TheApple

Since there is a similar theme about those who love teaching, I thought it only fair to offer a spot to sound off about what you don't love.  

johnslat says ...

Meddlesome, ignorant administrators (NOT all of them, of course - heck, I WAS an administrator for five years.)

Paperwork (some is necessary, but, in my experience, a lot isn't.)

Students with 'tude (although I have to admit that I enjoy the challenge of changing that 'tude.)

Meetings (I have seldom, if ever, attended a "staff meeting" where anything constructive was accomplished.)

Ditto, ditto, Entitled students, ditto.

Thanks for making it easy.

Parents who have no desire to help their child learn, and become a well rounded student, and then adult .  I should not care more about the child's education than the parent does.  Parents should know what their child is learning, when they are being tested, and how they can help them if need be.   Isn't this what parenting is all about?

johnslat says ...

Meddlesome, ignorant administrators (NOT all of them, of course - heck, I WAS an administrator for five years.)

Paperwork (some is necessary, but, in my experience, a lot isn't.)

Students with 'tude (although I have to admit that I enjoy the challenge of changing that 'tude.)

Meetings (I have seldom, if ever, attended a "staff meeting" where anything constructive was accomplished.)

I agree! Can I add problematic and meddlesome parents that feel they know your career better than you?

alex102 says ...

 I hate teaching because:

1. The new diploma is an accident waiting to happen

2. Key Skills

3. Retarded management

4. Kids can't read or write or have inclination to read or write

5. Shit money

6. After eight years on the job I think I'm trapped in this godforsaken profession

7. This job isn't about teaching anymore- its about pushing paper in an efficient manner.

Get out! If this is how you feel you should not be teaching. You are not doing any good for your students or yourself.

 1) I hate servicing people like octamom.

2) I hate servicing people who are either lazy, selfish, cocky or inflexible.

3) I HATE working with people that won't speak up for what they believe.

4) I hate not being able to tell others what I hate without being told, "If you don't like it, leave it." I LOVE it, but there are things I HATE.

Cindyx3 says ...

...I see so many teachers who really needed to retire, yet stay and hurt children.  I don't believe in tenure because teachers should be re-evaluated every five years or so to make sure that children are learning. 

It's true what they say, " One bad apple spoils the bunch." I think we need a more respectful and rigorous credentialing program at the federal level that weeds out the incompetence and really prepares teachers. It would mirror the rigor of doctors with internships.

If we are respected as professionals, we will rise to the occasion. Evaluating teachers every 5 years is a waste of time and money, in my view. Lets' spend that money on making the job doable (consistent funding for materials/resources, lowering class size, holding students accountable, maintaining respectable salaries).

  Let me  ask you all this, how much can you learn when you're full of stress and anxiety?

Part of the problem is that we have a public educational system that believes that EVERYTHING should be taught in the schools. This is problematic for 2 reasons:

One, we are rushed to do it all, as you mention. As a result, we buy into this frantic pace. I say screw 'them". Do what you know is right. Less is more.

Two, it assumes that the school system will somehow transform children from TV watching spoiled brats into super citizens. I'm hoping school reform comes with parent (and student) responsibility contracts and real follow through.

First and foremost, I love teaching.  Absolutely love it....but I do hate the paperwork - yes, the paperwork, as has been mentioned quite extensively in this thread.  Any an all paperwork is not a friend of mine.  Grading papers, writing passes, filling out forms for the counseling office, special ed. office, taking attendance.  Hate all that stuff.

Also I hate the disciplining the kids part.  I want to TEACH - not spend time dealing with giving detentions and telling students to stop poking their neighbor with their pencil.  "Just be quite and listen!  I was a major geek all through school, man!  Why can't you guys [my students] be!"  Haha - okay, so that last part is meant to be taken light-heartedly....kids will be kids....(however, the part about me being a major geek when I was in school is probably true).

I recently graduated with a BS in elementary education but never received my certification. I never finished my student teaching intership. I was actually asked to leave because I did not give the students enough homework and graded assignments. I was told without homework and graded assignments I could not properly assess the students understanding of concepts. Approximately 30% of the students had some form of learning disability ranging from reading disabilities to autism. I adjusted my lessons to cover the spectrum of learners so every student had the opportunity to grasp concepts. I used a lot of hands-on enhancements. I was told be my supervising teacher that the hands-on enhancements were too elementary. I did not receive any support from my university. I wanted to teach because of the challenge in educating all students, not just the brilliant students. I was told to focus on the smarter students because the others will not succeed anyway and the SE students pass no matter what. That is not my style. I found myself hating teaching because how I was being forced to teach. Every student has the right to learn and I was giving them the opportunity. When I entered my student teaching the class average was 65% and after I began teaching for a few weeks the average was 84%. I was teaching the required content at multiple learning levels with multiple learning styles in mind, but was still asked to leave based on paperwork. Now I find myself sitting in my living room knowing that I can help students learn, but unable to teach because of the lack of certification. Now what was a love for teaching has become a hatred for teaching (paperwork and believing assignments/tests/quizzes are the only way to assess student understanding).

Teaching is a demanding job and without support new teachers are suffering and those who want to become teachers are expected to drop everything (family, friends, jobs, sleep, eating, and clean clothes) to student teach. They are students paying for the opportunity to learn from seasoned teachers, but are asked the impossible and unimaginable and in some cases not given any support. That is how I felt during my student teaching. I had no support from my university. It was their job to educate me not drop me in a lions den like a piece of meat to get ripped to shreads and spat out.

I am glad I spent thousands of dollars for an education that I can not use.

I hate teaching becasue of -

Buerocratic Bull

Parents who believe I should be on-call 24/7 (I'm willing to be there for you, but goodness don't get mad if i don't respond to an email sent Friday night until Sunday evening.... I need a weekend, too!)

The fact that I can never seem to get computer paper in my classroom

I hate teaching because I hate having to constantly discipline 30 children at the same time.  It makes me dizzy and extremely tired.  I just don't seem to get it.  How do other people do it?

Also, backbiting and gossip and bitchy as hell office staff

k_teach12 says ...

I hate teaching because I suck at it.  I hate leaving work everyday feeling like I'm a failure.  I'm currently in the final semester of my alternate certification program and if I wasn't almost finished I'd probably quit. I teach elementary special education at an overcrowded school.  I service special ed students in grades K-3... with exceptionalities ranging from SLD to Moderate Mental Disability and Autism.  I have 20 students in my classroom ALL DAY and I keep getting more by the week.  I only have one para who is out of my room shadowing a student 2 1/2 hrs every day.  Four of my students are classified as Emotionally Disturbed and  I get kicked, hit, and bit at least twice a week and my room gets destroyed (chairs, tables, computers, and supplies thrown) on a daily basis.  I am so busy dealing with my violent students and protecting my other kids that I rarely actually get to teach.  The kids that want to learn are suffering being in my class, at this point they would be better off in their regular ed classroom where the teacher is at least able to teach something even if it is above there level of functioning. Paperwork is a pain but I can deal with that.  My drives home are filled with tears.  I feel like I wasted three years of my life and countless hours that I could have been spending with my family for a job that I no longer want to do.  I'm tired of my little girl asking about the cuts and bruises I come home with and having to tell her mommy's just being clumsy at work.  It breaks my heart.

 

Brother...I feel you man. My initial teaching experience was much the same.

 

This system has overwhelmed you. You are doing the best you can 

so don't take it personally. The system is failed, not the converse.

Why hate.. takes up to much energy to frown around about your job all day. Id prefer to realize in all jobs and careers regardless of what it is has its UPS and DOWNS... take it with a grain of salt and keep on...if the career is hated so much... people sure are staying in the field a LONG TIME! I think that says something the career isnt all that bad I can def name worse....

butterflyforever says ...

Why hate.. takes up to much energy to frown around about your job all day. Id prefer to realize in all jobs and careers regardless of what it is has its UPS and DOWNS... take it with a grain of salt and keep on...if the career is hated so much... people sure are staying in the field a LONG TIME! I think that says something the career isnt all that bad I can def name worse....

 

Nice Theory

MICKYRAY,  ahem...

It's okay.  I know that sometimes a rage of feelings just build up, and they need to be let out ... for bright people this usually expresses itself in a verbal out-pouring... it's okay to vent.   Now that you re-read and reflect on what you said, do you agree that it was a "rant"?  

When you go to school you pay them to allow you to dip your quill into their ink well and learn to express yourself (in whatever career field you chose).  In college, when you fail, you cannot blame the teacher.  The responsibility for your grades are on your shoulders.  The responsibility for finding solutions to problems is on your shoulders.  If they fired you for not complying with their rules, if you knew what they wanted and failed to comply, it is on your shoulders.  You know the rules of the game: they are in charge.  Comply or quit. 

So, you quit.

Sounded like a wise decision from what you described. 

Staying around and trying to change things would be a heck of a job...enormous undertaking...gargantuan.

But, now what are you going to do?  You love teaching, and you're good at it.  Once a teacher always a teacher.  Whatever other field you go into, you'll always find yourself teaching.  How are you going to get around this obstacle? 

Which diverse path will you find...to eventually...take you....back....to teaching?  Where is your niche?  Where can you teach that agrees with your philosophy?  Will they require a teaching certificate?  How can you get your's back on track? 

Hmmmm.... lemme know when you work it out...remember, it's all on your shoulders (with a little support from your friends...smile).