Navigating Teaching in Challenging School Districts: Essential Strategies

"Burnout Didn’t Knock—It Kicked the Damn Door In"

I didn’t leave the classroom because I stopped caring.

From the Author of UNCENSORED:What No One Tells You About Teaching in America’s Toughest Schools By Venita Tomlinson

I left because I was disappearing.

Piece by piece, year by year, I was vanishing under the weight of expectations that no one—no matter how strong, organized, or prayerful—could carry for long.

I stayed in education longer than most would have.25 years.Urban schools.Overcrowded classrooms.Weapons. Lockdowns. Spit in the face—literally.Administrators who smiled for the district but didn’t protect their staff.Paperwork with no purpose.Zero prep time, zero backup, and zero budget.

You already know the script.

If you’re here, you’ve probably lived some version of it.

This blog isn’t about “teacher tips.”

You won’t find printable bulletin board borders or behavior charts here.

What you will find is truth.

Unfiltered. Unapologetic. Uncensored.

This space is for the ones who’ve been told they’re “too emotional,” “too direct,” “too much.”

It’s for educators who were good at their jobs but still cried in their cars, questioned their calling, or walked away wondering who they were without the school ID badge.

If you’re burned out—you are not broken.

You are not lazy.You are not weak.You are not a failure.You are human.

And in this space, you don’t have to shrink, explain, or sugarcoat.

Whether you're still in the classroom, planning your exit, or already out but still unpacking the damage—it’s okay to say:

“That job almost took me out.”

You are not alone.

💬 Coming up next:

I’ll be sharing real talk on:

• How burnout shows up when you're too busy to notice

• Leaving the job but still dreaming about lesson plans

• Finding yourself again when the title “teacher” no longer defines you

This isn’t the end of your story.This is the uncensored part—the part where you get to matter again.

📍 Your Turn:Drop a comment. Share your story.When did burnout show up for you—and what did it steal?

From the Author of UNCENSORED:What No One Tells You About Teaching in America’s Toughest SchoolsBy Venita Tomlinson, M.A. Reading Specialist

Grab your copy, start healing, and know this: you’re not the only one considering walking away—and you’re not wrong for thinking about it.