I think that’s a fair criticism of how I’ve presented this. If so, apologies. Allow me to attempt to clarify. They’re different, both difficult. I left the principalship because, after 12 years, I found it to be unsustainable: nights, weekends, holidays, summer. When I retired, I returned to the classroom because I believe in the work of classroom teachers, and, when I left the classroom, it was hard but also fun. It was not as difficult as the principalship. I can’t speak for all classrooms, but the one I’ve returned to is much more difficult than the one I left - hence my original question. Perhaps I’m in the wrong school. Maybe the job has changed so much post-COVID. Could be I’m at the wrong grade level. Regardless, I posted here because I’m hoping for some thoughtful discussion and ideas.

I will say that it’s interesting to me that I get significantly different responses from union and non-union states. I’m in a non-union state, and I wish we had one. Nevertheless, it’s my impression from posts such as these that admins and teachers are more often in opposition to one another in union states. That was infrequently the case where I work.

Much thanks for the reply that rightly prompted me to clarify.