This is harder than I thought!

I was out on maternity leave for the first 12 weeks of the school year and came back in the beginning of December.

I'm finding it VERY hard to connect with my students.

I'm getting conflicting reports from them as to what the leave replacement covered with them.

The leave decided that spelling didn't count (I'm a foreign language teacher and spelling ABSOLUTELY counts - one letter can change the entire meaning of a word) and now my kids are all btchng that "Mr. X never took off for spellingggggggggg" (in a whiny voice ) These are 7th and 8th graders, mind you.

I have NO clue who needs what modified, what testing accomodations need to be made (I'm still waiting on an e-mail back from the special ed chairperson), I have no history with ANY of these kids.


This is my 9th year teaching, so I am very exerienced - I honestly didn't think I'd be having such problems with this. I reflect on my day on the drive home and can honestly say that I'm not happy with myself as a teacher right now. I know that I'm a new mom and I'm just getting back into the swing of working, but I adapt quickly and most often have a fantastic rapport with all of my students (all 100 of them). I just don't see it happening this year and that makes me sad.

I don't even kow what I'm looking for by wriing this, I just had to get it out to other teachers who might understand what I'm going through.

Re: This is harder than I thought!

ugh I'm sorry V. I'd say try not to be so hard on yourself...but I know that won't stop you from doing it. I'm the same way!!

I wish I had advice but I don't work in your capacity...but I will say, try not to assume you'll 'never' connect with them. You already said it - it takes time. You have SO much more on your plate now...give yourself some slack!

Re: This is harder than I thought!

don't stress so hard, its always a rouh adjustment for students when the teachers change
so give you and them some time to get to know one another and warm up to each other, kids are also very set in their ways and actually like routine as i'm sure you know, so it will take a while but they will get used to your routines and expectations

just remember you are a good experienced teacher and the repoire with the students will come,

Re: This is harder than I thought!

I kind of know how you feel, except I was the leave replacement teacher taking over the class until the end of the year. It took a while for me and the kids to get used to each other and for me to get used to the routine the teacher had in place. I would constantly hear "That's not how Mrs. S would do it!" But after a couple of weeks or so things started to fall into place, and the kids came to understand that some things would stay the same but some things would change now that I was in charge of the classroom.

I know it's different since I was the leave taking over, and you're the actual teacher coming back to her own classroom. But even though you know that it's your classroom and the leave was just subbing for you, from the kids' point of view, it's almost like you are taking over for him as his sub. If they've had him as their teacher since the beginning of the year, then they have gotten into a routine with the way he runs the classroom, and it will take some time for them to adjust to you.

Just give it some time, and I'm sure that before you know it the kids will get used to you and you will begin to get to know them better. Good luck!

Re: This is harder than I thought!

Thanks guys!

When we come back from break, I'm starting a new chapter with every class. I think that I'll start feeling better because I'm starting a fresh chapter the way *I* want to do it, KWIM? I walked into the middle of a chapter that the leave was doing and it was totally not how I would have taught things.

Here's to 2010!

Re: This is harder than I thought!

that stinnks but im sure after a bit of time youll be back into the groove and the kids will get over it that you now have different standards!

Re: This is harder than I thought!

That is definitely hard! I don't know what you are going through from experience but I have seen people return from leaves and struggle. I think you are right that after break it will be better!

Re: This is harder than I thought!

I came back with my first around the same time as you. It was weird at first, but then the kids started to connect with me. They'll come around.

Re: This is harder than I thought!

I just returned to the classroom on the 16th after being out 12 weeks on FMLA, so I know what you're going through. I went in the with mindset that this was the beginning of the year for me. This past week was strictly about routines and procedures with every lesson geared around figuring out where they were and what they've done since I've been gone. I assumed (and correctly, I might add) that the sub. didn't follow my unit plans. In fact the students told me that the sub handed out Lord of the Flies and told them to read it at home (yeah, ok...) then did poetry lessons with them instead.
I feel like it will take a little while for them to get adjusted with my teaching, but with everything else consistency and routine are the key to success. Just be persistent, they'll come around

Re: This is harder than I thought!

I came back in September this year and I have to say I am still somewhat detached. I think becoming a mother significantly changed the way I look at my job. I just lost the drive to want to be here, All I wanna do is be with my baby. I'm hoping this feeling will change...But what ur going through is totally normal, I bet so many others feel the same way.