Pre-Thanksgiving teacher fatigue is real. One year, I went about a week where I forgot one of the four very simple steps to making coffee.
One year, I called the window “the seeing wall” and the spoon “the circle stick.”
In the event that I am reminded of my former colleagues by text a few times a year, I have completely forgotten about my responsibility (for the day!) to walk the children from the bus to school, and run—I passed a bus full of confused kids and our bus driver—we pulled into the parking lot because I couldn’t wait to go vote. And also because my mind was broken.
Bottom line: Teacher burnout is, at its core, more troubling than funny.
Teachers should not be frustrated like this. If we were funding schools properly, paying teachers what they deserve, teacher retirement plans that were restructured to… I don’t know … always in place, maybe we wouldn’t have teachers trying to order their morning coffee from garbage cans thinking it’s an intercom system.
Another important point: Two things can be true.
Yes, teacher burnout is a challenge and we deserve better. But when you’re in the thick of it, sometimes knowing you’re not alone—and being able to laugh at the ways you’re not alone—is the healing balm you need in that moment. (And honestly, sometimes the bad things we do because we’re tired are really funny.)
In mid-November a few years ago, long before Pandemic Tired™ was invented, I asked my students how tired they were. They did not disappoint. I laughed, gasped, and yelled “NO!” out loud when I’m alone. I knew right away that this question would become an annual tradition. Since then, I add to this list every year.
Here is what the teachers told me about this time of year.
“I went to kiss my neighbor teacher BFF when I passed his door…”
“… but instead he couldn’t focus and blew one while making eye contact with the young boy standing next to him.” — Megan
“I praised my students for their insults. I meant to be insulted!”
—Ashley
“I called my teaching partner ‘Chris’ three times in the space of an hour.”
“His name is Britt. I have worked with him for three years.” — Mikell
“This morning my colleague and I were BOTH tired and shocked when our weekly meeting disappeared from the schedule.”
“We called the manager to find out what happened. It is scheduled for tomorrow, as it has been every week since the first week of school.” — CJ
“I’ve ’emailed Kelly’ for everything to do in the last five weeks because I can’t remember who Kelly is or what I’m supposed to tell her.”
— Liz
“I was very close to yelling at a guy who I thought had a vape in his mouth.”
“It turned out to be a KitKat.” — Gaby
“I tried to silence the student using the smartboard remote control.”
—Diana
“He sent an email to parents about how cold it will be on Friday on field day…”
“… except I was checking the DC weather and I live in Houston.” — Meg
“I told my first grade class to BYOB instead of MYOB (mind your own business).”
—Laura
“I asked the student to say ‘Please use this for me again.’ It was a Chromebook. “
— Stephie
“You sent an email with the word ‘premenstrual’ instead of ‘premature’ about a job application.”
— Lisa
“The bandage is called a blood catcher.”
“Student: I got a paper cut. Me: Do you need a blood catcher?” — Marci
“I told the cashier I don’t care about cold meat.”
“It said, ‘Thawing?’ And I teach ELA. ” -Shelley
“I tried to unlock my dog with my key fob.”
— Emily
*Note: Another student followed and asked if he meant “car”. No. He meant the dog.
“I tried to order coffee from a trash can at the drive-thru.”
—Christina
“I repeatedly clicked on the word in the printed book to find the meaning.”
— Leah
“Put cat food in my coffee maker.”
— Madison
“I found a stick of butter in my bag when I got to school one morning.”
— Holly
“I texted my parents that I was bored at work today when I wanted to text my husband.”
— Kelly
May this list work as follows:
- A reminder that teachers deserve better
- It is a historic document that I hope future generations can look back on and reflect with great humility on how much America cared about the work of teachers in the world.
- Solidarity (and hopefully belly laughs) to teachers going through it
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