Thanks for the welcome, spritzer. I love the work that I do, but being self-employed the income is far from consistent.

Your change sounds very exciting. Not sure where you moved from, but I can imagine Maine is a bit of a culture shock. I lived an hour south of Augusta for the better part of 5 years in the 80s. I used to joke that the population of the city I moved from exceeded the population of the entire state of ME, at the time.

Pink

Thank you Pink. I am laughing about culture shock. 2 years ago I moved from Portland Oregon to Portsmouth NH. Portsmouth being considered a "city" by the locals. At 22,000 I was in for a surprise on how small it was. I was working in even a smaller town. Oy that was surprising.

Now Bangor (where I live) and Ellsworth (where I will work) are bigger than I was before but still smaller than I am used to. I am actually going to the school board meeting tonight where they recommend my hiring. I've never done that before. 14 years later all sorts of firsts.

One of the things I love about this area of Maine is the friendly people who are sarcastic as all get out! It might be subtle but oohh it packs a punch. Love it!

I hope the school board meeting went well for you. It's been about 10 years since I've been up to Maine, so I have no idea how the "climate" is.

Be the change....
 

To all the hot teachers out there, keep up the good work!

Good Morning Educators!

Back to school season is in full swing. I bet our souther state friends have started already and have words of wisdom for us!

I am looking forward to meeting the kiddos soon and wrapping up some intense summer reading. I've been playing catch up withe regular educator all summer. Now I am ready to set down the curriculum guides (reading, spelling, math, writing) and plan with the 2nd grade team. However, I think the others would like to finish their vacations and not be as crazy obsessive as I.

Oh well. I go in again today. :) My daughter, The General, is actually very good when she goes with me to work.

Have a great day everyone! :rubberducky:

I wish I could stop random anxiety that crops up about the new school year--it doesn't start until the day after Labour Day! I just want to enjoy these last few weeks without going THERE mentally! :blink:

Wishing all the educators a fantastic start to their new school year! :)

I have same time line as you and same anxiety :D

Tomorrow is the first day with students. We have had days of meetings and unpacking. There is a new principal who is trying to whip us into shape. *yawn*

We had to unpack because they made us pack EVERYTHING last Spring. They thought we were going to move. We didn't end up moving, which is worse in a way. But I rearranged my room so that my desk is no longer in a drafty spot.

A parent called today to talk about her life and update me on her kid -- a 20 year old with a serious mental illness. He'll graduate from high school this semester. Nice kid.

Anyway, I felt so detached. It worries me. It's not like me to not care or to have to work at it. My father died this summer. I guess I felt that some of her problems were rather "high end." I was not aware that I though that or anything, but I could tell that I just didn't care much about her stuff, and it scared me. I WAS glad to hear that her son had had an OK summer. No regressing, which can happen during breaks.

Grief is weird though. It has affected me in ways I didn't anticipate, like this. I hope I snap out of it pretty quickly.

Good Luck Martina! Some years are more detached than others. :) Congrats to your student who is near graduation!

Sis... how are you doing anxiety wise now? It is getting closer.

I've been obsessing all summer. We don't start until Sept. 3rd. I don't report back until August 26th. I've been in all summer slowly getting ready. Since I don't have any boarder or decorative items and I am cute impaired I've needed extra time to do that stuff.

As a former special education teacher I know it is common to get the "special placements". So far 4 kids have been placed with me because of my experience and because I won't mind the meetings (I'm not sure if I can handle just being the observer of meetings). 2 from the "behavioral program". Sort of makes me feel at home. It is the 4 kiddos that are super high readers I am not so sure about.:blink:

[QUOTE=spritzerJ;834016]

Sis... how are you doing anxiety wise now? It is getting closer. Not so much anxiety but sadness at leaving all my family and friends. I love living in Manitoba but there aren't many job opportunities!
QUOTE]

Good Morning Everyone! Well, I'm in the last stages of getting ready to start the journey back to work. The cottage is all closed up, I'm in Winnipeg for a couple of nights at a decent hotel doing last minute visiting, appts, etc. Leave very early Friday morning for Guangzhou. Start back at work next Wednesday BUT kids start a week later. We will have the usual meeting, digging out of the classroom, etc. I'll be working in Grade 1 this year so I've got to get my early years mojo warmed up! lolol It is a lot different than working with kids in Grade 4 - more hugs to be received and given with a few tears-wiping thrown in for good measure! lolol Hope all who are getting ready to go back are well rested and have had a great holiday!

Deb

Thought some of you may be interested in this article. Please take care of yourselves this year.
 

IT HAPPENED TO ME: I HAVE PTSD FROM TEACHING AT AN INNER-CITY SCHOOL

ETA: Worth checking out the many interesting and worthwhile comments post-article.

That's sad. I have been lucky in terms of students with behavior issues making my life miserable. Except for my first year, I have had administrative support. And I just haven't had a lot of that. I think it's worse in Middle School. My former roommate got depressed and quit teaching. He was a Middle School teacher. The kind of whiplash stuff she was talking about -- first they love you, then they hate you, then they love you again. It's not part of my experience, but I have heard about it. It would be a lot.

But having had two of my students shot and killed in eight years -- that's been hard. I don't think I have PTSD, but like many teachers, I have to work to manage stress. Sometimes I am more successful than others.

Thanks. Interesting stuff.

How many of you can relate to this article? I can. My twenty years of psych and school social work have been intensely stressful and meaningful. I like how she captured so much love for the students while still saying how damaging it was to her psyche. The experience enriches the soul and wounds it at the same time. Are there people who don't work in schools like this? With kids like this? With families like this? I can't say I've had much experience outside of this realm.

back to nycfem
 

I just code software and have never been a teacher so I cannot relate. After having read the article, I want to say I do not know how you do it. Such high stress day after day. nycfem, please leave if it starts ruining your health and not wait as long to leave as the woman in the article.

I take my hat off to all of you doing this type work in these type conditions.

That's so funny that the PTSD article was posted and I read it before one kid came back to school -- his first day back -- and blew UP. He was upset that he still has so many credits to complete in order to graduate. He refused to sign his orientation paperwork (threw the papers on the table) and started dropping the F-bomb, blaming previous schools and teachers for not giving him the credits he believes he earned. It was going to escalate when I calmly but firmly asked him to leave.

It is so nice to have that option. My students are mostly 18-22 SDC, and we are in an alternative program. If one of them acts a fool, I can just say, "Go home."

Anyway, an hour later he walked back in, and while he didn't apologize, he was sweet as pie. All went well.

Then I talked to a troubled parent and then to a student who has a crippling anxiety disorder and is feeling nervous about returning to school. I do not quite know how therapists do it. It is a LOT of work to deal with emotionally disturbed folks. I don't think you realize it until you have a break -- like summer break. It was a tough summer, but with the exception of one of my mother's friends and, I suspect, her twice weekly housekeeper, I did not interact with people who have serious mental illnesses -- or at least illnesses that are obvious and require effort on my part when communicating.

When you teach SDC Special Ed, the most average General Ed student looks like a genius, and when you teach the ED population, you get used to that too and think very little of it. But, in fact, there are serious challenges to this work, and they do take a toll.

My contract finishes in a little more than a month. I don't know what I'm going to do after that and I'm full of anxiety.

MOE was supposed to notify the end of of June. Hahahahaha. Once Ramadan started I knew we wouldn't get an answer. Now the school holidays are over (back to school on Monday), I wonder if we'll hear anything. Or if the Ministry of Finance won't give an ok until October or November or December ...

Thank goodness for my anti-anxiety medication.

Martina... I am glad you have the option to ask them to leave. You do very stressful work. Congrats!

Kiwi... I hope you find out soon what is going on with your contracts. ugh so much unknown. Positive thoughts for you!

I read the PTSD article and I could relate to a slight degree. I remember developing panic attacks about talking to parents on the phone from one position. After that I position I've tried to be more careful about the positions I look for and teach in. The last 2 years working with crazy vice principal taught me I can handle a lot and I don't want to have to handle incompetence.

Right now I am counting my lucky stars, thanking the Goddess, working hard and being grateful for the place I've landed. Support, competence and care for students is incredible.

First staff meeting of the year. Oh god. Totally ruined my night. Our new teacher manager has confused the hell out of a lot of people. Our new Principal does not inspire confidence, and the AP seems to be doing nothing. (She was passed over for the Principal's job.)

Twice, I rephrased what the Principal said because no one had a clue what she meant. I said, "Are you saying that we are buying new curriculum?" The answer was yes, which is good. But if I hadn't asked, I am not sure many folks would have realized that that is what she meant. I sure wasn't sure.

The manager said something like the EL working group will adapt our current curriculum for EL students. I asked her if she really said that because it would mean a massive effort and take way more teacher time than anyone had scheduled. She was like, no, I don't know, maybe, I don't know. I looked at the Principal, and she said, no, we would be buying EL curriculum.

They basically said they were going to go against the contract in scheduling meetings to prep for our accreditation review. (They won't. If they do, someone will report them to the union and it will cost them money.)

Anyway, the teachers were just floored. I mean, to even act as if they could command us to work beyond our contract is naive. People won't do it. It takes leadership to get them to attend meetings they are contractually obliged to attend. It won't happen. They would get crucified by THEIR bosses if they tried. But they shocked the shit out of a bunch of teachers.

God, there was a ton more stuff like that. It wasn't a conspiracy to fuck teachers. It was just massive incompetence laced with stupidity. God help us.

Back to the grind .....
 

Sis... Have a blast and remember we'll have pen pals soon!

I have training today. As a teacher new to the district. It will involve the new writing curriculum. Which my previous school used. So I am more experienced than others (even the not newbies). I hope to learn a ton.

My room is nearly set up. Waiting on supplies to arrive. I let the secretary know I won't be freaking out until Friday. I went and bought pencils because I am pretty sure the supplies won't be there.

6 more days of summer for me and then DAY ONE.

It's cool that I already went in and copied syllabi and we don't have any pre-school meetings, so I can eke out my summer holiday to the very end.

I have a Grade 9, Grade 12, and Grade 11 (English) this semester--different levels of ability, and I'm really looking forward to the mix of students. We have the International Baccalaureate program at our school, so the school has a really diverse population of academic (not to mention socio/economic) levels. I could teach all IB, but I really enjoy teaching different levels and getting to know all different types of students. I have a good time with them and feel really lucky that I still enjoy my job so much. The kids can really tell when their teachers WANT to be there with them and makes all the difference in terms of classroom management and motivation etc.

Oh, if anyone has any cool Icebreakers or something neat you do on the first day, please pass along. I usually do a writing sample, but I'd like to do something fun too! Thanks and best to all in their new school year! :)

Soon... I am thinking about the ice breaker activity. Since you have high schoolers pardon me if my suggestion is too elementary. I was thinking about the "don't eat the marshmallow" activity, discussion and writing afterwards. My 2nd graders will do something similar with a cookie monster video (me wait or something like that) and marshmallows.

http://http://www.teacherspayteacher...ctivity-301214

So we have a new Teach for America intern -- Special Ed. I have MAJOR issues with TFA, but I don't want to take them out on any individual.

And as I have gotten to know her, I find that I like her. She's not from an Ivy, she's a woman of color, and she is actually getting a Master's in SPED. The typical TFA intern is Ivy educated, white, and filling out her resume before she leaves after two years to become a lawyer or investment banker. TFA treats teaching as a volunteer position, not like a profession.

Also these folks almost never stay. In the mean time, they are so privileged and so out of their depth that they are sponges for support. They have NO shame about asking -- nay, demanding help -- and are rarely more than perfunctorily grateful.

So today the TFA intern is with a student and comes to me for help. She wants it NOW. I stop and help her because Wednesday is my light day and I want to be available to her when I can. So I gave her what she asked for, but she didn't understand it. I said I could explain it, but you are with the student now, right? Yes, she said. I said I have nothing that is transparently understandable that I can give you right now. She gives me the look that any gently raised 22 year old college graduate would give an elder -- the one that says, "You've failed me."

God, help me. I am not good with these folks. With my students, I am good. Lots of patience. With demanding entitled twenty-somethings, not so much.

On a good note! Red is settling in to her new school and so far all is well. The kids are of course taking advantage of the new teacher and trying their best to tell her things they are allowed to do which of course consists of nothing that is true. LOL. She teaches 5th grade and has cafeteria duty on Tuesdays with the 6th graders who found out real quick not to mess with the short red-headed new teacher. They attempted to ignore her warnings so they all got to spend the remainder of their lunch break writing a paragraph of why they should follows the cafeteria rules. I kind of know how they felt. :-)

TGIF

This week has been a ride! LOLOL I have two groups of 30 students each - some have very basic English speaking skills, the others have considerably less to none. But, I can tell you, they are no different in nature that any child where ever you live in the world. Typically, I have a couple of firecrackers, a few who are missing mama, a handful of bossy pants (much like myself when I was a kid!), several who are stunned at being in an English environment, etc. All in all, it looks like its going to be an interesting year. Bring on the :tea: !!! lol

Have a great weekend - mine starts within the hour!

Deb

They have left the TFA intern completely alone. She has no idea what a triennial IEP actually is, no idea how to write any IEP, no idea how to test. She has been working with a student for three weeks and asked me to help her get started on the student's overdue triennial. I looked at the current IEP. It turned out the student was qualified under ED (emotional disturbance). So the girl is in the wrong program.

We talked to the girl. It turns out that she has no insurance and is unmedicated. And, by her report, being off meds is making it nearly impossible for her to do school work. So the poor TFA intern has been working with this girl for three weeks without even knowing what her disability is or dealing with the elephant in the living room. The studnet should never have been placed in the TFA intern's program. And the TFA intern should have help with her IEP's from her Program Specialist. She does not know what is in front of her. She does not know who to contact for anything. She does not know what present levels are, what IEP goals are supposed to be like, what a transition plan is. And she has been teaching this poor unmedicated girl for three weeks without helping her get health care.

The morning when this happened -- again no warning -- my student got cheated of time with me. And, of course, her student has not been getting what she needed.

People who argue that teacher turnover is not a serious problem -- there was a recent article in the NYTimes -- are out of their minds. My student NEEDED his time with me. My day went from manageable to chaotic. And her student deserved appropriate interventions.

I did get a nice email from the intern saying thank you, etc. But this is not how it's supposed to happen. Not the intern's fault. But she shouldn't be trained during my student's time. Nor should her students get screwed for weeks at a time. It's hard enough when you know what you are doing. A Speech Pathologist has been finding one excuse after another not to come out and work with one of my students with a traumatic brain injury. She as much as said she didn't want to come out. Anyway. It's not easy when you are trained and experienced.

For those of you who go back today ......
 

Tomorrow the kids start. I write this at 4:40 am, having awoken with immediate insomnia at 2:30 am.

I went to bed right on time, startin' the year out perfect. But here I am now, having a bowl of cereal in the middle of the night :|

Still no news on whether the contract will be renewed/extended for next year. I have a feeling we won't know until after the government releases the budget next month. And since the prime minister gave out envelopes of cash all over the country before elections this year, what are the chances that the Ministry of Finance will say there's nothing in the government's coffers?

:| Good evening Educators! I hope the Kiwi knows soon. And that Sis has a great holiday tomorrow.

Speaking of monkeys... my very loud monkey was absent. It was nice to see how quiet the class could be with out him. We had a chance to collect data on the other monkey who is a tad quieter. I also got to meet 1:1 with the quieter monkey. This helped him hold it together through the morning.

My 2nd grade team mates wanted to practice the new fire drill route 3 times. Luckily my class missed the 2nd practice and only needed to practice twice. LOL... I have a student with Aspergers who obsessed all day about the start of the actual drill with sound thanks to the extra practice. I was planning on telling them only a half hour before. Sigh... teamwork is tricky sometimes.

I am going to try my hand at incorporating some technology tomorrow. Snort... we shall see. :seeingstars:

My class is doing rather fabulous compared to the other classes. :) Happy kids, happy parents, happy teacher tonight.