Why Teachers Are Leaving—and What It’s Doing to Students

By Kohila Sivas

I never thought I’d leave teaching. It wasn’t just a job—it was a calling. Like so many others, I entered this profession with a passion for making a difference, believing I could spark change, inspire young minds, and build futures. But after years of fighting a broken system, I realized something heartbreaking: my passion wasn’t enough to keep me going.

I’m not alone. Teachers across the country are leaving classrooms in droves—not because they don’t care, but because the system has made it nearly impossible to stay. I want to share what’s happening to teachers, what it’s doing to students, and why change is not just necessary—it’s urgent.

Teaching Today: An Impossible Mission

Let me paint a picture. You walk into a classroom where the chairs outnumber the students’ desks because class sizes have ballooned. You’re handed a rigid curriculum and a stack of standardized tests that seem to value scores overgrowth. And while you’re juggling all that, you’re faced with student behaviours that no one trained you to handle—trauma, mental health struggles, and social challenges that require more than one person to manage.

You try your best. But you’re working with outdated resources and told to “do more with less.” You’re expected to inspire, discipline, counsel, and innovate—all while being calm, creative, and endlessly patient.

And the students? They’re not getting what they need either. The system focuses so much on testing and compliance that it forgets the actual kids sitting in the room. They’re craving connection, creativity, and support—but how can teachers provide that when they’re constantly running on empty?

Why Teachers Are Leaving

We don’t leave because we stop caring. We leave because the system forces us to choose between our passion and our well-being.

Teaching has become a cycle of burnout. We’re told to meet impossible demands with no resources. We’re expected to handle every problem, from lesson planning to mental health crises, while barely making enough money to cover our bills. Add in the emotional toll of feeling unsupported and unheard, and eventually, even the most passionate teacher has to ask: Can I keep doing this?

The answer was NO.

What Happens When Teachers Leave?

When teachers leave, students lose.

They lose experienced mentors who know how to inspire and engage them. They lose the stability of a consistent, caring adult in their lives. And they lose the kind of classroom magic that happens when a teacher has the energy and resources to go beyond the basics.

The teachers who stay are superheroes, but even superheroes can’t do it all. With more students per class and fewer resources, they’re forced to focus on survival instead of creativity. The spark that makes learning exciting starts to fade—and the students feel it.

It’s a vicious cycle: burned-out teachers leave, classrooms become more unstable, and the kids fall further behind.

A New Beginning: Reimagining Education

After I left the classroom, I knew I couldn’t just walk away from the work I loved. I wanted to create something that didn’t just bandage the broken system—I wanted to help rebuild it. That’s why I started a movement focused on supporting students wholistically.

We don’t just teach to the test. We nurture the whole student—their mind, body, and soul. By prioritizing mental health, social-emotional learning, and true connection, we’re giving students the foundation they need to succeed.

But here’s the thing: none of this is possible without empowered teachers. When teachers have the tools, resources, and autonomy to lead their students, transformation happens. Classrooms become places of joy, creativity, and growth. But when teachers are disempowered, they have nothing left to give.

What Needs to Change

The solution isn’t a quick fix—it’s a complete reimagining of education.

• Smaller class sizes: Kids deserve individual attention.

• Mental health resources: Both students and teachers need support systems.

• Real training for real challenges: From trauma-informed practices to behaviour management, teachers need to feel prepared.

• Respect and fair pay: Treat teachers like the professionals they are.

And most importantly, let teachers coach. Give them the freedom to create engaging, student-centered learning environments. Trust them to know what their students need.

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

I didn’t leave because I stopped believing in education. I left because I knew I couldn’t make the difference I wanted to make in a system that doesn’t value the people it relies on most.

But I’m not giving up. I’m calling for change—for empowered educators, for supported students, and for an education system that works for everyone.

To my fellow teachers who’ve left: I see you. To those still in the classroom: I admire you more than words can say. And to everyone else: It’s time to listen, speak up, and fight for the education our kids deserve.

Because when teachers thrive, students succeed—and that’s a future worth fighting for.

#RebirthEducation #EmpoweredTeachers #StudentsDeserveBetter #EducationRevolution #KohilaSivas