Ask for accommodations for your disability, that'll get you the release
you're looking for from the district.

On 9/19/09, sped wrote:
> On 9/18/09, samandsassy wrote:
>> Won't bad observations negatively effect your ability to get a
>> job? I was under the impression that any future employer can
>> look those up as well.
>
> No one can actually see your observations from another district. As
> a teacher, you don't have a "permanent record" or file, except that
> ISBE does maintain certification records on you. That has nothing to
> do with job performance.
>
> Now, while no one can access your actual observations, you could end
> up with a poor reference from this employer. That will "negatively
> effect your ability to get a job," but as that you're in special
> education like me, it may not be a career killer. We administrators
> know people have bad years and in special ed, there's enough demand
> out there that someone will probably give you another shot. If you
> were an English teacher, that might not be the case, but sped still
> has enough demand that we hire teachers with less than stellar records.
>
> Leaving a job in the middle of the year unilaterally because you're
> stressed out will just about will end your chances of getting another
> teaching job, even if you are sped. Nearly everyone I know or worked
> with who did that bailed on teaching all together and didn't care
> about a license suspension or bad teaching references.
>
> Now, again, if you leave unilaterally, there will be consequences,
> which could include license suspension. If you go to your district
> and ask to be released, and they agree, then it will soften the blow
> to your career. You would give them some notice that you will be
> leaving, maybe a month, and they could look for a replacement. If
> they release you, they can't suspend your license, and you might get
> out of there with a neutral reference. This is where your doctor
> will come into play. If you can provide information from him, the
> district might take mercy on you and let you jump. Then again, they
> might not.
>
> Like I said before, the best bet is to finish the year. Odds are, if
> you're ready to quit in September, then you're not going to be
> rehired (not that you want to be). As a special ed teacher, you'll
> probably be able to find a job elsewhere after a no rehire, so if you
> want to take it easy to minimize stress and finish the year, that
> might be the way to go. Quitting in the middle of the year makes it
> more difficult to find a job.
>
> Basically, what I'm suggesting is damage control for your career.
> This isn't going to be an A+ year for you. If you jump ship, it ends
> up as a big F- on your "record" (I'm speaking figuratively here, of
> course, there are no grades like this for teachers). If you finish
> the year as best you can, then it'll be a C or a D year. It'd be
> great to get an A, but it sounds like that ship has sailed for you.
> Teachers can continue on with their career after a lackluster year
> that they finish, but bailing on a job in the middle of the year is
> not the way to go.
>
> Good luck, what ever your choice!
>
>
>
>> On 9/18/09, sped wrote:
>>> On 9/16/09, samandsassy wrote:
>>>> What happens in Illinois if a teacher wants to break
>>>> contract in the middle of the school year?
>>>
>>> If you break a contract in the middle of the year, then the
>>> district can petition ISBE to suspend your certificate. It may
>>> not, but it can. It doesn't matter if you have an initial or
>>> standard in this case, since you can be suspended either way.
>>> Your half year, or whatever, won't count towards the 4 you need
>>> to move to a standard.
>>>
>>> Now, if you go to the district and ASK to be released from your
>>> contract, and they agree, then you're fine. If you want out,
>>> you could put on videos of the "Facts of Life" and give quizzes
>>> on when Tootie took off roller skates. BTW, that exact thing
>>> happened in my district when they made a teacher stick to her
>>> contract after she got a better offer late in the summer. She
>>> taught English, well she was supposed to teach English anyway.
>>> Needless to say, she wasn't offered a contract the next year,
>>> but that's what she wanted.
>>>
>>> While you would be able to teach again after the one year
>>> suspension, you would have to check yes to the box that asks if
>>> your license has ever been suspended. That's pretty much a
>>> deal-breaker, even in special ed.
>>>>
>>>> I do not necessarily want to leave my job, however, it is
>>>> severely negatively effecting my health (I have an
>>>> orthopedic condition that is worsening along with awful
>>>> anxiety forming from the job and everything that comes with
>>>> it). My doctor is concerned that the situational stress
>>>> from will be detrimental not only long term but short term
>>>> to my health.
>>>
>>> Well, I'm not sure about how that will effect the suspension.
>>> You might contact ISBE to see. You are entitled to a hearing,
>>> and medical documents and testimony from your doctor might
>>> help, but no one can say for sure how that hearing would work
>>> out. Again, they can ask for a suspension, but they don't have
>>> to. In the few instances where I've seen it, I'm pretty sure
>>> my district didn't push for it, but I know it does happen.
>>>>
>>>> I deeply worry about my ability to get a new teaching job
>>>> in the future (I teach Special Education) because I do love
>>>> teaching and I look forward to the days of having a job I
>>>> truly love.
>>>
>>> Yeah, you should. Like I said, a suspension would kill just
>>> about any chance, except maybe with a very high need school
>>> like one in CPS, but even then it would be an uphill climb.
>>> Talk about stressful!
>>>
>>> I'd advise you to consider toughing it out. I had a job I
>>> wanted to quit too. You should look at it this way: You
>>> basically can do what you want as long as you don't get
>>> ridiculous. I mean, you obviously don't want to come back
>>> there, so you probably don't care how you do on observations or
>>> about impressing your Principal. If you want to write 500
>>> referrals a day, you can. If you want to skip some of the
>>> curriculum because it's not worth the stress, then go for it.
>>> You don't care if you don't come back. Yeah, it won't be a
>>> good reference, but it's bound to be better than it would be if
>>> you leave in October.
>>>
>>> Good Luck!

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