Why Teachers Are Struggling —

And the Real Truth No One Wants to Say Out Loud

There’s an epidemic sweeping the teacher world right now — and it’s not behaviors, parents, or test scores.

It’s the avalanche of negative teacher talk.

 You’ve seen it everywhere:

“Teaching is impossible.”

“We’re not paid enough.”

“I’m not doing one minute beyond my contract.”

“Kids don’t care. Parents don’t care. I’m done.”

And listen… I get it. I’ve been in education for over two decades, and yes — teaching is hard. It always has been.

But here’s the truth nobody wants to say out loud:

The job hasn’t actually changed that much.

What’s changed is the mindset around it.

Want real solutions instead of more noise? Join the Teach Like a Top TEN™ Community for $5/month.

Somewhere along the way, we started believing we should be paid more (true) and we should get more support (also true)… but the reality is:

Those things rarely shift fast enough to save your sanity.

Meanwhile, the online narrative spirals into:

“Leave teaching and you’ll make more!”

“Quit and start your own business!”

“Run — the grass is greener!”

Let me be the brutally honest friend for a second:

Try it. It’s not what you think.

I own a business. And if I did the actual math, I’ve made pennies per hour — for years. Some months, I’m in the negative.

The “grass” everyone romanticizes?

It requires constant watering, weeding, re-seeding, and replacing the entire lawn… twice.

But this blog isn’t about admiring the problem.

This is about the truth all thriving teachers eventually discover:

You can love teaching again.

You can thrive.

You can feel confident, calm, and capable — even in today’s climate.

I know because I used to barely survive…

until one moment changed everything.

The Day Everything Shifted for Me

I was being observed, running what I thought was a fantastic lesson — high energy, nonstop talking, totally “on.”

Afterward, the coach pulled me aside and said,

“You must be exhausted.”

I stared at her, confused. Exhausted?

I was proud. I was performing. I was teaching.

Then she added, gently:

“You did most of the talking… and the thinking… for your students.”

Gut punch.

Because she was absolutely right — and I had NO idea.

I thought I was leading excellent instruction.

Instead, a good chunk of my students were bored… tuned out… waiting for me to do the heavy lifting.

Then she looked at me — calm and steady — and said:

“It’s okay. I’ve got you. We can fix this.”

And from that moment on?

I got to work.

I practiced. I experimented. I took messy, imperfect steps.

And with every tiny shift, I felt something I hadn’t felt in years:

Empowered.

My classroom felt lighter.

My students were thinking, talking, engaging, learning.

And I stopped daydreaming about escape plans.

I had energy again.

Clarity again.

Joy again.

And I finally understood the system I’d been missing. 

Relationships.

High Expectations.

Student Voice.

The 3 pillars that turn classrooms — and teachers — from surviving to thriving.

Want to start implementing these shifts today?

Download our FREE 6-Step Empowered Lesson Plan.

The 3 Gifts That Actually Changed My Teaching

(And Can Change Yours Too)

These aren’t “cute teacher gifts.”

These are gifts that actually change your daily experience in the classroom.

1. Work With a Coach

Not a Pinterest idea.

Not a YouTube video.

Not another blog you’ll save and forget.

A coach.

Someone who will:

• role-play

• model

• analyze

• push your thinking

• help you refine your language

• give instant feedback

• guide you through the messy parts

This work is muscle memory.

You don’t master it by reading — you master it by doing.

Coaching can be free if you have a strong building coach.

If not?

My coaching is intentionally priced so low it’s almost impossible to say no.

Not because it’s “cheap,” but because your peace, confidence, and career are worth investing in now, not someday.

If you’re tired of going in circles alone and want personalized support that actually works, my 1:1 coaching sessions are here for you — no pressure, just an option.

→ Explore our Confident Teacher Reset Coaching!

2. Use Tools Built Around the 3 Pillars of Success

Once you have support, you need tools rooted in real systems.

Every resource I create is built on the same pillars that transformed my teaching:

✔️ High Expectations

✔️ Student Voice

✔️ Strong Relationships

I’m not anti-worksheet.

I’m anti-random-worksheet that fixes nothing.

Because until you build real systems, another worksheet won’t fix:

• engagement

• behavior

• routines

• overwhelm

• burnout

But a resource aligned to the 3 Pillars?

That’s the beginning of transformation.

Just promise me this: don’t skip Step #1.

Tools without coaching = clutter.

Tools with coaching = actual change.

3. Choose Your Teacher Circle Wisely

“You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with.”

That includes your teacher life.

Ask yourself:

Who do I sit with?

Who do I vent to?

Who shapes my beliefs?

Who influences my energy?

Are they solution-seekers?

Are they leaders?

Are they growing?

If so — you rise with them.

If they’re chronic complainers, cynics, or problem-admirers…

Well, you already know what that does to your spirit.

But here’s the good news:

You can change your circle any time.

And the fact that you’re reading this?

Proof you’re already moving in the right direction.

Your new circle is waiting.

Join the Teach Like a Top TEN™ Community for just $5/ 5/month.

This isn’t a giant Facebook group full of noise and negativity.

It’s not an overcrowded space overflowing with complaints.

It’s a small, intentional, uplifting community for teachers who want:

• better systems

• stronger classrooms

• less burnout

• more confidence

• more joy

The $5 price point isn’t random.

It’s purposeful:

We only want committed teachers — the ones who actually want to grow.

Teaching Gets Easier When You're Open to Support

Teaching doesn’t magically get easier.

You get stronger.

You get clearer.

You get more equipped.

You learn the systems that actually work.

You surround yourself with leaders, not complainers.

You stop surviving and start thriving.

I’m living proof that transformation doesn’t happen because the job changed —

it happened because I did.

And now I get to help teachers like you do the same.

If you’re tired of barely getting through the week…

If you’re craving calm, confidence, and clarity…

If you want to love teaching again —

Join the Teach Like a Top TEN™ Community.

This is your moment. Let’s rebuild your joy together.

Become a Founding Member Today!

Real Talk. Real Tools. Real Results. 

Sarah

Teach Like a Top TEN™

And One Last Tough-Love Truth…

If you’ve read this far, here it is:

You don’t have to keep doing this alone.

You don’t get bonus points for struggling in silence.

And your classroom won’t magically fix itself because you “wait it out.”

If you want real change —

not another cute idea,

not another worksheet,

not another vent session —

you need someone in your corner.

Someone who’s been where you are.

Someone who knows how to turn a drowning classroom into a thriving one.

Someone who will push you and lift you.

That’s what coaching is.

So if you’re sick of surviving, and ready for the real work that actually changes your teaching —

book a 1:1 coaching session with me.

Not someday.

Not “when things calm down.”

Now.

Because your classroom won’t change until you do — and I’m here to walk you through every step.

👉 Take the next step with coaching.

No fluff. No gimmicks. Just real support and real results.