Teacher check-in 9/11

leighann1 · September 2015

How are all the educators holding up?

I just finished week 4 with students, and I am so ready to be done. I was doing great the first two weeks, but now I just want to give up and stay home all day. I've had a cold for a week now, and I just feel exhausted and miserable. I can't fall asleep easily at night because I'm coughing too much, plus normal third trimester pregnancy sleep issues.

I'm lucky that my students this year are very well behaved and haven't caused me problems, so actually being in the classroom is enjoyable, just exhausting. I'm home now on the couch in a nearly comatose state. I'm too uncomfortable to nap, so I'm just sitting here trying to do something productive on the computer. I managed to pay some bills - better than nothing I guess. I've also lost my voice, so that's awesome. At least DH is understanding and has planned a take-out and Netflix evening for us, with zero to minimal effort required of me.

35 weeks today, so in theory, I could be doing this for 5 more weeks. I'm not really sure how that's gonna work out for me, but I guess I'll just keep trucking along. And I still need to get my files more organized for my long-term sub, so there's that...

I hope you're all holding up better than me! Sorry for the bummer of a post, but this week has been a rough one.

jessrl · September 2015

Agreed, I am just so exhausted every day after school. My students have been pretty good this year, but the parents are another story. I've already had a couple give me a hard time about taking maternity leave, which I think is so inappropriate and rude. The constant calls and email are so overwhelming. This baby can't come soon enough.

leighann1 · September 2015

hobo920 said:

Agreed, I am just so exhausted every day after school. My students have been pretty good this year, but the parents are another story. I've already had a couple give me a hard time about taking maternity leave, which I think is so inappropriate and rude. The constant calls and email are so overwhelming. This baby can't come soon enough.

Seriously?! Those parents need to shove it. So ridiculous. Yes, let's criticize a woman for wanting to have her own family and life outside of school. Pardon us for disrupting your perfect angel's educational routine. Never mind the fact that we likely aren't getting paid for most of our leave yet have to make lesson plans and prep our own subs.

That makes me furious. I was bracing myself for some of that during our back-to-school night, but so far no peeps. Usually our parents are very entitled and demanding, so I won't be surprised when it happens.

cindykinnear · September 2015

I am also 35 weeks today! I have been back with students for 3 weeks and I am EXHAUSTED!!! I teach high school theatre, and we have rehearsals two nights a week on top of the six classes I teach a day.. I am ready to hand it all over to a sub. I really want to hold out until my due date (oct 16) so I can stay off until after Christmas break!! But I'm also ready to be home!

koriemo · September 2015

I have also been teaching for 4 weeks, and I hit a wall today. I will be 35 weeks on Monday, so I'm due just a few days after you. My heartburn is really bad and now my gallbladder is acting up. My baby is all up in my ribs and making it hard to breathe. If I stand too long, my legs are exhausted, if I sit too long, my lungs feel squished. I'm just uncomfortable.

My students are fabulous, but parents are ridiculous! I teach high school juniors. I got an email from a parent today about his son missing an assignment. In the email he asked, "Do you tell students what their assignments are? Or are they just expected to look online (we have a school wide online grade book) to find out the assignments?"

YES. I tell students the assignments! I announce due dates at the beginning and ending of each class. I have assignments written on the board every class period so students can copy them down, and have a whiteboard by the door with reminders for due dates. Further, I always give students at least 10 minutes to begin their homework assignments in class, and my assignments shouldn't take more than 20 minutes even for students who work more slowly.

I started my classes on a long writing project this week, and the final piece is due October 5. The baby is absolutely not allowed to come before October 5... Hanging this project over to a sub in the middle of everything would be a mess. I probably should have ended the project a bit earlier, but oh well!

ChariZae · September 2015

I've been in school 3 weeks with students. The students are great, but the start to this year has been rocky. There have been some major issues with scheduling and there's been tension between admin and the staff. Not to mention, there's not been a conversation about my long term sub, let alone one in place for me to work with. This week was the first time I really started wondering "what if baby boy came early?". In reality, I only have 4 weeks of PTO, and I'm due on the 23rd, so it's ideal if he comes close to EDD or after, but I am so over the negative working environment.

ems028 · September 2015

At 36 weeks exactly my dr said I should stop teaching on friday because of high BP. So now I have finished and I couldn't be happier!

I managed to finish all my plans. ..but it was hard. And even though my plan was to work until next Friday. ..2 weeks before my due date..I definitely need the rest. It got soo hard to wake up and go in to teach.

LiveNLove44 · September 2015

@koriemo, that story sounds all too familiar! I have parents who ask things like that, too, so don't worry, you aren't alone! Some people are just totally oblivious to what happens in a classroom/school all day.

@Charizae, we are in negotiations right now, so that certainly makes for an interesting work environment for us, too. I hope it improves at your school! We don't even have ONE applicant for my LTS position. Not ONE. I am a mixed position in our district, and .4 of my position is as a Reading Specialist for K-12. They decided to only hire a LTS for my ELA position (.6) which makes it even more challenging to find a qualified individual!

LiveNLove44 · September 2015

I am a K-12 reading specialist and I am on a variance to do purchasing and acquisition of media center materials this year due to the retirement of our last media center specialist in the spring. It is a HUGE learning curve because the media center is just a totally different world from what I've done and what I am trained to do. The rest of the time I am a .6 ELA teacher, English Dept. chair, district instructional coach for new teachers, and a volleyball coach (because why not?). I am definitely tired and the near-mile walk to the elementary and back up each day doesn't just happen one time. I make frequent rounds in our district all morning and then head back to my classroom to be energetic and teach all afternoon.

On a day like Thursday (any match night, so usually 2 each week), I wake up at 4 to workout, teach all day, bell rings at the end and we eat a team meal before heading on the bus for hour+ bus rides to our opponent's gym, coach my team, go up to assist varsity's match, and get back on the bus around 9:30 for a long bus ride home (ON A SCHOOL BUS). In essence, I leave my DD and DH at 7 each morning and on a practice night, I'm home around 6:15 and on a match night, I'm home around 11:00. There is maybe a handful of parents who understand the time commitment we are making to their children. I love what I do, and oftentimes in a small school everyone has to do a lot more; however, it is SO hard to do it when players and parents don't realize how shorted our own families are on time with their mom.

I also started grad school after summer break, so I am working on my papers, projects, and other homework while correcting student work. I wish I could say I have today to work on that, but we have a tournament this weekend and next, so I'll be on the bus soon and headed for another 10-12 hour work day.

Financially, DH and I couldn't afford for me to not coach this season and take unpaid maternity leave for part of the time. We are paying for grad school out of pocket and having 2 in daycare will now mean a lot more money each week. I am thankful to be gainfully employed. I am thankful to work with the students and staff at my school because they truly are great. I am, however, really, really, tired. I have significant back and rib pain that is only going to increase over the next month or so, and I want more than anything to keep my LO in closer to his EDD (late October).

I just wish more people could understand what teachers/coaches do. I don't know what they'd say to make it easier, but perhaps they wouldn't be so hyper-critical of our decisions on the court or something. I spent yesterday morning on the phone with a parent of one of my players who was crying because she thought her daughter should be able to play the whole time and she didn't understand why other girls did and her daughter doesn't. (Because the other girls are setters and her daughter is a middle blocker--not a defensive specialist...) Soooooo...there's my check-in for the week. It was a bit more than I anticipated!

You are all totally amazing and I hope you know that there are teachers out there who understand what you are going through! Keep it up! In a short amount of time, you will ALL be on maternity leave

Joelliexox · September 2015

36 weeks and teaching a split kindergarten/ first grade class!! I am exhausted, this week was back to school night and I literally feel like I was hit by a train after this week. Yet, of course it 4:00 in the morning and I am on my phone!! The lack of sleep, the heat wave we had this week and one annoying parent tried to do me in this week but I am still trying to truck along for 2 more weeks! That gives me a week and a half before due date.

I have to say staring to feel more Braxton hicks and aches and pains, hoping that isn't because I am pushing myself so hard at work!

The prepping of lesson plans and making sure my files are organized enough for the sub is what's stressing me out the most!!! My kids this year are AMAZING I am literally thanking them and praising them constantly that they are making it do easy for me and baby, and we are talking about kindergarteners and first graders here. I feel so lucky in that sense. Haha the kids are sooooooo much easier than the parents!!
Teachers, are you doing more of a outline, scope and sequence for your long term plans or are many of you being a specific as writing certain lessons in for specific days:/ so overwhelmed!

sdnyc99 · September 2015

Kindergarten teacher here, and we've been back for 2 weeks now. The first week we had 2 days with students and the second week we had 4 (due to Labor Day). The absolute worst part was the heat wave this week and last: in the 90's and humid with NO AIR CONDITIONING in our classrooms! I was thisclose to staying home or leaving early a couple of the days, but didn't have the heart to do that to my students or teaching assistant.

It's gotten cooler the last couple of days, thankfully. So now it's just the total exhaustion after 6+ hours of corralling little 4-and-5-year-olds all day. Hoping the heat doesn't get quite so bad again.

I've also decided that I'm going to take off the days I need to take off without guilt. I scheduled a sub for this Thursday because I have 2 doctor's appts that afternoon and just don't want to deal with the scrambling around, trying to somehow make it to both on time while still working the full day. I have more than enough sick days to cover the 6 weeks of leave we're allowed so it's not going to hurt if I use a few more before baby gets here.

MrsFaust1432 · September 2015

@LiveNLove44 I don't know how you are doing it!! This year has been my first year not coaching volleyball in about 10 years! I used to think I was exhausted after teaching all day and then coaching all night, but I really don't think I would be able to do it being 36 weeks pregnant! Hopefully you can get some rest between matches during your tournament. Good luck to your girls!! I miss it so much!

crbpjb · September 2015

First, super awkward, on parent night a parent I have never met before touched my belly. SERIOUSLY!?!?

Second, my legs (mostly calves, ankles, feet) have been swelling like CRAZY! I've pretty much put all my "growth" in my belly and you cannot tell from chest up or from behind, but now my feet and ankles are so huge. They definitely go down after work and are usually somewhat okay by the next morning, but then it all starts up again. The doctor said he wasn't super concerned because 1) there was an explanation and 2) my sugars were good and no real weight gain, but MAN! This SUCKS! Everyone I know keeps saying "oh just sit down more, teach from your desk!" They just don't get that that will not work.

Rant over :-(

bethstatzer · September 2015

Just finished my first week back with students. It's exhausting. I'm 36 weeks and 4 days. My feet get crazy swollen during the day. I almost called in sick in Friday but convinced myself not to give up yet! I am finished with all my sub plans though.

akfbookworm · September 2015

Any teachers not going back after baby is born? I'm a pre-school teacher and also run our center's after care program, and it really started to hit me that for the first time in nearly a decade I won't have a classroom. I'm looking forward to spending time at home and less stress, but I'm getting sad about leaving my work kids.

LiveNLove44 · September 2015

@MrsFaust1432 ironically, I am getting rest...just not the way I would hope. I was admitted to the hospital this morning after our first match. Contractions are still 2 minutes apart and I am on my second dose of terbutaline. Send some good vibes!!

MrsFaust1432 · September 2015

Sending good vibes your way!!! Hope they get those contractions stopped! I'm sure you feel bad having to leave your team, but try not to think about that! I'm sure they are in good hands with your assistant!

beckles112 · September 2015

I just finished my third full week. I've had a lot of congestion the past couple and have not felt like doing anything! I have managed to get all my sub plans lined out, so that makes me feel a little bit better. All I have to do it run off some worksheets for my Spanish classes. They'll be doing review for the four weeks I'm gone because my sub can't teach them spanish.

LiveNLove44 · September 2015

@MrsFaust1432, I'm home and baby boy stayed in! The team survived a tournament today while I spent the day at the hospital, and I realized how important it needs to be to me to take care of not over-extending myself over the next months. Not that I needed such a serious reminder, but whatever works!

MrsFaust1432 · September 2015

@LiveNLove44 so glad you and your little one are doing okay!

alliepaigeclark · September 2015

Kindergarten teacher here. Going on my 3rd full week and am 37 weeks! I have an amazing group but it's exhausting regardless. Add in the annual beginning of the year sickness and I'm feeling pretty miserable and READY to have this baby. The only pro of waiting another week or two is that I won't have to return to school until after holiday break after taking 12 weeks (6pd w/ built up sick days, 6unpd).

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