Crying at the thought of going in tomorrow

[Butterfly94]

Teacher at a secondary school, very very challenging behaviour in every class. I'm going to be handing my notice in ASAP as I just can't stand going in anymore, and we can't afford the childcare anyway. It's my first day back teaching tomorrow as I work part time, and I'm sat here panicking and crying about the behaviour I'll have to face tomorrow. It's everywhere, SLT are ineffective and the kids run the place. I've lost any ability to control the classes, and my heart absolutely isn't in it. I can't keep going until December and will try to negotiate an early finish. Someone help me feel better about going in tomorrow? I don't want to go to bed as then the morning will come too quickly!

I know so many teachers who have left teachers because it broke them. One had a literal breakdown l, needed time in hospital and could barely talk for months. I have a young family member who was considering teaching (possibly a PGCE next year), she’s a quiet unconfident girl and I’ve suggested she look at a range of career options first.

Call the dr back, preferably another dr and get signed off. Alternatively presumably you can be off up to 3 days without a dr note?

I left social work after a period of being by off sick. I preferred to leave than to be one of those who went of sick for months every other year. I wanted a health balance in life. I think with things like teaching and social work people think they can’t leave because they don’t know what else they could do….we’ll there’s tons of work with xhildre. And young people working with charities etc and potential to progress in those roles.

One of my now ex teacher friends told me about training she received before she left stating they could not touch a pupil even if destroying the classroom/threatening to cause harm to her. She asked what she should do in this situation and was told she would have to run away (!) she asked what about the rest of the class and was told you'll have to take them too. While just leaving destructive pupil to do whatever damage they like in the class

This isn’t correct. If a kid is behaving like this you are allowed to take appropriate steps. Although union advice is not not get involved.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow
I believe there are some extreme circumstances in which you may have to intervene but the training was essentially this is absolute last last resort and never touch a child it's better to evacuate the entire classroom.
Surely if a child is damaging things they should be able to be escorted from the classroom to stop disruption/destruction even if that requires lifting/moving.

In a realistic sense though what teacher would want to be grappling with teenagers? I wouldn’t be wrestling teenagers out of the classroom, that’s not part of a teacher’s job.

This thread makes me so sad. I am so sorry OP. I hope you find something that suits you better and is better for your wellbeing.

It makes me doubly sad because my DD has always wanted to teach and is adamant thats what she wants to do ( English and Drama). She is 13 and I worry for her, and secretly hope she might change her mind if it really is this bad 😥

My DD is a quiet young woman who wants to teach English. This thread makes me shudder for her future. How has it come to this that children are allowed to run amok and not be pulled up? Where is are the rules and regulations that allow for this? It's one thing abolishing corporal punishment but it seems we swing to the other extreme and now the pupils are allowed to punish the teachers, albeit mainly mentally not physically.
Wishing you all the best OP.

@Kanaloa sorry should have specified this was primary school. You're right very tough with teens at secondary. Don't know what the answer is there.

Oh yes, primary. I was just thinking as op works secondary! Either way it’s shocking that a teacher should have to even think about restraining a student.

But I don’t know what the answer is though. I really don’t.

@Butterfly94 I haven't managed to read very post just read yours and skimmed the rest. I can't see if anyone else recommended the Facebook group "Life after teaching - exit the classroom and thrive". It's got 89k members, mostly in the UK which says a lot. You will find so much support, stories like your own, and practical advice about moving forward there too - you are far from alone.

*Lots of people telling the OP to sign off sick. So yet another public servant sitting at home on long term sick getting full salary meaning less money in the budget to actually employ and train teachers and staff schools properly.

And then people moan about the state of schools....

I think a lot of people go into teaching because they can't think of anything else to do and then whinge when it's hard or their class management skills are not up to much. Much easier to blame the feral kids though....*

How kind.

An insurance scheme held by schools kicks in for teachers after 2 weeks absence.

The budget problems in schools come from the government not ill teachers. Maybe if the government put in more money these terrible teachers wouldn’t be off sick as much.

l taught for 27 years. Some ( but not most) kids are feral. Not through any fault of their own, but yet again could be traced back to insufficient funding. My class management skills were excellent thank you.

And l chose to go into teaching to put something back. As do most teachers.

You sound a lovely person.

I have spent ages trying to work out when Schools became toxic. I don't remember it always being like this. I remember happier times. Unsure when it all changed.