Confessions of a Quiet Quitter (Part 1)

Dear Principal,

I am writing to inform you that, effective immediately, I am resigning from my position as a classroom teacher.

However, even though I have resigned, I will continue to remain employed for at least the next few years until I can find another employment opportunity that suits me.

That’s right, I’m “quiet quitting.”

Please excuse any absences, tardies, late or missing lesson plans, or missed meetings–I will make sure to do a better job than Coach _____, who gets away with murder but is never confronted.

I regret that I was unable to help this school more during my time here. I brought you several great ideas that would have brought more enthusiasm and student success, but you shot them down each time. When I brought you concerns, you smiled and nodded, but you never addressed those concerns.

I asked you to visit my classroom to see some great student presentations, and I prepared the students for your visit, but you never showed up. You also never apologized or offered a reason for not coming by. When you did come in unannounced, it was always during a test or during independent practice. I consider one of my strengths to be making my lessons fun and interactive, but you’ve never really seen me in action.

I had a discipline problem in my classroom–you know the one I’m talking about, that kid who disrespected me in front of the class–and after I sent him to you, you put him back into my class with only a verbal warning. His behavior didn’t change, it only got worse. But you’d better believe I’m not writing him up again.

I feel like you always had something critical to say about my lesson plans. When you did offer positive comments, it was always just “good job” or “great lesson.” What was good about it? Did you even read them? Because you certainly wanted them turned in by a certain time.

Also, am I being held to the same standard as everyone else? I don’t think you have the same expectations for everyone, and that’s not fair. You asked us to clock in at a certain time each day, and I did. You asked us to participate in PLCs, and I did. You asked everyone to make supervision a priority, and I did. But I can’t help noticing that some people never seem to make it to PLC sessions, and they are rarely at their duty posts on time.

You say you care a lot about data, and that you want our school to be the best. But you keep hounding us about test scores, and as soon as we meet a goal, you keep moving the finish line. We never celebrate our wins, and we never feel like we measure up.

I know my worth, even if I am not valued. I am quietly quitting, but I am under contract until the end of the school year. Don’t worry, I’ll be looking for employment elsewhere. But if I can’t find another job, I’ll be here again next year. You’ll see me here, but I’ll be checked out.

Yours Truly,

A Disappointed Teacher

Imagine finding an anonymous letter like this on your desk.

Would you know who it came from? Or could this come from multiple people? Unfortunately, this is how many educators feel today.

You may have felt like writing a letter like this yourself.

“Quiet quitting” is a buzzword nowadays. People come to work, but they just stop working. They are checked out. They may do what’s required, and nothing more. Or they may do as little as they can get away with.

Your quiet quitters could be close to retirement, or they could be new employees.

Your best bet is to create a culture of respect, collaboration, setting challenging goals, and celebrating wins. But that can be hard for leaders, especially those who must actively work against a toxic environment.

If you’re reading this blog, then you are likely an achiever, someone who wants to grow and develop in leadership. You do what’s right because it’s right, not because you expect a reward. You probably already know that your mindset is rare.

If you’re lucky, you are in a school or district where twenty percent or more of the people are like you. Having more achievers helps to combat quiet quitting.

It’s likely, though, that you have some people at your school or district that want the bare minimum.

Most educators are competent. They have to at least be able to obtain a college degree. But you may work in a school or district where some people actively work against the culture you are trying to create.

There will always be a few high achievers and a few low performers in any organization...and then there’s the large majority in the middle. These people want to do what’s right. They want to see children succeed. They want to support their peers. But if the conditions are right, these people will become quiet quitters.

Leaders can’t control everything, but their influence is a major component of a school or district’s culture.

Check your actions and attitude. Do you add value to the people that you lead, or do you extract value from them without giving back?

How can you deal with quiet quitting? Find out next week in Part 2!

Have you ever felt like “quiet quitting”? What specifically did you wish had been done differently at your school or district?

Let me know in the comments below!