Fellow teachers...

manna1212

I know there are a good amount of teachers on this board. I am a middle school special ed/reading teacher. I am heading back to work in 2 weeks and can't imagine how I am going to keep up with all my work this year! I am used to bringing work home and working on it for an hour or two some nights. As you all know, there isn't enough time to get it all done at school. I also tutor after school for a few hours each day to make some extra money (now daycare money!). Once I finally get home I am going to want to give all my attention to DS and then maybe actually spend some time with DH. Anyone else feeling this way??

melika829

Absolutely! I am a Kindergarten teacher, so there isn't a ton of grading like you do, but there is lots of prep work! I am sad enough about being away from my son at all, but even more stressed about the idea of bringing work home when I should be playing with him. My plan is to work during my lunch break everyday to get as much done as possible. I know it will make my life a little more stressful, as well as cut down on my relaxation and socializing, but at this point, it is completely worth it if I get to leave a little bit earlier or not take as much home with me. 

cowpoly959

I could have written this myself. Middle school teacher here. Dreading the countdown to work starting. My plan it to put family first as much as possible and work smarter not harder. I feel bad because I have always put my job as a very high priority but having this little guy has changed everything

cowpoly959

I could have written this myself. Middle school teacher here. Dreading the countdown to work starting. My plan it to put family first as much as possible and work smarter not harder. I feel bad because I have always put my job as a very high priority but having this little guy has changed everything

britab

I'm starting a new teaching job that's part-time. I feel really fortunate. Even part-time I'm not looking forward to figuring out pumping.

FlemDance

I'm not looking forward to going back to work (Monday!), but I'm actually feeling pretty comfortable with my work load for the year. I quit coaching which is something that took up a ridiculous amount of my time, and I'm teaching all of the same classes I taught last year, so my curriculum is done. I'll just have grading, updating/tweaking current lessons or coming up with new ones, and of course IEPs and other paperwork. However, I do wish that I didn't have to go back to work at all. But, DH is a teacher as well and there is no way we could live off of one salary. Le sigh.

caballo718

I go back September 2 and they changed my grade from 1st to K. Now I have to learn a new curriculum and make new lessons. I refuse to bring any work home. Once I leave it's family time so my lessons may not be as spectacular as they used to be but as long as my kids are learning I don't really care. Nycdoe teachers just got a new contract and Monday and Tueaday we have 90 mins at the end of the day for PD, planning and parent engagement. I'm hoping that will be my time to get my planning and Iep nonsense done.

bumpuser8967176

I teach K and also refuse to bring work home (except during report card season). I'm just hoping to get stuff done on my lunch break and figure since I'm sacrificing it already by pumping, I can probably get some sort of planning done then as well. I am also going to put some parent volunteers to work with copying/ripping out workbook pages/stapling papers, etc.

Turn4Cindy

I'm a kinder teacher and start next Monday. I'm actually at work pumping right now. Had to come set up my class. I cried on the way here and I know it'll happen again Monday. I also don't want to take work home for the same reason. I will have to make better use of my parent volunteers to help me reduce a little of the copying after school and set up work since I'll be pumping at recess and lunch. I'm going to try not to take too much home unless its report card time. Good luck ladies, we are going to need it!

jjones59

I'm honestly terrified that something won't get my attention this year, now that I've got two instead of one. At least with 1, I'd work after she went to bed. I feel like I haven't even done that much this summer to be remotely close to being ready for the year, especially since I wasn't there for end of the year. I really need to figure out a way to organize myself so I don't feel this way all year. 

PattyTC

I'm so stresses about going back bc if this, pumping, and DC. Luckily this is my first year in the same grade so I hope it won't be as bad. I'm used to working after school several days a week but now I want out ASAP so I can pick up LO. I've never felt this much anxiety about a new year. I talked to several girls at work and they said it's all normal and you will figure it out. Good luck!

springbeduk2

melika829 said:

Absolutely! I am a Kindergarten teacher, so there isn't a ton of grading like you do, but there is lots of prep work! I am sad enough about being away from my son at all, but even more stressed about the idea of bringing work home when I should be playing with him. My plan is to work during my lunch break everyday to get as much done as possible. I know it will make my life a little more stressful, as well as cut down on my relaxation and socializing, but at this point, it is completely worth it if I get to leave a little bit earlier or not take as much home with me. 

You get enough of a lunch break to socialize?!??! I want to teach in your district!

manna1212

springbeduk2 said:

melika829 said:

Absolutely! I am a Kindergarten teacher, so there isn't a ton of grading like you do, but there is lots of prep work! I am sad enough about being away from my son at all, but even more stressed about the idea of bringing work home when I should be playing with him. My plan is to work during my lunch break everyday to get as much done as possible. I know it will make my life a little more stressful, as well as cut down on my relaxation and socializing, but at this point, it is completely worth it if I get to leave a little bit earlier or not take as much home with me. 

You get enough of a lunch break to socialize?!??! I want to teach in your district!

Agreed!! We get 20 minute lunches but they are usually filled with kids coming up for extra help!

springbeduk2

I'm right there with you - I teach 1st grade and have no idea how it will all work. Especially taking pumping breaks those first couple of days of school when they still need help with everything and I really want them to learn procedures and routines correctly. I just hope that at least it will work out that the same person covers my class during the morning pumping break. Except even then there will be problems if that person takes a sick day since they often don't get subs for ed techs. And usually I help out ay lunch with my class the first week but now will have to pump.

And then there's getting the work done. Bringing it home has never worked well for me especially since school is over an hour away. But I usually stay until 5:30 or so and even then don't really get everything done - will have to be way more efficient and disciplined this year. Starting with getting the classroom ready is a wreck ad usual from floor waxing but also extras like classroom library got totally scrambled with long term sub last spring plus I had gotten behind on stuff with pregnancy and having to go visit my terminally ill mother every vacation so no days for major classroom projects. Aaaahhhh! . Took LO in with me a couple days this week but couldn't get enough done. Will have to finish fast week after next with her in daycare at least part time.

Next week I have a PD workshop all week (one I wanted to do) that I'm bringing LO along for. I'm excited to have intellectual stimulation like that again and see more people outside my family - but just not all the stressful parts. And not for leaving LO.

At least I'm very happy with the day care plan (a colleague's mom with just my lo and another colleague's one year old) but it will still be so hard to leave her!

Another worry I have is more long term - I'm not entirely sure I have the patience and energyto be with kids all day. All these years I gave so much emotional energy to my students (so many have just awful home lives - plus all young children deserve / need that from their teacher) but then at home it was just dh and the cats. I'm not sure I can keep up the nurturing 24/7 especially when DD gets older. But I don't want to shortchange her or my students. I guess time will tell on that one.