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Ohio Teachers Chatboard

Should I go back to my parapro job???

by frustrated ohio teacher needs advice please

Mar 3, 2009

I teach first grade at a charter/private school here in Ohio. I was offered my parapro job back at a public school for the fall of 2009, they got some funding back I guess. The school we work in is a constant battle where fear and intimidation is an everyday thing...Many of us are constantly threatened to be fired or written up (like they're trying to build a case against us if they ever were to fire you) for everything...most of which has nothing to do with the actual job of teaching!

I am afraid to buy a home since you never know if you're going to get fired or not! The staff of about 40 has about 35 people who are not happy, and are looking everyday for something else. We try our best to support each other.

I am looking for advice on whether to take my old job back even though I will make very little money and lose my benefits, which I am very healty and can able to pay for them for a while on my own. I fear that if the administration fires at will, which they wil...See More

view previous comments

to pksped I am certified but jobs are scarce in Ohio...I know it's not just me when the MAJORITY of the staff is unhappy/miserable and we are constantly being hammered on. As a charter we have no sick days, no personal days, and if they dismiss you they DON'T have to pay you in the summer even though you've earned that $$. We are scared to call in sick, beca...See MoreI am certified but jobs are scarce in Ohio...I know it's not just me when the MAJORITY of the staff is unhappy/miserable and we are constantly being hammered on. As a charter we have no sick days, no personal days, and if they dismiss you they DON'T have to pay you in the summer even though you've earned that $$. We are scared to call in sick, because it is held against you in your evaluations!

I've worked in the public school as a para for the past two years, mostly with 4th and 5th graders, there haven't been many openings (as you know) and the principal I work under does not fight to hire her paras and aides...if I return I won't be returning to this building (which may be a good thing, since other principals may like to hire their own) There are no guarantees in getting hired but with a year under my belt, I would hope that it would put me ahead of the game a little. I know that unless you have a year at least of teaching (or know someone) that you can't even get an interview around here! With the economy the way it is, even a low paying job would be better than no job of course.

I guess the hardest part is feeling like I'm going backwards instead of forward...Thanks for the advice though!

On 3/03/09, pksped wrote: > I hope this doesn't sound crazy, but I must ask: are you > certified to teach in the public schools as well? (I assume > you are, I just don't know all the rules with charter/private > schools.) If you are, then I think you should strongly > consider taking the parapro job, but I would pointedly ask > the school district if there will be any chance of you being > RIF'ed in the near future. (And if that's the case, I'd keep > your current job, much as I hate to say it.) Why change? > > -You'll get out of a stressful work situation. No one should > have to work under the pressure that you have described. > > -You'll be on the inside whenever a teaching job opens up for > which you are qualified. We have a teacher in our building > who worked for the district for years as a parapro, went to > college on the side and got her teaching degree, and was > promptly hired that summer. Your principal can see how you > are with kids and get a feel for you. Being employed as a > parapro won't make you a shoe-in for a teaching job, but I'm > sure it'll help. > > -Getting out now while you can still pull off some type of > positive job recommendation from your current employer will > be better than waiting for them to drum up some drama as to > why you were a terrible employer. > > > I wish you the best of luck. I'm guessing you have already > come to this conclusion (based on your comments), and you > just needed someone to say that taking a pay cut (and benefit > loss) isn't crazy. My DH took a lower paying job because of > some significant negative stress (in a non-ed field), and he > has never regretted it. The weight off his shoulders was > well worth the $$. > > > > > On 3/03/09, frustrated ohio teacher needs advice please > wrote: >> I teach first grade at a charter/private school here in >> Ohio. I was offered my parapro job back at a public >> school for the fall of 2009, they got some funding back I >> guess. The school we work in is a constant battle where >> fear and intimidation is an everyday thing...Many of us >> are constantly threatened to be fired or written up (like >> they're trying to build a case against us if they ever >> were to fire you) for everything...most of which has >> nothing to do with the actual job of teaching! >> >> I am afraid to buy a home since you never know if you're >> going to get fired or not! The staff of about 40 has >> about 35 people who are not happy, and are looking >> everyday for something else. We try our best to support >> each other. >> >> I am looking for advice on whether to take my old job back >> even though I will make very little money and lose my >> benefits, which I am very healty and can able to pay for >> them for a while on my own. I fear that if the >> administration fires at will, which they will just to >> prove a point, then I will have no job, while if I take my >> para job back I will have a job, make hardly any money but >> at least be safe and have some income and still be in the >> teaching field. >> >> I won't have this back up job forever so I just needed >> someone else's thoughts...I was told that sometimes its >> better to take a job that may be lower on the food chain, >> if it will take you places in the end. I find it hard to >> be a successful teacher at this school I am at now, with >> the constant intimidation and threats. Any thoughts or >> has anyone been in this situation before??? I would >> appreciate any advice. :o)

Mar 3, 2009

pksped Because jobs are so scarce, any other time I probably would have suggested that you keep any teaching job that you have. You are right - moving to a parapro job would be a step backward, and that would have its own related stress. The ONLY reason why I suggested changing (and waiting/hoping)is because of the negative work environment of your curren...See More

Mar 4, 2009

j as an ohio charter school veteran of 6 years i feel your pain. in a similar situation, i decided to do a form of paraprofessional work for the local public schools. i am still in the inner-city, but it is leaps and bounds different.

what my husband and i lost in salary and benefits, we have more than made up for in my general happiness an...See More

Mar 16, 2009

question to j so basically it was worth it? I figure it would be a massive pay cut but at least I'll still be working in my field. I don't know if it's worth it to work in a "don't know if I'll have a job tomorrow" kind of place...no secutiry and lots of stress and worries, not to mention a miserable staff. ugh!

On 3/16/09, j wrote: > as an ohio char...See More

Mar 16, 2009

j for me, personally, it was absolutely worth it. there is not a day that i regret leaving. sometimes i wish i had more money, but sanity was worth it.

On 3/16/09, question to j wrote: > so basically it was worth it? I figure it would be a massive pay cut but > at least I'll still be working in my field. I don't know if it's worth >...See More

Mar 17, 2009

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