Quit without new job. Update on page 3.

[Lilsia]

The kids are such a mess after COVID - it's not as simple as calling them out. We did have one student, years ago, who was seriously destroying the boys' bathrooms. Huge issues, and not easily solved. Well, another student got sick of having to wait to use the bathroom (we had tightened up the security, only one student allowed in at a time, signing in and out) and called out the other student to stop vandalizing or he'd take matters into his own hands. The vandalism stopped.

Yes, we've had students afraid to go into the bathrooms - not a new issue, as I used to be afraid to go into mine in high school four decades ago. The new issues, like having someone take a photo of you from under the stall door, are very stressful to kids. We're lucky to have some single stall gender neutral bathrooms that kids can use and feel more safe in them.

But now that I've totally derailed yet another thread, I hope we can get back on topic, sorry!

gopher101 - good job advocating for yourself, and congratulations on a better position!

I'm sorry what? "The kids are a mess after covid"? How and why? Spending a few months at home and having to go to school on the computer "messes" kids up? Kids live through war and are in fear of having their house bombed and have less "issues". I think adults really did kids a disservice with all of their complaining about schools being closed. If the adults had acted like everything was fine, then the kids would not have picked up on all of that bull crap.
If there are a few kids that can't behave, then there a special schools for those with behavior issues. You don't keep them in to harass and make all of the other student's life miserable.

 

[DisneyOma]

I'm sorry what? "The kids are a mess after covid"? How and why? Spending a few months at home and having to go to school on the computer "messes" kids up? Kids live through war and are in fear of having their house bombed and have less "issues". I think adults really did kids a disservice with all of their complaining about schools being closed. If the adults had acted like everything was fine, then the kids would not have picked up on all of that bull crap.
If there are a few kids that can't behave, then there a special schools for those with behavior issues. You don't keep them in to harass and make all of the other student's life miserable.

Having worked in public education for over 20 years, yes, COVID has messed up a lot of lives. We had students online when their parents died in their homes (calling 911 during class) and yes, that is plural - it happened twice. Over 50 kids witnessed the situation before they were blocked out that day. So many lost a parent or guardian they were living with - at least 7 that I have worked with.

We do have an alternative high school in town - it is full. It's not just for kids with "behavioral issues" (which are rooted in mental health issues) but for those students who apply as they need either smaller classes, more focus on core curricula, or a supervised work/study program. It's a great school and needs to stay small to meet the needs of a select group of students. Also, do you know how expensive it is to send students out of district to special schools?

So, while sure, some parents let kids slide by during the year we were online/hybrid (a lot longer than a 'few months' here) we have kids who witnessed death, have kids who were put into foster care in other towns, have kids who lost a whole year of school because of mental health issues. They still deserve my support, our support, and if others have to ask to use the bathroom and wait for their turn, well, gee, maybe they need parents who can teach them some empathy as well.

 

[Lilsia]

Having worked in public education for over 20 years, yes, COVID has messed up a lot of lives. We had students online when their parents died in their homes (calling 911 during class) and yes, that is plural - it happened twice. Over 50 kids witnessed the situation before they were blocked out that day. So many lost a parent or guardian they were living with - at least 7 that I have worked with.

We do have an alternative high school in town - it is full. It's not just for kids with "behavioral issues" (which are rooted in mental health issues) but for those students who apply as they need either smaller classes, more focus on core curricula, or a supervised work/study program. It's a great school and needs to stay small to meet the needs of a select group of students. Also, do you know how expensive it is to send students out of district to special schools?

So, while sure, some parents let kids slide by during the year we were online/hybrid (a lot longer than a 'few months' here) we have kids who witnessed death, have kids who were put into foster care in other towns, have kids who lost a whole year of school because of mental health issues. They still deserve my support, our support, and if others have to ask to use the bathroom and wait for their turn, well, gee, maybe they need parents who can teach them some empathy as well.

And kids have been experiencing deaths and tragedies since the beginning of time. That doesn't mean that they will all start being violent and aggressive.

 

[thinkerbell]

That sounds like bad parenting. If you can't teach your child basic, decent behavior then you can't complain about how your child is treated when it comes to this. My kids went to a school where the majority of kids were well behaved but they still had to ask permission to use the restroom. I don't agree with that. Call out the trouble kids, but don't punish the good ones for a few bad eggs.

I taught for 36 years. Just retired. All of my years teaching, the students had to ask to go to the bathroom. I never denied them because that isn’t a privilege, it is a right. I needed them to ask permission because I need to know where my students are. They can’t just walk out of the room without me knowing where they are going. I am held accountable for their safety.
I do agree that they shouldn’t be told that they can’t go.

 

[mumto3girls]

I taught for 36 years. Just retired. All of my years teaching, the students had to ask to go to the bathroom. I never denied them because that isn’t a privilege, it is a right. I needed them to ask permission because I need to know where my students are. They can’t just walk out of the room without me knowing where they are going. I am held accountable for their safety.
I do agree that they shouldn’t be told that they can’t go.

This seems like a reasonable approach. I agree with both teachers needing to know where kids are and also that kids should not be denied bathroom use. I always told my kids to follow classroom rules, but also, emergencies happen and if you are about to be sick, don’t be the kid who pukes on your desk. Even the teacher who wants you to ask for permission will prefer that you get sick in the bathroom/hallway. And if by chance they are mad, I will defend you.

 

[LuvOrlando]

After I put in my notice, I had a day off. I came back to my other manager asking me to reconsider. Than the manager under the big manager pulled me in and talked to me. They didn't want me to go. So I agreed to go directly under the manager under the big manager stepping down but keeping my pay. So same pay, better hours, constant days off, and much less stress. I get to keep the amount of people I earn a year (I am at 4 weeks a year for vacation).
I am happy with this. The manager I am having problems with cannot touch me unless I break a safety rule which I never do.

Fantastic!

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I left my teaching job with no job lined up because I was just so done. I knew I could find temporary work subbing if I needed, but it all worked out and I am so glad I did!

Same

When I quit my job, because of my age they gave me a clock and called me retired! That looks better in the newsletter, I guess.

I’m seriously considering leaving my teaching job. I’ve been teaching middle school English at a private school for the past 11 years. It’s getting harder and harder. The pay is low. The kids have gotten so disrespectful that it makes it hard to get through the material each day. I’m tired of having to do all the grading during my personal time. I figure I need to work for another 5 to 8 years, and I want to have an enjoyable life outside of work. As it is, I’m exhausted all the time. I just don’t enjoy my job at all anymore. The ONLY things keeping me there right now are my coworkers and the summers off.

What kind of job did each of you move into after you left teaching?

 

[Lilsia]

I taught for 36 years. Just retired. All of my years teaching, the students had to ask to go to the bathroom. I never denied them because that isn’t a privilege, it is a right. I needed them to ask permission because I need to know where my students are. They can’t just walk out of the room without me knowing where they are going. I am held accountable for their safety.
I do agree that they shouldn’t be told that they can’t go.

That is what I am talking about. I never said to not let the teacher know and to just walk out. I have seen many, many times where a student was denied using the restroom. I have even been denied and this was decades ago and I still remember because it made me feel horrible. Does the administration not talk about this kind of stuff with their teachers? I would think that the principle would tell all of the teachers to never deny a student going to the restroom.

 

[leebee]

Not all healthcare is profit based.

It is in the US- at least in my experience, and that of friends and relatives.

 

[disykat]

I’m seriously considering leaving my teaching job. I’ve been teaching middle school English at a private school for the past 11 years. It’s getting harder and harder. The pay is low. The kids have gotten so disrespectful that it makes it hard to get through the material each day. I’m tired of having to do all the grading during my personal time. I figure I need to work for another 5 to 8 years, and I want to have an enjoyable life outside of work. As it is, I’m exhausted all the time. I just don’t enjoy my job at all anymore. The ONLY things keeping me there right now are my coworkers and the summers off.

What kind of job did each of you move into after you left teaching?

Mrs. Ciz, I was quitting partially because of the time commitment I had taking care of elderly parents. I got a half time job at a library. Very low pay, but the teacher retirement plan I'm already vested in dovetails with the public employees retirement system, so that will help add time to my retirement.

 

[thinkerbell]

That is what I am talking about. I never said to not let the teacher know and to just walk out. I have seen many, many times where a student was denied using the restroom. I have even been denied and this was decades ago and I still remember because it made me feel horrible. Does the administration not talk about this kind of stuff with their teachers? I would think that the principle would tell all of the teachers to never deny a student going to the restroom.

I may be wrong, but the only time that I remember admin addressing it, at the schools that I worked in, was when a teacher didn’t let a student go and used the bathroom in their pants. We would then get a “reminder” email saying to make sure we let them go.
I did have a principal once who made a school rule that anyone going to the bathroom had to have a partner go with them. I definitely understood where she was coming from because we were having a lot of vandalism but I also wasn’t crazy about it because I know that I have times that I definitely don’t want someone standing there waiting on me to do my business. Not sure what the answer is to stopping the vandalism other than, like another poster said, hiring someone to monitor. The struggle is that once someone vandalizes and it is addressed it seems that it just gives the others ideas on how to do it and get away with it. It just starts snowballing.
Boy…this thread got way off topic, and I helped that happen. Sorry OP.

I did retire last year but I am thankful that I had that option. I had planned on working two more years to when I turn 60. Teaching sure has changed since I first started teaching. My husband and I both worked for the education system. He was in transportation. (He got into the education system after quitting his job where he had a new boss who was a turkey-similar to the OP.) We both decided, for our sanity, that we needed to go ahead and stop working. He didn’t have as many years in as I did so he took early retirement. He will not receive his pension until he turns 60 and it will be reduced by 25%. We felt it was worth it. For him to get full retirement, he would have had to work 7 more years. We were able to save enough money, besides all of our retirement savings (401k’s, IRA’s, etc.), to tide us over to when he starts getting his pension. We are living on my pension right now and are having to draw very little from our savings. We feel very blessed to have been able to stop working and to get out of the environment that we were in.
So glad it is working out for you OP.

 

[luv2cheer92]

It is in the US- at least in my experience, and that of friends and relatives.

I work for a semi-large (regional) hospital system that is non-profit. There are more than several throughout the US.

 

[Cheburashka]

I’m seriously considering leaving my teaching job. I’ve been teaching middle school English at a private school for the past 11 years. It’s getting harder and harder. The pay is low. The kids have gotten so disrespectful that it makes it hard to get through the material each day. I’m tired of having to do all the grading during my personal time. I figure I need to work for another 5 to 8 years, and I want to have an enjoyable life outside of work. As it is, I’m exhausted all the time. I just don’t enjoy my job at all anymore. The ONLY things keeping me there right now are my coworkers and the summers off.

What kind of job did each of you move into after you left teaching?

I'm an experienced teacher (over 20 years). Since you're only 5 - 8 years from retirement, I recommend finding a different teaching job rather than changing careers. It will be easier and you'll get to keep your retirement (assuming that you get the state retirement working at a private school- I've only taught public). Is there any reason (like lack of certification) why you can't teach public? It usually pays better than private.

Where I live, at least, there is a massive teacher shortage. My school will currently take anyone certified who is remotely competent, and I teach at a good school that used to be competitive to get a job at before the teacher shortage. I recommend looking around, investigating other schools via reviews, test scores, etc., and find a good one to work at. If you're looking for good behavior, respectful parents and overall focus on academics, try to find a school in a middle class neighborhood with a sizable Asian-American population. I've taught at two schools like this and they've both been good places to work. Head and shoulders above the experiences I had working with certain students & parents at an almost all-white, wealthy public school, and with certain students & parents at an extremely low income charter school. Weird how the bottom and top rungs of society had the most difficult people I've ever worked with. After those experiences, I only teach in middle class schools now. I'm a single mother and need my job. I can't get so burned out that I'd be in a place to want to throw it all away and quit, and I have been there before when I was at both of those schools.

Bottom line: the teaching experience varies wildly from school to school. The teacher shortage makes it easier for teachers to change jobs right now. Start researching, and as the end of this school year approaches, find a position at a better school to teach at.

 

[DLgal]

I work for a semi-large (regional) hospital system that is non-profit. There are more than several throughout the US.

Non profit doesn't mean what you think it means in this situation. Non profit hospital systems make more money than for profit ones because they are classified as charities and are exempt from paying taxes. The money goes somewhere, I promise.

https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/how-nonprofit-hospitals-get-away-biggest-rip-america

 

[Jen414]

I actually tell my students to not ask me to use the bathroom because I'm never going to say no. If you have to use the bathroom, sign out and go. The rest of us don't need to know you need to pee. Of course, I do have fifth graders, so no vaping or drug use issues and very, very rarely any real vandalism other than paper towels jamming up the urinals.

 

[Cheburashka]

I actually tell my students to not ask me to use the bathroom because I'm never going to say no. If you have to use the bathroom, sign out and go. The rest of us don't need to know you need to pee. Of course, I do have fifth graders, so no vaping or drug use issues and very, very rarely any real vandalism other than paper towels jamming up the urinals.

I also teach 5th and if I'm directly teaching or giving other important info when they ask, I'll ask them to wait if they can, but if it's an emergency they can go. Usually they choose to wait without an issue. When they go anyway, that's fine. Never had an accident and it's all respectful. If I didn't request that, I'd have to reteach a lot of content.

When I'm in a meeting led by my boss & she's sharing important info, I don't get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of her talking unless it's an emergency. The kids learn the same skill at this age- upper elementary. It's developmentally appropriate. That's the way I describe it to them at the beginning of the year and they understand.

Small children can't safely wait so that's different. I once had a mentally disabled student & would never ask him to wait- in fact I would proactively (& privately) remind him to go a few times per day, because he had a history of accidents in all settings. He never had one at school that year, fortunately.

 

[gopher101]

In case anyone was wondering, I am very happy in my new position. I work with a great team, have zero stress, am not micromanaged.

 

[disykat]

In case anyone was wondering, I am very happy in my new position. I work with a great team, have zero stress, am not micromanaged.

YAY! That's the update people really want to hear!

 

[superme80]

In case anyone was wondering, I am very happy in my new position. I work with a great team, have zero stress, am not micromanaged.

I am so happy to hear that.