Teacher Secrets

Hi Again Frank!

I have assembled a lot of teacher secrets from my instagram: teachermisery,

I learned a lot from this endeavor:

1. People cannot follow basic directions. (especially surprising because as teachers our number one complaint is that no one listens or follows directions!)

2. Secrets carry a massive weight and this is a huge responsibility I was not prepared for. I had a breakdown yesterday.

Frank, I became a teacher, so I could help kids with their emotions occasionally, but also entertain them and make them love books. Teachers are some of the hardest working, most caring people on the planet and they are just treated like utter garbage on a daily basis.

I wrote my own story in my books Teacher Misery and More Teacher Misery and shared the stories of other teachers in my latest book What It's Really Like. I talk about the abuse that I endured from students, parents, and administrators. In my latest book, I have a chapter dedicated to the huge problem that no one seems to know about: sexual abuse of teachers by students. I tell the stories of 30 teachers who were sexually harassed by students and administrators did absolutely nothing.

I surveyed 10,000 teachers about their mental health and reveal the shocking results that the majority suffer from serious depression and anxiety and abuse alcohol or drugs to cope with teaching. There is a lot of weight to all of this, and when I asked people to share their secrets, some very dark stuff started pouring in.

I'm sharing this with you because I would just like to say I have enormous respect for this task you have taken on. Each secret has weight and energy. It's a great service you do. As so many teachers have messaged me to say, it helps us know we are not alone.

-L