Burned out beyond belief

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High School Teachers Chatboard

Burned out beyond belief

by Catsister

Apr 30, 2013

Well, it happened again. My 3rd Catholic School closure. I taught public school one year, and that closed too.

I cannot bear to go to work any more. Two of my three classes are awful. Every day they walk in begging for free time, a movie, etc. and if I don't give it to them (and I never do), there is actual hostility towards me. They make me feel like an idiot for trying to do my job. I imagine they expect me to sort of wink at them and make up some bs grade for them, for work not done. Actually, when they do work, after minutes of me yelling, begging, threatening and bribing, it's not that bad--most of them are still passing, but their attitudes are awful. Adding to the problem is that the other Catholic schools are seducing them, sending buses to give them tours where they're fussed over and given free food and snacks. The absenteeism rate is high because of this. I can't plan anything, never know what I'm doing, but there usually aren't enough kids gone to cancel class out...See More

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Susan Shoup Oh my, I can only tell you that you've reached the bottom and must now begin to climb out. Have you thought about moving elsewhere? Some states are doing much better than others. You must be in an urban situation. I can tell you also that rural schools will have better students. Try looking for a position at least an hour from any large city. I tea...See MoreOh my, I can only tell you that you've reached the bottom and must now begin to climb out. Have you thought about moving elsewhere? Some states are doing much better than others. You must be in an urban situation. I can tell you also that rural schools will have better students. Try looking for a position at least an hour from any large city. I teach in northern Michigan and I love it! Granted there are challenges (our district is broke) but, we are all sticking together and trying to help each other out however we can. Remember that your students are also burned out and would like to write off these last few weeks of school. Perhaps you can try the carrot & stick approach. They work diligently on something for 5 minutes of 'free time' at the end of the hour. Another idea is to create interactive learning games that applies concepts you've taught this year.

Hang in there!! Summer is just around the corner. -susan

On 4/30/13, Catsister wrote: > Well, it happened again. My 3rd Catholic School closure. I > taught public school one year, and that closed too. > > I cannot bear to go to work any more. Two of my three > classes are awful. Every day they walk in begging for free > time, a movie, etc. and if I don't give it to them (and I > never do), there is actual hostility towards me. They make > me feel like an idiot for trying to do my job. I imagine > they expect me to sort of wink at them and make up some bs > grade for them, for work not done. Actually, when they do > work, after minutes of me yelling, begging, threatening and > bribing, it's not that bad--most of them are still passing, > but their attitudes are awful. Adding to the problem is > that the other Catholic schools are seducing them, sending > buses to give them tours where they're fussed over and > given free food and snacks. The absenteeism rate is high > because of this. I can't plan anything, never know what I'm > doing, but there usually aren't enough kids gone to cancel > class outright. > > Hanging over my head is the depression of unemployment, > seeing my non- teaching friends fired on the spot (no more > secretaries, guidance counselors, admissions person--people > that I used to eat lunch with and talk to a lot) and > knowing that they will not even pay the rest of our > contracts. (They will not give us our summer money. Yes, we > spoke to a lawyer, but can't do anything yet.) I'm also > expecting to be asked to do some sort of major > inventory/chemical disposal, which I could be doing now > except I've gotten no direction from anybody. The principal > just hides in her office all day. > > Does anybody have any hints how I can get through this > month?

May 1, 2013

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adding onto Susan's suggestion So much for the illusion that Catholic schools have better behaved students! Anyway, Susan has some great suggestions, but I would piggyback onto what she said by suggesting that you look for PAT (preferred activity time) games on Dr. Fred Jones' website. I went to one of his seminars and own his book, Tools for Teaching, and I think he is great! H...See MoreSo much for the illusion that Catholic schools have better behaved students! Anyway, Susan has some great suggestions, but I would piggyback onto what she said by suggesting that you look for PAT (preferred activity time) games on Dr. Fred Jones' website. I went to one of his seminars and own his book, Tools for Teaching, and I think he is great! Hang in there!

On 5/01/13, Susan Shoup wrote: > Oh my, I can only tell you that you've reached the bottom and > must now begin to climb out. Have you thought about moving > elsewhere? Some states are doing much better than others. > You must be in an urban situation. I can tell you also that > rural schools will have better students. Try looking for a > position at least an hour from any large city. I teach in > northern Michigan and I love it! Granted there are challenges > (our district is broke) but, we are all sticking together and > trying to help each other out however we can. Remember that > your students are also burned out and would like to write off > these last few weeks of school. Perhaps you can try the > carrot & stick approach. They work diligently on something > for 5 minutes of 'free time' at the end of the hour. Another > idea is to create interactive learning games that applies > concepts you've taught this year. > > Hang in there!! Summer is just around the corner. -susan > > On 4/30/13, Catsister wrote: >> Well, it happened again. My 3rd Catholic School closure. I >> taught public school one year, and that closed too. >> >> I cannot bear to go to work any more. Two of my three >> classes are awful. Every day they walk in begging for free >> time, a movie, etc. and if I don't give it to them (and I >> never do), there is actual hostility towards me. They make >> me feel like an idiot for trying to do my job. I imagine >> they expect me to sort of wink at them and make up some bs >> grade for them, for work not done. Actually, when they do >> work, after minutes of me yelling, begging, threatening and >> bribing, it's not that bad--most of them are still passing, >> but their attitudes are awful. Adding to the problem is >> that the other Catholic schools are seducing them, sending >> buses to give them tours where they're fussed over and >> given free food and snacks. The absenteeism rate is high >> because of this. I can't plan anything, never know what I'm >> doing, but there usually aren't enough kids gone to cancel >> class outright. >> >> Hanging over my head is the depression of unemployment, >> seeing my non- teaching friends fired on the spot (no more >> secretaries, guidance counselors, admissions person--people >> that I used to eat lunch with and talk to a lot) and >> knowing that they will not even pay the rest of our >> contracts. (They will not give us our summer money. Yes, we >> spoke to a lawyer, but can't do anything yet.) I'm also >> expecting to be asked to do some sort of major >> inventory/chemical disposal, which I could be doing now >> except I've gotten no direction from anybody. The principal >> just hides in her office all day. >> >> Does anybody have any hints how I can get through this >> month?

May 6, 2013

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cm Invest in yourself. Use the remaining time to collect and organize materials for your courses. Scour resources. Look for any workshops, courses and job opportunities elsewhere. Do your job competently, but adequately--no heroics! Take care of yourself physically and organize so that you have 'let go' of school before summer starts. Seriously, plan ...See More