TEACHERS Are Quietly Quitting!

Being a teacher today isn’t what most people think. If you’ve ever seen a movie where kids sit quietly in rows doing worksheets… that’s not reality.

As an 8th-grade teacher in California, I teach classrooms full of very different students, and each one brings their own needs. Here's what that really looks like:

👩‍💼 Lack of Control
Many teachers feel like they have no control—

• ❌ Not at the state level (standards, testing)

• ❌ Not at the district level (pay, benefits)

• ❌ Not even in their own classrooms (discipline, support)

This feeling can lead to “quiet quitting,” where teachers do just enough to get by—not because they don’t care, but because they feel powerless.

👶 Who’s in My Classroom?
In just one class of 30 students, I might have:

• 🧩 1 student with severe special needs

• 📝 4 with IEPs (Individualized Education Plans)

• 🗣️ 1 who speaks no English

• 🧏 4 who speak very little English

• 😡 4–5 students with past behavior issues

And that’s before you add in the teens who are just... being teens.

☀️ There’s Still Hope
Teaching is hard—but not hopeless. It took me over 20 years to learn how to manage it all. Now, I run a teacher community where we help each other with classroom challenges, routines, and behavior systems.

🧡 You are not alone.

Gabriel Vigil

P.S. To watch my latest video click the image above.