Should I leave - not reelected as teacher?

I went into teaching 5 years ago and have struggled. Finally finished year at urban middle school but was not reelected. My happiest experiences are in high school and adult ed but those jobs are harder to come by. I have multiple certifications and am Spanish bilingual. I'm wondering whether to throw in the towel and get a low stress office or customer service job and just teach/tutor evenings. I'm sick of applying for new jobs and having to prove myself each day even if I like the kids. Any suggestions or words or encouragement??

You have fallen into the 5 year teacher trap. 50% of all teachers with 5 years or less leave the teaching field...so number one don't feel like you are alone. It's ok. If teaching were easy everyone would do it.
What are your priorities? Seems to me like you are putting a horse and cart on the road but you don't know where you want to go. Set some goals for yourself and grab a job that fulfills some of those needs and for your sanity, get a life outside of teaching or whatever job you decide to take. Work out, join a heavy metal band, whatever...

You are going to be just fine. You have the skills that are necessary for today's workplace. Just remember....Its just a job. It gives you the essential fuel you need to do the things you REALLY love to do.

It sounds like your heart is not in teaching anymore.
change jobs and do something else for awhile and when you regain the wanting of teaching, something good will happen.
good luck and tutor at night...definitely.

This is a life decision someone else shouldn't make for you. I'll tell you that I went into teaching quite a few years ago, and realized about four years into it that it wasn't really what I wanted. I loved being with the kids, but I was always struggling to keep caught up with grading, and spent most of my Saturdays grading and not doing stuff with my own kids.

There is always a need for bilingual teachers. If you get in a district where most of the parents speak Spanish you can really advance . Don't give up. Try another school and maybe you will get a better fit. Find out why you were not reelected and try to improve in the areas where you are weak.

I know how you feel. I worked so hard to go back to school and it took me 2 years to get my teaching credential (already had my bachelors), only to find out AFTER I was in the program that San Diego County, where I was living & going to school, was only laying teachers off and not hiring any new ones for 3 years!! I subbed for 2 years after graduating with a full credential for only $85/day, not enough to even live on. Then last year I relocated to get married and finally did land a contractual position, only to find out my principal was a Witch who constantly put me down. When I found out in April I had a life threatening brain tumor that I needed immediate surgery for and I didn't know if I would make it, she told me to "put on my happy face" and fake it. Ironically she gave me glowing reviews, but then refused to ask me back, even though she was retiring. She made another new teacher just walk off the job, and didn't invite back any of the other new teachers either. This year I went back to subbing because I too was burned out on the endless applying only to hear nothing back.

This spring I'll apply for next year. You have to remember you're there for the kids and sometimes the administrators will be A holes.

Not only in teaching but a large part of jobs today you will b e asked to prove your value to the organization over and over again. Not only in teaching, but in most lines of work only those perceived to be among the best are being retained.

Now that is a definition of pressure. It is inducing ever so many people to dedicate too much of their time to their job, too little to family and too little to community. Many of those 'succeeding' may be no better suited to the task they fulfil, other than for the herculean effort they are making.

I have to say that every other job will push you the same way as teaching does. You will have to decide whether to work harder or smarter, extra long hours or hours with enthusiasm. Changing profession might or might not accomplish anything for you.