Making peace and accepting a few things

[MsCoffeeLover]

Teaching comes with so much more than we know going in. You learn to accept a lot along the way, but I am still having a great deal of trouble accepting certain things.

I am very lucky to be in a middle school with two planning periods back to back every day. Sounds great, huh? It really isn't. Once a week we are supposed to meet with our teams for whatever reason, fill out paperwork showing attendance, and all that good stuff. Once a week, we are supposed to meet as a science department, and do the same thing. Once a week we are also supposed to meet as a grade level that includes administration, professional development, and everything else.

Every time I go to a grade level meeting, I leave more depressed than any other time during the year. The administrator is so depressing. There is always one more thing to do and one more piece of paper to fill out, and a warning of a letter of reprimand if we don't. There is talk of budget cuts all the time, and paper and copies are gone, but there are a few other things that we don't really need and can live without. There is not enough time in the day to get everything done and provide the documentation that it was actually done, and I am sure a letter of reprimand will be coming my way soon.

For content department meetings, the science teachers on my team are next door to each other while I am out in the learning cottages. Every other content department manages to squeeze in meetings while on duty or some other way like at lunch or something so we can have that extra planning period or talk about a few things in passing and document it for the next meeting. Not the ones on my team, and I know the dude on our team is a rat and will rat on me. Sometimes we have parent conferences, and sometimes I forget.

Let's not forget the parent conferences that are scheduled during planning only. I can deal with the parent conferences, and I can deal with many things, but every single week I can't deal with it all. I am in my fifth year now, and it isn't getting any better. During planning I hide out in other places so no one can find me. If I am not next to the phone, I can't hear it ringing nor am I in the room to answer it.

I just want to be left alone for just a little while. I don't want people to ask questions at meetings. I don't want to take any more SMART board trainings. I don't want to hear the complaints of the other teachers while there is so much to do. I don't want to hear the administrator tell me that paper is cut, but we have to provide documentation for something else. I am the cheapest teacher when it comes to paper making limited copies, and am still perfecting working on making almost zero copies. The lesson plans nor my kids get the paper. The school and documentation gets my paper. If we have a problem, then we can take our teacher funds and buy a box of paper with it.

I don't want to talk to anyone at all. This is a great school, and administration has been supportive, but I just don't know how to deal.

[Boxcar]

I'm so sorry that you are facing these challenges.

I can understand the need to be alone. You just don't want to deal with it all. I think that ignoring the phone at times is a good thing. We can't do everything. Quality over quantity. You are an excellant teacher. You are there for your students. What I know of you, I admire and respect.

The paper thing has become a big issue at many schools, it seems. I hate when I bring in art supplies for the children and cringe when they simply draw on line one the page and throw it away.

I get that it isn't even the paper. It is the point. You aren't using your paper on the students. It is on all the paperwork. I'd be tempted to scan all my paperwork, burn it to a disk, and let the administration print it out if they see fit...

I guess I don't have any advice. Just sympathies. And that I hear you. Good luck. May you find the power, the strength, and the peace. That sounds dramatic, but I do hope you can find the acceptance. Or, even better, I hope things change for the positive.

[David]

I agreee mscoffeelover. Theres's nothing I like more than being left alone in my own classroom to get on with the main purpose of being a teacher......teaching. My attitude has been no matter how many meetings or how much paperwork I will concentrate on my class because everything usually works out well in the end. The teacher next to me tends to worry too much and this effects his attitude to teaching and how he feels as a person. It's good for you if you can just let these worries take care of themselves and concentrate on your well being and that of your class.

[seastarmath]

You have given words to my thoughts!

I would like to just teach! It almost seems like the powers that be are afraid to let teachers have time to plan lessons, check papers, and THINK! I would love to reflect on my lessons and think more about individual students, but there IS no time. I already take work home at night and work weekends to plan and get things organized for the coming week. My doctor told me I need to work out and learn to put myself on my agenda. He says to get on that treadmill as soon as I get home. (I don't GET home until it is time to make supper for my family.) The first thing I omit from my list is "me time" which I know contributes to my stress, but there is a limit to time.
If we didn't spend money sending all these people to conferences where they get hyped up and thus generate more paperwork and "projects" for the rest of us, maybe we would have enough money for copies and other supplies we need and time to devote to our lessons and students.

[Bananas]

With NCLB and educational accountability, I believe we are seeing a lot of this on the rise. It is hard on all involved, I believe. Our admin feels the push and must comply with requirements, just like we do. It gets pushed down to our level, even though we do not know why at times.

I am used to filling out a lot of paperwork with special ed. I know our coop has to follow requirements to deal with the state. I fill out the form to let the coop know the anticipated placement for the next year. This year I have to have it in and we haven't even reached the halfway mark with school days. My assessment of the students' placement needs for the NEXT school year. How helpful will this be so far in advance? We also need to provide more details this year. The specific resource classes the student will need. The teacher the student will have. I need to figure out the percentages and minutes of the student being outside of the general education. Next year they will probably want me to supply the names of students who will transfer into our district from another school system, figure out their classes, teachers, minutes, etc.

I also marvel at how we have to work around the systems that are supposed to do the work for us. We use a software application electronically to do attendance, report cards, progress reports, etc. Our quarter ended the Friday before our Christmas break. We were told of a change to have the report grades figured and entered electronically that Thursday, even though the quarter wasn't quite ended. I know the people involved, so there are good reasons for this happening. I still had a pile of papers to grade after grades were due that didn't make it on the report card.

Our super pretty much has us scheduled to the max with meetings on Teachers' Institute and School Improvement Days. Never downtime or work time. I know the pressure is on and there are requirements behind those days from the State Board of Education.