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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