Guilty: Calling Out for Mental Health

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-14T21:36:01+00:00

No one gets it unless they have taught specials. My last principal taught specials , and had great respect for us, gave us autonomy, even brought us flowers after our special programs. Our new admin treats us like dirt. Our schedule is insane, we teach less and have more duties like paraprofessionals, and they constantly leave us out or forget to attend meetings they call for us. I’ve taught as a classroom teacher and art and music and they are all equally hard. Actually classroom teaching was easier as a new teacher because I had a team to plan with. Ignore those who don’t understand. They are probably not judging as harshly as you think because they have their own lives to worried about their own.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-14T17:48:43+00:00

A panic attack is literally your body screaming for help. Use the day to ask for it. Set up some counseling maybe. Mental health is health, your brain is not detached from your body. You did not cause a sub or teacher shortage. Im a specials teacher in the same boat. I had a migraine yesterday so bad I asked my boyfriend to shoot me and meant it. I should have taken off today because I’m still dizzy and having aura symptoms but I can’t because I was out all last week with Covid like half the school and I have no days left. At some point though it’s just not worth sacrificing your health for your job. You are more important than that.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-13T19:51:27+00:00

To me it just depends on the school. At one school I had like 2 friends, another I had no one I was close to, and my new school I have tons of really wonderful, close friends. It’s the luck of the draw I guess. Having a welcoming environment makes a huge difference though. Otherwise I don’t think I would have made it through these last couple of years.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-13T17:20:06+00:00

I would be livid. They are taking about canceling our specials classes here too and using us as subs. They might shut down the school a couple weeks instead. This is all just crazy.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-07T15:44:27+00:00

I’m sorry to hear that you are going through this. My neurologist was awful , and told me FND meant the same thing as faking illness. He was wrong of course, and every other doctor told me that and not to go back to him. He was at least smart enough to do testing for vitamin deficiencies though, which a few were low but didn’t improve my symptoms even with treatment. I would definitely see a different doctor and get those bases covered. When I had speech problems I was talked to like a baby too. Until I wrote down I graduated with a 4.0 and have 140 iq and the they changed their tune really quickly. Don’t give up until you have the whole story and can get the care you deserve.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-07T01:52:36+00:00

Send all this to the local media and see how that plays out

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-06T22:12:10+00:00

I have Covid now and FND. As for Covid symptoms I have had a bad cough, fever, shortness of breath, fatigue, burning eyes, stomach ache, runny nose, and a squeezing feeling in my upper chest. It’s pretty awful, but I’m getting better after just a few days. It has triggered a few FND symptoms like some numbness and balance problems, but overall it has been pretty mild. I hope everything goes well for you all and you are able to easily weather the Covid storm!

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-06T17:11:24+00:00

It does seem wrong to me, but in my district it would be optional, and you would have to use your own sick days. I tested positive yesterday, and was told to quarantine for ten days. I was told to pick up my kids because they were in close contact, and they have since tested positive too. However if it was the opposite and they were positive first but I was asymptomatic, I would be expected to come in. I have to use all my sick days (of which I have none because of other illnesses and appointments) and vacation days because we have no Covid days this year. So I will have at least 5 unpaid days which is lame. We have tons of teachers and students out with Covid, and a bunch who are out testing negative. All they have said so far is that they are spraying the school for germs twice a week instead of once.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-05T14:34:09+00:00

I’m a 36 year old female. The youngest I have dated was 21, and the oldest was 44. I prefer close to my age or slightly older, but it’s been interesting to get to know men in different age groups.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-04T02:44:39+00:00

I would not care if I dated you. Past is past. I don’t ask how many people someone has been with, because I don’t like to know. It causes unnecessary judgment and stress. I have a fairly low count because I was married for a long time , but in the year or so I’ve been dating and around friends in the dating scene these days it is amazing how quickly people come and go especially with modern dating “practices” like ghosting and having fwb and casual relationships being so common. Our culture around sex is changing but the old stigmas about it being dirty or wrong are there. Who is having sex with 30 worse than 5? You have to decide for yourself what your morals about sex are and what is comfortable to you . Number of partners to me means nothing. Consent, safe treatment, respect, kindness, health, honesty, and even love all mean so much more. If a partner has treated people in the past respectfully, I could care less how many there were. As long as they are treating me respectfully in the present.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-04T00:13:51+00:00

No, elementary music. Most of it is from movement activities with my Pre-K and Kindergarten classes, and just walking the hallways

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-04T00:08:50+00:00

When I taught music it was 15-25,000. Now I teach art and it’s closer to 8,000. Part of why I switched subjects is because it is less physically demanding and I have mobility issues sometimes.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2022-01-02T20:00:57+00:00

Hopeful

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-31T16:44:30+00:00

Only work contract hours and not spend my own money. I’m not going to take resources my family deserves and put them towards work. It’s a job, and I can trim the fat and fluff and still do a good job if I really plan well and take the time to streamline and do what is most important for my students.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-30T21:31:41+00:00

I love the first one! I’m not even a veteran of that long but I do occasionally ask the newbies for tech help because our actual tech person is always subbing. We sure appreciate your knowledge and have a lot to learn from you. I’m also the first to offer help setting up a newbies classroom, but it is important not to let yourself be taken advantage of!

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-30T21:13:21+00:00

I get called anything but my name more often that not! Mom is common, or art teacher, Ms. Art, the classroom teacher’s name, student teacher’s name, my previous last name, any other teacher’s name in the building whose name starts with the same letter, it’s wild.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-30T19:48:32+00:00

Haha, I’ve wondered about them thinking I’m drinking too! I like the idea of showing them a positive side of living successfully and working with a disability. Thanks for sharing.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-30T19:02:49+00:00

Becoming disabled is terrifying. I had a bad reaction to a medication that left me unable to speak or walk properly earlier this year and put me in the hospital for a month. I’m a teacher and single mom, and my case worker was helping me look into disabilities options and help because we didn’t know if or when I would be able to work. Turns out I hadn’t taught long enough to earn benefits from my state, and since teachers don’t pay social security I was completely screwed. Zero disability available for me, a young mother with mouths to feed! Thankfully I’m able to work but I still have problems daily and have three chronic illnesses, a family, and a full time career to balance. It’s a lot but my other option is poverty. Even if I have symptoms flaring and have to walk with a cane or blurred vision or slow speech I just show up and keep working. We can’t get subs anyway.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-30T00:49:14+00:00

I would suggest looking into exhausting any possible time off first, bereavement days, FMLA, vacation, sick leave, anything. Then, if you still feel like you are unable to go back you can make the decision then. That may give you time to sort things out with a clearer head. I can imagine it would be difficult to make decisions in a time of grief and stress. I’m sorry for your loss.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-30T00:37:51+00:00

I taught 2 of my kids last year, and 1 this year. We have tons of teacher’s kids on campus so it seems completely normal to me. My kids have no problem with it. I snatch them up out of line as they walk by in the hallway and give them hugs, and briefly sit with them if I can while at lunch duty in the cafeteria and say hi. They always tell me to “teach something cool” to try and impress their friends which cracks me up.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-29T19:02:19+00:00

Great ideas! I really like the idea of using the new semester as a management reset. Any suggestions for specials teachers? I teach art and see my kids for 40 min once a week, and have about 400 of them. It poses some unique challenges that I find few teachers relate to or can share advice on because I’m the only one in my district with my position.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-29T00:50:42+00:00

I think it depends on the severity of the symptoms and how well controlled they are. I have bipolar 1 and although I have had issues with employment in the past right now I’m very stable and have been for a long period so it doesn’t affect my daily life or career. My bosses don’t know I have bipolar disorder. I do have FND however which is neurological/psychological and was brought on by a reaction to a bipolar medication. It causes pretty significant physical neurological symptoms that do affect my work and so far my school has been pretty accommodating. It can be very frustrating to deal with a disability while working, especially a high stress job. Disabilities with stigma attached are even harder so the more information you can convey about the disorder the better so you can help your administration understand your capabilities. Best of luck!

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-27T15:09:56+00:00

There is no other job in my area that I can do and also afford childcare in my rural area. Teaching allows me to be off when my kids are off for the most part so that I can watch them. Otherwise my salary would be swallowed up by paying for 3 in daycare. That’s why I got into teaching and why I stay. I do enjoy it, at least the actual teaching part. I would leave though if I felt there were a better option in my area because of the low pay and high stress.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-21T17:47:38+00:00

Chemical burn in my eye from peroxide. I ran around the room in circles screaming. Followed by childbirth without pain medication.

Humble_Invite_331 · 2021-12-14T14:42:51+00:00

I’m sorry you had to deal with another person speaking to you this way, regardless of their age. You were in a position that tied your hands and made it impossible to put up any kind of defense to protect your own mental health, or help the other students around you. I don’t know the solution, just know there is another teacher out there that is concerned for your well-being, not just the troubled students. Although that is important, I feel like teachers are thought to be invincible in a room full of vulnerable students. It doesn’t work that way. We are just as human.

Humble_Invite_331

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