leaving teaching

ruahead

Hi,

Looking for advice from teachers, I am teaching now for 2 and a bit years, I'm in the UK. The last schools behaviour was off the wall and I hated it so I left . Now I'm in another school which is better but kids attitudes really annoy me, mainly the rudeness talking back etc . I'm irritated by them . I'm thinking of leaving but unsure. I mean, when the kids want to learn I love it. I have good relationships with them and we get a lot done. Its the classes where they don't care, talk back and show disrespect that annoy me. I am also sick of weekend working, night working ( not too much evenings ) but feeling like there's not enough time in the day to do everything. I've come home evenings and looked online for new jobs outside of teaching. Is this bad, so early into a career? BTW I am asking for help on some classes and getting some but there are too many kids and the school is trying not to expel too many kids , some kids are hardcore and their behaviour is just ridiculous . I really would not have believed what kids can do and not be kicked out of school for. I wish I could teach when kids respected their elders . Should I go ? Or give it another year or so...

forestfruits

Id say give it another year or two, kids will behave like absolutely crazy rude nutters when youre a new teacher, its just the cycle of things.

You will find if you stay in the one school for more than two years that things gradually become easier, all of a sudden you will have an easier time, if you stick to your guns- be consistent, chase up any punishment work, do not lose your temper, be cool even when your fit to kill, they will get bored of trying to rise you.

You have to be more persistent than the worst of your students- its like a battle of wills for the first few years but its worth it.

aratsarse101

I think you should stick at it another while but try and stay in the same school. I'm in the same school for the last ten years now and if I have two serious disciplinary incidents in a year its a lot. But it wasn't always that way. I happened to have done my dip in the same school and found it difficult. Then I got experience of two other schools afterwards and managed to land back in my dip school on a permanent basis. I think the advantages of being permanently in the one school are massive, both for the students and the teacher. I know all the lads, I know a lot of their brothers and parents and the backgrounds they come from, I live in the area now. All this lends itself to a positive learning environment as I can tailor workrate/pace, teacher expectations etc etc much better. Try your best to stay in the same (good) school for a couple of years, get involved in something extra curricular if you can and it does get much better. You'll always end up doing the evening work though.
All of this of course is further argument against the casualisation of the profession. I would be very anti HRA for this reason amongst others. If for example you are in the UK with the hope of getting a full-time teaching job in Ireland in the coming years, then I would say you would be better of doing something else. One of our local schools (albeit with a great reputation) had 270 applicants recently for one maternity leave.

Afroshack

ruahead wrote: »

Hi,

Looking for advice from teachers, I am teaching now for 2 and a bit years, I'm in the UK. The last schools behaviour was off the wall and I hated it so I left . Now I'm in another school which is better but kids attitudes really annoy me, mainly the rudeness talking back etc . I'm irritated by them . I'm thinking of leaving but unsure. I mean, when the kids want to learn I love it. I have good relationships with them and we get a lot done. Its the classes where they don't care, talk back and show disrespect that annoy me. I am also sick of weekend working, night working ( not too much evenings ) but feeling like there's not enough time in the day to do everything. I've come home evenings and looked online for new jobs outside of teaching. Is this bad, so early into a career? BTW I am asking for help on some classes and getting some but there are too many kids and the school is trying not to expel too many kids , some kids are hardcore and their behaviour is just ridiculous . I really would not have believed what kids can do and not be kicked out of school for. I wish I could teach when kids respected their elders . Should I go ? Or give it another year or so...

I'm sorry you feel that way. I'm in the UK too and it's exhausting : mentally and physically. The kids are very different to Irish kids and they know they can get away with a lot more - the arrogance in some of them is astounding. However, this will only make you a better teacher. Maybe you just need a couple of months off to recharge your batteries? Go travel for a couple of months/do TEFL in another country for a short time? You sound like a great teacher who is just close to feeling burnt out , which you shouldn't feel bad for in the slightest. Teaching is a lot harder than anyone outside the sector will gie you credit for