Hi, and welcome.

If you have found your way here, chances are you’ve smiled through exhaustion, cried in your car after school, or stared blankly at a lesson plan, wondering how you’re supposed to make it through another week.

I see you–because I AM you!

My name is Kim, and I have been an elementary school teacher for 23 years. That’s more than 2 decades of bulletin boards, report cards, themed days, curriculum shifts, staff meetings, parent conferences, and all the moments in between that never quite fit into a job description.

I’ve loved my students fiercely. I’ve poured my heart into my classroom. But somewhere along the way, I started to lose myself.

The Smile Everyone Saw

On the outside, I was the teacher who had it all together. Organized. Creative. Committed. I smiled through staff meetings, supported my teammates, and worked endless extra hours to make things “just right” for my students.

But behind the smile?

I was tired. Then, I was exhausted. Then, I went numb.

I didn’t know I was burning out–I just thought I needed to try harder.

When I finally hit a wall, it wasn’t dramatic. It was quiet. Quiet like the moment when you realize you’ve been running on empty for so long, you forgot what full even feels like.

Why This Blog Exists

I started Behind the Teacher’s Smile because burnout thrives in silence–and I am done being silent about it.

This space is for teachers who are holding it all together on the outside but falling apart on the inside. It’s for anyone who’s ever questioned if they’re “just not cut out for this anymore,” even though they used to love this work with their whole heart.

It’s not a place for toxic positivity or hustle culture. You won’t find “just light a candle and take a bubble bath” advice here. (But who doesn’t love a good bubble bath??)

Instead you will find:

~Honest reflections on what burnout looks like and feels like.

~Practical tools for preventing it and healing from it.

~Stories from teachers who have been there.

~And most importantly: a reminder that you are not alone

A Final Word (for Now)

If you’re struggling, I hope this blog feels like a breath of fresh air. A reminder that your worth isn’t tied to your productivity. That you can be a good teacher AND be exhausted. That asking for help isn’t weakness–it’s wisdom.

We weren’t meant to survive this profession by ourselves. Let’s stop pretending we’re okay when we are not.

There’s strength in honesty. And healing in community

Thanks for being here.

Kim

Founder of Behind the Teacher’s Smile