Teaching- any other jobs that make you cry regularly?

Healthcare receptionist. Regularly shouted at for things that are out of my control, not my fault or because my hands are tied by government requirements. Do you really think I get a kick out of asking you to fill in a form, do you think it’s a hobby I do for fun? I speak to 100+ patients a day and generally repeat the same things over and over. I’m sorry your healthcare provider is running late, they aren’t even in the building yet because they can’t be arsed to get here on time but you’re right, it makes perfect sense you shout at me about it. Do you think I want you sat in the waiting room glaring at me because your appointment is late? And yes, I do understand “I do work you know, I don’t have all day”…funnily enough I also work, here in fact! I’m not here because I’ve completed Netflix and had nothing better to do. I am here, at my job, on time…would you like me to try and teleport the healthcare provider so you can have your appointment and be on your way? Because believe me, I would much, much rather you were seen on time. Yes, this provider is always late and has had several disciplinary warnings but they are still at least 45 minutes late, every day.

Next time you’re at the doctors or the dentist, please just fill in the fucking forms without arguing with reception. We know you’ve been here before, we are very well trained in which forms are required and when. And if your doctor/dentist is running late, don’t shout at the receptionist. She is there, on time, doing her job. The fact that your health care provider went to uni does not give them the right to be late, they’re not off doing something big or important. They’re grabbing a Starbucks on the way in or scrolling tik tok in the surgery.

Not sure why teachers always think they have it the worst!

I really can understand just how stressful so many jobs are. However, the thing about teaching is that few other professions have to deal with 30+ people at once, with 30+ sets of stressors/ issues. Many have hungry bellies, appalling home conditions, have been beaten/bullied at home and at school, have adolescent hormones, anger and resentment, health and sensory problems, drug issues. Many can't see the point of being there, resent the kids who can, need an outlet for their anger. There is frequently low-level disruption, deliberate noise, they lack the tools for the job, have no lunch and there's always the class clown who deliberately causes chaos. A teacher is no longer a guide, educator and role model; crowd control is their first task before any actual learning can go on. Wasted time for education, seriously disadvantaging the kids who desperately want to learn.

That's just the start.

Then there's the lack of support from SLT, so frequently a snivelling bunch of cowards who hide from their responsibilies. Teachers are judged on the exam pass rates of their pupils...and are obliged to explain themselves and what they have done wrong, should the students fail to meet the targets. Classrooms are frequently dank and unwelcoming, peeling paint and mould. No other profession would countenance having to work in such unhealthy conditions with vulnerable children. Textbooks are torn and covered with grafitti, frequently one between two, so cannot be taken home to do homework - not that it is done anyway. Many pupils have no pencils or pens, and if the teacher buys them in herself, they are not returned. I had boys, after being asked to return my pencils, simply holding them up in front of me and deliberately snapping them. This is apparently the method by which certain ethnicities show their disdain for female teachers.

There's the 3 hours of marking, planning, extra reading every evening, and most of the weekend.

There's the couple of kids who have filthy school uniforms which are never washed, appalling hygiene, noses running with green snot, and who want so much individual attention, which is almost impossible to provide. There is so little time during the day. Lunchtimes and breaktimes are for pointless meetings and duties, rather than giving help and support to the people who really need it.

I spent a term doing long-term supply in a school close to the bottom of the league tables, as the fifth long term supply teacher in a matter of months. The other four had left in tears, and the poor girl previous to me, in an ambulance following a complete breakdown. It was the 3rd term of year 11, the kids desperate to pass their GCSEs despaired of doing so, owing to the classroom environment. I simply told them that if they were prepared to work their socks off, I would do the same and we together would get them through, despite them saying "Miss, we've had all these supply teachers, we're so far behind, we'll never pass." We worked together like Trojans, lunchtimes, after school. Strangely, the school had the best pass rate in my subject in many years, and the school tried desperately to persuade me to stay on. Eventually, they were obliged to employ a teacher completely unqualified in that subject. Those poor, poor, kids.

It is an impossible and thankless task being a teacher today in very many state schools. One term in that school nearly broke me, despite my 30 years' experience.I went on to an elite private school and an environment where I could actually teach...my next GCSE class had 100% A* passes.

Your post has brought me to tears.
Not for you, no offence meant by that.
But for all of our children at state schools.
They don't deserve to be so horribly, depressingly failed like this.
They were newborn innocent babies once, with their whole lives shining brightly ahead of them.
How did they all end up being schooled in these terrible, stressful, life damaging state institutions.
It's truly heartbreaking.
Money gives the best education by far.
But most hard working parents just cannot afford private education fees. Yet our children deserve just as bright a future.
It's heartbreaking.
Your post tells me there is no hope for our children if this is how they're being schooled. Their education is being robbed from them.
And that makes me cry.

Not sure why teachers always think they have it the worst!

I really can understand just how stressful so many jobs are. However, the thing about teaching is that few other professions have to deal with 30+ people at once, with 30+ sets of stressors/ issues. Many have hungry bellies, appalling home conditions, have been beaten/bullied at home and at school, have adolescent hormones, anger and resentment, health and sensory problems, drug issues. Many can't see the point of being there, resent the kids who can, need an outlet for their anger. There is frequently low-level disruption, deliberate noise, they lack the tools for the job, have no lunch and there's always the class clown who deliberately causes chaos. A teacher is no longer a guide, educator and role model; crowd control is their first task before any actual learning can go on. Wasted time for education, seriously disadvantaging the kids who desperately want to learn.

That's just the start.

Then there's the lack of support from SLT, so frequently a snivelling bunch of cowards who hide from their responsibilies. Teachers are judged on the exam pass rates of their pupils...and are obliged to explain themselves and what they have done wrong, should the students fail to meet the targets. Classrooms are frequently dank and unwelcoming, peeling paint and mould. No other profession would countenance having to work in such unhealthy conditions with vulnerable children. Textbooks are torn and covered with grafitti, frequently one between two, so cannot be taken home to do homework - not that it is done anyway. Many pupils have no pencils or pens, and if the teacher buys them in herself, they are not returned. I had boys, after being asked to return my pencils, simply holding them up in front of me and deliberately snapping them. This is apparently the method by which certain ethnicities show their disdain for female teachers.

There's the 3 hours of marking, planning, extra reading every evening, and most of the weekend.

There's the couple of kids who have filthy school uniforms which are never washed, appalling hygiene, noses running with green snot, and who want so much individual attention, which is almost impossible to provide. There is so little time during the day. Lunchtimes and breaktimes are for pointless meetings and duties, rather than giving help and support to the people who really need it.

I spent a term doing long-term supply in a school close to the bottom of the league tables, as the fifth long term supply teacher in a matter of months. The other four had left in tears, and the poor girl previous to me, in an ambulance following a complete breakdown. It was the 3rd term of year 11, the kids desperate to pass their GCSEs despaired of doing so, owing to the classroom environment. I simply told them that if they were prepared to work their socks off, I would do the same and we together would get them through, despite them saying "Miss, we've had all these supply teachers, we're so far behind, we'll never pass." We worked together like Trojans, lunchtimes, after school. Strangely, the school had the best pass rate in my subject in many years, and the school tried desperately to persuade me to stay on. Eventually, they were obliged to employ a teacher completely unqualified in that subject. Those poor, poor, kids.

It is an impossible and thankless task being a teacher today in very many state schools. One term in that school nearly broke me, despite my 30 years' experience.I went on to an elite private school and an environment where I could actually teach...my next GCSE class had 100% A* passes.

I thought you guys were so overworked that your families, etc. suffered because of your lack of time, but you seem to be able to find the time to be on MN, read posts and even comment? However I did not know the profession made you cry - strange how it is near impossible to get into med these days - those silly entrants must not realise how horrible and underpaid the profession is.

This isn't true and it's unkind.

This is a real eye-opener -had no idea so many people were distressed at their jobs I’ve had very stressful
jobs-including teaching for several years and rarely cried. I did have a really horrible boss who drove me out of a job I’d enjoyed for years, but I left rather than be subjected to more bullying.
If every job is making you cry though it indicates you are the issue rather than the job and you need to look at a different career.

@CommanderMariettaHay nothing wrong with parents advocating for their children and securing them the education that they need. Good on them. The parents are not the problem here. Your overpaid, useless bosses are. Local Authority salaries for the senior managers are outrageous, considering the levels of incompetence shown.

I quit teaching last year, after years in a negative, toxic environment, which I thought was my fault.
Most days, I cried on the way to work, at lunchtime in a cupboard or driving home. I now see that this was the culture rather than me. It took changing a 20 year career to see this.
Is there any other job out there that has staff regularly crying before/during/after work? It's so wrong!

In my 1960s convent school nuns were still chastising themselves with hair shirts, chains, excessive fasting and similar practices. So pretty weird.