Teacher Check In!

Kdrake8 · September 2012

I know all of the teachers went back to work fairly recently (for the most part). How is everyone doing? How are the babies adjusting? Is it getting easier to leave? Any worries/fears/joys of being back?

***Everyone else who has gone back to work recently (or not so recently!) feel free to chime in, too! Not excluding anyone Smile

imimahoney · September 2012

I'll be watching this thread. I go back to the classroom on 10/15 (I took an extended leave) and am SO nervous about planning and grading, taking care of Ari, and spending time with my Dh.

Beener0514 · September 2012

Things are going well- it is getting easier by the day as the routine becomes more comfortable. Emmy is finally taking a bottle so that huge stress has been lifted off my shoulders. I am starting to freak out about having enough time to get all my grading done when things start picking up, though. Luckily, I have only two classes to prep for and I've taught both for 6 years already.

As for my students, I already had to make 2 parent phone calls (on the fourth day of class). My freshmen are really testing the boundaries and are very apathetic about their educations. Those two phone calls I made were because the children refused to do a credit/no credit assignment. If they are already refusing to work on day 4, I'm in trouble.

starbound6 · September 2012

Hmmf I feel excluded! JK. I'm not back at work yet because our school year goes with the calendar and I'm taking the whole 2012 off. But I will go back next January, hopefully to the school that DS1 attends. I'm just a music teacher so it's not full-time, but I'll probably do 2-3 days a week, if I can get my Mum to have DS2.

How are you going?? How are the kids? (the ones you teach;)

Fellow teachers I'd like to add a question: do you run into your students out and about?

Maybe it's my small city but I do, everywhere. I can't go anywhere without seeing a past or present student. Sometimes it's their parents and they expect me to instantly recognise them, which can be hard if they don't have the kid with them.

Kdrake8 · September 2012

As for me.. I finally have stopped crying when DH takes her in the morning, but it still sucks. I hate waking her up so early. I hate nursing her and then having her taken away. And I HATE not seeing her all day. The caretakers have been great about sending updates and pictures, but I feel like the grandparents (3 days a week total) are stressed too much and are having a little harder time than I originally anticipated. Our hired babysitter seems to be doing AWESOME though.

Mila seems to be adjusting, but is eating more (causing a slight problem with pumping enough) and is napping a ton. In the evenings when I get home, she pretty much wants to nap the rest of the night. I'm coaching cross country right now, so I don't get home until 5-5:30 and I feel sad when I don't get to interact with her much while she's awake.

I am getting back into the swing of being back. THere are some challenges. Pumping enough is difficult, as is finding enough time. I have a student teacher, too. While I feel like it helps, it also upsets me to have to kick her out of my room during preps so I can pump. I know that won't work when she needs my comp to make her own lessons and materials. It's going to be challenging. I am enjoying the kids though, and at least the days go very fast.. so that's a plus!

Hope everyone is doing well! I wish I could post as much as I did before. I miss everyone!

Ruby412 · September 2012

I'm not back at work yet, but I just wanted to say I miss seeing you as much on here, KDrake! I hope you and Mila are adjusting well. She is such a cutie in her 5 month picture!!

imimahoney · September 2012

starbound6:
Hmmf I feel excluded! JK. I'm not back at work yet because our school year goes with the calendar and I'm taking the whole 2012 off. But I will go back next January, hopefully to the school that DS1 attends. I'm just a music teacher so it's not full-time, but I'll probably do 2-3 days a week, if I can get my Mum to have DS2.
How are you going?? How are the kids? (the ones you teach;)
Fellow teachers I'd like to add a question: do you run into your students out and about?
Maybe it's my small city but I do, everywhere. I can't go anywhere without seeing a past or present student. Sometimes it's their parents and they expect me to instantly recognise them, which can be hard if they don't have the kid with them.

I often do.

I don't live where I teach but I live only 10 minutes away. I see kids at the mall, movies, out to dinner. I've run in to parents are the grocery store more times than I can count.

And the WORST thing... 3 of my previous students go to my gym, ugh. And they try to talk to me when I am gross and lifting weights. Seriously guys, leave me alone.

Kdrake8 · September 2012

Beener -- I'm SO glad she's taking a bottle! I know you were really worried about that, so I'm glad that stress is off your shoulders... I know how you feel about already having apathetic students... I gave a homework assignment today and told them to write it down. One boy blatantly stared at me and wrote down nothing. I asked him if he was planning to memorize the page numbers and exercises. He said yes (like a smarta$$). It's times like THAT where I think, Why am I here with you when I could be with Mila?

Starbound - I do see them out and about. The hardest thing is when several years have passed. I teach 7th grade. They do a TON of maturing and sometimes are not even recognizable!

PetitePomme · September 2012

starbound6:

Hmmf I feel excluded! JK. I'm not back at work yet because our school year goes with the calendar and I'm taking the whole 2012 off. But I will go back next January, hopefully to the school that DS1 attends. I'm just a music teacher so it's not full-time, but I'll probably do 2-3 days a week, if I can get my Mum to have DS2.

How are you going?? How are the kids? (the ones you teach;)

Fellow teachers I'd like to add a question: do you run into your students out and about?

Maybe it's my small city but I do, everywhere. I can't go anywhere without seeing a past or present student. Sometimes it's their parents and they expect me to instantly recognise them, which can be hard if they don't have the kid with them.

I'm not back to work either (I don't go back until April 29th..yay Canada!).

I run into my students all the time. The kids are always shocked to see me outside of school, hehehe. I feel like I always have to look put together when we leave the house. I hate running into parents when I'm in comfy (i.e. slobby) clothes.

Kdrake8 · September 2012

Ruby412:
I'm not back at work yet, but I just wanted to say I miss seeing you as much on here, KDrake! I hope you and Mila are adjusting well. She is such a cutie in her 5 month picture!!

Awww, Ruby, you made my night! Thank you Big Smile I really miss connecting with the moms on here. I wish we lived closer so we could get the babies together! (still loving that pic of Violet - I think she kind of resembles Mila and I want to squish her cheeks!)

PetitePomme · September 2012

kdrake8:

As for me.. I finally have stopped crying when DH takes her in the morning, but it still sucks. I hate waking her up so early. I hate nursing her and then having her taken away. And I HATE not seeing her all day. The caretakers have been great about sending updates and pictures, but I feel like the grandparents (3 days a week total) are stressed too much and are having a little harder time than I originally anticipated. Our hired babysitter seems to be doing AWESOME though.

Mila seems to be adjusting, but is eating more (causing a slight problem with pumping enough) and is napping a ton. In the evenings when I get home, she pretty much wants to nap the rest of the night. I'm coaching cross country right now, so I don't get home until 5-5:30 and I feel sad when I don't get to interact with her much while she's awake.

I am getting back into the swing of being back. THere are some challenges. Pumping enough is difficult, as is finding enough time. I have a student teacher, too. While I feel like it helps, it also upsets me to have to kick her out of my room during preps so I can pump. I know that won't work when she needs my comp to make her own lessons and materials. It's going to be challenging. I am enjoying the kids though, and at least the days go very fast.. so that's a plus!

Hope everyone is doing well! I wish I could post as much as I did before. I miss everyone!

Would pumping with her in the room be an option? If she's working on the computer she probably wouldn't see much. It might be awkward at first but you'd probably both get used to it. Just a thought!

Beener0514 · September 2012

starbound6:

Fellow teachers I'd like to add a question: do you run into your students out and about?

Maybe it's my small city but I do, everywhere. I can't go anywhere without seeing a past or present student. Sometimes it's their parents and they expect me to instantly recognise them, which can be hard if they don't have the kid with them.

Yes, I currently live about 5 miles from the school in which I teach and I see students at restaurants, the mall, the grocery store...it got to a point where I would drive out of my way to buy certain items like my OPK tests when we were TTC, tampons, and the like. I also have my "go to" conversation starters when I run into someone I don't remember. I always start with, "How is life after high school?" It's awkward!

PinkPeony6210 · September 2012

Life with 2 + work is getting better everyday. The girls are going to bed earlier now (Ella's in bed by 7:30, Kate's in her crib by 8:00 the latest), so I feel like I'm not so rushed to get things done before I go to bed.

I was sad the first couple of days, but I'm really enjoying the routine of our day...I needed it after having zero schedule with Kate over the summer. The girls adjusted just fine...my ILs come to our house every morning to babysit, and they just adore them being here.

I'm happy to be back. My co-workers are amazing, and I really like all of my classes/students, so going to work is actually pretty enjoyable

starbound6 · September 2012

kdrake8:
Starbound - I do see them out and about. The hardest thing is when several years have passed. I teach 7th grade. They do a TON of maturing and sometimes are not even recognizable!

Oh yeah, totally! I've had some funny moments when the kid LOOKS familiar but they've grown up and I can't even think of their name. Or even after summer holidays they come back looking completely different. I had it happen with an 8th grade boy and I was all, who is that standing outside my room, is he waiting for a lesson? Yep, he'd grown about 6 inches and gotten pimply. Face structure completely changed.

Kdrake8 · September 2012

PetitePomme:
kdrake8:

As for me.. I finally have stopped crying when DH takes her in the morning, but it still sucks. I hate waking her up so early. I hate nursing her and then having her taken away. And I HATE not seeing her all day. The caretakers have been great about sending updates and pictures, but I feel like the grandparents (3 days a week total) are stressed too much and are having a little harder time than I originally anticipated. Our hired babysitter seems to be doing AWESOME though.

Mila seems to be adjusting, but is eating more (causing a slight problem with pumping enough) and is napping a ton. In the evenings when I get home, she pretty much wants to nap the rest of the night. I'm coaching cross country right now, so I don't get home until 5-5:30 and I feel sad when I don't get to interact with her much while she's awake.

I am getting back into the swing of being back. THere are some challenges. Pumping enough is difficult, as is finding enough time. I have a student teacher, too. While I feel like it helps, it also upsets me to have to kick her out of my room during preps so I can pump. I know that won't work when she needs my comp to make her own lessons and materials. It's going to be challenging. I am enjoying the kids though, and at least the days go very fast.. so that's a plus!

Hope everyone is doing well! I wish I could post as much as I did before. I miss everyone!

Would pumping with her in the room be an option? If she's working on the computer she probably wouldn't see much. It might be awkward at first but you'd probably both get used to it. Just a thought!

It's def a thought. I don't know; hopefully as the weeks go on we will get more comfortable. She still refers to me as Mrs. D****. I have asked her repeatedly to call me Kristen, but she won't do it. She says, "Ok, Mrs. D***". Haha. Poor thing. She is trying so hard and wants to be so formal and do everything correctly. If she loosens up, I'll consider it. Otherwise I will relegate her to a computer lab or library, I guess!

Kdrake8 · September 2012

starbound6:
kdrake8:

Starbound - I do see them out and about. The hardest thing is when several years have passed. I teach 7th grade. They do a TON of maturing and sometimes are not even recognizable!

Oh yeah, totally! I've had some funny moments when the kid LOOKS familiar but they've grown up and I can't even think of their name. Or even after summer holidays they come back looking completely different. I had it happen with an 8th grade boy and I was all, who is that standing outside my room, is he waiting for a lesson? Yep, he'd grown about 6 inches and gotten pimply. Face structure completely changed.

I guess in their defense, they don't know they've morphed into a completely different person? I think that they feel that if WE look the same to them, then THEY look the same to us.

kandrze1 · September 2012

I'm just parttime for now so tomorrow will be my third full day and Emerson's second full day at day care.
Day care went well I think for the first time. I'm still a little nervous about it, but I really like the ladies in Em's room so that helps.
I feel like school is going well considering its a new district for me this year. So far I've really enjoyed all of my students. Tomorrow I have my prek, k and middle schoolers so I'm preparing for a long day : I'm about to lose my voice. I always forget how much talking I do when teaching.
Grad school is what's kicking my butt. I don't know what I was thinking taking 9 credits!

metucker · September 2012

Love the sig pic!

It is going okay. I just feel like I'm always in a rush. As soon as I get lunch or prep, I'm pumping and trying to do everything I need to as far as planning because I want to race and go get her as soon as the day is over. Not to mention, I need to go get her before she needs another bottle because otherwise I won't have enough from pumping. It doesn't help that I am teaching a new grade this year. I am a sped teacher and I have the same kids that I had a couple of years ago, so that is proving to be interesting.

As for running into kids, I live about 20 minutes from school and I find that to be pretty perfect. I don't have to worry about going outside in my pjs when I get the mail, but it is isn't too far of a commute. Sometimes I will run into someone in the in between town but (knock on wood) it doesn't happen very often.

Ruby412 · September 2012

kdrake8:
Ruby412:
I'm not back at work yet, but I just wanted to say I miss seeing you as much on here, KDrake! I hope you and Mila are adjusting well. She is such a cutie in her 5 month picture!!

 

Awww, Ruby, you made my night!  Thank you I really miss connecting with the moms on here.  I wish we lived closer so we could get the babies together!  (still loving that pic of Violet - I think she kind of resembles Mila and I want to squish her cheeks!)

I think the girls resemble each other too! Probably why I love Mila so much. I was talking about that with KatieH earlier and we said it's like long lost sisters. Maybe someday we'll both be on the same side of PA! Now that I've totally hijacked your back to school thread, I'll be done here. :

Eta: there was a smiley at the end of that. Ugh bump mobile!!

Beener0514 · September 2012

kdrake8:

It's times like THAT where I think, Why am I here with you when I could be with Mila?

I know EXACTLY what you mean. I've thought this so many times already. Sad

starshollow · September 2012

I am a week into the school year, and Tyler and I are starting to adjust to the new routine. It is still hard to leave him at daycare every day, but once I get to school, I am too busy to obsess over it. School is a lot of work this year because I am teaching a new grade level. My new grade level partners are helping a lot, so that takes a lot of the stress off. I try to get as much work done as I can while I am at school, but I spend half of my prep and half of my lunch pumping each day. I get most of my work done and get ready for the next day after Ty is in bed for the night.

And to answer Star's question- I see a lot of my students when I go to pick up Tyler because he goes to daycare at the same place that they go to an afterschool program! Otherwise, I am about half an hour away from my school, so I see students, but not often.

Kdrake8 · September 2012

PinkPeony6210:
Life with 2 + work is getting better everyday. The girls are going to bed earlier now (Ella's in bed by 7:30, Kate's in her crib by 8:00 the latest), so I feel like I'm not so rushed to get things done before I go to bed.
I was sad the first couple of days, but I'm really enjoying the routine of our day...I needed it after having zero schedule with Kate over the summer. The girls adjusted just fine...my ILs come to our house every morning to babysit, and they just adore them being here.
I'm happy to be back. My co-workers are amazing, and I really like all of my classes/students, so going to work is actually pretty enjoyable

Liking your coworkers DEFINITELY helps. We are on teams at my school and I've been with the same people for 6 years. I love them all dearly. It makes it much more comfortable and fun. I'm glad you're having a great transition!

Ximena M · September 2012

I only wanted to go back part time and I really didn't want to. I had two job interviews and I think that it came across that I wasn't that interested. My job was supper stressful and I just didn't want to bring that home. It doesn't help that I'm really good with the high needs kiddos so I would get them every year. I need a break and the time to decide if I still want to teach.

vtwd40 · September 2012

It's kicking my butt!!! New job, new baby, new stress. I sleep very little. DD is great at daycare, and I'm surprisingly fine with leaving her there because she does so well, I just pick her up as quickly as I can after school. I get up at 4:45 to pump and get ready before I get her up. Once I'm at school I'm GO GO GO. New common core crap this year means lots and lots of changes in the math department, plus it's a new position for me anyways. I barely ahve a plan because we went to block schedule and I have to pump for half of my plan. I pick DD up around 5:30 and I'm all about playing and feeding her once we get home, then feeding US, then getting her ready for bed and feeding again. I can't get anything for school done until she goes to bed at 9, so then I'm up till at least midnight to get ready for the next day....that starts in less than 5 hours. I'm burnt out already. My kids are lazy and not turning in work so only 1 of my classes has a passing average on the midterms I turned in today. Let the parent phone calls and emails commence.

At least I'm generally enjoying myself...but BOY AM I TIRED!!

Kdrake8 · September 2012

metucker:
Love the sig pic!It is going okay. I just feel like I'm always in a rush. As soon as I get lunch or prep, I'm pumping and trying to do everything I need to as far as planning because I want to race and go get her as soon as the day is over. Not to mention, I need to go get her before she needs another bottle because otherwise I won't have enough from pumping. It doesn't help that I am teaching a new grade this year. I am a sped teacher and I have the same kids that I had a couple of years ago, so that is proving to be interesting.

Thank you! :

I feel your pain. I was trying to explain to DH how hectic it is. I currently pump 4 times a day at school. It sucks.

Ximena M · September 2012

My step mom has 28 students 14 of them have IEPs. Now our district is doing common core. She is wiped out!

vtwd40 · September 2012

Ximena M:
My step mom has 28 students 14 of them have IEPs. Now our district is doing common core. She is wiped out!

I hear that! I have 32 in one of my classes. 10 with IEPs, 8 who are really low in language, and 5 ELL. It's a rough one.

ADub09 · September 2012

Not back to work until April 8 th. Already not looking forward to it. Glad you ladies are doing so well you are all my heros it can't be easy!

SteelCity44 · September 2012

I'm back in the swing of things and miserable. I will make it work, because I have to make it work, but I never realized how much I would hate this. I have to leave at 6a and don't get home until 5p, giving me about 3 hours of Micah time. He developed a cold at the end of my first week back, and it's grown into a full blown sinus infection. I want to stay home and hold my baby. Now he's on an antibiotic that rips his stomach apart, and I got to see what it looks like when a baby legitimately throws up. It's awful. So now, it's taking an hour/hour and a half to get him to bed, giving me very little time to get any work done at home. I leave as soon as I can get out of the building so I don't miss the 5:30/6p feeding. I know in time, I'll figure out a routine that will work, but right now, I'm miserable.

kimdw1 · September 2012

I love teaching and I'm back to fourth grade, which is what I taught for 7 years after being switched last year. It just makes me so sad to leave my little guy. He's with my mom and is doing great, but I wish it could have been me. I would have taken the whole year off or would stay home if we could afford it, but that's not a possibility. At least when I'm at work, I'm in the groove and generally in a good mood. It's when I'm home that I'm sad, because I'm thinking about how much I love being withi J. This is only week 2---hopefully I'll get used to it!

laf10 · September 2012

This is my 5th week back. LO and I are both adjusted for the most part. He had a rough first couple days, and then he was fine. I felt guilty and sad for probably 2 weeks because I felt like I never saw him, but those feelings have gotten way better, except maybe if we have a really busy week or weekend and I feel like I haven't gotten enough ds/mommy time. I love his babysitter and she is crazy about him which is great, but I'm terrified when he's bigger that he will cry for her when I pick him up or when we're at home.