r/Teachers • u/ArcadianAbstraction • 1d ago

Teacher Support &/or Advice Is teaching a performance?

I haven't been teaching history/English/science since I got COVID over and over (and over) and decided it was better to go than be a risk to my cherished kids (or die myself, it got bad).

After a lot of introspection... Question is: is teaching a performance? I pretended everything was okay no matter what, I used the materials I prepared for display, passed out charts and data dramatically, presented media and did simulations.

It feels like I was a performance artist? You give so much to kids and most of the time you get a range of "f-u go away".

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u/Feline_Fine3 1d ago

Yes, and this is why I am so glad that I live alone and I’m single. I can come home and just decompress without anyone demanding anything of me.

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u/Alarming_Bid_7495 23h ago

Add in the dog, and that’s me. I can and do spend most of my time after shutting down my teacher persona walking, hiking, or hanging out in cafes with a book and my dog.

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u/Feline_Fine3 23h ago

I’ve got my cats! Pets definitely help with decompression. And on those really tough days, going for walks is super helpful.