[Msspat]

Hello!
I am currently a teacher, but suffering from various mood swings and anxiety that make it difficult for me to maintain relationships with my students. I feel I am taking my job too seriously and have a hard time accepting when students are apathetic or don’t take things seriously, especially when I spend a lot of time preparing.

I’m also struggling to modify expectations that I have for students with add/adhd and have trouble drawing the line between their struggles because of add/adhd and lack of effort.

I don’t want to come home and reflect on negative interactions I’ve had with my students and want to create a positive environment for all.

I recommend this website for you as a teacher. It has a forum where you can connect with other teachers for support and advice.

A to Z Teacher Stuff Forums

I don't miss teaching at all. Students have far too much control over the classroom and are out of control, disruptive, and horrible; because school administrative staff don't care like they should, and parents are not as involved in their child's lives and they don't support or reinforce their child's teachers discipline policies in the classroom. The teaching profession has been soiled by neglectful parenting, apathetic administrators who make excuses and deflect responsibility from making real changes, and overburdens teachers emotionally, psychologically, financially, and is physically exhausting. I went to grad school to become a licensed teacher. After years of substitute teaching and what I encountered, there is no way in hell I would EVER waste my time teaching in a K-12 classroom b/c the payoff isn't there for me. Kids are rude, there's no support for teachers, and administrators don't support teachers.

[Discombobulated]

I'm not a teacher but have worked in schools. I have huge respect for teachers - it is a very demanding job both intellectually and emotionally. Don't be too hard on yourself it sounds like you are doing a great job.

[WastingAsparagus]

I'm a teacher, though I don't teach a full time schedule, and also I teach adults primarily, but my only advice to you would be to lower your expectations of yourself a little bit.

Teaching is already stressful enough as it is. For me, adding extra stress by making sure everything is perfect is a sure-fire way to make my mood spiral.

Of course, do your job, but approach it with more lightness. Perhaps you can reflect on those negative interactions you've had with students in a positive way. You could just see them as things you can improve upon instead of failures. (I don't know if you see them as failures). But a change in perspective could help. You can come up with constructive ways to phrase things to students who are getting on your nerves. And when you go home, you can leave what happened in the classroom in the classroom (though that's easier said than done, I know). Maybe reflect on the fact that you are probably doing more things right than you are doing things wrong. And perhaps the tide will shift a little bit. I wish you luck!