“If 33 out of 34 failed, the problem isn’t at home”: A first-grade teacher tearfully explains how “exhausting” teaching is and sparks debate: Is it the family’s fault or the teacher’s?
34 students aged six and seven, one teacher, and just one passing grade.
Carol Fernandez teaches first grade and recorded a TikTok video in which she breaks down in front of the camera.
She says that out of her 34 children, only one girl passed the high-frequency word assessment. “I’m exhausted”, she says.
She has been going nonstop for two months and says her body is telling her to slow down, but she has to put aside how she feels and focus on the children. Something scares her: she writes the word on the board, and several students copy it incorrectly. She wonders if it’s her fault.
In her view, part of the problem lies at home, though that is just her opinion. Many teachers replied that they are experiencing the same thing.
Other users believe that with so many students in the classroom, no one could achieve better results. And some argue that if almost no one passed, responsibility cannot fall on families.
Is the problem the classroom, the home, or the system? 🤔
I went back and forth about sharing this video, but today was honestly one of the hardest days of the school year so far. I love being a teacher. I truly believe this is my calling, and I wouldn’t share the parts of my classroom that I do if I didn’t care so deeply about my students and education. But I also think we need to be honest about how hard this job can be. It’s exhausting. It’s heartbreaking to see how many students are struggling with reading and how much support they need. Sometimes you leave school thinking about all the things you wish you could do differently, all the students you wish you could reach a little more, and everything you’re carrying into the next day. I share so much of my classroom because I want other teachers to feel less alone, and I want people to understand what teaching really looks like. Not just the cute classroom setups, the activities, and the good days, but the days that remind you just how much this job asks of you. I love my students. I love what I do. And I can be grateful for this calling while also admitting that some days are really, really hard. If you’re a teacher having one of those days, I hope you know you’re not alone. ❤️ #TeacherTok#TeachersOfTikTok#ElementaryTeacher#Teaching#Literacy
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