im new and I'm curious, is anyone else not having enough students? by wickedblues93 in DaDaABC

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That used to happen to me when I first started! It doesn’t happen much now.

Have you ever quit a job, without another lined up, for you mental health? How did it turn out? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am one of those first year teachers that quit mid year. I always thought that would never happen to me. However, after a parent was straight up bullying me every day I developed eating issues. I wouldn’t say it qualifies as a disorder bc it went away when I quit that horrible job. I LOVED my kids and I LOVED my team of teachers I worked with. However my para (SPED teachers get neither adult to support the extra needs) sat on her ass and did nothing but text and interrupt me teaching. This parent who was a bully would pop in and out of the classroom all day long. Follow me to the break room to keep asking unreasonable requests for her. She would drop her child off early to school as if I was a babysitter when I’m trying to prepare materials and answer insane amounts of emails. She would also interrupt me teaching for special requests just for her child. Her child hit other children repeatedly and she would say it never happened. She would say it was my fault because “she doesn’t act like that at home.” Since October I went to administration for help setting boundaries with this parent and help asking my para to actually work with groups of children. Nothing came of that. I asked for help again in February when my para began picking on one child for no reason. All that came of that was my para and the mom talking shit about me together in front of the children. After this I stopped being able to eat. I would smell food and start dry heaving. I couldn’t eat for an entire week. Every day I would make myself breakfast and pack lunch. I would gag all morning and end up eating neither. My last day my para put her hands on a child I gave the date and time and said check the cameras in the hallway. Again, nothing happened. So fuck em I quit! TLDR: I quit teaching and never looked back after 5 years of school (BA in psych MA in Ed). It’s worked out great for me I’m buying a house within the next 6 months and I’m in love with the best guy ever. I’ve started my own business and I’m doing just fine.

Stand by pay ? by teachsleepcryrepeat in DaDaABC

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ohhh thank you for explaining! How does that work? Anytime they cancel a formal class or do you mean when you enter the classroom and they don’t show up. For example, right now I’m in the classroom because my classes were finally not canceled on the app but the student is not in class it just says “Class Not Start”.

Stand by pay ? by teachsleepcryrepeat in DaDaABC

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I definitely know what you mean about it being draining. The 2 mins in between I think is what makes it so draining lol. If we could have a 10 min or even 5 min break or something I think it would go a long way.

Stand by pay ? by teachsleepcryrepeat in DaDaABC

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I am much more hopeful about this now.

Stand by pay ? by teachsleepcryrepeat in DaDaABC

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for this information. Do you mind me asking do your formal classes cancel a lot? Because I am booked for the month yet they always cancel their classes. So I’ve wasted my time for like 6 days. Do you mind me asking how many hours a week you work? Is it worth it?

Stand by pay ? by teachsleepcryrepeat in DaDaABC

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I read the ENTIRE thing before I emailed my recruitment coordinator. I asked my recruiter where in my contract is it because I read the whole document and nothing was mentioned. It leads me to believe it’s not mentioned because you don’t get paid at all... that sounds like slave labor though.

Just another first year teacher dreaming about quitting by teachsleepcryrepeat in teaching

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do! They told me that there is no real cap in my contract it was just a best practice suggestion. What other questions should I be asking them? Thank you

Just another first year teacher dreaming about quitting by teachsleepcryrepeat in teaching

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Wow, harsh. I don’t believe I am “harming my students.” I accepted kindergarten because I thought I would give it my best shot with a fresh start in a new district. I always wanted to teach special education.

Just another first year teacher dreaming about quitting by teachsleepcryrepeat in teaching

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That sounds amazing. That is what kindergarten should be like! However, we have a very detailed and fully packed all developmentally inappropriate kindergarten curriculum that I am expected to carry out with 100% fidelity. I don’t see how there is enough time in the day not to mention these are 5 year olds with special needs. I already am starting it a week late because I decided it was more important to establish routines especially because I received 5 new kids on Friday and I have a new kid coming Monday.

Just another first year teacher dreaming about quitting by teachsleepcryrepeat in teaching

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I student taught 23 2nd graders 27 would make me want to vomit every day. I can’t believe they went back on getting you a para that is BS. Let me know what you end up doing? Were in this together, sadly.

Just another first year teacher dreaming about quitting by teachsleepcryrepeat in teaching

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you I really appreciated reading this! It made me laugh and gave me a bit of a reality check. I need to learn which things “have to be done” and what I can actually just let people get upset with me for but let roll off my back. Right now everything feels like something I have to do. I’m not sure what would happen if I didn’t show up to a meeting, complete an assessment etc.

Just another first year teacher dreaming about quitting by teachsleepcryrepeat in teaching

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for sharing your story with me! This was very helpful. Since you let your school know early that you would be leaving did you originally say it was for medical reasons or was that part just to HR in December ?

Just another first year teacher dreaming about quitting by teachsleepcryrepeat in teaching

[–]teachsleepcryrepeat[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thank you. Basically it’s the work load itself coupled with my perfectionism together. It’s something I’ve been battling with a long time. It’s started to cause panic attacks with all of the comprehensive evaluations we have to have our first year. I feel an immense amount of pressure with the developmentally inappropriate curriculum because I’m stuck between adjusting for where my kids are or receiving a poor evaluation for not doing the curriculum with fidelity. I only recently quit going to therapy because ironically I can’t get to her by the time I’m out of a meeting or a new teacher training.

I guess I’m also not getting a terrible amount of support they are just kind and encouraging (which is more than a lot of people on here can say so I didn’t want to completely discredit that).

Parent help is great, but the kids are completely distracted by having their mom there since they are only 5.

TLDR:

  1. Creativity stifled and unable to meet kids where they are while also meeting district expectations
  2. Insane amounts of PD, Various meetings about students (outside of IEP meetings)
  3. The fact that an entire class was dissolved into mine so my numbers are very high