I used to be a teacher

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humourless

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an elementary school teacher.
I was better with the 8 and 9 year olds. The 12 year olds were too cool for me. They didn't respect me. Not that the 8 /9 year olds respected me that much .
Anyway, I have this distinct memory of the kids I taught. when they reached grade 6 or 12 years of age, they looked down on me. "Oh here comes that dag Mr. Humourless. What a loser." That's my interpretation now but I think it pretty accurate. They probabaly thought to themselves "how did I even entertain the thought Mr.Humourless might be a good or cool or even interesting teacher!  I must have been blind and stupid and totally naïve."
Just one of he reasons I don't miss teaching.
 
No one read my scintillating story? I have lots of teacher related anecdotes.
I really envy the people who love their job and that of course includes teachers. Imagine waking up in the morning and thinking "oh great Im off to work again!"
 
I read it. Did you retire? Quit? The stories I hear coming out schools these days sounds like you got out in time.

My job pays the bills and affords me decent life. So I'm very thankful for that. But I'd be lying if I said it was what I wake up and look forward to everyday. I have no idea what kind of I work I could do realistically and love it and it pay me enough to live.
 
MissBehave said:
I read it 🎀
Does this give me extra creds? 😁


you go to the top of the special humourless list on here. congratulations


PandaSwag said:
I read it.  Did you retire?  Quit?  The stories I hear coming out schools these days sounds like you got out in time.

My job pays the bills and affords me decent life.  So I'm very thankful for that.  But I'd be lying if I said it was what I wake up and look forward to everyday.  I have no idea what kind of I work I could do realistically and love it and it pay me enough to live.


thanks for responding. im 61 now.I actually clean schools now which of course barely pays the bills. I do miss the money to be honest but my mental health is important too.
 
Being a teacher is a capital, yet thankless job. It takes a special kind of determination to do it, specially with younglings. My cousin's wife teaches 1st and second graders, I think its the second time I heard her say she was close to a breakdown. Probably something that happens way too often, specially nowadays when people seem to think raising kids is the school's job instead of theirs. So kudos. Totally get why you had to preserve your sanity, I specifically abandoned the pursuit because I doubt I could've made it without chaining one up to a chalkboard for two hours lol.

I remember conversations like the one you described in the locker rooms when I was in 6th grade. I was one of the rare ones who back then appreciated what it meant. But you can't tell your classmates that because, suddenly, you're "not cool". Funny enough, teachers would probably enjoy getting some thanks, once in a while. I tell my kids not to forget that.
 
The fact that I care or cared whether the kids liked me or not possibly shows the error of my ways. I was more interested in keeping them happy than challenging them to the next level and developing their confidence.
 
I was, 'cool,' person for a long time. Now, not so much. I had a friend who was a nerd, then, found his cool. A teachers job is to teach. I saw one of my college professors literally kind of half lose-her-honeysuckle publicly. She was awesome, though. I thought she was the cats meow. And, sadly, I don't think she even knew how awesome I thought she was. I think she was too concerned with her perceived failure and perhaps misunderstanding of me, to really even know how awesome I thought she was. I wrote her a letter expressing some thanks; but, never got a reply. I did the best I could in a tough situation in that class and she did too.

Who doesn't want to be the, 'cool,' teacher all the kids love? Not everyone can do that, though. Sometimes we aren't what we expect of ourselves and sometimes what we expect of ourselves is not who we are. I don't know if you are still qualified to teach; but, perhaps tutoring on the side would be an option? Maybe less stress to impress and more incentive to impart mastery of skills?
 
Losing passion. I've seen that a lot. Not just with teachers but in health care system too. It's hard to find those that keep that burning passion to help others. They get worn down by the system and how it keeps not helping some people. There are always someone that gets hurt by it. Or maybe by experiencing to many sad stories.
An ambulanse worker told me how distant he became to the things he was seeing. Death, murder, abuse, homelessness, despair. Things that started to wear him down and make him go cold. So the shielding prosses starts, some manage to keep their want to help and passion for making a difference. Some don't.
 

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