Day 3 of the March Slice of Life Challenge hosted by the Two Writing Teachers! #SOL24
This has been my most exhausting year of teaching… even more exhausting than teaching hybrid and masking every day for two years. Why do I feel so exhausted?
Teaching has always been more than just a job to me. It’s part of who I am. It’s a piece of my identity. It has brought me so much joy and pride and inspiration. Of course there has been heartache and struggles. But this year, I feel more defeated than ever. Maybe it’s the shift to a new curriculum? Maybe it’s the constant discussions about data? Maybe it’s the overwhelming feeling of never being enough? I’m trying. I’m really really trying. I’m trying to find joy and to bring joy.
Teaching used to consume me and over the past handful of years, I’ve really tried to strike a balance between my professional and my personal life. My own children deserve the best version of me, too.
It’s hard to admit that the profession I have poured my heart and soul into has left me feeling so drained.
Teachers Write 
It’s so hard to be drained. I don’t have magic words, just the words to remind you that you are not alone, and that it’s okay to be exhausted.
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It’s nice to know I’m not alone and it makes me sad that so many of us feel drained. ❤
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Hey Krista,
Would you believe it if I told you I know how you feel? Hang in there. As the commentor before me mentioned, you’re not alone. ❤
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Thank you for commenting and for reminding me I’m not alone in this feeling. I’m thankful for this community!
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Your exhaustion is real and valid and relatable. Bear in mind, too, that your teaching is not happening in a vacuum. You and your students, colleagues and families are all having to contend with a range of threats and uncertainties that were simply not at play 10 or even 5 years ago. Everything is up for debate and education – the simple act of keeping schools open, and introducing students to new ideas – has never been as publicly contested and fraught as now. Already by showing up day after day, you are engaged in a struggle to keep learning open to all, as broadly as possible. Not great news, but I hope it helps to also see the larger picture. It’s not just you, it’s the wider context.
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment. You bring up so many valid points.
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I can completely relate. And you are not alone. What you’re feeling is real, raw, and shared by so many of us. I myself am going through similar feelings. I hope slicing this month can perhaps bring you a little bit of peace as you work through it?
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Thank you for your words. I appreciate them. Writing really is therapeutic!
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