Hey all! Students started on Wednesday and I had most of my posts lined up ready to go...and then forgot to post them. Oops! So, there is a whole slew today (including this one, oi). I have read the comments you have all left and will be coming around this afternoon to catch up on everything I missed in the last two weeks.
I have not talked about my job too often, but have shared that for the last seven years I have had a very difficult teaching position. I was a Special Education teacher in the Behavior Skills Program, meaning I taught in a self-contained classroom of mixed grade-levels for students verified with various disorders. These include Emotional Disturbance, Oppositional-Defiant Disorder, Attention Deficit-Hyperactive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder, Mood Disorder, just to name a few. Students may also have been verified with an Specific Learning Disability and/or a Speech-Language Impairment as well.
Needless to say, it was a stressful job. I loved it for much of the beginning of my career, but the last three years were especially hard and I knew I was not doing the job as well as I used to. That stress spilled over into every other area of my life and it was time for a change.
This year I have transferred to Resource, which means I am primarily working with kiddos verified with one or multiple SLDs. The first three days with the kids have been a-may-zing. I am really excited for this fresh start, and a chance to recharge my batteries, so to speak. I go into their classrooms and work on various reading and math interventions with them, and I am happy to say that I think this year is going to be fantastic.
Happy Reading!
Sarah
I understand all of what you say here. Burnout is REAL! So very well done on finding a good solution.
ReplyDeleteIt is very real. When you have no admin support for two of those years and one who is actively out to get you, and a new admin comes in and does a great job starting to change things for good but can't do it all in one year...sometimes the best thing to do is start over somewhere else. My first two years at my previous school were hell. I loved the kids, but we had no support. It is an easy to to burn out on. This new position is already rekindling my love of teaching and I am so excited about that.
DeleteBest of luck to you. It sounds like difficult if rewarding work.
ReplyDeleteResource will be challenging in a different kind of way from what I did previously. The last seven years have been all about teaching the kids to manage those behaviors and to learn self-control. Now, there are few with any behaviors, and even those behaviors will be NOTHING like what my previous students had. These kiddos mainly have specific learning disabilities in reading, writing, and/or math, so I will be going through various reading and math interventions with them. I am so excited about this new start!
DeleteIt sounds like you made the right move for yourself and for the students. Stress is horrible and it eats away at you so I'm glad you made this move and that you are happier!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Chuckles. I already feel more at-peace and like I used to, before my program was moved to a school that had a very toxic environment. That toxicity made everything harder. But I am so much more refreshed now already and excited for the new year.
DeleteI'm glad you had a wonderful day. Change can be a needed refresher.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
Yes, it is must-needed! Thanks for coming by!
DeleteIt sounds like the change was just what you needed. I spent my early working days with adult with developmental disabilities and dealt with a wide range of challenges so I understand the burn out that can happen. I hope you have a great year!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Carole. I am excited to see what new journey is ahead. I definitely needed this to recharge my batteries.
Deletei've had a couple of scheduling mishaps in the past week. hopefully i've got them together now. lol
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
Ugh, yes! It has been a far less stressful start to the year than it has been the last couple years, but I am still trying to get back into a set routine again and reminding myself that I do not have all day to post whenever I want, I have to post them on the correct day. For some odd reason, I can not schedule posts through Blogger. I tested it out, but it would not post at the time I selected. Yet when I manually posted the post to see what date/time it would show, it showed what I scheduled it for. So weird. Technology is dumb sometimes.
DeleteCongrats on making the change! I hope the new year is starting out well. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!! It was much-needed and a long time coming. I am feeling so recharged and excited about teaching again. It is a fabulous feeling.
DeleteWorking with pupils with special educational needs is rewarding but hard work. I think that the behaviour management strategies that we learn and add to our "tool box" can be used in life. I'm glad that you've got your mojo back, Sarah, the new kids that will be working with you will blossom. x
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Flora, I am so very hopeful for this year and have not been for a really long time. It is such a great feeling, and I love the kiddos I work with.
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