Summary

A teacher in a small Mexican border town is grappling with the challenges of overcrowded classrooms, extreme heat, a broken AC, insufficient resources, and the ongoing threat of COVID, leading to a decline in the charm of teaching and a strong resolve to leave the profession.

Abstract

The article is a candid account of a teacher's struggles in a school environment that is poorly equipped to handle the basic needs of both students and staff. With classrooms designed for 45-50 students and a recent reduction in available chairs, the learning environment is already strained. The situation is exacerbated by extreme heat, with temperatures reaching up to 110°F, and the failure of the classroom air conditioning system. The teacher expresses frustration over the lack of resources to address these issues and the potential health risks to students, including fainting and vomiting from the heat. The challenge is further compounded by the handling of COVID-19, with masks no longer mandatory and the teacher themselves having contracted the virus. The narrative conveys a sense of despair and a feeling that the educational system is deteriorating, with the teacher's role being reduced to that of a caretaker rather than an educator. Despite these challenges, the teacher finds solace in the students, who remain the most rewarding aspect of the job. However, the teacher has made a firm decision to leave the profession after nearly two decades, citing a lack of care from parents and authorities, and a desire to live beyond merely surviving.

Opinions

The teacher feels that the administration's decision to remove chairs for other schools has led to an untenable situation in their own classroom.
There is a sense of pride in the community for enduring extreme heat, but this does not alleviate the discomfort and potential health risks in the classroom.
The teacher believes that basic conditions for teaching are not being met, and the lack of air conditioning is a significant issue.
The state government's decision to make masks optional has contributed to the teacher's concern about the spread of COVID-19.
The teacher feels that the educational system is failing, with a focus on containing students rather than providing quality education.
The teacher expresses a loss of charm in teaching, feeling more like a security guard than an educator.
Despite the challenges, the students are seen as the only redeeming factor in the teacher's job.
The teacher is determined to leave the profession, viewing their time in education as sufficient and seeking to prioritize their own well-being and aspirations.

110°F, 48 Students in the Classroom, and Our AC Just Died…

This is a teacher's rant

Image by Krakenimages.com via Adobe Stock

It has been about a month since we returned to school in my small Mexican border town.

Everything has been terrible.

At the moment, I'm in charge of 11 classes. Each class includes about 45 to 50 students.

A few days ago, the administration decided they were going to remove a few chairs from each classroom because they needed to send them to other schools that didn't have enough.

The result? Well, now it is typical for us to struggle to have enough chairs for all our students. I guess someone got the math all wrong.

However, the worst part has been the heat.

A Matter of Temperature

Extreme heat is typical in my town.

Every summer, we get at least 100°F on a daily basis, but it is pretty standard for us to reach from 105°F to 110°F. Our record is 125°F. Yeah, we feel a stupid kind of pride because of it.

Luckily, so far this year, it hasn't been that bad. But it hasn't been easy either.

Picture this: You are in a poorly ventilated classroom. With 48 students. The town is experiencing a 110°F day. Your students are sweating, and everybody is miserable.

Suddenly, the AC, which was already doing a crappy job, dies. And I mean, it fully dies. It goes off and refuses to come back to life.

What am I supposed to do now? Should I keep imparting my wisdom as if nothing happened? Am I expected to forget my students are human? Does my boss want me to keep going as if nothing had just happened?

I don't think so.

There are no resources.

I cut the lesson short and reported the incident to the administration. Then, I went back to the teachers' lounge, where the AC was not doing that hot either. Yeah, I was trying to be funny there.

The thing is, to teach a class, certain basic conditions must be fulfilled. The people in the classroom should be comfortable enough to work, to concentrate on the work at hand. Sweating like a pig makes that very difficult.

That's not all. To keep people working under such conditions is actually dangerous for their health. In the past, we have had students faint, puke, or feel just plain miserable.

However, we are told there are no resources to improve working conditions.

And then there's still COVID.

A few months ago, the state government ruled that masks are not mandatory. Therefore, very few students wear them. It's supposed to be safe, but after two and a half years of avoiding getting the disease, just a week after returning to school, I finally got it.

Lucky me.

So I have a lot in my mind: the heat, diseases that no one seems interested in containing, ever-dwindling resources, and, above all, a feeling that schools are falling apart.

Add to that, as I have written before (see links below), teaching has lost most of its charm for me.

Lately, I feel like the person in charge of a daycare center for teenagers. Parents come and drop their kids, and neither they nor the authorities expect them to really learn anything. They just need us to keep the kids occupied.

I also feel like a security guard. When I'm in the classroom, I'm supposed to keep the peace. To keep the students inside no matter what.

To keep them quiet.

I feel like I'm just trying to survive.

It seems like what I do doesn't matter. Well, at least my boss doesn't care. All they need of me is to be a grown-up body in the classroom. A person who will go through the material in the precise order that has been established, and that's it.

At this point, and as I have said before, the only thing that makes the teaching job bearable is the students. They are the only thing that counts.

Their parents don't care. The authorities don't care, and frankly, sometimes I'm so angry that I also don't care. I sometimes feel like I'm just trying to survive, and that's no way to live.

This is why the decision I made a couple of years ago remains stronger than ever.

I am going to leave this job. As the issues I had with my personal life are on their way to being solved, I can now focus on making my departure from teaching a reality.

I have devoted almost 20 years of my life to this job. It has been enough.

What? You want more? Why? Okay, it’s your brain. If you really, really need more of me, you can find it here.

Please, reader, just the tip…look for the “Enjoy the read? Reward the writer” section, and you’ll be able to send me a little something that will help me devote more time to my writing and maybe buy a fan.

110°F, 48 Students in the Classroom, and Our AC Just Died…

This is a teacher's rant

A Matter of Temperature

There are no resources.

And then there's still COVID.

I feel like I'm just trying to survive.

Tell Me You Hate Teachers Without Telling Me You Hate Teachers

Of course, you can't say it out loud

If I Could Quit My Job as a Teacher Right Now, I Would

There would be no effort to keep me around anyway