Boy have I been there! :)

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Home : 2002 : July : 29

Boy have I been there! :)
By Mary Beth

After my first year of teaching, I was also unsure about whether I chose the right career. I was teaching 3rd grade in an inner-city school, where I spent more time disciplining than teaching. I was exhausted! Although
many teachers there quit after their first year, I stuck it out one more year in that school. Things got even worse! We got a new principal, who was extremely unreasonable and made my life h*ll every day. My discipline problems continued, and I was breaking up violent fights each day with no support from the administrators. To top it all off, I was wrongly accused by a student of hitting

him and calling him a racial name. Of course, they found out he was lying, but this just added to the stress. I cried almost every day. If this was what teaching was all about, then I needed a change of careers. I quit my job. It happened that I was getting married that summer and moving to another state. Out of a job, and in need of money, I substituted in my new district. When they offered me a position in fifth grade, I took it. I've been teaching there for three years now. I'm not going to say it's been perfect, or that I haven't had any difficulties, but I can say that it does get easier each year. I can't imagine myself in another profession.

My advice (for what it's worth):

1. Ask yourself what it is about teaching that made you want to become a teacher in the first place. Do you still believe it's possible to achieve what you wanted?
2. Think back on your previous year. What made it difficult? Is there anything you might be able to change or do differently for next year? Remember, any teacher that tells you they had a perfect first year is LYING!
3. Is it the school/district that s causing your negative feelings about teaching? Changing to another school or district can make a huge difference in your perceptions about teaching. It did for me.
4. FINALLY, try to visualize yourself with a different career. (Think nine-to-six, all year 'round, wearing a suit, sitting behind a computer in your own cubicle all day with absolutely no creative outlet.) This is the one that got me.

This is my first post to this bb. I hope I have been helpful to you. Good luck!!!