Re: 2nd year teacher needs advice/suggestions -shorter versi

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Great advice on this thread. My suggestion: Print out and reread from time
to time.

I was fortunate not to have had to face conditions, such as those described.
Seems I retired at a good time, but I care about those left behind and still
in the trenches.

SomeoneSomewhere also had excellent advice. My suggestion: Print this out
and reread from time to time to time, also.

"No matter how much work you do, there still will always be more to be done".
In my opinion every teacher should have this engraved on a plaque to be read
daily(maybe many times daily).

Are you married? Do you have children? Are these in your plans?

Please do not fall into the trap of making teaching your life, or the number
one priority in your life. Teaching is a JOB. A very important job, but a
JOB. Maybe this is worthy of a plaque, too.

Best wishes.

On 9/29/11, SomeoneSomewhere wrote:
>
> Though I am not a science teacher, I have some similar experience. I,
> too, began my teaching career a year ago at a tough alternative school in
> an impoverished area. I was desperate for a teaching job, so I took it t
> gain experience. It was a very rough year, yet I made it through. I did
> not return to the school for a second year, but found a job at a "normal"
> school, which is where I am currently working. Now, my last job was
> stressful. This job is just about as stressful. My previous school was an
> overall negative and toxic place to be. This school is not negative and
> toxic, but there's a lot of pressure to get students to test well, and it
> is a very data driven environment. I have no planning time due to daily
> meetings and cannot find the time I need to grade and plan to my fullest
> potential.
>
> I feel like teaching is stressful...period. I'm not going to go too much
> out of my way to create magnificent lessons,have fancy bulletin boards, or
> give constructive feedback on every piece of student work. No matter how
> much work you do, there's still going to be more to get done. You can work
> yourself to the bone, and no one would really care. And as much as people
> may want to disagree, it may or may not make that much of a difference.
> At the end of the day, you can work your butt off and still get fired,
> laid off, or RIF'ed at the end of the school year, or before. Hard work
> is not a guarantee to employment. I am not telling you to be lazy, but
> just keep focused on what the important things are. Don't create
> unnecessary work for yourself; simplify and cut corners where you can.
> Honestly, everyone I know who's working is stressed at work.
> Unfortunately, it's normal. People who hated their jobs and now are
> unemployed envy those of us who punch a clock daily; they feel left out
> of the adult world of going in to a job every day that makes your skin
> crawl. I remind myself of this whenever I have a bad day, like yesterday.
>
> Now with your boss. It is very possible that she has it in for you. Since
> that may be the case, you need to begin looking around for new employment.
> At least if she does get rid of you, you're in the job search game and
> will have time to interview and may not be unemployed for too long. You
> may very well be able to find a position elsewhere. Don't wait for her to
> fire or sabotage you in any other way if you can avoid it; that may make
> it more difficult for you to find another position. You have to be the
> one to take control of your career. I think getting too comfortable at
> any job is career suicide nowadays.

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