Teacher sentiment at mid-year

Teachers share feelings of exhaustion as the 2025-2026 school year hits its mid-point.   

  • “We use the term “teacher shortage.” But, let’s call it what it is. A salary shortage. A support shortage. A respect shortage. A feeling-valued shortage. A classroom-supply shortage. A trust-in-teachers shortage.” —Leader in Georgia
    • “…year 30. Masters degree, PD hours, extra duties. I couldn’t bring myself to do Nat’l Board Certification. I tried twice because it’s another 3K. My last raise was in 2018. COLA is 3%. What a slap in the face to be on a fixed income as a veteran educator.” —K-8 Art Teacher in Arizona
  • “Feeling sick and drained and not sure if I should go into work tomorrow … I went to work today because I didn’t have a fever, even though I felt crappy, but not totally awful. I went to the doctor after work, started antibiotics, and now I’m feeling so drained and exhausted and not sure about going in tomorrow because I feel guilty whenever I do take off. I’ve had low-grade fevers off and on all day. I have conferences on Friday and can’t afford to be sick for those, so I don’t know what I should do.” —Special Education Teacher in the United States
  • “… I’m curious to know how you manage to put schoolwork aside once you get home. Do you ever stop worrying about it throughout the day and make time for personal growth, goals, and self-care? What strategies have helped you build the foundation to detach from work when you’re not at school? …. It feels like there’s always something to prepare or perfect, which consumes a significant amount of time that I could be dedicating to personal growth. Consequently, I end up feeling demotivated, exhausted, and as if I’m merely giving without making any progress in my personal development.” —High School Teacher 
  • “Feeling completely burned out and not sure if this is still normal … I don’t even know where to start because half of this year feels like a blur already. I’ve been teaching long enough to know the usual cycles of stress but this time something feels different, heavier, like it’s sitting right behind my ribs all day. Every week is just this nonstop wave of noise, demands, tiny crises, parents emailing at midnight, admin asking for more data even though they haven’t looked at the last batch. I keep thinking that maybe it’s just a rough month but then the next week hits and it’s the same thing again. … I used to shake it off by the weekend but lately even Saturdays feel like I’m still stuck in the classroom mentally. I wake up exhausted, I go to bed wired, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I felt actually rested. … I’m trying to not quit impulsively because I do love these kids and there are moments where the job still hits me in the heart in a good way. But right now it feels like I’m frayed at the edges and no amount of long weekends or coffee or forced positivity is patching it…” —Anonymous Educator in the United States
  • “Is anyone else struggling more with teaching this year than in the past? … Has anyone been really struggling with getting motivated to teach and just plain apathetic towards teaching? Like I know it’s a common feeling amongst teachers, I have shared that sentiment to a certain degree as well, but this year seems different to me. The anxiety and depression with teaching seems worse this year. I’d like to blame student behavior, effort, and lack of support from admin but those have always been there. I am in therapy to work through this. I was just wondering if anyone else is feeling this way this year and what they are doing to help themselves out?” —Elementary School Teacher in Nebraska
    • “I teach kindergarten and honestly, I feel so beaten down. My students this year are so weak academically. The simplest inferences are beyond them. Today’s question: Clark the Shark munched all the lunches. Why were the other kids hungry? Answers were: ‘Happy,’ ‘Sad,’ and, of course, ‘Shark.’ Their social skills and self-regulation are almost non-existent. I’ve had screaming matches over who is 4 (they both were) … Anything that shines the slightest light on one student, whether it be their birthday, their parents bringing them a McDonald’s lunch, or the fact they are the leader of the day, leads to meltdowns from others. This week we are learning about the letter G. I said only two students have a G in their name. As soon as I said it, I knew it was a mistake. Screams and arguments erupted about who had a G. Sigh.” —Kindergarten Teacher in Canada
    • “Yes. Having an insanely micromanaging new admin and it is really having a bad impact on me.” —High School Teacher in Colorado
    • “Each year since COVID just gets worse and worse.” —Anonymous Educator
  • “I’m in year 6, and it’s truly my worst year yet. I have a great school, supportive admin, mostly supportive parents (aside from 2), a great team, and I feel more and more confident in my teaching abilities every year. I actually have been loving it more and more until this year. It’s the worst behavior I have ever seen, and it’s embarrassing behaviors that your teacher shouldn’t have to teach you not to have: mostly whining loudly, but also trying to argue about every little thing, kicking and punching the desk and stomping on the floor when you don’t get your way, lashing out at classmates for looking at you, searching up ‘diddy’s daughters naked’ knowing I have Go Guardian pulled up, the list goes on.” —Elementary School Teacher in South Carolina