Sorry for Your Loss
My 3-years of full-time teaching have felt like a lifetime. I loved so many things about teaching, and I think about it everyday. I miss interacting and collaborating with my coworkers, teaching students, creating relationships with my students and seeing their growth through the year. There were also a lot of things that I didn't love about teaching. Ultimately, I had to leave because my mental health had gotten so bad. I was not able to be emotionally present for myself or for my students. I was emotionally, spiritually, physically, and mental drained. I compiled this list of reasons for leaving in December 2021, a few weeks before my last day teaching. I felt awful for leaving mid-year, but I had nothing left to give. 1. I have never called in sick or taken days off, even after being assaulted on my way to work. I always showed up for my students. I got to work early every single day and dedicated hours after school to IEP writing, grading, and lesson planning. In October...