It’s no secret that teachers today are quitting in droves. A staggering 70% of young teachers even consider leaving the profession in their first five years. The reasons are many, from overstepping parents to poor institutional support. Low pay and long hours don’t help.
And yet, many of them survive. They have to. Without them, our kids would have nowhere to go.
Finally, teachers are opening up about what it takes to “stay in love” with their chosen calling.
Teacher shares the things that keep her going, sparks heartwarming discussion
Mrs. Arensberg, a popular teacher content creator, recently took to Instagram with a personal reveal that gave people all the feels.
“I first stepped into a classroom in 2010, and while there have absolutely been seasons that challenged me, stretched me, and tested me in every way, I can honestly say I still love this job just as much as I did on day one. Not because it’s always easy, but because I’ve learned how to protect the parts of it that matter most,” she wrote. “These are the things that have helped me stay grounded and continue to find joy in the work, even when it’s hard.”
First, she covers a few important mental health habits that help her maintain healthy separation and boundaries from work: not letting teaching become your identity, complaining sparingly to the right people, and using personal days liberally.
Then she dug into the good stuff:
- See beyond the academic. Arensberg says that, in her experience, students don’t remember the lessons and the material. “They will remember how your classroom felt and whether they felt safe, seen, and valued there.” Curriculums and administrative red tape will always have a big influence over the academic side of a classroom, but that doesn’t mean teachers aren’t having a huge impact.
- Protect your softness. She says part of what’s made her successful is that she tries to block out the cynicism about the profession or about “kids today.” “Kids still need adults who believe in them,” she shares.
- Celebrate small wins. “A breakthrough. A child finally smiling. A student feeling confident. Not every success shows up in data.”
- Notice the magic. “Because despite the hard days, there is still something incredibly beautiful about getting to be part of a child’s story.”
These are the things that have kept her going for some 15 odd years in education.
Fellow teachers chime in with their own beautiful motivators
Turns out that Mrs. Arensberg isn’t the only one who’s had to intentionally create habits, space, boundaries, and mindset shifts in order to survive in teaching. Commenters weighed in with their own.
While many echoed her sentiments about work-life balance and boundaries, others agreed that it was the kids and the little moments that kept them going:
“What kept me in love with teaching for 32 years was reading notes students wrote me. I kept them in a box and on bad days, that’s where I went. It let me see the big picture and purpose,” said one.
“I have been teaching Prek for a bit more than 20 years and I still absolutely love getting paid for having fun and receiving the most genuine hugs and kisses!! Being a Prek teacher means that 99% of your students will not remember you because they were so young however, the impact we have in their lives is tremendous!! So to me, it is each and every small daily thing in the classroom what keeps me going. Receiving those hugs, their smiles, looking at those big bright eyes when they finally mastered something! Is being called mommy and hear them say ‘you are the best teacher ever’ or ‘ this is the most fun day ‘ all of these fill my heart and renews my love and passion for teaching Prek!!!” shared another.
A popular thread on Reddit asked veteran teachers what they still loved about the job, and the answers were largely on-theme:
“Relationships with my kids. That’s it honestly.”
“I like the kids and the relationships I form with them. I like watching them meet goals and learn to love learning”
“Teaching is a grind with new hoops to jump through every year. But holy crap, I love the connections and giving the kids love. That’s what makes it worth it. Knowing I’m making a difference.”
“Year 12 in education. Year 8 teaching and still love it! Everyday is different. Kids always keep me guessing and learning something new! Some years are tougher than others but still feel like this is what I was made to do.”
There’s no shame in quitting a profession that leaves you underpaid and underappreciated
The teachers above prove that mindset is so powerful in how we approach our daily work.
In a 2019 article in Greater Good Magazine, writer Chase Mielke cites happiness studies from Sonja Lyubomirsky and Kennon Sheldon, writing, “Their studies suggest that our circumstances—factors often beyond our control—typically only account for 10 percent of the variance in happiness between people, while 40 percent is determined by our intentional actions and daily habits.”
Mielke adds that mindfulness (being fully present and grounded in the moment) and gratitude can make a massive difference for educators:
“Education can be filled with things that aren’t good enough (and social media isn’t shy of zeroing in on these). But it’s also filled with victory, hope, and positivity. Gratitude is better than griping when it comes to our well-being; so, focus on things that inspire you.”
There are plenty of administrative and structural deficiencies that make teaching a frustrating career. But Mrs. Arensberg is correct: the kids are alright, they still need teachers who believe in them, and they are often the best part of the job.
