This school...

[c green]

I just left the ladies' room. A coworker passed me on the way into it in tears, closed the door, and announced she wasn't coming out. This is a very stable, nice woman, who is being driven to the brink by our BLANKING administration.

Uh...at least it's not just me?

 

[Miss C]

I am so sorry!

My friend teaches in a similar school, but even her situation isn't as bad as it sounds like yours is. I am so sorry things are so tough there! This is a dumb question probably, but has the administration been approached about this widespread discouragement and frustration? Could several of you confront your administrator together? Just a thought. I pray that things will go better for you!

 

[c green]

Honestly

I have never seen anything exactly like this.

The staff has been meeting regularly to discuss how to handle the situation, but the administration is refusing to deal with us. A request that we have a staff meeting to discuss staff concerns about school safety and discipline problems was dismissed out of hand, because the principal feels that if staff were doing their jobs in the classroom, there would be no problem.

It's really, really unpleasant.

 

[Teach 5]

How

have you managed this all year without losing your mind? Are you returning to the same school next year? You always sound like you handle it all so well, but it would get to me after awhile.
Keep smiling!

 

[c green]

I'm not handling it

At all well. Just screamed at class for the second time today. I mean YELLING.

And this is me on anxiety medication.

I feel incredibly sad. I thought I was going to be a nice, friendly teacher who opened new worlds. Instead I've turned out to be an ineffective harpy.

I don't know how much longer this can go on. I will DEFINATELY not be back next year, even if I have to go back to answering phones.

Maybe I should have gone to law school.

 

[magpie]

Sounds

like you might work in my building. Why is it that admin always feels that it is the teacher's problem when the students don't act right? Yes sometimes some teachers have no control over their students - but more often it is the students. They have no discipline at home, how are we expected to do it at school. It is a shame that you feel you have to leave the profession. There are too many teachers that feel this way. There is all this talk about how to keep good teachers - but that is it - just talk. We need help from admin. They all need to get a spine and stick up for the classroom teacher. Just think Spring break is almost here - then the school year is almost over. Good luck.

 

[MC.]

Poor Thing

I'm sorry about your horrible year. It's not your fault. I really hope you will try to switch schools. It will make a world of difference. I'm sure you are a great teacher and will flourish in the right environment. Hang in there and start putting your resume out.

 

[Bonnie gr. 2]

It isn't like that everywhere

Please don't give up. It isn't like that everywhere. My principal sees a child's behavior issues as their issues. He doesn't feel that it is a matter of us not being able to control the child.

Keep trying and keep looking until you find the right place for you. Good luck.

 

[SC]

I have read your posts, and I can't believe the crap you have to deal with. I don't understand why the administration doesn't think it's their problem too!? You can't manage a classroom if you're not backed up by the principal, and he doesn't seem like he's on your side. I'm glad you plan to leave that school because there are schools where it's much better, and you can actually teach. My principal always supports us to the kids and parents (unless we're way wrong, I guess), and I think that's very important. I don't like everything about my job, but having a supportive principal is at the top of my list of things to look for, so I could never leave.

 

[GJH]

Me, too!

My goodness. We must be long lost twins. I yelled at my kids lat week for constant bullying, talking during Writing Workshop, greed, etc. I felt like I was going to lose my mind. This is my first year teaching, and I thought I would be the perfect teacher. Now I do not like myself some days. I want to like myself, but these kids make it darn hard. The admn. is deluded, parents are not only inactive, but downright invisible, and the students feel that they can walk all over teachers because their "people" were treated badly by white people. My kids are Native Americans. I am sorry, but one has to rise above victim-hood.

Anyway, I, too, thought I should have gone to law school instead. The same hours, more money, and same stress. Maybe I could really feel as if I am doing a public service.