Why Aussie teachers have had enough

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• Teachers say they are burnt-out and emotionally drained
• Parents are increasingly adding to their job pressures
• READ MORE: Why Aussie corporate workers are suddenly quitting in droves

Aussie teachers are speaking openly about their burnout and frustration with parents in a viral trend that some fear is scaring young people off the profession.

TikTok has been flooded with videos from thousands of ex-teachers sharing why they turned their back on the job in their twenties, usingthe hashtag #TeacherQuitTok.

Similar hashtags, such as #TeacherBurnout, highlight issues young teachers face in the classroom, including parents contacting them around the clock, the perils of the career, and the 'lack of respect' from both inside the school and the general public.

Young Aussies who walked away after just a few years in the classroom spoke of the 'never-ending' juggle of handling the needs of their 30-plus students, some of whom have behavioural issues.

Many teachers said the worst part of the job was mums and dads who are desperate for their child to be the 'smartest' and 'to have the most attention', which adds more pressure.

'Being a teacher is really emotionally draining,' one former educator said.

'You're constantly juggling and being responsible for all these different personalities and different situations, and it's relentless, it's never-ending,' another said.

'The access to you 24/7 [from parents]… sometimes it's a lot,' one said.

Some teachers from Britain and America are even filming themselves crying in class and having breakdowns in the staff room.

University of Newcastle associate professor Rachel Buchanan told The Daily Telegraph she had been researching the popularity of 'QuitTok', and was worried about the impact of these videos on social media users.

Prof Buchanan said that while social media can be an important tool to give teachers a voice when they 'feel powerless and unheard', she has concerns about these videos giving the false impression 'everyone's quitting'.

'On TikTok it feels inescapable that everyone's quitting, and everyone's burnt out… and it can warp your perception of what's really happening,' Prof Buchanan said.

'#TeacherQuitTok also reinforces and validates the decision to leave the profession – hearing others' stories and joining in feels like participation in a movement or a moment.'

The echo chamber can also impact teaching students, with Teneal Broccardo, 29, saying the 'disheartening' viral content made her question her decision to become a primary school teacher.

'I saw all these people working themselves to the ground and I thought, "Do I want to do this to myself too?"' she said.

A 2022 Monash University study found only three in every 10 teachers surveyed planned on staying in the profession for the long-term, something state governments are trying to tackle.

NSW Education Minister Prue Car said the state was trying to retain educators by focusing on pay rises, more permanent contracts and a ban on mobile phones in the classroom.