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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

August, Why You Gotta Be So Rude


Well, I honestly am not writing this post to have y'all pity me or boost my confidence. It's strictly to keep the raw truth and honesty into the blog. The blogs I love the most are the ones that put all seasons of life into their blogs, not just the good. I mean hey, keepin' it real over here.

So pretty much I started back to work at the very end of July, already battling being sick (I hadn't even been around second grade germs yet, so how this happened is a mystery to me). I felt like things in my classroom were coming along pretty well, especially since I stayed in the same room, I pretty much knew where I wanted things to be. I felt like since this was going to be my third year teaching, I really wanted to try some new things, and do things that I had always wanted to do in previous years, but being a new teacher and then on a new grade level, survival mode got in the way. So this year, I had big plans and was really excited to get it under way.

My goal before even going into this school year, was to really focus on work.
Previously, I had our wedding in the back of my mind, so at times, I probably didn't put my full effort into my lesson plans. When Cody and I do decide to start a family, I know once again, I'm going to want to focus more on that aspect of my life, not work. So this year is my year to really dedicate myself to my job, so in the future, teaching is something that's already established in my life.

I decided to start back to work earlier than I needed to so I could get ahead of the game. Pre-planning came around, and we really didn't have the time to do things in our rooms, because we had meetings, professional development, and oh, more meetings. So I was already staying a lot later to catch up before the kids came. I decided to work the Saturday before school started, which I didn't mind, so I could be ready for school starting on Tuesday. I had no clue that this would be a regular thing.

The first day of school started fine... And then half way through the day, my kids really "opened up." I believe I already had to raise my voice (aka. almost yell) on the first day of school! Normally, they're all so shy, quiet and still half asleep to even think about talking. Not my kids. And really it hasn't stopped since. I know I'm a "new" teacher, but I know how to teach rules, procedures, and how to follow through on them. I think sometimes, you just get a chatty bunch no matter how many times they pay a consequence, you talk to parents or they lose privileges. It's been a constant battle since August 5th, and quite frankly it's exhausting. Don't even get me started on our listening skills... "Do not get hand sanitizer in the middle of a lesson." Squirt, squirt.

My poor husband has been nothing short of INCREDIBLE the last month.
I'm not joking when I say I leave work at 7 o'clock, get home at 8, and am still working when I get home. I have gone to work more Saturdays. I have spent an entire weekend working on lesson plans. And he has been awesome. I have come home to countless dinners, warm hugs, and lots of "I'm here for you" kisses. He has let me cry on his shoulder countless times, and always seems to make me feel better. Until I go to work the next day that is... He has been so supportive.

But after spending so much time on my lesson plans (which I don't even know why is so hard for me right now because normally I whip them up in a few hours), I feel like I have wasted my time come time to actually teach them. I'm redirecting behaviors or having to stop because I'm being interrupted constantly, I'm not getting to half the stuff that I had planned. I'm losing my train of thought easily, I'm losing the flow of teaching, centers are way too noisy... it's a mess. AND I KNOW HOW TO DO THIS STUFF PEOPLE. I've done it all before! I KNOW I'm good at my job! But I'm completely struggling right now, and I don't know why! This job has got me so out of whack, it's ridiculous. I've never struggled this much in my entire life. (or cried this much for that matter) I'm in the phase where I don't know if I can do this forever. I don't know if this is where I'm meant to be.


As for now, I know I'll have time in the evenings this week to work on my plans, so I don't have to work on the weekend. I'm going to keep pushing through, and hope that this season of life is really just a season, and it too will pass. But I am so ready to start over with September, and I guarantee, that extra day off this Monday won't hurt a bit.



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8 comments :

  1. I'm sorry classroom behavior is interrupting your lessons. I know it has got to be frustrating spending time redirecting behaviors instead of teaching skills. Talk to your school counselor or school psychologist to see if they can help. I know my counselor has talked to entire class about expectations in the classroom. As a psych, I have worked with my teachers to implement a classroom behavior management system. Sometimes it helps to have an extra voice in there or an extra set of eyes to help figure out how to minimize the behaviors.

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  2. Girl I am so sorry you're struggling so much, but I am so glad Cody is such a great support system for you! I can't even imagine how frustrating that must be. But keep your head up high because I know and you know that you're a great teacher! Don't be afraid to ask others for help, and don't be too hard on yourself! Make sure to take time for you this long weekend & get some rest! You got this girl!

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  3. Aww well you def need a break!! I'll pray for you!! So sorry!

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  4. Well, if it makes you feel better..I am a first year teacher, teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade science and a journalism class of 6th and 8th graders combined... ( i create 4 different curriculums) with no help from any books or other teachers because my school is implementing the new "next Gen science" standards this year and there are no materials out there yet!! So yep, I get to create everything myself with no teacher manual or colleagues to help! Its just me. So far I pretty much work 3 to 4 hours every school night lesson planning and half of my Sunday. I take Saturday and Friday night completely off and don't even think about school!!!!! Hang in there, some years are more challenging than others but you'll be fine:) I am sure coming off a summer and year before so busy with wedding planning makes shifting gears back into alllll school tougher as well....

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  5. You're right- this too will pass. Maybe after the long weekend your kiddos will come back refreshed and ready to start over. I'm sending lots of positive thoughts your way. You've got this!

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  6. I feel your struggles because I am also feeling them. I'm a veteran teacher who left a pretty decent position (with a not so good admin team) to go to a school where my daughter is a new 6th grader (and a better admin team). But I just don't seem to have it together. I teach 6, 7, and 8th grade ELA/Reading block. I know my subject well....I invested a lot of time and money this summer planning Interactive Notebooks, etc. but I have one class that just does me in every single day. I've never found such rude and disrespectful behaviors the first two weeks of school. I have to call home...but I'm also moving classrooms. So my struggles could be that I don't have a home yet?? I don't know. I know it'll work out...for both of us. What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger, right? LoL.

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  7. I'm so sorry that you're having a hard time this early with the kids. Hopefully, they'll really start to listen and mind.

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