Tips for dealing with the stress?

Hi all,

I'm a new DOE teacher.

Between my long term leave replacement and summer school, I taught on the island for about 2 years.

I am finding the city really different and very, very hard.

I don't want to say too much about the specifics for the two obvious reasons. It's a public board and anyone can find this. Also, I have wanted this for a long time and I don't want anyone to perceive what I am saying as complaining.

I do like what I do and love the students.

I am just struggling to deal with the 5 million directions we are pulled in. We are constantly being asked to do things that are only tangentially related to teaching, like give up our preps to discuss a book we have to read. I was also asked to do a Saturday conference. I said yes because I felt like it was one of those things where I HAD to, as the newbie, but I know when that Saturday comes and I am away from my son again I will be angry (at myself) and resentful.

It's difficult to get anything done during the day, then I have the long commute and domestic demands at home.

I am tired ALL the time.

Any advice? Commiserating?

I could have written a novel but I am so afraid something will come back to bite me.

TIA.

Re: Tips for dealing with the stress?

I totally understand how you feel. This is my second year in the DOE and my second school (I was excessed last year). I am in one of the notoriously worst schools in my area (I won't say where either for the same reasons you stated). I am constantly losing my preps for meetings- these meeting are not manditory and a lot of the tenure teachers don't go because they don't want to give up their preps but since I am new to the school and don't have tenure I always go. I can never get any of my lessons done at school because of this.

There are also a ton of BS that we have to do- we need to have our lesson plan basically written out on big chart paper for students to see a daily agenda. Which they have to copy the learning objective into a notebook. We have to do a dictation- as in we read to them something very very slowly and they have to write it down word for word (I teach middle school math and science and have to do it for these subjects too). We need to have a word wall and go over the words every day. They have to take a math multiplication quiz every day too. We have a skill of the week that has to be incorporated into our lesson some how. With all of this, we have 40 minute periods I only get 20 minutes of real teaching time.

With that being said, I try to find all the positives. Even though my students can be total PITAs I do really love them. The staff at my school is awesome. They are supportive and really sweet. My commute stinks but on mondays and fridays we get out at 2:20 and I am home before 3:30. The health insurance is awesome. And I am greatful I even have a teaching job.

I just had a baby and am on Maternity leave... I am dreading what it will be like when I go back. When I get home from work all I am going to want to do is spend time with my DS not doing lesson plans. Hopefully I can do more at work.

But you are not alone in how you feel!!

Re: Tips for dealing with the stress?

Re: Tips for dealing with the stress?

Well, I've been geting ready for our quality review. And I have done all I could, but I feel like my school is not as good as it used to be or could be. And I'm tired. Actually, after 16 years I am getting ready to quit so this will be my last year. I'm tired of trying to help kids and parents who don't want help, tired of being blamed for all that is wrong with the schools, tired of not getting the support and materials I need to do my job well.

In the mean time, I deal with the stress with leaving work at work (not an easy feat, but my daughter is my first priority and it helps to no longer be a new teacher.) and trying to take it all with a grain of salt. The fact that I am almost done really helps- more than once I've said to myself, "I won't have to deal with ______ soon!"

Urban teaching is not for the faint of heart. If I stay any longer I fear I will become one of "those" teachers. I still genuinely like working with kids so my actual teaching is still very good, but I am not getting nearly as involved and stressed as I used to. I don't have it in me.

I don't know if this helps. But I'd advise everyone teaching in NYC to do your best but have a life too. Someone at my school is having serious health problems as a result of years of putting the job above all else. And IMO, the job is not worth your health or your relationships.