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PGF
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
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 Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:51 am Post subject: Teaching is EXHAUSTING-final month burn-out |
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My friend has been a teacher in the states for ten years. When he visited me and saw the hectic hours I was working (extras in the morning and normals until 10 PM) he said I was going to crash hard.
He was right.
When I first came here I was enthusiastic, energetic and ready for almost anything. After the four month blues, I still retained my stamina until now. I am really really drained. I find it hard to concentrate. I find it hard to wake up; and I find it really hard to get out and do the things I am supposed to do on the weekends.
I've worked super intense jobs before where I was working upwards of 60 hours/week, non-stop for years; but the teaching seems to be even more draining.
Anyone else on a hectic "always hustling" schedule?
How do you regenerate?
How do you maintain your enthusiasm in the classroom? Or do you just give in to the energy drain? I find that I've "given up" on my "hyper class" of elementary students who jsut do not want to learn. And, I've toned down too much in my "good classes" where my middle school kids are eager to learn.
Just curious to know if this is a typical teaching phenomena...... |
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ironmaninkorea
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
Location: SEOUL
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:57 am Post subject: GET REAL you WIMP! |
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| no offense, but how dare you compare teaching american students to korean students? Teaching in American classrooms is equal to WORLD WAR 2, YOU WILL GET BEATEN UP MENTALL AND PHYSICALLY EVERYDAY, but in korea you are the king....how can you be burned out? maybe you are not cut out to be a teacher. |
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cruisemonkey
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:30 am Post subject: |
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| I'd suggest you drop your 'extras' or you'll hit the proverbial wall (if you haven't already). Good luck. |
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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:43 am Post subject: |
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I work a long day too- from 6:40 am to 11:00 at my first job and 1:00 pm to 4:30 at my second. With travel times I'm out of the house from 6:00 am to 5:30 pm.
How do I do it? Exercise and good diet. Eating small healthy meals every 3-4 hours keeps my energy levels constant, and just the thought of a good workout keeps me going. While I'm there I get rid of any tension I might have from the day and feel great.
Exercise may not be for you. But I suggest finding something you absolutely love to do, and try doing it everyday (or most everyday). |
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jaderedux2
Joined: 09 Jul 2007
Location: lurking just lurking
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:06 pm Post subject: Re: GET REAL you WIMP! |
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| ironmaninkorea wrote: |
| no offense, but how dare you compare teaching american students to korean students? Teaching in American classrooms is equal to WORLD WAR 2, YOU WILL GET BEATEN UP MENTALL AND PHYSICALLY EVERYDAY, but in korea you are the king....how can you be burned out? maybe you are not cut out to be a teacher. |
I have many friends and family who are teachers. They have not mentioned WW2 atmosphere. If you work in a inner city school perhaps but most schools are pretty good.
I know when I tell my friends about students completely destroying school desks, no detention, almost and being knocked completely on my butt by students racing around the hallways, air-conditioners being completely destroyed. Students who have no concept of what it is to make a line for lunch. I have witnessed several accidents myself as my classroom is right beside the lunch room. They push scream and it is like a riot. K-Teachers stand idly by and watch it.
My door has been broken 3 times because the student push against it so hard it breaks the lock.
I caught 2 students trying to get in my classroom by climbing in the windows above the door. (I had their soccer ball) I had used a bicycle lock to lock the door from the inside so I could get some work done.
My class room is the only one that has desks in good shape and that have not replaced in 3 years. Why? Because I have rules. You bring a box cutter to my class it's mine. You start using your "sharp" on my desk it's mine.
My take is these kids are not as confrontational but they are passive aggressive. They destroy everything from their books to their lockers to their homerooms. They have no manners when it comes to walking in a hallway and throw stuff out the windows. The teachers finally had to take away the ALL the soccer balls cuz the students were 1. Using the teacher's cars as targets. 2. Throwing them from the 5th floor.
Recently some students got a serious beating for picking up a smaller student and slamming him to the ground. Knocked him unconscious.
Yeah some schools in west are pretty rough but most people don't live in L.A. or New York or Chicago. Most people live in regular places. Yeah every now and again some nut job gets hold of a gun and goes nuts.
Hell, I think if these kids had access to guns here it would be everyday occurrence. They have absolutely no control over their emotions or any idea about how to behave in crowds or stressful situations. The place would be littered with dead bodies if these kids could get guns.
F.Y.I. My school is considered one of the good ones. Better students, higher grades and test scores and we get many students in speciality schools like foreign language schools and science schools.
My 2 cents.
Jade |
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crazy_arcade
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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Op: I did the same as you my first year.
I had my regular full time job. Then I took on and after school program.
Then I took on extras and extras and....well...more extras.
I began to lose my social life and I began to eat very unhealthy. I found it hard to wake up and hard to fall asleep. I became to dread everything.
I don't do extras anymore. I'm much happier. |
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Easter Clark
Joined: 18 Nov 2007
Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:16 pm Post subject: Re: Teaching is EXHAUSTING-final month burn-out |
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| PGF wrote: |
How do you maintain your enthusiasm in the classroom? Or do you just give in to the energy drain? |
The trick is to operate on a slow, constant burn rather than bursts of bright flashes.  |
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sojourner1
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Location: Where meggi swim and 2 wheeled tractors go sput put chug alugg pug pug
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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I have felt so burned out too. I know I need to be exercising and eating better myself, but I just didn't have a gym and often used the skilley, my only cookware, to fry food instead of having salads and baked foods like I did at home.
I did mountain hike a lot on weekends which made me feel really good.
What keeps me going? Knowing that I am almost finished with this job and knowing I won't be taking another hagwon job. 3 weeks and counting... |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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| No one should work more than 12 months at a teaching job that doesn't include decent holidays. I've known of some people who've done two or three contracts at hagwons that had 10 days paid holidays per year. Even if it were the best-run hagwon possible I think if I had to work for a number of years I'd still prefer Babo Technical High School if I at least got decent vacations. |
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Hank the Iconoclast
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:22 pm Post subject: Re: GET REAL you WIMP! |
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| ironmaninkorea wrote: |
| no offense, but how dare you compare teaching american students to korean students? Teaching in American classrooms is equal to WORLD WAR 2, YOU WILL GET BEATEN UP MENTALL AND PHYSICALLY EVERYDAY, but in korea you are the king....how can you be burned out? maybe you are not cut out to be a teacher. |
what are you talking about? Have you taught Korean children before? Christ. |
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rhinocharge64
Joined: 20 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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| To the op i think you need a reality check. To compare Korean kids to the yanks is way off it. Sounds like your school doesn't have much of a discipline policy. If the teachers are letting them do what they want then what do you expect. Kids are kids the world over. But trust me I taught back home and it sure was no picnic. |
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normalcyispasse
Joined: 27 Oct 2006
Location: Yeosu until the end of February WOOOOOOOO
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:47 pm Post subject: Re: GET REAL you WIMP! |
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| ironmaninkorea wrote: |
| no offense, but how dare you compare teaching american students to korean students? Teaching in American classrooms is equal to WORLD WAR 2, YOU WILL GET BEATEN UP MENTALL AND PHYSICALLY EVERYDAY, but in korea you are the king....how can you be burned out? maybe you are not cut out to be a teacher. |
I love that this comes from someone who's been a member of the board for a whopping two weeks. |
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renzobenzo1
Joined: 08 Sep 2007
Location: Suji, Yongin
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm feeling it too...my biggest hurdle at the moment is sitting in an office daily with 3 Korean teachers who have no English speaking ability....it's driving me insane! All the bickering and talk that goes on plays with my head.....The next gig I take in another country I think I will need to learn the language before I go or ask to be with English speaking workers in the office. |
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Easter Clark
Joined: 18 Nov 2007
Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:32 pm Post subject: Re: GET REAL you WIMP! |
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| normalcyispasse wrote: |
I love that this comes from someone who's been a member of the board for a whopping two weeks. |
The length of time one has been a member of this forum isn't necessarily an indicator of the breadth of their experience! Some of us have been teaching for years and have only now gotten around to message boards such as these. It's best to consider the words, and why one chooses certain words--not always a good idea to look *only* at the source.
Remember, when a wise man points at the moon, the fool looks at the finger!
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Dome Vans
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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Remember, when a wise man points at the moon, the fool looks at the finger!
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Very sagelike, Easter clark. 
I've not subjected myself to the hours that the OP has, but generally felt quite tired over the last couple of weeks. Teaching in the PS is tiring after a while. I write and teach all my own lesson plans. A lot of thought and planning goes into them. After five months I'm ready for a break back in England and recharging. Looking forward to it.
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| constant burn rather than bursts of bright flashes |
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Can't do this. It's all or nothing situ. I like teaching with energy, it seems to rub off on the kids as well.
I worked as a chef for four years. Working 120 hours (actual working hours) a week left me a bit beat, but if it's something you love then that gives you the energy to do it. Cooking leaves you physically and mentally tired. Teaching is different it's more of the mental spark that suffers. Going to the gym three evenings a week, korean lessons another night, mised in with no drinking alcohol from sunday to thursday have prolonged my energy.
Always found it interesting when I was a chef for the first couple of years I would get home with the possibility of 6 hours sleep, but found I would get home and would nail a few cans to be able to sleep, so sleeping time was limited to about 4. Then I realised after a while that I could go home, watch a bit of telly for 30 minutes with no drinking and go to sleep perfectly easily and I would wake up so much better and defo more positive. Drinking really is a suppressant, doing without during the week is fine for clear thinking, and I do enjoy drinking so just fridays and saturdays. |
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