Veteran Teachers Reveal What Keeps Them Going Even When They Feel Burned Out, Unappreciated & Underpaid
In a difficult profession, you have to find your reasons to stay.
CarlosBarquero | Shutterstock Being a teacher is one of the most valuable and admirable professions in the workforce. That doesn't mean they get treated that way, however. So what keeps some educators going, even when things get tough? Veteran teachers turned to Reddit to share their secrets for pushing through when the burnout starts to set in.
Teachers prepare new generations for the world, and yet in the years since the pandemic, it seems the profession itself has been upended by funding cuts and teacher shortages. Teachers have limited resources, overcrowded classrooms, parents who blame them for everything from behavioral problems to communal classroom supplies, and they barely make enough money to get by. When it all gets to be too much, however, it's the veterans who have been doing it for decades who give the best advice.
Veteran teachers shared the secrets of what keeps them going when they feel overworked and underpaid.
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The Reddit thread began with one teacher sharing her experience. "I'm a 5th-year teacher," she wrote, "and this year I've been seriously contemplating leaving the profession to pursue another path." She's certainly not alone. According to a National Education Association survey, 55% of teachers admitted that they are thinking of leaving the profession, and the main reason was related to stress and burnout.
The teacher went on to explain that she loves working with the students and still enjoys certain aspects of the job, but she “can’t ignore how heavy the workload, pressure, and burnout have become.” The teacher then posed two questions to other professionals: "How did you deal with the challenges that come with this career?" And, "What kept you going?"
Many veteran teachers said working with the kids and the promise of a good pension kept them going when they were feeling stressed.
“Year 20 for me,” one teacher wrote. “I’m not helping a billionaire make more money (at least directly). This job doesn’t [expletive] up our air, water, or soil.” They went on to say that they can look at themselves in the mirror and see someone who hasn’t made anything worse.
Others talked about the financial side of the career. “The pension keeps me going,” another teacher wrote. They explained that they have five years left before they're able to collect their full pension without any penalty.
And of course, some teachers said it’s the students who make it all worthwhile. “36 years in,” one wrote, “I still love the kids and still look forward to the first day of school.” Others added that being there for students when they need support is what gives the job its true value.
But in response to the second question posed by the teacher who started the discussion, some shared that they had left the profession. One former teacher explained that they walked away because of report cards, a flawed new curriculum, a lack of student accountability, and poor work-life balance. They added that the job had shifted from meaningful learning to "show and tell," meaning it was more about looking good for others.
Pensions are not easy to get, but they can be a great benefit to educators who have put in their dues.
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If you’ve skimmed through the Reddit discussion, you’ve probably noticed how many teachers mention the pension. It’s something that really keeps them hooked and motivated to stay. So, you might be wondering, “How does the pension system actually work?” Let’s take a look at some information from TeacherPensions.org, using Florida as an example.
In Florida, teachers are eligible for the Florida Retirement System (FRS) Pension Plan. The way it works is that you get a monthly retirement benefit based on how long you worked and how much you made during that time. To qualify, teachers must first be vested, which means working long enough in a job to earn benefits from it. The vesting period in Florida is eight years.
Now let's break down how the pension is calculated. The state uses a formula based on a teacher's years of service and their average salary over their highest-paid eight years. Specifically, each year of service earns 1.6% of that salary. So if a teacher works for 25 years and has an average final salary of $70,000, they would have an annual pension of about 40% of that salary, which comes out to $28,000.
Teachers can collect this pension once they reach retirement age, which is 65 years, or after completing 33 years of service. They can retire early after 20 years, but their benefits will be reduced by 5% for each year before the normal retirement age. Also, they can’t move to another state and still receive the pension, so they have to live in Florida.
The overall picture is that getting this pension is not an easy task. But it makes sense that teachers keep going because of it, since the longer you stay, the more money you’ll make. In the end, whether teachers are doing it for the students, the pension, or a combination of reasons, we should be thankful for their hard work in educating generations.
Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.
