Question for Teachers

EnglishTeacherMama · July 2016

I've noticed there are quite a few teachers on our board.
"To announce or not to announce, that is the question" --
What are your plans for telling/not telling your class about your pregnancy? My district is still on summer break, so I haven't had a chance to give my bosses a heads-up yet, but when I see them in person again I will definitely get their input about what/when I inform my classes/their parents.

Aside from that, what are your thoughts? Just be quiet and trust that a rude high schooler is eventually going to notice my bump and spread rumors? Haha. Or bite the bullet and say "Hi everyone, yes I am your teacher, so nice to meet you, I'm ditching you guys in March to care for my precious spawn..." Or maybe hide it in the syllabus to figure out who actually reads it.

mrsnc · July 2016

I can't relate as I teach preschool, but I was newly pregnant this time last year as well and my supervisor said not to tell until at least 3rd tri. Not to be intentionally cold but sometimes preschool parents can be a bit over dramatic and if they knew the teacher was leaving in the middle of the year, they might put up a fuss. That was her perspective at least. All of my families were wonderfully supportive and I wish I had shared earlier, I think it would have helped the parent teacher relationship. With that being said, I will follow my supervisors advice again, because she would have to deal with the wrath of parents!

EnglishTeacherMama · July 2016

@mrsnc I'm worried about wrathful parents too. I teach Honors and I worry that some parents will be offended at their kids having a long-term sub for three months, like they'll question the level of teaching. *shrug* but I have to have my baby!

kelizr · July 2016

I revealed to my class about 2 weeks after the twelve week appt. I had already had them for more than half the school year at that point. This year I might hold of longer because it will be so close to the start of the year. Don't want to throw a wrench into behaviors etc (until things are established) when they realize I won't be there all year. That all being said, the first time around, my kids were over the moon and we're so attentive to me! Super sweet. I did an analogy game to reveal and then I filled balloons with confetti the the kids had to pop without their hands, feet, butts or mouths. Made it a game, which this group loved. They threw me a shower at the end of year party and the kids were adorably secretive about it! I truly had no clue! Which says a lot considering we tend to find out everything! Lol

Edited to add: I teach 3rd and my parents were so supportive! But again that time it was the winter when I announced.

CanadianintheSouth · July 2016

I taught high school while I was pregnant with my first, I had to tell my students pretty early on because I had to step outside to throw up a few times

But this was also in January and I wasn't going to be on maternity leave until the beginning of the next school year. I do agree with pp, you may want to hold off a bit just until you get to know the students.

MollyandD · July 2016

I hate being the center of attention, so I'll tell coworkers and my boss via e-mail a week or so before school starts. That way, I can avoid the initial excitement moment, and it gives them time to calm the heck down before I have to deal with it.

I teach 3rd grade, and I haven't decided how or when I'll tell them. I know some parents will freak out because 3rd grade is a huge year for state testing. In our state, kids who fail the reading test can be held back. Last year and the previous year, my kids rocked it. I'm hoping that in spite of me leaving before the test, they can do amazing.

liepertsm · July 2016

I teach preschool and have been wondering this also.

Saracp78 · July 2016

I told my principal right before school started. She was very supportive. I was terrified of my parents as they were rumored to be pissed. We told them at back to school night!! It wasn't so bad. They had a lot of questions I assured them when I left in December that I would find a qualified long term sub for their little angels. I didn't tell them I wasn't coming back that year though until right before I left.
my sub needed up being a flop and my team fell apart. But I had many parents reach out to me and tell me not to worry about it and enjoy my little bug

Saracp78 · July 2016

However this is why I didn't go back this year. We lost a baby in December that would have been born in June. Knowing we were trying and because we could afford it I took this coming year off as leave so I wouldn't leave another group of students. It was stressful having to set them up for a new teacher and having to set up my room for a new teacher and having to try to find a qualified teacher (though in my district it is not my responsibility it was important to me) also leaving in March would be right before the crunch for state testing so it all worked out.

dubcompanion · July 2016

TW---- loss mentioned

@Saracp78 I lost a baby in December that would have been born in June as well. I never announced to any of my kids or coworkers (save one - the other SPED teacher), though I had planned on it after a successful 12-week appointment. Well, it wasn't, and I needed to have a D&C. I took a couple days off and then went back to work, because I do better with a routine. My kids did wonder why I was gone, but I informed them my husband had had gallbladder removal surgery (this was true; he had it the day after my D&C) and needed to take care of him. Two months later, the fifth grade teacher I worked with and the elem. P.E. teacher lost their baby midway through her pregnancy. It ended up being a rough winter. Although fortunately, by then, a wider circle of teachers knew I'd had a loss as well, so no one expected me to talk to students about it. They'd even purposely pull the kids from my room if they overheard the kids talking about it - so that they had a trustworthy adult that they could air out their questions and thoughts out to - but not in my earshot.

dubcompanion · July 2016

I might be a bit of unique situation compared to other teachers here, because I am a special education teacher and have worked with a majority of the students on my roster for 3+ years. I know their families very well. Since this is the first pregnancy they'll be aware of, I'm assuming they'll be fine with me leaving in March, regardless of when I tell them. Some of them I'll want to tell as soon as I go public, so that they can start preparing their students with autism and/or behavior disorders early on. I'm "home base" to a few of my kiddos, so they'll need plenty of time to process before I leave.

As for when I'll tell my students, I'm probably going to just let them figure it out as we go (with the exception of the ones who need a head's up). I'm petite and am often mistaken for looking like one of the kids in the lunch line, lol, so it'll be interesting to see how quickly I start looking pregnant.

kelizr · July 2016

@MollyandD testing for the timing could make our timing more interesting for sure. At least they'll be getting the bulk of their prep with us!

shines721 · July 2016

Last time around, I told my principal first before anyone else because I wanted him to hear first from me. I'm a reading specialist and only worked with kindergarteners. I told them once I began showing and I had an open house and parent/teacher conferences and it was obvious that I was pregnant to everyone else.

When March came and I had met my long term sub, I sent home my usual newsletter and announced that after this one, it would be from the highly qualified sub, etc. etc. Parents were really good with it and I was dealing with their "babies" in kindergarten who were struggling students.

... I don't know what state everyone is in.. but seriously, March babies are the best! Maternity leave rolls right into summer vacation and you get lots of time with your sweet baby!

Jen524 · July 2016

When I had my first two kids both in March, I was teaching K-1 General Music and 5-12 Band. I didn't tell my principals until school had started back up in August. I also was lucky and really didn't show much until well over halfway through my pregnancy so I waited until October to tell my older kids. I never really said much to my kindergarteners and 1st graders until right before I went on maternity leave since they did not seem to have much of a concept of time. Plus, I only saw them twice a week for half an hour. My older kids I saw every day. I loved having babies in March and being a teacher. I had the baby and then was out for the rest of the school year since we finished school in May. With #3, I started staying home so I didn't have to go through when to tell everyone phase.

AprilSB08 · July 2016

I am in a different situation. I am the long term sub for another teacher on maternity leave. I am concerned about getting sick but I will only be their teacher until the end of November. Maybe I won't be showing...Otherwise they are going to think something is up in room 304

sonrisa21 · July 2016

Fortunately this year, I was switched from being the Spanish teacher to the ESL teacher so I won't have a heavy course load. My new position moreso requires me to be a floating co-teacher for the school so I'm wondering if they'll even make me get a long term sub. The only downside is that I believe the ESL testing occurs in Feb/March so I'll have to make sure I get that all done before leaving. Still not sure yet if I'll come back for the last two weeks of school. I love my job and will want to go back, but it's more the not having anyone to watch the baby that's a concern. I'm going to wait to tell my supervisor though because I have a feeling she will panic. I work at a turnover school in a low income area so we always have so many changes going on at once. I don't want to add to her stress just yet.

PLUS, the worst part of all of this is that I'm not married or engaged so it may be an awkward pregnancy to reveal. My students will love it (as they think its weird that I'm 25 with no kids) but I don't think it's going to get a good reaction from the staff. My bf and I live together, we just hadn't gotten engaged yet even though we planned on it. Right now I'm more concerned of getting a house though so I told him not to worry about the ring. Yet, there's a part of me that's gonna feel so weird having to tell people I'm pregnant without one. As a teacher, I feel like I'm supposed to be a role model so I'm kinda embarrassed by my "accidental" pregnancy.

SnarkasaurusRex · July 2016

Lurking, but I also teach high school. My LO was due in July, so I wasn't super worried about leaving my kiddos (I did, however, start the next year late with a long-term sub, and I also teach honors and AP, but my parents were super understanding about it). I told my principal sometime after my 12 week appointment, but I didn't say anything to the kids about it. They finally figured it out in March, haha.

One thing that I did to prep for my sub was that I recorded audio over all of my powerpoint lectures for AP, so the kiddos were still learning from me even while I wasn't there. They really appreciated the videos because they could go back to something that they didn't understand to focus on it and clarify anything that they needed. It didn't take me much time at all to do, in fact I had them all done before I went on maternity leave, so it was nice to know that my advanced students were covered if my sub turned out to be a dud (and oh, was she a dud).

EnglishTeacherMama · July 2016

SnarkasaurusRex said:

I recorded audio over all of my powerpoint lectures for AP, so the kiddos were still learning from me even while I wasn't there. They really appreciated the videos because they could go back to something that they didn't understand to focus on it and clarify anything that they needed.

I love this idea! Yeah I am going to miss reading some of my favorite novels with the kids in spring, but this could be a good way to make sure they still have some guidance. Thank you!

brit0122 · July 2016

I teach middle school, and I'll be 9 weeks on our first day of school. I plan to tell my principal next week, mostly because I want her eyes and ears open for finding the best fit for my sub. I won't tell the kids til sometime after 12 weeks. I will wait as long as possible, but with DS, I was showing pretty early. I would rather tell them before kids start asking... Middle schoolers have no shame in their questioning and judgment of your appearance!

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