What Now?: When You Feel You Can’t Keep Teaching
Many first-year teachers experience the feeling that they are in the wrong profession. As a member of the education world, I can honestly say that I went through the same thing after my horrendous first year experience. But don’t end your career without trying some other options. It truly is such a rewarding profession and there is a desperate need for good teachers. If you are a first year teacher, look into programs that might be offered through your school district that give you the opportunity to observe master teachers or attend professional development. Some professional development courses can be very beneficial because they can focus on the issues that you are having difficulty with. If you have problems with classroom management, differentiating instruction, or integrating technology into your lesson plans, there are commonly professional development classes offered on these topics. There are also many great books out there that address common issues that first year teachers have. These books can help you realize that you are not alone. If you exhaust all of these options and truly realize that you love being in the education field but not as a teacher, you can go back to school for a degree in an area that more suits your preference, such as Library Science, Speech, or Counseling. Whatever your choice may be, make it for yourself-while education is a rewarding field to be in, your happiness is most important!