Locked Doors and Other Nonsense in May | Why Teachers Are So Tired

Send us Fan MailThis week on Teachers in Transition, Vanessa Jackson explores the exhaustion that comes from navigating modern educational systems — from locked doors and “performative safety” to Teacher Incentive Allotment frustrations, burnout, networking, and why so many teachers feel emotionally depleted by May.What begins as a bizarre experience trying to enter a secured school campus turns into a broader conversation about hypervigilance, bureaucratic friction, teacher burnout, career transition, and the hidden emotional cost of constant monitoring and compliance.Vanessa also discusses the Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), the growing frustration surrounding how those funds are distributed, and why highly accomplished educators often underestimate the sophistication of their own transferable skills.And yes… this week’s Teacher Hack is simple, rebellious, and probably necessary:Go take a nap.In This EpisodeLocked school doors and “performative safety”Why teachers are exhausted in MayHypervigilance and nervous system fatigue“Move forward, take fire”Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) frustrationsWhy teachers underestimate their professional valueNetworking as the “inside key” to career transitionWhy relationships matter more than online applications aloneRest as resistance to burnout  Mentioned in This EpisodeA Night at the OperaThe Marx Brothers comedy routine referenced in the episode: “Two Hard-Boiled Eggs” scene from A Night at the Opera“Move Forward, Take Fire”Taken from the book Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World by Jennifer PalmieriTeacher Incentive Allotment (Texas)Official Texas Education Agency information: Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) Information View the letter sent to a teacher about their TIA hereO*NET OnlineCareer research and transferable skills exploration: O*NET OnlineCareer Transition ReminderTeachers already possess highly transferable skills:communicationleadershipcrisis managementorganizationrelationship buildingproject coordinationtraining and developmentadaptabilitystrategic thinking  Sometimes the problem isn’t your ability.Sometimes the problem is simply that nobody has shown you where the side entrance is yet.Support the PodcastIf you enjoy this scrappy little indie podcast, please consider:sharing the episode with a teacher friendleaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotifysupporting the show financially starting at just $3/month Support Teachers in Transition  Connect with Vanessa Jackson💌 Email: [email protected]📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar🧭 LinkedIn: 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social📸 Instagram & Threads: @teachers.in.transition👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategyBottom of FormTop of FormBottom of FormThe transcript to this podcast is found on the episode’s homepage at BuzzsproutSupport the show