Sometimes work just sucks.

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After spending 18 years in the classroom, I have to admit, sometimes the passion starts to dwindle. With the plethora of meetings, the PLCs, the 504s, the IEPs, the this committee and the that committee, it is hard to keep the fire ignited in our teaching careers. We deal with parents who care too much, to some who don’t seem to care at all. We have principals who micromanage and others who couldn’t find your classroom if you left them a trail of crumbs. We have kids who seem to have Airpods permanently fused into their ear canals.

It is a lot and it is exhausting.

I think one of the worst things to happen to me professionally is when I was honored as my district’s teacher of the year. I don’t mean that to sound ungrateful, because I was and am still in shock that the school and district selected me for this recognition. But after that, I began to wonder, what else is there? I have never wanted to go into administration, but what is the next level of achievement for someone who was selected as their district’s teacher of the year? Of course, I went through the state teacher of the year process, which was a horrific waste of time, and probably played a significant role in me feeling the way I do, but outside of that, what else is there?

At the beginning of this year, I was asked by my district to be a mentor teacher. To take a guy, like me, who didn’t go to college to be a teacher and then to respect him so much that you would ask him to work alongside first year teachers, and to serve as a guide for them, was again, a huge honor. But I couldn’t do it. There was even a decent stipend attached to the program, and I just couldn’t bring myself to take on the task. I was too burned out. I was not even sure that I wanted to stay in the classroom, how could I encourage another person to commit the next thirty years of their life into doing that.

And if I am being honest, I still am feeling the burnout. Even as I write this article, which is probably more for me, than anyone else.

That’s why I am glad today’s article is sponsored by BetterHelp.

I am just kidding. We are sponsored by Amitrace, as always. But I have been hearing about BetterHelp on several YouTube channels and podcasts that I listen to, so it just seemed like a natural segue.

Anyway, I did need to talk to someone. I talked to my wife who was in the middle of her own journey. She was making daily decisions that would have a positive impact on her health and mental well being. She was doing something she called “streaking” where she would commit to doing something consistently for a period of time. She encouraged me to start thinking of the positive things about my job each day.

I also reached out to Tom, who is one of the other guys who run StreamSemester with me, and Tom offered the same advice. Spend intentional time, each day, thinking about the good parts of my job, the reason I go to work each day.

With both of these trusted sages speaking the same thing into my life, I decided that I would try to do that. So, I took time each day to talk about something positive that happened that day, that made me grateful for my teaching career. It was amazing the difference that it made in my outlook each day. I am not sure my students noticed, though they probably did, that I actually enjoyed being back in the classroom with them each day. It was fantastic… for two weeks I actually did it.

My problem is not that I don’t know what to do, it’s that I lack the discipline to do it consistently. There are a number of things in my life that scream this at me. In fact, every time I look in the mirror, I am forced to confront the fact that the only thing I do consistently is overeat. I most certainly do not consistently drink enough water, or eat appropriate portions of healthy foods, or lace up my shoes and go for walks. I am most consistent in being inconsistent.

Clearly this commitment to inconsistency impacts all facets of my life, but you probably aren’t reading this because you know me and you care about my life choices. You are probably reading this because you have a struggle each day in your decision to be the best teacher you can be. Maybe you have lost the passion that you used to have when you walked into the building each morning.

Can I offer this to you?

You are not alone.

I know there are teachers out there, maybe across the hall from you, who seem like they have it all together. They do all of the fun dress-up days and bring in treats for their PLC or hallway teacher friends. They have fun activities for their students and send out newsletters each week to parents. And they go to all of the faculty meetings and even ask questions while there.

Maybe, let’s just say they do, they have it all together. If so, then this article is not for them.

But if you are like me, if you are struggling to force a smile when that first kid walks through the door in the morning, then this article is for you.

Here is what I have to say to you. This is something that is helping me at least.

Keep doing the work.

While I was consistent for only a few weeks, after being miserable for a few more, I decided to go back to looking for the positives. I couldn't help but recall Dr. Amy Cuddy's TED Talk on "faking it until you become it." It dawned on me that perhaps, just like adopting a power pose can impact our confidence, consciously choosing to find joy in our daily teaching experiences can reshape our attitude.

While I might not have a superhero stance before entering the classroom, the idea of "faking" a positive outlook until it becomes genuine resonated with me. It's not about denying the challenges we face but about acknowledging the good moments that make the journey worthwhile.

Every day, we make choices – whether to dwell on the exhausting meetings, challenging students, or administrative frustrations, or to find something positive to hold onto. It's about cultivating a mindset that, over time, transforms the mundane into moments of growth and satisfaction.

In my journey to reignite the passion for teaching, I decided to immerse myself more deeply in my role as a video and film teacher. The experience of creating a short Christmas film with my students was not only entertaining but also revealed the magic that happens when we collaborate on a creative project.

As you explore this article, take a moment to check out the details of our holiday film venture. However, beyond the fun we had crafting that short film, I discovered a profound connection with my students during a larger-scale project. Gathering a group of students after school, we recorded our holiday show at the Marietta Square.

A great group of kids who braved the cold to record our Holiday show at Marietta Square.

These moments, away from the routine pressures of the classroom, became the instances where genuine connections were forged. It's in these collaborative endeavors that I find my cup refilled, ready to face the challenges that come my way. Perhaps, in the tapestry of teaching, it's the threads of shared creativity and camaraderie that weave the most enduring memories.

So, to my fellow teachers, who are facing the daily struggle to maintain the passion for teaching, consider this: seek out those moments of shared creation, whether big or small, that remind you why you entered this profession in the first place. Keep doing the work, but also remember to find joy in the collaborative artistry that makes teaching not just a job but a fulfilling journey.

Here's to the stories we create together and the joy we find in the process. Keep the creative flame burning, and let's continue to make a positive impact, one shared moment at a time.

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Meet the Author, NAME

Josh Dempsey is the video and film teacher at Marietta High School in Marietta, Georgia. Follow his students and their work on YouTube at BlueDevilNews.com and on Instagram at BDN_Marietta.

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