Hello. I don't have many teacher friends and I wouldn't dare share my situation with one of my colleagues given that I don't want to hear my business circulating around school. I am currently in my second year of teaching and I have been struggling to balance my life at work with being a single parent to two kids. I have missed more than a few days...See MoreHello. I don't have many teacher friends and I wouldn't dare share my situation with one of my colleagues given that I don't want to hear my business circulating around school. I am currently in my second year of teaching and I have been struggling to balance my life at work with being a single parent to two kids. I have missed more than a few days this year due to anxiety and depression and I fear that if I do not address this issue, I not only will leave the profession entirely, but I will not be able to finish the schoolyear. I find myself unable to sleep, crying throughout the night, and just feeling generally overwhelmed at just the thought of returning to my classroom. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist in the hopes that medication might help me muster enough courage to get through the schoolyear. I wouldn't dare harm myself, but I have honestly hoped I would get into an accident on the way to work to avoid going. Given my mental state, I was mediocre at best when I was in the classroom. I submitted my paperwork to resign at the end of the schoolyear, but I am not even sure I can make it until then. I am not sure what I should do, whether I should take a leave of absence or not, and if and how I can get through these next three and a half months. I am almost finished with clearing my credential with just makes this more stressful and confusing.
One important thing to mention is that I am the sole provider for my children, and unpaid leave would leave me financially strapped. I do have disability insurance through a third party company, but I have no idea how to navigate that process and if depression and anxiety would even qualify. I am just so overwhelmed and don't even know what to do or think, and where to start.
Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Meanwhile, instead of thinking how you are going to get through three more months, concentrate on getting through one more day. Commit to keep working because you may find yourself feeling better and coping easier once you are on meds. I'd also make an appointment with a therapist too, which will give you a safe outlet to talk about your feelings and get learn some coping strategies.
I'd also suggest you get a physical to rule out any other medical reasons that could be contributing to your anxiety and depression. Untreated sleep apnea, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, etc., can leave your body physically stressed and exhausted, which could contribute to the depression and anxiety.
All that said, if you can find another job outside the school setting, don't feel bad about leaving before the end of the school year. Your health and well-being is important and should be your first priority. If you are planning to stay in education,try to hang in there, but I've read a lot of posts from other teachers who were able to get another teaching job after leaving mid-year, so do what you need to do to take care of yourself and your family. Hope things work out for you.
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I had an incident on Friday happen and I need a plan by tomorrow morning. I can't sleep. Here's the story: I sent 3 students that need extra help while testing with an aid to work in another room. It took them way over the amount of time it should to complete their tests and returned with incomplete tests. I asked the aid what happened and she told...See MoreI had an incident on Friday happen and I need a plan by tomorrow morning. I can't sleep. Here's the story: I sent 3 students that need extra help while testing with an aid to work in another room. It took them way over the amount of time it should to complete their tests and returned with incomplete tests. I asked the aid what happened and she told me the students were talking. My rule, and my students are well aware of this, is if you talk during a test you get a zero. I asked the aid "Were they talking to you about needing help? Or were they talking with each other?" She said that they had been talking with each other and had to move them. I let her know, again, that if students talk during a test other than asking an adult for help they get a zero. She agreed that they should get zeroes. So I talked with the students about expectations on test taking and they knew they were not suppose to talk. They were very upset and told me that the aid was talking with them. I told them the aid let me know that they were talking a should get zeroes. This turns into a big mess two of them blew up. One ripping up her test and refusing to do anything I asked. Another student also refused to do anything. So I walk them to the office. I find out later after school that the principal was near that same room and had heard the aid talking with the students about what they are doing this weekend and other random things. The principal let me know that the aid was distracting them and did not know they were in there taking a test because all the random talking. I think the students need to be apologized to by the aid but this will not happen at my school... it will be up to only me to talk with them. I want to say I am sorry that the aid lied trying to make the reason nothing got done all on the students but I can't do that because I fear they won't respect the aid which I need to be in my room and be respected in order for her to help. Sorry for the run-ons... I'm frustrated and lost on what to do. It's not the students fault and I feel if I just say we had a misunderstanding and they can retake the test they are going to lose respect for me because I was hard on them because I thought they truly were goofing off. The aid and principal will do nothing. These kids have little trust in adults as it is.
flackaThe information you need should be on the local school district website and, if not, call HR and they should be able to tell you about the requirements for subbing.
Formerteach1001your survey did not include teachers in the arts. I checked History as my subject. As an art teacher, I had a great ability to teach very cross cutural.
Elaine, are you swimming for your exercise this week? My dd sent me a clip where Goshen was declared a state of emergency due to the flooding there. We have gotten almost 7 inches so the rivers are flooded here too. Not far north of here some schools were closed because the roads were so flooded. They said we would have an above average wet winter this year - they predicted that right! I am just glad it was rain not snow this time.
Spring break is coming up next month. Yeah! The grandkids and I are on three different school district calendars, but the oldest's and mine are the same week. I hope to do at least a couple day road trip with just the two of us.
I am a doctoral student who needs to collect data for an advanced quantitative research class. I need help from school administrators and teachers of Math, Science, Social Studies and English to complete a short cultural competency survey. My pilot study seeks to find out if there is a relationship between school administrators' and teachers' level of cultural competency and the academic achievement of minority students who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD). Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey by clicking on the link below. All information collected will be kept strictly confidential and the results will not be published. Your help is greatly appreciated!
Meanwhile, instead of thinking how you are going to get through three more months, concentrate on ge...See More