Written by: Morgan Williams, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As a former educator, I have not said much about the field of education since I resigned in August of 2021. Admittedly, I may have been keeping myself small, so that no one would question my decision. I worked through so much fear, leaving the stability of my teaching salary as a single parent. I had a lot to sort out about who I was now, as I no longer held the identity of “teacher.” If I’m honest, I have so many friends who are still educators and are seriously struggling, that I think I held some guilt for leaving, knowing that they were still deep in the trenches.
Over the last several weeks, so many of my people, who are still teachers, have reached out to me. They are at their breaking point. They are struggling. They are in crisis. They are experiencing both physical and mental health issues, along with physical and verbal abuse from students and parents, and having their integrity questioned by the administration. They are leaving the profession in droves, and not just in the world news; right here, where our kids are being educated. It’s a local issue, pretty much everywhere.
I was brought to tears today, listening to a friend who shared an experience that she had at work. Tears of activation, tears of memories, and tears of deep-seated compassion. Mostly, I felt tears because I know how passionate she is about the work that she does and the children that she serves. It breaks my heart to think that she is so deeply unhappy and had a full-on panic attack on the job for the first time in 40 years of her life, that now she is looking into leaving the field altogether.
Based on what I experienced as an educator and am hearing from those currently still in the field, here are just a few of the reasons they have the desire to and are making the decision to leave.
being stabbed with pencils, kicked, hit, and sworn at by students
having their integrity questioned by the administration and parents
being harassed by parents, including, but not limited to, sexual harassment
losing their planning and preparation time due to a sub shortage (which certainly impacts the quality of instruction for our children, but also impacts the teacher’s need for a break to recenter and recharge to be most effective in the classroom)
dealing with countless disruptive behaviors that are not being addressed and disrupting the entire learning process/environment
having more and more put on their plates than anyone can manage
constant curricular changes and additions without enough time or training to implement them well
taking on vicarious trauma from their students and colleagues and bringing it home to their families, and suffering from health problems as a result
If you are a parent, these human beings NEED your support. They love your children and have their own families that get the worst of what’s left of them when they get home. If you need ideas on how to support them, I’m happy to help. It goes beyond gift cards, cookies, and thank-you notes.
If you are an administrator, your teachers NEED your support, REAL support. If you’re not sure what that looks like, ask them or chat with me. I can tell you from personal experience what would be supportive.
If you are an educator right now (in any way, shape, or form), I encourage you to take serious care of yourself. If you are not sure where to start or what this looks like, I can help you. I am talking about deep self-care practices.
I see you. I witness what you are going through. I know how hard this is, and I know where your hearts are. I am sorry that you are suffering. I send you more than love and light; let me know how I can support you during this time.
Morgan Williams, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Morgan Williams wear many hats and titles; however, it is the work with her own personal healing journey, which led her to the path of coaching and energy work. Morgan was a professional educator for 16 years, while running a small business for the last five. She is a single mom, to the BEST kid around, and she found herself totally burnt out. Something had to change, and it started with coming back to herself. She found yoga and coaching during this time. She remembers vividly, sitting there, paralyzed with a broken heart, and realizing that if her relationship with herself was better, no one person, could hurt her that deeply. It was her wake-up call and self-love, and true self-care was the first step and a total game-changer in her journey.
