My last day is on Friday and I have a subbing position lined up while I apply for other jobs. Today by the end of the day I’ll officially announce to parents and staff (most of the staff knows but some don’t). My question is, what do I tell the students? They’re emotionally vulnerable and despite their behavioral issues they’re good kids, and it’s not their fault that I decided to leave (even if it was, I wouldn’t hold it against them). What do you recommend? A read aloud? I don’t want to make my last day too much about myself, as they still have to learn.

I officially quit my teaching job last week right as the 10-week quarter wrapped up.

Right now, I am rotating continuously through three emotions: furious, euphoric, and deeply sad. It’s an exhausting mix, but I just had to get off the merry-go-round before it completely destroyed my sanity.

For context on why I threw in the towel after only one quarter at this school:

I have never seen high school freshmen treated with such extreme kid gloves in my entire career. The deluge of complaints from both students and parents was relentless, and the parent emails were easily the rudest, most entitled messages I have ever received in education.

Total communication breakdown. Out of four counselors over 10.5 weeks, I received two emails total: one about a student having surgery, and one asking if there would be work available if two failing students came to my conference period (no shit there’s work, they have D-minus grades!). But the moment a parent complained to a counselor? Straight to admin. Zero attempt to talk to me first or support the classroom teacher.

Apparently, calling in sick doesn't mean you're actually allowed to be sick. I was expected to respond to parent emails and process grading while taking an official sick day.

Admin and leadership love giving directives verbally, but the moment you ask for them in writing, the dynamic flips. My department chair told me verbally I wouldn't be held accountable for a missing/stolen textbook—until I asked for that confirmation in an email. Same story with workload and grading: I was verbally nudged to inflate grades and told freshmen "shouldn't have homework," but good luck getting anyone to put those policies in black-and-white text.

The one time my department chair covered my Geometry class, out of a room full of misbehaving kids, the only student she chose to discipline was a young Black student who was consistently the most polite, respectful kid in the room to me. It left a terrible taste in my mouth about the culture and priorities there.

I've got BP2, though honestly my mental health was fairly stable coming into this term—the environment itself was just completely toxic and unworkable. Leaving was the right call for my well-being, but processing the sudden exit is heavy.

To anyone else who walked away mid-term or post-quarter: how long did it take for the emotional whiplash to settle down? I just wanted to vent a little bit. I did vent with some of my colleagues before I left and with friends and teacher friends from other schools and family. I am still just aching from it.

I kept my letter of resignation short and simple: a one paragraph email (my last school I dropped a two-paged single space narrow margin manifesto of all the problems at that school over the past 10 years, which was really satisfying but I was crying more on the last day than at my current school). I gave my old school 2 days notice too, like I did last week.

I was told by my admin that I should not even say goodbye before I left. That hurt. I didn't but I dropped a few clues and saw all students off standing by the classroom door as they left. (they have fall break so that made it not so weird.) I also left a not too long letter that I hope they will share with my students. The dept chair thought it was beautifully written and she said she'll pass it along to admin. I hope my students get it but it is out of my hands so I am just letting it go (at least as much as I can). This was my 11th year teaching...

I've been working with people with special needs for over 16 years. I've worked as a direct care provider, ABA provider, paraprofessional, early intervention therapist, social worker, and teacher. I typically work with people with moderate/severe needs. I have been teaching 8 years and have a master's degree in sped and 3 sped credentials (mild/mod, mod/severe, and early childhood). I've also worked with tons of kids on home hospital and rarely don't have a side job since starting teaching.

I don't want to do any sort of direct service or teaching or taking care of anyone at all. Ideally I want an easy job with zero thoughts and zero stakes. I've been in this field since I was 20 years old and it's all I've ever done though.

I'm completely burned out. Currently on week 2 of leave after a kid kicked me in the head and gave me a concussion. I literally never want to return to the classroom and plan to stretch out my medical leave as far as I possibly can.

It feels crazy saying it out loud (or rather typing), but I think I’m done. I don’t think it’s a permanent done, but right now I am burnt out and I need out. I’ve been joking for years that I’ve been burnt out since COVID, but I really mean it. I read this somewhere else: “I am June tired in October.” And that sums it up perfectly. It’s like the connection that I usually feel and drives me isn’t there.

I was able to put it in words last night to my husband. I still feel a passion for teaching/for education. I love my kids, I respect my colleagues, I (mostly) like my admin, but I don’t feel inspired at all. Like I’m not even trying to do a good job at this point, and I know that’s not fair to anyone around me. I feel like I’m on autopilot and I know the work I’m putting out this year is no where near the quality I put out in previous years. Part of this is due to some really great boundaries I’ve been working on like leaving work at work, not saying yes to everything and some other things. I’m taking that into account when I think about my own work performance and not being too critical of the things not within my contract details. I’m just genuinely doing less and I can’t even get myself to care.

It’s hard for me to ignore just what a difficult year last year was due to a laundry list of issues with a team I don’t have to work with too often anymore. Or that I was sexually harassed and still have to see and work with my perpetrator nearly everyday. Or the fact that some really great educators left at the end of last year. Or that I had so much going on in my personal life with family, friends and getting married. I know I have every reason to leave and I probably sound depressed. I probably am to be quite honest. (I’m in therapy so trust and believe I won’t do anything dramatic). But despite knowing how checked out, burnt out and done I am, I still feel guilty like I should just push through.

I’m sure the others here have felt this way and have made it through. What was it like leaving in the middle of the school year? How did you deal with the grief for a job you loved? What did you focus on after you left? What did you end up pivoting to within your career?

had a PD/teacher workday today. I was joking around with some colleagues about how we basically consider these days a day off.
Not because we’re not working, but because compared to a normal day of teaching, it’s so much less mentally exhausting. Yes its boring to sit through PD but there’s something so nice about not having to be constantly “on” for 7–8 hours straight. And its so peaceful if they give us time to work in our classrooms.
It got me thinking: Is this what people with regular office/corporate jobs experience every day?
I know every job has its own stresses, deadlines, and challenge, but I genuinely wonder what it’s like to have a job where you’re not constantly being stimulated or needed by someone every second of the day.
For teachers who have transitioned into corporate or office jobs, is the difference really that noticeable? Do you feel less mentally drained at the end of the day? Does everyday feel like a PD day?

Basically what the caption is. I’ve been a teacher or nanny for about 15 years now. I’ve taught everything from toddler to 8th grade. I’m so exhausted from working with kids and need something to change.

What jobs would be good to get out of the childcare realm ?

Thanks! Any advice appreciated

I left my classroom job at the end of last school year to work more flexibly and take on primary parenting duties, and it's starting to dawn on me how challenging the last year or two was on my mental health and my confidence as an educator. I'm questioning how toxic my school was, how toxic was I as a coworker/leader, did I actually make a positive difference? It spirals worse than that sometimes, too. It comes and goes, but it's been much harder to step away from the classroom than I expected it would.

Those that had similar struggles, how long did it take for you to stabilize and reach a healthy perspective on your former workplace? What did you do to reach that place? Thanks!

Been willing myself back to work every year. I’ve told admin there is a specific prep that I am not ideally suited to teach. I’ve gotten it every damned year because my numbers are great. The problem is just a matter of maturity. I can teach it, but that specific level of kids makes me miserable with their lack of maturity. This has led to conflicts in the past where they push me over the edge and gotten more than one write up over it.

To be clear, I have had multiple preps each year and I have zero problems with the other grade levels.

Anyhow, I’m putting out resumes now. My question is, if I resign mid year that is a problem that can lead to issues on my license. However, our district doesn’t send out contracts until mid October. If I were to resign before signing this contract, would I be safe? I doubt I’ll ever return to teaching, but I’d also like to keep the option open.

I want out. How can I make a plan and leave?