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Michaela, 48 years old, asks: “22 years ago I really enjoyed becoming a teacher, math and history, a rare combination. The job is now exhausting in so many areas that I am considering doing something completely different. This excessive entitlement to benefits, the class noise, the parents. It's not the kids that are annoying, it's the circumstances. And I can't do anything about them. I'm interested in psychology, nutrition or art. "
Dear Michaela,
If a child couldn't cope with a discussion about the French Revolution, you wouldn't advise them: then just write something about the Cultural Revolution in China.
You would encourage one to look at it from one angle and then just go ahead, one step at a time.
I would not simply throw away the well-founded, recognized and long-term academic training as a teacher completely, I would look at the profession from a different perspective.
What do psychology, nutrition and art have in common?
Motivation, creativity and having fun in compromise: sometimes you have to allow unhealthy iced tea if meat consumption can be reduced instead.
As a hospital teacher, you need exactly these skills: the desire to motivate sick children (individually! Quietly! Without parents' evenings!), Put yourself in their shoes and then conjure up something out of every lesson so that the focus is not on the French Revolution, but on hope to go back to school healthy one day. As a hospital teacher, you are a beacon of hope, not a messenger of bad news (doctor), not a syringe provider (sister), not a training master (physiotherapist).
So you will only be greeted with mock horror when you come through the door: in truth, every sick student, every family member is happy about this future-oriented change.
Neurotic problems such as excessive pressure to perform or class bullying are rarely found in a hospital school.
All the sick are in the same boat, which is also noticeable in an extremely heterogeneous target group: These students are concerned with getting well, not with bullying.
A special form of humility
When the acute period in the hospital is over, chronically ill children are also entitled to a private tutor who visits and teaches them at home. Of course, as a teacher you also need a special form of humility for this abundance of hardship and illness, in order not to wear yourself out or feel guilty due to a lack of delimitation skills. ("I'm feeling much better, why am I upset?") But many educators meet this challenge specifically with networks, supervision, and pastoral get-togethers. With the aim of learning from other solution strategies, experiencing relief, and being warned of excessive demands at an early stage.
The other side of this coin: as a hospital or private teacher, you will never ask yourself the question of meaning again. And the parents are usually so grateful that you have to practice your interest in nutritionists in yourself. (Nut cake, cinnamon rolls, covered apple-poppy seeds ...)
In order to bring a somewhat older target group into play, which is healthy but also grateful: Even an evening school teacher often has to deal with particularly motivated students, because those who stress out after work to catch up on their Abitur may sometimes have one Concentration problem, but basically no motivation hole. You have to see whether the lessons in the evening are more in line with your private rhythm. I know a lot of mothers who can integrate this class time well into their family life when they have a partner who can look after the children in the late afternoon / early evening.
You can see that there are many opportunities for a teacher who struggles with the circumstances to continue working in her job as a pedagogue.
Before you start the complete switch, better try to change your point of view.
I wish you students who can appreciate and use your request after knowledge transfer.
I am sure they exist!
