Is it possible to love and hate teaching at the same time?

it is really possible to love and hate something at the same time. i am a teacher too,and i love being one. but sometimes i have to admit that its really hard not to hate especially when you are giving everything,teaching them more than what they need to know and you'll find out that they're not even paying attention to you.there'll be times that you just want to strangle the neck of your student everytime they disobey you.still i cant leave because i know that their future is entrusted to me.besides, not all of my students are like that.some are really willing to learn and as long as there is someone who's eager to learn,i'll teach..

I know how you feel. I am a preschool teacher and thought about quitting my job a few months ago. I have worked with kids since I was 13, and always really enjoyed it. But, over the summer I had some family issues come up that got me into a real bad funk. I just didn't feel like dealing with "other peoples bratty kids anymore" as I told a friend of mine. I had to work through the issues I had, I kept my job, and realized that I needed to take a step back and look at what I was doing and why. Was I in this job for the love of it, or the money. Well, it certainly was not the money, teachers make squat! So I had to re-assess why I was doing it. I had one kid that I could not connect with at all. He is a two year old, and at the time I was floating, and I couldn't get him to respond well to me. I knew he was shy, but needed to find a way to get him to see that I was there to play with him and everyone else in the class. No matter what I did, no matter how I did, I could get this kid to be interested in anything. It got so frustrating. I made it a mission, to get this kid. When I was in the classroom I studied him, thought about him when I went home, even dreamed about him. I observed things he liked, disliked, sort of liked. After weeks of doing this, I finally nailed him. I put together a lesson plan specifically with him in mind and layed it out for everyone to do. He worked everything! He got into it, totally submerged in the project. I layed out construction paper and glue and told them to make me a picture. He didn't like scissors, so I had then tear up the construction paper. He didn't like getting his hands dirty, so I laid out glue sticks instead of bottled glue. I didn't give specific instructions on what to make, just make anything. He went crazy. After ten minutes of shredding paper, and not glueing a damn thing, he hugged me! Hugged me! This is a child who never looked at me, except out of the corner of his eye, and he's hugging me. I cried, yes cried. Now granted you have more than 6 kids in your classroom, but you need to know each one. Yes it is hard to do with 20 kids, I've been a third grade teacher, traded that for preschool, but it is possible. Pick a day to study each child, and not just in the classroom. Watch them play, eat, talk with their friends. When you find what makes them tick, plan around it. It takes time, but in the end the result is so worth the effort you put into it.

The percs are few and far between in teaching, but they do come along once in awhile. To me the downside of teaching is the fact that teachers are expected to do so much more than teach. As school districts have had to downsize due to financial problems, most of the extra work has been placed on the teachers. I hated having to spend parts of my day doing clerical work instead of working with children. I hated to give up my valuable prep time to cleaning my own room, taking out the trash, and spraying for headlice. And I totally disliked working with some parents who were so demanding even though they never made the effort to come into the classroom and see what was going on. And these are the reasons I'm not teaching any more. When we moved I wanted no part of teaching. It's a seriously underpaid profession, the children do not know how to behave any more, and the parents are even worse than the kids.

WHen I first started teaching I enjoyed it so much I used to think that I should be the one paying to do it , not being paid. Now, almost 30 years after I sing a different song LOL Actually I think that I should be considering looking for a less stressful and dangerous job, like being a lion tamer, or work in the stock marked heheheh Yes, it is wonderful when we see that we are able to reach those kids, but after so many years patience is not what it was.. and kids are also not what they were. It is the rudeness that gets me. I don't worry about a kid that talks a lot in class, I can deal with that. I am always ready to help a student that needs help or is struggling with something. I don't even get too upset at some pranks - sometimes it's hard not to laugh out loud. But kids that are rude to us their teachers and even to classmates and "pseudo" friends really get to me. Kids that don't use the 3 Rs ( respect for self, respect for others and responsibility for own actions ) get too me as well. IN your case though, I would probably hold on walking out. The fact that it bothers you means you care and when you care you can really make a difference. And if you can make a difference in even one child, it's worth.

There are pros and cons in each field. Every thing has good and bad aspects. Every person has his varying moods too.

It really is possible. Been there done that, should I say. I've taught in a grade school for three months and at a language school as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher for almost a year. But now am currently working in a call center company...why? well, sad but true...it feels so frustrating that no matter how hard you prepare for your lessons, no matter how hard you try to meet the needs of your students, there are just times that you feel unrewarded and even unnoticed. Yes, we can't please everybody, but we also know that even the simplest form of praise can sweep our stress away and would inspire us to do some more. :)

I am sure that it is quite possible. Teaching is a very noble profession. It must be extremely frustrating to have children who come in with absolutely no interest or totally unprepared. It must also be frustrating to have parents of these children that are not interested at all. Children in todays society (most children) are a "me" generation. They really could care less about you. Sorry, that's my opinion. I hope that it gets better for you.

I think it is possible to love and hate something at the same time. I can certainly understand that being a teacher can be really rewarding but also lots of hard work. If the kids don't appreciate what you are trying to do for them it must be tough for you.

I teach community College and I know that is not the same as public school. But I would say sure, you can become burnt out. If you have a bad class (like I did last semester) or have a really hectic semester and you can think why the *bleep* am I doing this again? Geez, I need a break and soon. But perhaps all you need is a break. A chance to re-coup. Because if you truly love teaching then you will want to go back. You won't really want to quit. Just remember why you started teaching, it was for those students who appreciate your efforts and you knew there would be many more who do not appreciate you efforts, but do you really want to abandon those who do want to learn? But if you find that you are fed up and too tired to continue as a teacher, then by all means change careers--I say its never too late to change jobs.