It was one of those weeks
Ever feel like you’re spinning your wheels with no hope of moving forward? That’s how I felt for much of last week. School has really been difficult for me lately. First of all, there’s Peter, who has a diagnosis of ADHD, and who is not on medication. His mother says she has no control of him at home and is at her wits' end. I understand how she feels. Nearly every other word out of my mouth is directed towards Peter: “Please hold your pencil still,” or “I need you to take out your book,” or “The ruler is for measuring, not for hitting your neighbor.” Peter requires so much of my time and energy that frequently the rest of the class is pushed aside to deal with him. Plus, I have a sneaking suspicion that not all of his behaviors are related to his diagnosis. When I told him that he would not be able to join our class party if he continued to break our rules, his behavior miraculously improved. While he still didn’t do any class work, he also did not hit, tap, shake, or throw anything for an entire hour!
However today, with no party looming in the near future, he pulled his sweatshirt hood over his head, pulled the strings tight so his face was completely covered, and tied his head to the leg of his desk. All of this was accomplished during the 2 minutes I spent helping another student with a difficult math problem.
Last week was also filled with meeting upon meeting. On Friday alone I had 5 meetings! This was in addition to teaching school all day. As a result, I spent the entire day Sunday grading the tests and papers I was not able to do after school last week.
Basically, I’m having a career crisis. It seems like as teachers, we are being asked to do more and more in order to “close the achievement gap” or make sure that no child gets “left behind.” However, as they pile more and more requirements on us, our test scores drop further and further. Maybe it’s because we don’t have enough time to simply teach.
Part of the reason why I got into this profession was so that I could have more time with my family. I didn’t anticipate working from 8 am until 5:30 pm every day, and then grading for 7-12 hours on the weekend. It seems that to keep up with school, something has to be sacrificed, and right now, that is my time with my family. I'm beginning to think that maybe I'm in the wrong line of work. Or maybe I'm just teaching in the wrong state. California places way more requirements on it's teachers, with less funding per student, than practically any other state.
Maybe I should just chuck it all in and open a Bed and Breakfast in some charming location? Or perhaps I should just suck it up and get back to grading papers.
I don't know. Enough of the pity party....
On the up side, I recently joined Facebook, and last week, I reconnected with friends that I have not seen nor heard from in 20 years! A couple of them were very good childhood friends, who were almost like a second family to my mom, brother and I. We all moved to other states and drifted apart, but have often wondered about each other over the years. It’s been wonderful to find them and see how they are doing. I haven’t really been into the whole “networking site” thing, but over the past month, I have been converted.
Pictures from Eamon's birthday and the Pumpkin Patch are coming soon!
However today, with no party looming in the near future, he pulled his sweatshirt hood over his head, pulled the strings tight so his face was completely covered, and tied his head to the leg of his desk. All of this was accomplished during the 2 minutes I spent helping another student with a difficult math problem.
Last week was also filled with meeting upon meeting. On Friday alone I had 5 meetings! This was in addition to teaching school all day. As a result, I spent the entire day Sunday grading the tests and papers I was not able to do after school last week.
Basically, I’m having a career crisis. It seems like as teachers, we are being asked to do more and more in order to “close the achievement gap” or make sure that no child gets “left behind.” However, as they pile more and more requirements on us, our test scores drop further and further. Maybe it’s because we don’t have enough time to simply teach.
Part of the reason why I got into this profession was so that I could have more time with my family. I didn’t anticipate working from 8 am until 5:30 pm every day, and then grading for 7-12 hours on the weekend. It seems that to keep up with school, something has to be sacrificed, and right now, that is my time with my family. I'm beginning to think that maybe I'm in the wrong line of work. Or maybe I'm just teaching in the wrong state. California places way more requirements on it's teachers, with less funding per student, than practically any other state.
Maybe I should just chuck it all in and open a Bed and Breakfast in some charming location? Or perhaps I should just suck it up and get back to grading papers.
I don't know. Enough of the pity party....
On the up side, I recently joined Facebook, and last week, I reconnected with friends that I have not seen nor heard from in 20 years! A couple of them were very good childhood friends, who were almost like a second family to my mom, brother and I. We all moved to other states and drifted apart, but have often wondered about each other over the years. It’s been wonderful to find them and see how they are doing. I haven’t really been into the whole “networking site” thing, but over the past month, I have been converted.
Pictures from Eamon's birthday and the Pumpkin Patch are coming soon!
I'm sorry for your frustration. I see it too in our schools out in MA! My daughters classroom has about 3 of the type of boys you describe. It seems like all the teacher does it try to direct them. She is in a class with 16 boys and 6 girls. UGH! Anyway I know she is not getting the education that she needs, and the private schools are so out of our price range that we are probably going to home school! I think it is pretty bad what they expect out of teachers these days with so little pay! CRAZY! I hope it gets better! How about starting your own school?
Kristin
I have so much admiration for teachers, and I know that I have no where near the patience necessary to do your job. I'm afraid that my kids are often the ones driving their teachers nuts. That's one of the reasons that we had to move Alina to our local school; there were 25 kids in her old class and there's no doubt that she was disruptive. Now she is in a smaller class with a teacher much more experienced in handling high maintenance kids, with behavior contracts, break out groups, redirection, etc.
Kirk and I are always trying to do whatever we can to provide as much support as we can to our kids' teachers. We know how challenging their jobs are!
If California isn't working out, perhaps you could move closer to the East Coast... :)
Sorry for your rough week. Hey, at least we had some fun on Saturday!
That is one of the many reasons I left teaching. It is not different in other states. It is the same bs everywhere. In fact you are one of the many people who have been hoodwinked into believing that teaching would be a great way to spend time with the family. A lot of people take it on as a second profession with the belief that it is easy and you get summers off. It is far from easy, the parents are a nightmare. The board and administrators are all polictics and you never get to teach unless you are "teaching to the test". They have sucked the fun and joy out of helping kids. Parents expect you to do their job for them too. Everything is the teacher's fault. This NCLB crap is totally unrealistic when you have kids in LRE and both parents working with no one to help the kids at home. Glad I got out. Hope I never have to go back. I still want to help kids, but dont know in what avenue. Hugs to you for trying to keep with it. I am burnt out after 13 years.
Sometimes being a grownup just sucks! I am not loving my job too much right now either.
I LOVE facebook - I've found some old friends too.
Aye! I am so with you on this. I have been rethinking about my career as well in the education system. I keep thinking is it too late to start anither career? You have read my stories. High School is no different and they are ruder there. There are times I want to just quit on the spot. You and I should start an organization of some sort where we can feel that we can make adifference.
Boy! EVERYTHING you just said was echoed by Liz, Many times!
Yet we as a family support her and her work.
I would say at least you have summer, but that is just recovery time!!
Hang in there, when you get that first student that comes back and say something like, "Hi Mrs. P! Remember that time you told me about so and so? I have been working in field and because of you I am the best!"
Or something like that it will all be worth it!
Hang in there!!!!
I am so sorry you are feeling bogged down. I swear I had those same feelings before fall break every single year I taught!
I was a special ed teacher. Between IEPs and lesson plans, I felt like I was always drowning in paperwork.
Seems like every teacher I know has the sme complaint, no child left behind seems to be leaving alot behind?
Hope it gets better soon and hopefully Peter's mom can figure out a program that works for him!