Teachers...

cooper0314 · January 2011

How are you getting through these next few weeks? I still have 6 weeks to go before maternity leave and don;t know if i can make it! Mentally and physcially I have already shut down. I feel like I am falling behind and just don't have anything to pick me up. Teaching is becoming so exhausting and I feel so bad for my little ones...

TempeWick · January 2011

I teach third grade and plan to work until the day before I'm due. There are definitely some days when I ask myself, "What was I thinking??" but I'm still feeling pretty great. I try to put my feet up when I can and I come right home from school and rest each day. As far as being mentally checked out, I'm not there yet at all. In fact, I'm in high-gear trying to make sure everything is in place for a smooth transition with my sub. You can definitely get through these next six weeks!

GL!!

blessedandhopeful · January 2011

I have a while before maternity leave, but I know how you feel. Over Christmas break (which was essentially extended a week due to snow days), I got to the point of not looking forward to going back. Within the past few days though, as I have started truly prepping for going back tomorrow, I have become excited about the new semester. I'm going to try and do my best, keeping in mind that I will have some wonderful time off with my little one starting in about 12 weeks. So, I guess mentally I am fine. Physically, however....I'm honestly a little worried about being back on my feet all day! Between growing over the past month and all the relaxing I've been doing, I'm anxious to see how my body will react to all the activity.

Btw, I teach 9th and 10th graders.

erikaautumn · January 2011

Knowing that I'm not returning this year makes me feel a lot better about getting thru the next 7 weeks (I'm theoretically working till 3 days after my due date... we shall see!) Also, knowing how much I have left to do before I go makes it an impossibility to "shut down"... I've got to get everything planned and organized for my sub, plus have to get through parent/teacher conferences and report cards... eeek! No rest for the pregnant and weary...

Hang in there... the 6 weeks will fly by I'm sure!!

lindsayj09 · January 2011

I'm teaching 4th/5th/6th math and science. I think the closer I get to my maternity leave, the more difficult it is for me to stay focused. I actually have only 24 more school days until I'm on leave, which is crazy! I'm leaving so early since I have to fly back home to Wisconsin to have the baby and I wanted time to get ready. I think the hardest part is knowing that I'm doing so much for my students and I haven't done a single thing, beyond being maybe 10 outfits, for my baby. This isn't for lack of wanting to, we just don't even know where we'll be living next school year so I didn't want to go crazy buying stuff if we just have to ship it somewhere else. It is hard and the physical part is the worst right now. Today I had one of my 5th graders run into my stomach straight on so hard that I almost fell over. That made my cramps and back ache 100x's worse. I just keep telling myself to give it my all because the kids deserve that.

tlong1997 · January 2011

I teach 8th grade and I totally understand. I just try to stay mentally strong, Put my feet up during the day when I can and I take a 40 minute nap every day when I come home from school and go to bed early. 60 days and counting.

allobosc · January 2011

I met with my sub like 3 times now (she's even coming in tomorrow) and I feel very confident my classes are in good hands. Thankfully, my maternity leave falls very close to when I had DS so I just altered those plans for the most part and I teach a semester course so I just have her repeat what I did in the fall.

As for being done, I told my supervisor this will probably be my final 4 days, but I really want to be done! Our semester just ended which is perfect timing to exit and transition in the new sub. I'm just not that into it right now, and that is not fair to the students. I thought LO would've shown up by now like DS did.

I'll be returning in April and that feels like it is right around the corner!

TreblEM · January 2011

I feel you completely---my exhaustion and hormones make me feel like a cranky teacher to my little ones (kdg). I've been trying to sit more but I feel guilty watching them all work and not circulating to help them---it's such a crucial time of the year!!! One thing that has helped me with my countdown (seven weeks as well---working *knock on wood* until two days before my DD) is the nesting in my classroom. In between getting things ready for my sub (binders, organizing stations and theme files etc) and organizing my cabinets so I won't be embarrassed for someone else to open them!, it's been helping the time pass. I made a GIANT list of what I want to accomplish in my room before I go and that has helped me focus more. Well...that and the BH I've been having a lot--those helped me realize to focus and slow down too!

BUT---every week, I get more and more tired and ready to be at home. My goal this week is to start training some of my kids with some new "jobs" so that they can take on more responsibility for when I'm gone--less for me to worry about when the sub is there.

cooper0314 · January 2011

Glad I am not alone.....I teach 2nd and everyday seems to get harder and harder. This weekend I had a list of things to do and never got thru it. I wish I had more energy and feel terrible having to sit throughout the day. My kids are doing great but not seeing them moving around as much as before is hard for me. I just feel that if I left sooner, it would benefit them. My replacement is wonderful and actually a very close freind, so I feel confident in the remainder of the school year. I'm just EXHAUSTED!

erbear · January 2011

meh. I worked to 41 weeks with #1 and plan to work until I go into labor this time. I feel fine, a little tired, but I am certainly not counting down the days.

mom2case · January 2011

My last day is March 4, and I just counted to see how many days away that is (34!). I'm not too exhausted or spacey yet, but I know that's coming. I'm not anxiously awaiting my leave because before I go, I have to make sub plans for 9 weeks!!! YIKES! I am going to get started on that in Feb. My goal is to be done with all of the plans by mid Feb. I just take one week at a time and don't think much about when I'll be gone.

paulaDPT · January 2011

I'm not a teacher, but I work in the school system as a physical therapist and the fact that I only have 6 weeks until 3 months off is very motivating! (plus we have a week off in february, so really 5 weeks until vacation!) I hope to get to enjoy february break before bringing baby into the world!

I may never get to meet who comes to fill in for me, so I have to make sure my plans and paperwork are in order and easy to walk into. That part stresses me out a little. I have 3-4 IEPs to get done in these next few weeks, so I'm hoping being busy will make the time pass quickly!

Stapier01 · January 2011

I would say that my biggest panic is that I won't be ready to leave when I have to. I've felt really good (knock on wood) for most of this pregnancy and plan to work up until the baby comes. My sub was just hired, and I have to write 6 weeks of lesson plans for 6 preps. I teach art, and my sub has no art background, so she won't be doing any lesson planning. Every time I leave school, I'm convinced that this will be the day I go into labor because my room isn't ready. I do feel like a super duper crabby pants with my little ones, but I'm trying to convince myself that dealing with one crying baby at home is going to be so easy compared to 25 whiny 5 year olds at school.

emlovesrich · January 2011

tlong1997:
I teach 8th grade and I totally understand. I just try to stay mentally strong, Put my feet up during the day when I can and I take a 40 minute nap every day when I come home from school and go to bed early. 60 days and counting.

God help you. Middle school, especially 8th grade, is the worst possible age group anyone could work with. My husband teaches 8th grade and I'm not sure how he does it. I worked at a middle school last year and this year I have been subbing at a middle school. Last year I was perfectly fine and nothing really bothered me that bad...I could let the attitudes slide, etc. This year I worked with all the same kids, except I have been subbing because our district decided to let go of a billion people this year, and I was perfectly fine and and everything was going smoothly until last week. I became so irritable and annoyed by all the attitudes, drama, and brat like behaviors that I thought I may just combust. There are actual students that could be named pitocin and sent to the hospital to serve as pregnancy inducers because they can cause that much stress. Friday was my last day of subbing and today feels like a wonderful day.

JerkStore213 · January 2011

I am not a teacher, I've had a very easy pregnancy and I STILL wonder how you guys do it!! Mad respect for you teachers. There is no way I'd be able to handle it. Even just the standing all day. I mean it's not like you have a choice, you gotta do what you gotta do, but it must be so hard!

posvane · January 2011

I already told my principal that I can't be on my feet past 1pm anymore. I teach 2nd grade and am so exhausted! When I was pregnant with DD, I had her in Sept. So I wasn't in the third tri during the school year. This time is dreadful!

I already wrote my lesson plans up until my leave minue two weeks for testing weeks. So, I'm kinda set with that. I have my aid doing all my copying now too. We have a snow day today, so I am going to start writing my plans for during my leave (which I don't have to do, but I feel better knowing that the class is still in my control).

I totally agree with you though! It's exhausting!!!

musicteacher84 · January 2011

I agree with everyone else...it is so exhuasting lately! I was home yesterday (& now again today) with the stomach flu...yay me.

I teach choir for grades 5-12 & they just recently hired my long-term sub; so I'm hoping he can come in and spend the day (or two) with me before I go into labor; which as of my last appt last week could really be anyday.

I agree with some of the pps though; I am really nervous that every day I leave I will not be back for 6 weeks; so I'm trying to get everything organized so each day I leave I can have everything ready "just in case."

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