new direction. X
Thank you! That really means a lot! 🥲 it was a decision I pondered for months and months and I am glad I finally got the courage to do it! It was so hard to leave but staying and sacrificing my mental health would have been even harder. Thanks again for your support! 🤍
I'm so sorry you went through this, Andrea, it must be terrible to invest so much time and effort into what you think at the time is your passion, only for it to fall through. I can't imagine the stress you must have gone through, it really seems like teaching demands so much of you but barely gives anything in return, the whole school system is so screwed up. I hope your career as a UI and UX designer works out for you, honestly, you seem like you're so smart and talented and I think you would excel at whatever you choose to do. I've really been enjoying your channel so far, I appreciate you taking time from your busy schedule to make these videos.
Thank you for your kindness! I do miss my former students dearly, they were the best. I’m sad things didn’t go the way I’d hoped or planned but I’m thankful to be in the industry I am now! I feel like there’s lots of potential! I hope to make some new videos soon!
@@AndreaMichelleYT You're welcome, at least you're a lot happier now, and less stressed, I hope everything goes well for you. Nice! Glad to hear it, I'll be looking forward to them, I've been checking out some of your older ones, too.
Watching the whole entire video now. Thank you so much for sharing your story and experience here.
Thanks for watching! :)
@@AndreaMichelleYT no problem 😌
I was not officially a teacher, but I worked in special education when I was in college and I learned quickly that teaching was not for me. I became an accountant just because I love the quiet lol.
The thumbnail of this video hit me in the gut. You seem like a genuinely kind soul who went into the teaching profession to make a difference. I’m sorry you didn’t stay long in teaching, but I sincerely wish you well.
Working in SPED is truly for those who have a calling, I think. I could not have done it! I’m glad you landed in something that brings you more peace (hopefully). Although my fiancé is an accountant and although quiet, I know it has its own, entirely different share of stress!
Thank you for your kindness. I definitely had a tough realization (and a lot of tears) when I realized I had made myself miserable. But I’m happy at least for the three years I was there I was able to give it my all and make a difference for those 65-ish students. 😊
@@AndreaMichelleYT
Yes, I worked with wonderful kids but the parents were awful. I was also not willing to be hit, scratched, and kicked for $15 an hour. Being an accountant is certainly stressful, but I am left to my own devices and I don’t even need to see my clients in person.
I have massive respect for teachers and I hope they keep leaving in droves so that reformation does happen. Things need to change.
Great info....all student teachers should have to watch your video...I've been at it for 28 yrs. I wish I could have seen this video when I first started.
I wish I’d have had a deeper understanding of what the profession was really like before I was in my final year of college! Thanks for watching my video! 😊
Good for you. I went into teaching and taught abroad and in the States and I went back to my former non teaching job this year and I'm so much happier. I had a baby during teaching and it was stressful. I wfh now too and get to see my child and it's lovely.
I’m so glad you get to spend more time with your child now and are happier! My stress levels are so much lower now and I’m looking forward to knowing I’ll have more time and patience for my own children one day!
I enjoyed hearing your story, I am in a similar boat and plan to leave teaching this year (my 2nd year). I have always been interested in graphic design and art related things. Youve inspired me to look into ui/ux for my next career. I start UX design labs next month. Thank you!
That’s great! I am loving being in UI/UX/product design now! I hope you have a similarly positive experience! 😊
What the hell are these comments asking if she has only fans. Leave her alone and only comment if you are showing support.
I completely understand how you feel and I wish you the best. I’ve seen teachers get into recruiting and onboarding after they leave teaching. Easy field to switch over into!
because she's a 7/10 and she needs someone strong and fierce like u to save her from the internet
She's crazy hot tho 😂😂
‘Teachers see the children more than they see their parents on a given weekday.’
And we wonder what the problem is?
Trust me, seeing the parents more often doesn't make this situation any better. If they ever show up, they just come to fight with you, the teacher, about their kids' grades. If parents actually stepped up, did the parenting and enforced some consequences if their children act up, teachers wouldn't have to see them all year.
I used to be a UI developer and now I’m going into teachers college because of carpal tunnel and other wrist issues. Thank you for sharing your story although it did not help with my anxiety. I feel like UI/Ux is more dependent on intelligence but not so much on mood. You can get work done even in a bad mood. But in teaching, mood has such a huge impact on everything you do. You could be having a bad day but still have to show up to class at 8 AM and deal with whatever random situation and make good decisions on the spot.
Thanks for watching! I agree- the stresses are completely different between Product Design and teaching, for me at least. Some people thrive in a high-energy environment! But personally, my social battery just got drained so quickly. I think maybe highly extroverted people do better at careers like teaching.
Teaching is definitely an under appreciated/paid field for sure, I have a few teacher friends in similar positions and from what I've heard from them, the challenges are pretty consistent to what you mentioned in this video. Glad you found something that gives you a little more flexibility and less chaos though! 🙌
Let your teacher friends know I am thinking of them! It’s really rough out there, especially the past few years. 🥲 Sad that it seems like the choices are to sacrifice your sanity, your quality of teaching (and just leaving work undone to get back an ounce of free time), or just leaving the profession. I don’t blame anyone for wanting to leave, I’m so much happier! It’s just sad the kids are ultimately the ones who will suffer. 😕
Great video, I have been teaching for over 20 years and year it hasn’t been easy so I feel your pain, how old are you? and congratulations on finding something that you enjoy.
I’m 25! I started teaching right after I graduated college and turned 22.
@@AndreaMichelleYT wow, that is young, you still have your whole life ahead of you to explore different avenues, do whatever makes you happy, don’t bring your self into the ground when it comes to doing a job that you hate.
Everything you’ve said I relate to 100000%. I quit last week. I tried to make it to December, but there was no way. Only made it 2.3 years, but I’m so relieved to be done. There are so many more sustainable careers. Thank you for sharing!!!
Glad you enjoyed the video! And best of luck on your new journey! 😊
Even as a full-time student teacher, you don't get the whole picture of what the job involves. I kind of wonder if they do that on purpose...
That’s an interesting point! I think at the end of the day it would be almost impossible to replicate because as a student teacher you aren’t there the entire year, and the student’s parents also know you are not the actual teacher so the vibe is very different.
Good job being an advocate for yourself, very proud of you
Congratulations on your new journey!!! Can you make a video with advice on transitioning to tech? ❤
Sure! I’d be happy to do that!
I want to thank you so much for sharing your story! Also want to apologize on behalf of others' rude comments -- people are weird. Anyhow, I was also unsure about my career path so ended up double majoring in communications and elementary education. I ended up becoming a teacher and share so many similarities with the working conditions you shared. My last year teaching, I was literally starting to feel like I was in an abusive relationship with teaching. I made it five years, just long enough to qualify for student loan forgiveness and get the pension. I had a lot of guilt/shame surrounding leaving but the working conditions are just ridiculous. I'm now a therapist and it is a welcome change.
Thank you for your kindness! I was not expecting this video to reach this wide of an audience. Double-majoring is a wise decision, probably one I should have considered. I totally agree that it can get to a point where it feels like an abusive relationship and I did a lot of internal bargaining on whether or not I should stay or go. I’m in the same boat as you- so much better off now in my new career field! I’m glad you found something that makes you happy! Thanks for watching! 😊
Great video. I am a fifth year middle school teacher. I too quit after my third year (for reasons similar to yours), did substituting for a year and returned to the classroom. Nevertheless, I will probably only teach one more year before finding a job with more work/life balance. Still, I will always be honored to have been an educator.
I completely understand! Work/life balance is so important! 💕 wishing you all the best in wherever your career takes you!
I’m currently in the healthcare field and I want to switch careers. I’m happy that you were able to find something that you really enjoy now and gives you some work/life balance. Could you maybe do a day in the life for the current position you’re in?
Hi! I filmed a video about my current job and will post it soon! Just need to edit it! :)
Healthcare is a death sentence. You can definitely make big bucks, but it will come at a cost; long hours, disgruntled nasty co-workers, and administrative control that wants you to do the job of 3 people.
Love this story.
This thing of "It's my calling"... like some mysterious force that says, "You are meant to teach." To me it's nonsense.
and it plays a role into educators allowing themselves to get abused financially and even physically.
I’ve met people who have said they can’t imagine themselves doing anything else but teaching which is fine and I’m happy for them! But I agree- so many people resign to the fact that they will be overwhelmed and underpaid in their jobs, and it’s so sad!! It doesn’t have to be that way!
I quit too. I could definitely relate to your story
The part about the Sims connecting with your love for design resonated with me. I’m a burnt out teacher and I think I’d love to work with city planning due to playing Cities Skylines. lol.
The Sims is really out here setting up our new life paths! 😂
I feel identified with you in the 100% things you said... I couldn't agree more! I've been a teacher for 5 years now, I'm 30 years old... The problem is that I don't have another job....
A great thing about teaching is you have the summertime as a built in “break” to explore other options or take certification classes! That’s what I did, at least!
I was in the classroom for 8 years and I had to make some big changes this year. I am now private tutoring and I've been thinking about training to be a UX/UI designer. I love teaching, but I'm starting to hate being in education.
I completely get it! I loved the actual teaching part of my day as well! Sadly there were so many other things to do/worry about! I love UI & UX and highly recommend it thus far! 😊
She should not have to do all the paperwork and communication for new students .It is the job of administration to communicate with parents about all policies, so teachers have time to do teaching
Agreed. Unfortunately every teacher I know has had to take on all of that. I will say, I worked at large schools with around 1,000 students or more so that probably makes a difference.
They just keep giving teachers more and more.
I think the future of teaching might be teacher teams in one class. Although there is pride and a feeling of success to have your very own classroom, I think things have changed today and a team of 3-4 people maximum could teach a class and they could all communicate when one is going to be out sick or take turns working from home to grade ect. A team could help with the overwhelming amount of duties for one person. (Emails, adapting for iep’s, lesson planning, classroom mgmt ect.)
I think I would have stayed in teaching (for longer than I did, at least) if I could have had the ability to co-teach! 🤍 Being in a classroom with only children and being the sole adult responsible for all of it is very isolating and draining! I think a co-teacher would have completely transformed my experience!
I think the pains of being a teacher are found in many other industries where there is often a lack of time and resources to achieve what the company demands. That said, there are certainly jobs and careers that are better than others. Of course it depends on the individual as well. I also like creating, where in most of jobs that involved repair, there was a fair amount of creating, which was my favorite part even though fixing problems was also fun in that you had to put on your detective hat and examine the clues to figure out who cause the problem. I think if computers and the internet would have been around when I was trying to figure out my career I would have chosen that path. I have built computers, learned programming which includes web design, but it has mostly been at the hobby level and very little at my jobs.
I've been a parapro for a few years and loved it so much. I've been wanting to go to college to pursue a career in teaching but after seeing what all the teachers go through, I didnt think it would be worth it to pay for college just to go through all that crap when I already get payed pretty well just to be a parapro so i decided to stick to that. I'm lucky enough to be in a district that pays more than the average in my state.
Teaching is tough when you have bad unruly kids
Behaviors can be difficult to navigate! Especially when there are students who cannot easily assimilate into the classroom norms because of special circumstances. They deserve better support! It’s so sad!
This video is exactly what I needed, I'm thinking about getting into the same thing! Thanks so much for your insight! Do you have any credible sources or places to help someone break into that field / industry?
A word of encouragement..... I taught iniversoty, then two years pf Grade 4. Loved the kids but they are exhausting. Parents were good. Admin.... Not so great. Studied comp programming, ended up administering co
phone system. Then back to adult day high school.... The best of all! They wete migrants/refugees, and wanted t
Learn English. their attendance was checked by social support system. We had fun.
Few young ppl nowadays will have only one career for life. I tell them thatm im 80.
It’s also hard as parents when it comes to special need child. I know that you had to document everything and we thank you for that. The doctors wants the school to deal with the situation and vice versa for the teachers. When my son went to preschool, I knew something was up. Teachers are afraid to diagnose and doctors were just giving us the runaround. Even though we keep going back to the doctors. He was not properly diagnose until he was in 5th grade. He went to kindergarten and by first grade we decided to homeschool him until 5th grade. Even though I homeschooled my child, he also had in person classes twice a week. I stayed with him in class for a couple of months, stayed in the lobby of the school so he can still see me and eventually I would leave him and do my errands.
It can definitely be challenging to advocate for the kids who really need support! I documented for an entire year, and finally got IEP meetings at the very end of the year. I imagine getting smaller class size/placements for the students who need it would take several more years. It’s a shame. 🙁
If you want to teach, do it at the university level. Better pay, more autonomy and you don't have to deal with parents.
Interesting idea!
Half of all university instructors are part time adjuncts with no benefits.
not better pay, and still more pressure
apparently now parents are contacting professors even though legally the professors can't tell them anything about their kids. so bad behavior is definitely creeping into college as well
I'm working Going to College This year My Major this year is workplace critical thinking I'm Excited Go Back to college when i was little i knew that i wanted to be a English Teacher and Help My students Be Better students should Always listen to teachers and parents should Always listen to students and learn from their mistakes and make the right decision and choices I'm Going to put Behavior Mangement in My Classroom
As someone quitting real estate this year after 7 years - a real estate major is NOT necessary. I swear some successful realtors are practically illiterate. They delegate everything.
That is why you always have to go for your passion. It doesnt matter how many oportunities about it there are of its a good idea from somebody elses eyes.. you will make it work because you love.
When you setle for something else then what happens is that even if you can find plenty of jobs you will eventually quit and its not worth it
I miss the students but not the job! I’m so happy for anyone who can find joy in the profession though!
@@AndreaMichelleYT no no, I was saying we should all choose what we feel passionated about, because when you truly love a job it will go well for you.
I was not saying you should find joy in teaching, I totally understand why you left.
I was saying society encourages people to go for the more aparently save and secure options , when it should encourage us to go for our passions.
I also think in America probably being a teacher is specially hard because of the harsh competitive culture there.
If you had the discipline to study all this time, that means you can do so well in anyhing you truly like
"Learn to code" is a real thing. Awesome.
I admire those who can do it well!!!
@@AndreaMichelleYT No, I was talking about YOU!.
I left teaching and became a software engineer, have never looked back. The job market is a lot worse now than it was a few years back though.
Your experience resonated with me except I knew right as I graduated that I needed to go into something else. I was just disappointed and realized for the same time investment I should have been taking data analytics, business, real estate ect. An education degree does give you transferable skills but there is no substitute for the hard skills you need for a business or government management position. Education classes were awesome but a young 17/18/19 year old is not going to know how a job differs from the class IE planning for special Ed vs. not having the resources, funding, or team. Homeless or at risk kids also deserve way more assistance then they get. We did things like help kids wash their laundry, but it was hard to go home imagining that they were living in a camper or tent. Couldn’t shut my brain off either.
I quit teaching last month as well.. . I just could NOT get my juniors to pay attention! The phone's, the disrespect etc.
I can’t imagine the cell phones! I taught kindergarten so didn’t have to deal with that but I’m sure that’s just yet another difficult thing to manage day in and day out
Same happened to me. I just quit🥹
I see so much content like this that discourages me. I know the education system is messed up but I'm seriously considering becoming a Spanish teacher. I don't want to regret it but I want to at least try and give it a shot.
I will say- although teaching wasn’t for me long term, I don’t necessarily regret the years I spent as a teacher. They taught me a LOT about a lot of things. Patience, time management, quick thinking, adaptability. So I’d look at it this way; if you truly want to go for it, maybe you’ll love it or maybe you’ll learn from it!
Not to mention, being a former teacher made a huge difference in my interviews for my current job. People know if you can handle being a teacher you are likely a hard worker who does well at listening and collaborating with others. 😄
I love being a teacher but yeah, it's not an easy career path.
Worse so, teachers are not given the treatment they deserve.
It's still the most taxing job I have ever done/still doing and love too.
Teaching is a job people must be passionate about to be able to stay/give what it takes to be successful! 🤍 I’m so glad your students have someone like you teaching them!
Congrats on your career change to UX UI design. It really inspires me to wanna study UX UI because I work at Sherwin Williams and they do not offer a legit 1 hour lunch. You can still eat lunch but it doesn't matter if 1 customer comes in or 100 customers come, you're forced to stop eating and help them out. It is stressful, especially during the summer because everyone and their mother wanna paint their house. Color blind karens are the worst, always seeing yellow color cards as brown for some reason.
Anyway, bottom line, I want a career change too, just like you and your story is very inspiring.
I’m glad this video inspired you and I hope you find success pursuing UI/ UX!
I have done voluntary teaching assistant experience in my country in the UK and in a Chicago Christian heritage academy yes ago. I applied for teaching assistant jobs but never got interviews because I'm not a parent yet and they prioritise taking parents on as teaching assistants. I loved volunteering as a teaching assistant but I don't have the time now if it's not earning me anything.
Really where? Let me guess, the US. This is a country where there are stupid requirements just to have a below the minimum wage job. Hence, why the high homeless and unemployment rate and the recessions in the US, land of broken dreams.
"I walk this lonely road down the boulevard of broken dreams."
Hi, I am literally on the same boat you were on right now. 2nd year and feeling "over it" What course did you take online for design? I have been shopping around for options. Did slight contract work as well this past summer! relate to this video ALOT.
I did the Google UX Certificate on Coursera, as well as ShiftNudge and the Design Full Time course! Also learned from experience doing part time/contract work before landing my first full time role in it!
I taught for 32 years and loved it except I had differences with the principal towards the end, so I ended up retiring. Teaching is so much work and if you don’t have a true passion for teaching it’s best for one to do something else.
Are you also in an abusive relationship? Education treats teachers like a battered wife. This ‘true passion’ is bullshit. NO ONE should put up with being treated this way! You being dismissive & disrespectful is a huge part of the problem. The answer is no, she is choosing not to be treated like crap like you put up with for so long.
I’m not in an abusive relationship with my students. If I could have just closed my door and teach my kiddos it would have been great. I taught in Texas in an affluent district. I adored my kiddos. The principal is the reason I left.
@@annamariemiller3877 it’s never the kids - it’s the adults but your ‘you couldn’t cut it unless you’re passionate’ toxic garbage indicates that you were, in fact, in an abusive relationship with teaching. The holier than thou attitude is just disgusting.
I was not treated in an abusive matter until the year I retired. At this point I’ve been retired for about 11 years. At the end of the day no teaching job is perfect 100% of the time. I loved being with my students and the last year I taught the principal was just to hard to work with, so after 32 years I retired. You can say whatever you want Miss Mary Jane, but you don’t know me and weren’t teaching with me. You can think whatever you want. Best of luck to you.
@@annamariemiller3877 twatwaffle
Could you make a video about your new career ? I am very interested to know more about it.
I definitely need to! Now that I’ve been at my new job for almost six months I feel like I’m well equipped enough to speak on how it’s been for me! I will plan on making a video talking all about it soon! 💕
@@AndreaMichelleYT Thank you for answering me. I am looking forward to watch your next video. I am thinking to take some courses to learn about that profession.
What’s the job?
@@user-fy3nf3lg2j UX Designer!
Your mental health and quality of life will be much better leaving teaching . There are may fulfilling carees outside teaching. I left teaching and found options for good and rewarding careers.
I absolutely LOVE my career now! I go to work happy almost every day. 😊
No doubt about that... Every teacher and principal I've run into by chance a year after they retired always looked 15 years younger(!) than I last saw them. No joke. The bags under the eyes, the weight gain, the bad skin... all gone.
So sad. This might be me in a few years. Hoping that I get a good, sustainable position next year!
Hoping for the best for you!
Hi Andrea.
I have a degree in computer science with a concentration in software engineering (recent graduate). I haven't been able to find a job. I would love to do what you're doing as a UI/UX designer.
Do you have any tips or suggestions for what I could do to get into that field?
Thank you,
Aaron
Are you serious?! I’m pursuing a degree in computer science right now. It’s that hard to get a job in this field? Wow
@@lovingme6896 Yes, the CS field is SUPER oversaturated right now and getting worse (at least in USA). People are leaving other industries (restaurant, teaching, retail) to go into tech. The competition is huge right now, but you have a MAJOR advantage with a degree. People are transitioning to tech right now because of covid and with the major cons of working in other fields, CS is the way to go. The complaints of other fields are the same: low pay, shitty hours, rude customers/students/parents/admin/managers. Who wants to be a server for $2? Or deal with an angry, irate customer yelling personal insults for minimum wage? Many people are realizing IT is ideal for themselves bc of the excellent pay, self reliance, work benefits (health insurance, parental leave, medical leave, etc), and most IT jobs are not terribly difficult (as long as youre qualified)
Edit: @lovingme6896 And with inflation, rising housing costs, along with minimum wage not matching a REASONABLE amount to live off of (not to mention most places refuse to hire full time. they only hire part time), retail, restaurants, and other "entry" jobs are simply not worth it for many people right now
@@lovingme6896 Yeah, it can be tough. If you are fortunate enough to build connections with people in the industry then you can get in or if you are very skilled and have impressive projects you can show, but for someone who has a degree and not much else, it is hard. Even "entry level" positions want years of experience.
I got my current job through a recruiter finding me on LinkedIn! It was sort of a right place at the right time scenario because I was brand new and my company was looking to build up a new team from scratch. Their main goal was to find people who were good collaborators rather than relying solely on experience. I think being really honest about where you’re at in a job interview will be important- a company that cares about having a strong team of people who are willing to learn will appreciate that!
@@lovingme6896 I know people with computer science degrees who also have a hard time finding jobs, even when they have years of experience. They are laying a lot of people off from the tech industry.
There are also problems with being overworked and so forth in the tech industry.
“Stress related illnesses” .. and I subscribed
❤️
Teaching is not for everyone, at least long-term.
It really is a calling.
I left in 2022 after 20+ years in the classroom, and about 30 years of working with kids.
I left because I felt like my effectiveness was not where I wanted it to be. I left with my mind and health intact.
I loved my first-grade peeps. I had a superhero class, and I miss seeing them terribly.
But, it was time to go.
Good for you for recognizing when it was time to step away, it is not easy. 🤍
@@AndreaMichelleYT I miss seeing my kids. I have gone back to see them a couple of times, and they told me they were unhappy that I left. I know that it was for the best.
Good luck to you. You seem to be a kind and caring person… I’m sure the Lord has great plans for you. 🙂
Hey Andrea, do you plan on bringing the awesome car vlogs back?😍
I sure do!!
@@AndreaMichelleYT Great! Love you!
I'm curious as to what coding camp you enrolled in! *fellow teacher here*
Hi there! So, while I was considering doing a coding bootcamp I ended up going down the UI/UX design path! While doing contract work, I also enrolled in the Coursera UX Google Certification, as well as the ShiftNudge (by Matt D Smith) & Design Full Time (by Dann Petty) courses!
Teachers quit mid-year so they don’t have to wait until the completion of the school year. I did it twice. In fact the first time I quit I walked out immediately without even waiting until the end of the day because the principal, a nun, burst into my room to scream at me in front of the kids. I simply put my coat on and walked out right then and there, then drove away in my car leaving my desk in the room. The second time I quit I told the principal that I would finish the day and promised to not tell any of my remaining classes that I had quit. That was the most pleasant afternoon I ever spent in that inner-city hell hole. Ideally everyone should quit right now and force the schools to immediately convert to brick and mortar online academy. Since nobody wants to pay teachers a living wage that is all the asshole free-loading parents deserve. The reason the parents are freeloaders is because they’re sponging off of the taxpayers while driving all of the teachers nuts.
I had a good relationship with my principal and assistant principal, and so for that reason I decided to stick it out until the end of the school year. Plus, by the time I got my other job fully lined up (contract signed etc) there was only about a month left in the school year. But I get that it doesn’t work that way for lots of people!
Many teaching jobs are so marginal in terms of pay and working conditions and then you get administrators who are walking encyclopedias of personality disorders. I quit a parochial school because the crazy nuns were going off on parents and teachers literally screaming at us in front of the kids. Then at the ghetto high school we had a principal who’d been a WWII MP who liked to chase the kids around the building handcuffing them to the railings to collect them on the way back to the office and if you defended yourself against a student assault by punching out some teenager who’d punched you in the head several times they’d ask for you resignation as if this was all your fault. To me teaching is actually worse than simply an extremely ridiculous job that’s not worth bothering with. I’m convinced it’s gotten to the point where teachers really need to be automated out of existence and all of secondary school be reorganized into GED style composer labs with tutors instead of teachers.@@AndreaMichelleYT
Correction: computer labs not composer labs.
This is my 20th year of teaching and the last three years have been a nightmare. Where did you find these coding courses?
I researched coding boot camps but ultimately decided to go forward doing the UX design course by Google! It’s offered through a monthly subscription on Coursera. I think the most valuable thing was getting on-the-job experience with contract work. I was able to put that on my resume prior to landing a full time job!
15:33 in Spain the ask they students to do that and they’re more than willing to
That is nice of them! The students I taught were much too young to help in that way! Plus, it’s a liability.
I quit teaching 34 years ago. It was already unbearable even then, but since the bastard offspring of Dubya Bush’s dim mind, “no child left behind” was introduced, the public schools have been reduced to custodial daycare institutions where it is virtually impossible to segregate, much less get rid of, chronic disciplinary offenders because once they’ve been diagnosed with any sort of psychiatric disorder they become members of a privileged class of persons known as “special needs” who are on an “IEP” and who cannot be suspended more than nine days per year, or so I’ve been told. By way of contrast, back in the dim recesses of the early to mid twentieth century big city school districts in particular had institutions casually referred to as “bad boys’ schools” where the real dirt-bags where kept isolated lest they spoil every last school building with their obnoxious behavior. But apparently such measures are now considered reactionary and unenlightened. With this in mind it should come as no surprise that no one wants to teach school anymore.
Very accurate post
What people fail to appreciate is that it is simply not possible to guarantee that everyone will succeed in school. Perhaps only the top third of the school population could be considered “college material”. The other kids need trades training not incomprehensible to persons with low IQs liberal arts.@@robertcuba5947
You’re brave!! what do you do now?
I’m a UX designer at a finance company!
For quitting something hard?
I went through a similar process, but it ended a lot quicker.