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.
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! 🙂
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.
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.
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
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! 🙂
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.
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!!