I can relate to teacher burnout. I also come from a family of teachers: mother, her father, my brother. But I wasn't ready to teach three writing classes with thirty students each over three quarters in my first academic job. I was frequently ill with bronchitis and even walking pneumonia. After two years, I had to quit that job.
For me, I had two aims in college: to be a writer and to be a teacher. Those goals led in totally unexpected directions, like becoming the host of a radio talk show.
I had to quit teaching way back when because summers were not enough time to get a whole book done. But I've been lucky to teach at workshops and in master classes and recently did a six-year stint teaching CW at MSU. I was able to publish two more books during that period because I didn't have a heavy course load. They were crime novels set in academia. :-)
Two kids changed so much about me as a teacher. In some ways it made me easier because I stopped assigning SO much work. In others it just made me better at my job because I'm much more intentional about everything I do.
Thanks for this! I feel like I can relate so much …. I have a high profile role in my small town as an environmentalist and for the past 8 years I have run our recycling facility. But my background is English literature, and I’m feeling an urge to write more. I can’t quit my job cause I’m the breadwinner, but I also like my job and find purpose in it. I’m trying to let my day job be the scaffolding I need to allow my creative self to flourish in my off times. We’ll see how it goes! Also from Northern Indiana, by the way, and grew up in Indy! 🙂
Oh my goodness! A fellow Hoosier. If you really get into writing you'll have to keep in touch 😊 I'm getting more and more excited about the prospect of DMs 😂
And I love that you are a writer doing environmental work. That is fantastic 💗
I have halfheartedly started a Substack called tulip tree journal. To be honest I’m still trying to sort out what I want to write about. I think I’m procrastinating!
This is what I learned when I started my first blog: just start writing. Don't worry about niche (I have a piece on that too). The more you write, you'll find your path.
Hey Sarah! I'm really happy I stumbled on your blog this morning. You re-stacked a note from me and I decided to come check you out. I'm really happy I discovered this blog. I'm subscribing. I also really subscribe to the ideas you spoke about in this post regarding happiness vs. meaning. I'm one of those college kids who graduated and never got a regular job. I've been a writer online for the last 10 years or so, and I've never looked back. True lasting happiness is attained through meaning anyway in my opinion. And the paradox that I've found in my life is that finding meaning is hard work and not always the most joy-inducing activity. In fact, in a lot of ways finding meaning in our lives is moreso hard work than something that makes us happy. Happiness is way overrated.
I so agree! I want to be content and find meaning, and yeah, that is still hard work! Do happiness and joy matter? Are they a part of that journey to contentment and meaning? Yes, but they are the ultimate goal.
Have been teaching since 2011, and, oh goodness, I do relate to every word in this essay! I realized that something was wrong when I felt that my personality, who I was, and what I had to say started to dissipate in the open waters of students' needs and interests and lives ... Reading classic literature, writing, and running helped me get my focus back on myself. Thank you for this post!!
I can relate to teacher burnout. I also come from a family of teachers: mother, her father, my brother. But I wasn't ready to teach three writing classes with thirty students each over three quarters in my first academic job. I was frequently ill with bronchitis and even walking pneumonia. After two years, I had to quit that job.
Finally realizing that my job wasn't my life changed everything.
For me, I had two aims in college: to be a writer and to be a teacher. Those goals led in totally unexpected directions, like becoming the host of a radio talk show.
Ha! The goal to be a writer came much later. Now it's trying to find the balance between a time consuming job I love and my need to write.
I had to quit teaching way back when because summers were not enough time to get a whole book done. But I've been lucky to teach at workshops and in master classes and recently did a six-year stint teaching CW at MSU. I was able to publish two more books during that period because I didn't have a heavy course load. They were crime novels set in academia. :-)
I can't do that until the kids graduate (in seven years). But it's really ok. I'm finding time to write in the margins.
Any time we find to write is good time. I helped raise two kids and understand those "margins."
I feel every word of this! I lived and breathed teaching until I had my 2nd kid. Now I just live and breathe it 40 (okay, maybe 50) hours a week
Two kids changed so much about me as a teacher. In some ways it made me easier because I stopped assigning SO much work. In others it just made me better at my job because I'm much more intentional about everything I do.
Thanks for this! I feel like I can relate so much …. I have a high profile role in my small town as an environmentalist and for the past 8 years I have run our recycling facility. But my background is English literature, and I’m feeling an urge to write more. I can’t quit my job cause I’m the breadwinner, but I also like my job and find purpose in it. I’m trying to let my day job be the scaffolding I need to allow my creative self to flourish in my off times. We’ll see how it goes! Also from Northern Indiana, by the way, and grew up in Indy! 🙂
Oh my goodness! A fellow Hoosier. If you really get into writing you'll have to keep in touch 😊 I'm getting more and more excited about the prospect of DMs 😂
And I love that you are a writer doing environmental work. That is fantastic 💗
I have halfheartedly started a Substack called tulip tree journal. To be honest I’m still trying to sort out what I want to write about. I think I’m procrastinating!
This is what I learned when I started my first blog: just start writing. Don't worry about niche (I have a piece on that too). The more you write, you'll find your path.
Hey Sarah! I'm really happy I stumbled on your blog this morning. You re-stacked a note from me and I decided to come check you out. I'm really happy I discovered this blog. I'm subscribing. I also really subscribe to the ideas you spoke about in this post regarding happiness vs. meaning. I'm one of those college kids who graduated and never got a regular job. I've been a writer online for the last 10 years or so, and I've never looked back. True lasting happiness is attained through meaning anyway in my opinion. And the paradox that I've found in my life is that finding meaning is hard work and not always the most joy-inducing activity. In fact, in a lot of ways finding meaning in our lives is moreso hard work than something that makes us happy. Happiness is way overrated.
I so agree! I want to be content and find meaning, and yeah, that is still hard work! Do happiness and joy matter? Are they a part of that journey to contentment and meaning? Yes, but they are the ultimate goal.
Have been teaching since 2011, and, oh goodness, I do relate to every word in this essay! I realized that something was wrong when I felt that my personality, who I was, and what I had to say started to dissipate in the open waters of students' needs and interests and lives ... Reading classic literature, writing, and running helped me get my focus back on myself. Thank you for this post!!
It's an exclusive club 😂