New School Year Angst

[salsabike]

What used to do it for me was cultivating a small group of co-workers whom I really liked and respected--for both consultation and commiseration. Huge help. It doesn't cure the systems problems, but it makes most of the days better anyway.

[Veronica]

My coworkers are part of the problem unfortunately. They have a of personal issues, which is one reason I took the combo. Too much of my time with them in the past has spent griping. Something I just don't have the time or patience for anymore. They're not consistent in their classroom management, and don't see that. I've actually been trying to figure out how I can spend less time with them. I work out my griping here through writing; it really is very therapeutic. I get my thoughts out on the computer screen, and then work the problem. I try to identify what I can actually do something about and try to let go of the rest. The letting go part doesn't go so well. That's probably why I keep writing. I suppose they may be doing the same thing through talking, but I don't see any changes in how they handle things. "Keep doing the same thing in the same way, but expecting different results."

Veronica

[malkin]

Thanks for the good thoughts, everyone. My step-mum is looking into renting bikes for us while we are there.

So V--as the year goes by, we can adopt a "No rants is good news" outlook. Rant away when you need to!
Since last year being my 1st year (back) in the district I could easily just blow off the grumpy complaining coworkers, I'm hoping I can continue that, and continue to be relentlessly cheerful.

[Crankin]

I found that being relentlessly cheerful totally disarmed the complainers when I was teaching. I never engaged in their rants, smiled, and went about my business. This lasted for the first year or two in my last district, when, just as predicted to me by the superintendent, they all gave up by retiring or just being overtaken by the increasing numbers of people like me who were being hired. And like me, they were mostly experienced, with a few new grads mixed in.
I used to think this happened because teaching is female dominated, but the clinic I work in now is also all woman, except for one nurse practitioner, and it's nothing like some of the schools I worked in. Perhaps, maybe because we work more independently, but, really, it feels very collegial, with people always asking for feedback, advice about the work we do with our patients.

[Veronica]

So bear in mind that my class is made up of 4th and 5th graders.

Their reading range is 1.7 - 6.7. That's first grade , seventh month to sixth grade seventh month. The median is 4.7. I think that's a fairly typical range for a single grade at my school. But with two grade levels, I have double the material I am suppose to cover in theory. There is no time for hand holding in a combo class. The two low guys are my resource kids of course. Both of whom, according to their third grade teachers, should not have been put into a combo, however, they do also say that they are good kids. So, on the bright side, my median is good. It means I really can choose novels of the appropriate level to do whole class. And, I've made some really good progress with low, hardworking students.

Veronica

[Crankin]

You'll find a way, I know it.
When I was doing my internship for my first masters, I had to teach a class of LD resource kids in grades 1-6 for summer school. It was awful. Basically just tutoring 1:1 for a few minutes, small groups as best as I could with that mix, and independent seat work. This was how the school district (of which I later worked for, for 7 years) got free special ed summer school teachers. No whole class interaction for 6 weeks.
Ugh.

[malkin]

When I found out that I would be in a 2-3 combination as a third grader, I felt like a complete failure! I was sad and cried, thinking it was for "smart second graders and dumb third graders." My mom set me up for a meeting with the teacher, Mrs. Ironmonger who set me straight that I would have to work hard and independently as a smart third grader in her class.

On another note:
When I get bugged by my coworkers, I remember a former colleague who intentionally mis-hypenated them into "COW-ORKERS." Never fails to crack me up.

[malkin]

Also, my work kids are all 3, 4, or 5 years old, so 4th and 5th graders seem completely grown up to me!

[rebeccaC]

I found that being relentlessly cheerful totally disarmed the complainers when I was teaching. I never engaged in their rants, smiled, and went about my business.........

we can only control the positive space we create around ourselves......that works for me

[Crankin]

Unfortunately, it is*really* hard to apply this principle in a public school.
It can be done, but often at some cost to the individual.

[Veronica]

That was my thought. Teachers deal with so many other personalities on a daily basis and it's hard to not let those interactions affect your mood.

I had two more students added to my class yesterday. Both were at parent request. One told the secretary, "If we can't have her, we're leaving the school." I hope she was joking. I had her older daughter for two years, great family. The other one is super low and resource, but mom is not in denial, always a plus. Apparently the thought is my "structure" will keep him motivated. I'm beginning to think I'm a house.

Veronica

[malkin]

... I'm beginning to think I'm a house.

As long as you are not Gregory House!

[Veronica]

The school year has started and many of my concerns are coming true. My student who is a year younger than all of his peers is academically far behind and very immature. One of the resource kids is already shutting down and we've only had a week of school. The student from the disbanded charter school has no concept of following procedures or what it means to listen. No, he does not have a hearing problem.

I hate that I have some great kids who are very with it and on the ball who have to put up with their learning disrupted because someone decided to clean their desk in middle of math. Or just randomly blurts out during a lesson, "Can we pump up the basketballs?" I think I'm pretty tolerant., but these random thoughts just blurted out pretty much all day long is BS! I've got another kid who blurts constantly, but at least he's on topic and witty.

Veronica

[Veronica]

I want to quit my job. My students are actually shaping up pretty nicely. It's the rest of the sh!t I have to deal with!

Let's see: two days out of the week I work from 8:15 to 12:40 with no break.
I have two full curriculums to cover - math, science, social studies, reading, writing.
I have GATE students to service.
I have resource students to service.

And I was doing okay with all that...

but now. I get to have additional students from other classes for 30 minutes a day while another teacher works with about ten English Language Learners. So, I'm losing 30 minutes of my instructional time to cover all the above. I'll have extra kids that I'll have no space for. I have to figure out what I'm doing with all those kids. It's just f'ed up.

Veronica

[Crankin]

That *is* f'd up. It wouldn't happen where I used to teach.
Not sure what to say!