This Side of Third

…and second

Pass the Paxil, Please

September17

I am four weeks back into the school year and already looking forward to Christmas break.  I haven’t felt this overwhelmed by a school year in a very long time.  It’s disconcerting that after almost 20 years of teaching SpEd, I can get this rattled.  I’ve actually been working on this post for weeks.  In my head.  The stress and anxiety are always present and I’m able to keep the bulk of it at bay (mostly through denial and food) so I’ve been unsure how to address (confront?) these feelings in person.

For the last 7 years, I’ve had multiple grades.  When I was told I only had third grade this year, I was a bit concerned.  How does that work?  Only one grade?  Not running around like a chicken with her head cut off?  I wasn’t sure how to act! Well THAT didn’t last long.  Cue the stress and anxiety!

Also, for the last 7 years, I’ve shared a small classroom with one or more SpEd teachers and a few assistants.  It’s been something that’s worked quite well for us.  There were people to bounce ideas off of; an extra hand in all situations; someone to cover your groups when you had to pee.  Now, I would be housed in a classroom…a general education classroom.  I was to become (duhn, duhn, duhn) a co-teacher.  What the?  I’ve never been a co-teacher!  Holy crap!  If I wanted to be a general ed teacher, or in the general ed classroom, I would’ve gotten my general ed certificate.  I’m not dual certified for a reason! I don’t want to teach GenEd!  OK.  Breathe.  Administration knows how I feel and sent me to a workshop.  Workshops cure everything.  I don’t know why doctors don’t go to more workshops.  *To be honest, it was a good workshop and I’m glad I went.*

I have 11 students on my caseload.  That’s not really too bad, as many can be grouped by similar IEP goals.  These 11 kids are placed in 2 classrooms, not all four, so that I’m not running around to all the classrooms trying to see my kids.  So far, so good.  Not to mention that I’ve had most of these guys in PK, Kindergarten, and first grades, so I know them.  Then there’s Steve (name changed to protect the innocent). He’s new to our school, he is on the spectrum (so are three other students of mine-NBD as they’re my faves), he’s physically aggressive (I now have the bruises to prove it), and he gets 2.5 hours outside of the classroom per day.

Wow.

Let’s break down the hours, shall we?  6.5 hours/day – 45 mins. for special – .5 hour for lunch – Steve’s 2.5 hours of pullout time – .5 hour intervention block – .25 mins. for recess = 2 hours for working with my other 10 IEP kids.  Oh yeah.  I feel really good about that.  And that’s if everything goes to plan.  If Steve has a meltdown…sorry other students.

Steve has adult support throughout the day due to his behaviors, among other things.  The assistant   I have, Joan (again, name changed), that works with Steve has never worked in the elementary school, only high school…two entirely different settings.  It’s like I have two students I have to manage.  Joan is an extremely nice person.  Would give you the skirt off her thighs if necessary.  She just doesn’t have a clue yet.  Not only do I have to set up Steve and two other students in the morning, I need to get her ready as well.  I realize it’s the beginning of the year and she’ll get the hang of it, but honestly…*sigh.

I know I’m probably rambling at this point.  I’m so tired.  All this is just the tip of the iceberg, as any teacher will tell you.  I haven’t even brought up the CCSS, the awful Student Learning Objectives (new teacher evaluation system), twice/month Extended Team Planning in the mornings, SpEd teachers covering other grade levels’ ETPs, once/month full team meetings on certain IEP kids, IEP and SST meetings…I need to just stop.  I’m annoying myself at this point.

I am at work an hour+ early everyday, stay late occasionally, and bring work home every night and weekend and I’m still not caught up.  All I do is run the halls like a crazy person, and feel guilty that I’m not doing enough for my teammates because everything else has me so busy.  I really feel like I’m letting them down.  I know people say that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.  I don’t see it.  Unless it’s behind that train that’s barreling down on me.

I took a half of a personal day this Friday.  I’m headed to Ocean City, MD for their Sunfest.  I’m extremely fortunate that my parents live there!  By Friday 2:30-ish, I’ll be hitting the ocean air, the wine slushy kiosk, and my mom’s cooking, all in an attempt to catch a break.  Of course I’m bringing work with me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do it while sitting in a sand chair. 🙂

To my fellow teachers who are overwhelmed, just remember to take a break.  Take care of yourself.  You are no good to anyone if you’re in Friends Hospital babbling about chevron patterns and DIBELS.  I hope you all have a school year you can look back on and say, “Yep.  I rocked it.”

 

 

 

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The First Three Days

August27

Wow.  The kids have only been back for three days and I already feel like it’s been a month.  I feel overwhelmed and unprepared and far behind where I think I should be.  I need to keep reminding myself that it’s only been three days.

I look around and I see teachers who have their “stuff” together and seem to be rocking the year already, while I have a very blank lesson plan book.  I’m flying by the seat of my pants.

First day: I drove the entire way to work (11 miles) with a police car behind me.  All I (and every teacher) wanted to do was fly like a bat out of hell to school and get the rest of my room set up before the kids arrived.  Nope.  I had to creep along at 35 MPH.  As I pulled into the parking lot, I broke a nail.  I was so tired and frazzled that morning that I started the Keurig without putting my cup under the spout.  Then I lost my badge.  I hate that thing.

Second day: I had a wedding to attend that night and never got the chance to paint my nails.  Typically not a problem, right?  The wedding was three hours away.  It started at 6:00.  I work until 4:00.  Problem.  I dressed for travel and wore sneakers, forgetting I still had to paint my nails.  Luckily, the was no cop behind me that morning and I sped to work to arrive early.  I shut the room door, threw open the window and stripped off my shoes and socks.  Yes…I painted my fingernails and toenails at work.  For those of you tsk-tsking me,  I was on my time and not school’s, as I was there over an hour early.  So I had to run around and get my day ready in my bare feet and only using the palms of my hands.

Third day: Nothing much to report.  You know, typical Monday.  Feet dragging, mouths yawning, directions repeated several times, underwear found on the playground.  Yep…women’s neon green and black zebra-striped undies were found on the playground.  Ew.  Just ew.

I hope your first three days were are strange and frenetic as mine were.  It keeps you on your toes. Have a most wonderful school year!

 

 

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The Top 7 Blogging Mistakes To Avoid

July31

The Top 7 Blogging Mistakes To Avoid – myHughesNet.com.

As a beginning blogger who’s blog went live a week ago, this article was just in time!  I need to print this out and post it everywhere (or maybe just use it as my desktop wallpaper).

I need to really sit down and focus on my schedule. I hope to have a post every Friday, and I need to create visual calendar so that I have that reminder. I also need to write out my goal (or Mission Statement as my school calls it) and attach that to my calendar.  Essentially, my blog’s purpose is to communicate with other teachers, and to have an outlet for the happenings at school.  You know, a place to share and de-stress.  To help with organizing everything, below is a link to a blog planner from Beckie at Infarrantly Creative that I’ve found to be very useful.  I love that is has a place for Blogger to Encourage!

http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/02/free-printable-blogplanner.htmlPrintable-blog-planner_thumb

I also need to learn how to network.  I have many links on this blog to other terrific teaching blogs, but I feel weird asking people to promote my blog.  I think I’m afraid that I won’t have anything to offer, or that my postings aren’t good enough.  I’ll just have to be brave and tag all my comments with my blog address.  And honestly, as long as I like what I’m doing I should be satisfied.  Right?

 

 

 

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Teaching as Sport

July27

Having recently attended a Phillies game, and with Eagles training camp beginning this week, I began to think about the similarities between teaching and sports.  OK, wait.  To be honest, I’m trying to wrap my mind around the fact that summer is halfway over and the first day of school is looming.  I know I’m not the only teacher feeling this way, so I thought I’d take a different approach to what we do.  Here’s what I came up with:

  • First Days Back- Those first few days, teachers return to classroom setup, meetings, and professional development.  We catch up with colleagues and get the lowdown on the coming year.  I consider this to be Training Camp.
  • Professional Development Days- On the handful of days that the students get to stay home and relax, teachers are briefed on whatever the county/district thinks we need to better perform our duties.  These are Mini-Camps.
  • 180 Days- As regulated by the state, these are our scheduled games; our Regular Season.   We must get these in, or be penalized in some form.
  • Snow Days- Ahhh….snow days.  Getting that call at 5:30 a.m. to let you know that you’re spending the day in your jammies on the sofa with your cat, your coffee, and your book.  That’s the best!  Until you have to make them up.  I think we could call these our Rain Delays.
  • IEP Meetings- You may never go to one, but for those of us that teach SpEd, they’re routine.  With so many people involved, the passionate discussions, compromising, paperwork, legalities…these are Contract Talks.
  • Nights and Weekends- We all do it.  I’m doing it right now.  Working on teacher stuff on our own time.  We’re devoted, perfectionists, procrastinators, crazy.  This is Over Time; although I also consider it a Personal Foul.
  • Finals- Teachers struggle, push, coach, cajole, bribe, encourage, and beg our students to do well.  These are the Playoffs.  Those last, important hurdles to leap over before the all-important big game.
  • Last Day of School- What else could we call the last day of school, other than the Super Bowl?

Don’t get me wrong, teachers love what they do.  Don’t let our complaining fool you–That’s just us blowing off steam.  Most teachers wouldn’t trade this profession for anything.  The majority of our days are run-of-the-mill.  Some days suck, but more than most are awesome.  Feel free to add to my list if you have other teaching/sport correlations.  I’m interested to hear what you come up with. 🙂

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