I am not going into all of it, but, since August I have been doing two people's jobs. There was a small window of a month where I thought the sub they had hired would actually do the job of a teacher, the job they hired her for, since she kept telling everyone she was the REAL teacher but that passed and I continue to do her job and mine.
When I comment to the administrators that I am drowning, they tell me the end is near.
Or that this is what I asked for (going back to gen ed).
PO, I know you keep telling me to shuck it and retire, but I hate going out on this note.
I am petitioning for a job in this school in another department teaching gifted students. If I get it, I will teach another couple of years. If they assign me a single co-taught class, please join me in singing "Take this job and shove it."
And I cannot tell you how freeing that is.
Yesterday, a student warned me that two assistant principals were near (I wasn't doing 100% of what I was supposed to but they were working). And I told her, what can they do? Fire me?
Wouldn't be the worst thing that happened this year.
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2 comments:
I feel for you. Keep telling yourself you are Teflon and let things roll off you. Most important, do what you want for the kids, nothing else and do not take the job home with you.
The most freedom I felt in the classroom came in the 4 to 5 years where I was able to retire (both chronologically and economically), but kept teaching. My response to administrative stress (as opposed to the "normal" stresses of the classroom) was "What can they do to me? Fire me?"
What made those years among the best I ever had as a teacher was the freedom to say what I thought to administrators. I remained (mostly) professional, but I was free with my criticism and my comments about how their actions damaged the learning opportunities for students and the professional lives of teachers. Granted, much of the problems I faced as a teacher were not the fault of administrators - rather they came from mandates from the state legislature and state board of education. Still, there were things administrators could do to "ease the pain" which they were not doing.
This is the time of your career where you can stand up for your students to administrators...other teachers...parents...school board members and legislators. Focus on advocating for your students...and you might find hidden strengths to keep you going.
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