I am losing my sanity....help!!

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I am losing my sanity....help!!

by lostsoul

Mar 8, 2010

I am losing my sanity, about to have a heart attack daily, and my marriage is falling apart because of the time I put into teaching. What will happen if I break a teaching contract here in Virginia? The administration said that I won't go to jail and they won't sue me, but there are several other legalities that the superintendent will hold me to for breech of contract, possibly charging me for the sub they have to pay until they find a replacement. What can they do to me? I work 12 hours+ daily, commute an hour both ways to work, spend about 5 hours each Saturday grading papers, and 4-5 hours Sunday creating interactive lessons because the principal says that we are not allowed to use the textbook and will be reprimanded if we are caught using worksheets. I need counseling, but have not had time to go to the doctor. When I leave to go to work my children are sleeping and when I get home they are sleeping. The other day I almost fell out of my chair at my desk after school because of c...See More

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Thanks NCLB! Seems like you're missing the big picture, Jo. NCLB has caused a trickle down effect, in that by "expecting a percentage of students to pass state standards," it has caused administrators to make certain changes, possibly like the ones mentioned by the original poster. This has caused increased stress in everyone.

In my many years of teac...See MoreSeems like you're missing the big picture, Jo. NCLB has caused a trickle down effect, in that by "expecting a percentage of students to pass state standards," it has caused administrators to make certain changes, possibly like the ones mentioned by the original poster. This has caused increased stress in everyone.

In my many years of teaching, both before and after NCLB, I have noticed a change in atmosphere, especially increased stress on everyone. The overall issue here, Jo, is to support our fellow teacher, not to knit-pick about postings.

On 3/15/10, Jo wrote: > Seems more like poor administration than NCLB. NCLB expects a percentage > of students to pass state standards. It says nothing about not using > textbooks and other administrative decisions that were made. > > Sorry you are going through all of this. Hang in there! > > On 3/09/10, Thanks NCLB!!! wrote: >> Lostsoul: >> >> I am sorry to hear about your dilemma. It seem that NCLB is creating >> much havoc within the ranks and causing good teachers, like yourself, to >> have these concerns and undue stress. I understand your reasoning for >> not mentioning the specific district, but could you give a general idea >> (what part of VA), so that I or others won't apply there? For what it's >> worth, "hang in there," and I truly wish you well! >> >> >> On 3/09/10, lostsoul wrote: >>> I don't want to say the district because it is so small, 4 schools. >>> We don't have a teacher union here in VA. I met with administration >>> today and they said they would suspend my license and put out the >>> word in the state not to hire me, which would ruin my teaching >>> career. At this point, I am looking for another career altogether. >>> I did call to go to counseling tomorrow, I am on a leave of absence >>> right now. They basically told me that because we are so close to >>> the end of the year testing, there is a lot of pressure to achieve >>> the test scores and my leaving would let the students down. The >>> Principal said that he really doesn't want me back there anyway, >>> really I think the school board is trying to make me stay because >>> they are worried about their accreditation. >>> >>> >>> >>> On 3/09/10, Irene wrote: >>>> Hi: >>>> >>>> I totally understand what you are going thru because I also went >>>> thru it. As previously mentioned, can u go to a therapist? I used >>>> the Employee Assistance Program. I too had spent countless hours >>>> grading and staying after and before school and coming in on >>>> Saturdays and Sundays. I did have a mentor teacher, but I still >>>> had trouble adjusting. Eventually, I left the district. And >>>> this was Montgomery County! It seems that the union there is in >>>> bed with the administration on just about everything. What >>>> district in Virginia is this? >>>> >>>> >>>> Irene >>>> >>>> On 3/08/10, pixie wrote: >>>>> I totally understand what you are going through. Has the >>>>> admin offered any assistance such as a mentor, or are the >>>>> other teachers in your subject/grade level open to sharing >>>>> their plans/activities with you so that you don't have to >>>>> reinvent the wheel? and what do you mean by not allowed to >>>>> use the textbook? There are plenty of interactive activities >>>>> such as jigsaw, that involve using the text. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On 3/08/10, lostsoul wrote: >>>>>> I am losing my sanity, about to have a heart attack daily, >>>>>> and my marriage is falling apart because of the time I put >>>>>> into teaching. What will happen if I break a teaching >>>>>> contract here in Virginia? The administration said that I >>>>>> won't go to jail and they won't sue me, but there are >>>>>> several other legalities that the superintendent will hold >>>>>> me to for breech of contract, possibly charging me for the >>>>>> sub they have to pay until they find a replacement. What >>>>>> can they do to me? I work 12 hours+ daily, commute an hour >>>>>> both ways to work, spend about 5 hours each Saturday grading >>>>>> papers, and 4-5 hours Sunday creating interactive lessons >>>>>> because the principal says that we are not allowed to use >>>>>> the textbook and will be reprimanded if we are caught using >>>>>> worksheets. I need counseling, but have not had time to go >>>>>> to the doctor. When I leave to go to work my children are >>>>>> sleeping and when I get home they are sleeping. The other >>>>>> day I almost fell out of my chair at my desk after school >>>>>> because of chest pains. I am only 32 years old, should this >>>>>> be happening? I am so nervous about resigning, but my life >>>>>> is falling apart. They say if I leave there will be so many >>>>>> disappointed parents and students, but what about my family? >>>>>> I am going to lose mine trying to be a teacher. Please >>>>> help.

Mar 15, 2010

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Jo You can't fix a problem when you focus on the wrong problem. There are many schools that have been highly successful since NCLB. I'm not missing the big picture because if you would like to take it one step further back in the big picture, schools failing students actually started NCLB.

I support this teacher and feel her pain. However, i...See MoreYou can't fix a problem when you focus on the wrong problem. There are many schools that have been highly successful since NCLB. I'm not missing the big picture because if you would like to take it one step further back in the big picture, schools failing students actually started NCLB.

I support this teacher and feel her pain. However, it is the administrative decisions which are poor. You may wish to blame NCLB for making schools more accountable for student achievment, but it doesn't tell an administrator to not use textbooks.

On 3/15/10, Thanks NCLB! wrote: > Seems like you're missing the big picture, Jo. NCLB has > caused a trickle down > effect, in that by "expecting a percentage of > students to pass state standards," it has caused > administrators to make certain changes, possibly like > the ones mentioned by the original poster. This has > caused increased stress in everyone. > > In my many years of teaching, both before and after > NCLB, I have noticed a change in atmosphere, especially > increased stress on everyone. The overall issue here, > Jo, is to support our fellow teacher, not to knit-pick > about postings. > > On 3/15/10, Jo wrote: >> Seems more like poor administration than NCLB. NCLB >> expects a percentage of students to pass state >> standards. It says nothing about not using textbooks >> and other administrative decisions that were made. >> >> Sorry you are going through all of this. Hang in there! >> >> On 3/09/10, Thanks NCLB!!! wrote: >>> Lostsoul: >>> >>> I am sorry to hear about your dilemma. It seem that >>> NCLB is creating much havoc within the ranks and >>> causing good teachers, like yourself, to have these >>> concerns and undue stress. I understand your >>> reasoning for not mentioning the specific district, >>> but could you give a general idea (what part of >>> VA), so that I or others won't apply there? For >>> what it's worth, "hang in there," and I >>> truly wish you well! >>> >>> >>> On 3/09/10, lostsoul wrote: >>>> I don't want to say the district because it is so >>>> small, 4 schools. We don't have a teacher union >>>> here in VA. I met with administration today and >>>> they said they would suspend my license and put >>>> out the word in the state not to hire me, which >>>> would ruin my teaching career. At this point, I >>>> am looking for another career altogether. I did >>>> call to go to counseling tomorrow, I am on a >>>> leave of absence right now. They basically told >>>> me that because we are so close to the end of the >>>> year testing, there is a lot of pressure to >>>> achieve the test scores and my leaving would let >>>> the students down. The Principal said that he >>>> really doesn't want me back there anyway, really >>>> I think the school board is trying to make me >>>> stay because they are worried about their >>>> accreditation. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 3/09/10, Irene wrote: >>>>> Hi: >>>>> >>>>> I totally understand what you are going thru >>>>> because I also went thru it. As previously >>>>> mentioned, can u go to a therapist? I used the >>>>> Employee Assistance Program. I too had spent >>>>> countless hours grading and staying after and >>>>> before school and coming in on Saturdays and >>>>> Sundays. I did have a mentor teacher, but I >>>>> still had trouble adjusting. Eventually, I left >>>>> the district. And this was Montgomery County! >>>>> It seems that the union there is in bed with >>>>> the administration on just about everything. >>>>> What district in Virginia is this? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Irene >>>>> >>>>> On 3/08/10, pixie wrote: >>>>>> I totally understand what you are going >>>>>> through. Has the admin offered any assistance >>>>>> such as a mentor, or are the other teachers >>>>>> in your subject/grade level open to sharing >>>>>> their plans/activities with you so that you >>>>>> don't have to reinvent the wheel? and what do >>>>>> you mean by not allowed to use the textbook? >>>>>> There are plenty of interactive activities >>>>>> such as jigsaw, that involve using the text. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On 3/08/10, lostsoul wrote: >>>>>>> I am losing my sanity, about to have a >>>>>>> heart attack daily, and my marriage is >>>>>>> falling apart because of the time I put >>>>>>> into teaching. What will happen if I break >>>>>>> a teaching contract here in Virginia? The >>>>>>> administration said that I won't go to jail >>>>>>> and they won't sue me, but there are >>>>>>> several other legalities that the >>>>>>> superintendent will hold me to for breech >>>>>>> of contract, possibly charging me for the >>>>>>> sub they have to pay until they find a >>>>>>> replacement. What can they do to me? I work >>>>>>> 12 hours+ daily, commute an hour both ways >>>>>>> to work, spend about 5 hours each Saturday >>>>>>> grading papers, and 4-5 hours Sunday >>>>>>> creating interactive lessons because the >>>>>>> principal says that we are not allowed to >>>>>>> use the textbook and will be reprimanded if >>>>>>> we are caught using worksheets. I need >>>>>>> counseling, but have not had time to go to >>>>>>> the doctor. When I leave to go to work my >>>>>>> children are sleeping and when I get home >>>>>>> they are sleeping. The other day I almost >>>>>>> fell out of my chair at my desk after >>>>>>> school because of chest pains. I am only 32 >>>>>>> years old, should this be happening? I am >>>>>>> so nervous about resigning, but my life is >>>>>>> falling apart. They say if I leave there >>>>>>> will be so many disappointed parents and >>>>>>> students, but what about my family? I am >>>>>>> going to lose mine trying to be a teacher. >>>>>>> Please >>>>>> help.

Mar 18, 2010

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Mom to Three So sorry to hear of your pressure being in an inane school district as I have a wonderfully skilled and caring daughter who is also facing excessive, undue pressure in another school setting at this time. First of all, you need to put the health and well-being of yourself and your family first. Take the time to calmly share with your husband what y...See More

Mar 20, 2010

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NoVA? Dear Mom to Three:

Is that district somewhere in Northern VA? I've heard about the nightmares and admin backstabbing in that area. Thanks and hope everyone's stress levels are lowered!

On 3/20/10, Mom to Three wrote: > > So sorry to hear of your pressure being in an inane school district as I > have a wonderfully skilled ...See More

Mar 21, 2010

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Mom to Three No, it is in a private school of sorts. But the thing is my husband at a major state university and other faculty members face the same kind of interactions unfortunately with administrators. The goal seems to be money, power and rankings and no the quality of undergraduate education. It is too bad that politics can stifle the education of students...See More

Mar 21, 2010

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