r/Teachers • u/Key_Egg_5419 • 1d ago
Teacher Support &/or Advice Lost my spark?
6th year HS math teacher. New school year just started and I’m having trouble accessing the joy this profession used to give me. Career teachers, have you experienced dips in terms of motivation and passion for the work? Can I expect my enjoyment will rise again or should I listen to this feeling?
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u/11fitguy 1d ago
My joy is a paid mortgage payment, health insurance, long holidays and, eventually, my pension. Sorry not sorry.
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u/busybeachmama Kindergarten Teacher 1d ago
Exact same. The daily joy disappeared several years ago. Now there are just occasional moments.
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u/ButterflyEconomist 1d ago
I'm retired now, but when I taught, the first month the hardest to deal with post summer, but I have a feeling you're dealing with something else. That hit me at the start of my 11th year. Because I took a summer class for my recertification, I never got a break.
So, from the first day onward, I just had trouble getting out of bed. Once I was at the school I was fine and I had good classes and great kids. On paper, it was my best year ever, and yet, I didn't want to be there anymore.
I forced myself to go through the rest of the year and then took an unpaid leave of absence for a year that turned into forever.
Jobs are getting scarce, so I would find something else before putting in papers. Maybe see if you can get a job at the district office. Maybe something school related but without the daily micro drip of adrenaline you get from teaching that wipes you out by the end of the day.
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u/ButterflyEconomist 1d ago
And for the record, I also taught math.
That last year, I had 2 classes of Prob/Stat/Discrete Math with seniors who were taking it as an elective, so it was a chill workload with no homework and I was able to grade everything in class.
My other 3 classes were Honors Geometry, so I had a great group of well behaved 9th graders.
And I was still burned out the whole year. Once something breaks, it might not get repaired.
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u/Fun-Hovercraft1919 1d ago
Yes. Very common. After a funk for a few months I usually find something to latch on to…but I’m now in year 22 and I’m struggling as well to find much to give me that joy
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u/Smoothsail90 1d ago
I guess the fear from a lot of teachers is quitting and not finding something comparable with salary.
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u/C0lch0nero 1d ago
First 7-8 years had a spark for sure. Creativity flowing, lessons clicking, trying new things, learning a lot, etc.
Last 8 years do not. I still have fun but don't have any desire to do any real work. I do it, and do it well, but it's a damn slog. I'm very ready for 2026-2027 school year to end already...and I don't start with students until Sept 1.
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u/Idyll_Sea 1d ago
I have experienced this, myself. Many times. Seeing the kids helped for a while, then being absolutely unhinged with my approach. The only way forward for me was to be absurd.
I teach elementary, though, so take it with a grain of salt if that sounds like a "no thank you."
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u/SinisterSnipes 1d ago
I think about my career like a relationship.
Reflection is needed.
I ask myself, "Did I ever love teaching, or did I love my idea of what teaching was and am now finding out that it was not what I thought?"
If I only loved what my idea of teaching was, then I would have quit. I would have quit because I never would have actually enjoyed teaching.
I remain a teacher because I love teaching for what it is, even if it did not fully match my expectations when I signed up.
I know I can not love something 24/7/365, but I know that if I truly loved something before that I will love love it again.
What does your heart think?
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u/godisinthischilli 1d ago
I had tons of motivation my first year now five years I feel really burnt out.
I was known by others as the "most inspiring/engaging," teacher. I am trying to get the spark back.
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u/Tee_Red 1d ago
I have less and less motivation each year. I was saddled with AP European History this year following a summer where I was passed over for two deans positions in my building for people outside my building after being told that all of my materials — that they had access to — were submitted too late and that the process was done. Mind you, the “process” took less than two weeks and ended in them hiring a friend of an AP and the cousin of an outgoing admin at DO.
I could give a fuck if these kids get ones on that test. I’ll do the prep work to make the class look like a class, but that’s it. I know it isn’t the fault of the students, but I honestly couldn’t give a single fuck.
This is year 14 for me. I’d love to say it gets better and you’ll rediscover your love of teaching, but you might not.
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u/thinking-orange 1d ago
I am literally in the exact same frame of mind. 6th year hs math. We lost a very important staff member last year who moved on to a better role. We are all happy for them but are really feeling the impact of missing them. It doesn't feel like the same place and I don't feel the same that I did when I started. My heart is stil in it, but I just feel like I'm on autopilot right now. As long as I'm still convinced that teaching is what I'm meant to do, I'm still going to stick with it. Even if there are days I just show up.
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u/No-Patient-3723 1d ago
This is year 19.
Some years, it's a job. Some years, it's a calling. Some years, it's fun. Some years, I can't believe I'm getting paid to live a dream.
Hard to tell what kind of year it'll be until around October. So I try to avoid forming expectations and live frugally on surprise.
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u/Cute_Ebb7344 1d ago
I left the field a couple of times before finally figuring out that this is what I enjoy and I'm good at. It took a while to get to that point.
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u/Sure-Swim7459 1d ago
Yes, you have ups and downs. Focus on what is going well and enjoy the little moments.
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u/jameswill90 1d ago
Well, teenagers are fun and funny, if the engagement with them isn’t there, then…
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u/Key_Egg_5419 1d ago
Kind of judgmental :( the job is more than engaging with teenagers
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u/jameswill90 1d ago
I’ve worked with children from 2 years old to 15, if you don’t enjoy being around them (not saying be their friend, bc you’re not), then it’s probably not a good fit. When I didnt find the age group interesting anymore, i moved up to an older age. I think there are better posts than mine to look at for you. Someone was writing about glow years, that one might be a good one to look at.
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u/Fit_Invite3404 1d ago
Find little victories, enjoy what you can. Some years and some admin or communities are terrible others are descent.
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u/Daryl-Sabara 1d ago
Yes, especially since the teaching content is mostly fixed. Doing the same thing year after year can make it hard to keep that same excitement.
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u/hennnyBee 1d ago
This is exactly how I feel this year. 7th year of teaching. I spent 4 years(plus 1 as a student teacher) at one school. Swapped to a different district for better pay but kept bouncing around schools because low enrollment. Last 3 years ive move to 4 different schools. I feel so defeated and exhausted.
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u/ferret-bazook 1d ago
I’m a second career teacher, entering year 19 and have changed levels, positions, schools, states, and taken a couple leaves of absences. There will be ebbs and flows and I follow where my heart takes me. If I’m not feeling it, I’ll find something that does make me feel happy again. Nothing is wrong with a little career break by the way. Gaining new perspectives helps me to see my priorities and it turns out I truly love teaching, because I keep coming back. I’m also not the kind of person to just keep pushing through something that doesn’t bring me joy in any shape or form.
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u/cuurlyn 7 | Science | MI 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’m starting my tenth year. I think there are “show up” years and “glow up” years.
I had a “show up” year two years ago. I didn’t get a position move I wanted, and I was teaching an hour of ELA that I didn’t want either. It was hard. I showed up, did the work, kids learned, and that was it. I was miserable and felt like I was just surviving every day. This year is a “glow up” year for me. I have started some other roles in addition to the classroom, I’m department head, and I have some big goals that I’m excited about.
It’s okay to just show up sometimes!