First year art teacher and my middle school students dislike me…. It’s triggering me?

[Anonymous]

I never planned on becoming a teacher. I ended up loving art again in college and wish I changed my major.

I don’t have a degree or experience with education even though I told them I was a teachers assistant in the interview. I was years ago for my mom who is a teacher.

I didn’t start the first day of school so I’m playing catch up with everything. I’m still learning

My students aren’t the worst but they can be disrespectful and mean to me. I gave them a project and they weren’t putting in effort. I blamed myself for it.

they hate coming to my class. They say they want the old art teacher and they just don’t want to do their best. I’m feeling depressed about bc I’m not confident in myself and them being mean just brings back memories of when people were always mean to me years back

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't be able to deal with pieces of shit kids. Even people who love kids and love teaching can have a hard time with shit kids AND their shit parents flying to the rescue when they try to discipline them. Honestly I would say that if you don't have teaching into your gut and still have self esteem issues to work out get yourself out of this shit job before it sends you into depression. If you don't want to leave or you really have to stay, my only advice is that kids can take time to adjust to change so keep nice and motivated and they will get over it. Don't let them walk over you and don't let them see you as weak. Middle school kids are little demons and love an easy target to bully even if it's a teacher. Still think you should find another job tho

[Asker]

ALL OF THIS LOL

The pay is good tho. I did it because I felt like I could still do what I love, have summers off and possibly get loans payed off….

My issue is that I never wanted to teach middle school, I arrived 4 weeks late (late hire), no mentor (I was promised one) , not a lot of supplies ect…. I teach prek-8th…. IB AND Montessori … 🙄 it’s a lot! I have 394 students to put grades in for.

But 60k salary as

[Asker]

A first year isn’t too bad hell

[Anonymous]

You can't be "triggered" by students not liking you. You put yourself in that situation. You are offensive to them.

[Asker]

You can def feel triggered by just about anything. I am triggered by them not liking me because it pokes at some unsealed trauma that I need to work on. It has nothing to do with them but it does sting. I am working hard to be better each week so it may just take some time. Teaching isn’t easy the first year and I arrived late so I’m still learning about my students and their needs.

[rigmarole]

Don't take it too seriously unless they do something real crazy... Hit your curriculum education standards daily, get your attendance. grades, and lesson plans in on time, and keep them busy as much as possible. Some kids will excel, some will be mediocre, and some will fail. Call the parents of the ones that are struggling after school and try to get the parents involved. Teaching is a stressful job that demands a lot of time and energy.

[Asker]

I didn’t arrive the first day of school. I came about 3 weeks later. I’m so behind on everything … class management is up and down … I have prek-8th… my middle schoolers are my toughest.

[rigmarole]

That's what a lot of teachers say, middle school students are the worst. Personally from my experience with kids, I'd say 14-15 year old kids were very simple. They followed instructions, did their work, and showed respect. The 16-17 year old kids were the most misbehaved. The 18 year olds were the least motivated to do anything. They just expected to be passed out the door.

[scooogy]

My brother works as a teacher and told his class they either do their best or he can't help them anymore once they fail. But by the way I never put effort into my projects, i remember drawing as badly as back in kindergarten. But on the other hand one project of ours was drawing pictures of our summer vacation. All that is 20 years ago now though.