'I'm a former teacher. I still receive messages from educators daily telling me they're not okay.'

"There are teachers like me who are hanging on by the skin of our teeth after 14 years in the classroom."

"More teachers are leaving the profession."

"The crisis has never been so bad."

The message is clear: the teachers are not okay.

For five years, Breanna May was a teacher — specifically teaching senior English.

She loved education. She had three degrees herself, enjoyed the classroom environment and adored teaching the up-and-coming generations.

Speaking with Mamamia, May says teaching was "the best thing that happened to me and the most heartbreaking thing to have to leave as well".

Just after her school's return from COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, May made the difficult decision to leave the classroom for good.

Watch: things teachers never say. Post continues below.

It had all become too much mentally — the unsustainable workload, having to organise the school's extra curricular activities, all while marking upwards of 200 essays.

"Work became my whole life, and it just completely took over," said May.

Four years on from leaving teaching, the irony is that May continues to receive daily messages from teachers who are struggling mentally at work.

"I feel so broken."

"We stay for the students, for those kids we love. But the truth is we are dying."

"We laugh about R U OK day. I know it sounds bad, but we have additional activities to run and promote it, but the reality is none of us are okay. Like none."

"I had the nastiest email from a parent sent straight to the headmaster. The parent claimed I wasn't working hard enough."

It's heartbreaking for May to bear witness too.

"I know teachers who have gone on antidepressants. I've had teachers who have messaged me halfway through the day crying and gone into another classroom just to have a cry. Some of the teachers are sadly suicidal," May told Mamamia.

Often mundane events become the straw that breaks the camel's back.

An extra class that can't be covered. An additional recess duty. A stressful email or communication from a disgruntled parent. Navigating student behaviour is also something front of mind for all educators.

It's understandably exhausting.

These are just some of the text messages Breanna has received. Image: Supplied.

"Parents aren't winning. Teachers aren't winning. Principals aren't winning. Everyone feels like their hands are tied on this issue. I think it's the workload, admin, the crowded curriculum and the red tape that educators are having to constantly juggle," said May.

"Kids these days do have a lot of mental health concerns and their emotional health impacts their ability to perform well academically. It would be amazing to see some prioritisation of emotional intelligence, because once we look at EQ, IQ actually improves."

Today, May is still an educator, though more technically she is a coach and mentor via her business The Mind School where she teaches people mindset and emotional intelligence.

"The bittersweet part of my work is that I've actually had so many teachers come to me to upskill, as they're getting ready to leave the profession," noted May.

"What I hope all the teachers out there know is that they can find success and happiness in other careers or jobs. Teachers are so adaptable and resourceful, plus they're amazing communicators."

For the teachers out there who read this article, May wants them to know there is support in the community for them.

"Thank you to them. What they are doing is so important and they're doing the best that they can. I then want anyone who has any sort of power to know that what teachers are dealing with isn't good enough and something needs to change."

For more from Breanna May you can read her articles with Mamamia here, and also visit her website.

Feature Image: Instagram @iambreannamay.