Burnt Out! Suggestions appreciated!1

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Classroom Mgmt

MEMBERS

25 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Classroom Management Chatboard

Burnt Out! Suggestions appreciated!1

by anon for now

Jun 18, 2013

I have been teaching for 12 years, the last 9 years in my current school district. It is a small rural school Prek- 12, where my 2 kids attend as well. When I first started there 9 years ago, the school and staff were a family. We enjoyed each other. We all worked together for a common goal. I felt like I was a part of something. I had a great principal that was great with the kids and staff. I was proud to be a teacher working there.

In the last 4 years, that principal moved to another district where he is a superintendent.

One of our elementary teachers and one of our secondary teachers, who had their principal certification, were hired. Our superintendent, who had been very-hands-on and was the backbone of our school, is gone most of the time (he went to England on vacation with his family in April for 4 weeks!!!). We are just there to do all the drudge work----and babysit kids.

These two principals don't motivate, compliment, make appearances in the clas...See MoreI have been teaching for 12 years, the last 9 years in my current school district. It is a small rural school Prek- 12, where my 2 kids attend as well. When I first started there 9 years ago, the school and staff were a family. We enjoyed each other. We all worked together for a common goal. I felt like I was a part of something. I had a great principal that was great with the kids and staff. I was proud to be a teacher working there.

In the last 4 years, that principal moved to another district where he is a superintendent.

One of our elementary teachers and one of our secondary teachers, who had their principal certification, were hired. Our superintendent, who had been very-hands-on and was the backbone of our school, is gone most of the time (he went to England on vacation with his family in April for 4 weeks!!!). We are just there to do all the drudge work----and babysit kids.

These two principals don't motivate, compliment, make appearances in the classrooms, etc. We have no support. Just emails to us when stuff needs to be turned in or to gripe at us.

We only get a conference period every other day. Only 30 min for lunch. And sometimes due to having extracurricular duties with secondary students, I get no lunch. Those days without a break from the kids or to go to the bathroom are the hardest. No downtime!!!

I don't get home till around 6 pm. I am zapped by then and don't have much energy for my two kids and husband. We have someone who comes weekly to clean our house. I am lucky to find the time to pay the bills and wash clothes.

One of the veteran teachers and her sister in law who has only been there 3 years takes over everything and doesn't ask for any input from the rest of us in elementary .They look for every opportunity to make cutting remarks and talk behind your back to parents of students. Then they sit back and watch it all unfold. In the meantime, the superintendent when he is there, sends out emails or compliments the two of them in staff meetings-----never to any of the rest of us. Its like we don't matter or exist!

Any of the field trips or activities that are planned throughout the school year are done by these two. They have taken all of the extra duties, the easy ones that don't take alot of extra time. The rest of us have the year-long duties. I have talked to the principal about letting me switch duties to lighten my load, she won't do it.

I had both of my parents die this last year and am the executor of their estate. My dad was killed in a motorcycle accident (that wasn't his fault) and we have the court case coming up for the guy that did this.

This past year was complete survival mode. My doctor says my labwork is showing signs of stress and if I don't cut out the stress, it could result in health problems.

I am planning on taking time out of teaching. I enjoy teaching but it is more than I can handle right now. I am planning on giving my resignation this Tuesday. I need time to get things back on track and calmed down. Thankfully my husband has a good job right now where I can do this.

I am even considering another career path. Something part- time would be ideal. That I could do from home. Making visits to schools in our surrounding area would be ideal. No substitute teaching!!! I am thinking Jostens or something along those lines Does anyone have any suggestions??? I am self-motivated, creative and responsible. I work well on my own.

Your comments and suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you ahead of time.

Comment

(1)

report post

Sara On 6/18/13, anon for now wrote:

Schools change and they can change for the worse and it's very sad when they do. I worked at a dream school and then watched it deteriorate under new leadership - who's at the top can make a huge difference for better or worse.

Are your two children still in the district? I stuck it out until my ch...See MoreOn 6/18/13, anon for now wrote:

Schools change and they can change for the worse and it's very sad when they do. I worked at a dream school and then watched it deteriorate under new leadership - who's at the top can make a huge difference for better or worse.

Are your two children still in the district? I stuck it out until my children graduated. My kids liked having me there and it gave me an opportunity to keep a better eye on the education my own children were getting. But it was hard sticking it out and I did it for my kids.

I had to learn to close my classroom door and teach and put everything outside the door out of my mind. I liked having a reason not to go to lunch - none of us had anything positive to say anymore and lunch was a gripe session that made no one feel good about all the bad things.

I took my compliments from the students and their families - the worse the school got, the more my students and their families appreciated my efforts. And while my own children were in the district, I felt I didn't have the choice to leave and -we needed the money to save for their college.

Stress does cause healthwork though I don't know of labwork that confirms such things. It usually shows up in our emotional health and our looks - we looked stress. Exercise is the best cure for stress - even 15-20 minutes of it - but many people turn to anti-stress medicines and there are several of those.

But the wonderful reality is that you have a choice! Your decision to leave given everything that's going on is understandable. Have you considered on-line education? If you want to work part-time from home, there are online opportunities. SmartThinking for one - SmartThinking editors/tutors edit/correct student papers - SmartThinking is a company whose services are used by many community colleges and teachers can work from home editing student papers for SmartThinking. You can find them online.

> > > > > >

> > > This past year was complete survival mode. My doctor says > my labwork is showing signs of stress and if I don't cut > out the stress, it could result in health problems. > > > > I am planning on taking time out of teaching. I enjoy > teaching but it is more than I can handle right now. I am > planning on giving my resignation this Tuesday. I need time > to get things back on track and calmed down. Thankfully my > husband has a good job right now where I can do this. > > > > I am even considering another career path. Something part- > time would be ideal. That I could do from home. Making > visits to schools in our surrounding area would be ideal. > No substitute teaching!!! I am thinking Jostens or > something along those lines Does anyone have any > suggestions??? I am self-motivated, creative and > responsible. I work well on my own. > > > > Your comments and suggestions would be appreciated. Thank > you ahead of time. >

Jun 19, 2013

report post