Rough Year

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Home : 2008 : May : 27

Rough Year
By Sam5

I have been teaching for 25 years and I have found that basically a teacher usually has three different types of classes to teach:
1. The joy to teach class- This is the class that is just involved in everything. They
are eager to learn and get along well with each other and with you. Everything just seems to click. When I get a class like this I treasure every moment because I know a joy to teach class only happens about every five years or so. I think I have had about 4 or 5 joy to teach classes.
2. The okay class- This is what most classes are. Some days are just rewarding and wonderful and some

are not. There are some great kids and there are some rough kids, but it is enough of a balance that you can handle it. There are wonderful memorable moments to treasure and also some moments you would like to forget. I find most years I have okay classes.
3. Then there are the just get through classes. These are the classes where there are way more behavior problems than there are corners of the room. You can't separate them because there are just too many of them. Everything you do has to be super organized and structured or else they fall apart. You have trouble with bickering, fighting, stealing, tattling, etc.. You dread doing any kind of activity because you know you will be exhausted when you get done, but you do them any way because you know the kids will benefit. You feel bad for all the hard working students in your room. When you get a class like this you just put one foot in foot of the other, do the best you can, and celebrate every day you get through without any major problems. A class like this only rolls around every 5-10 years.

I had a "get through" class this year. I have exactly one day left with them. I had some wonderful children that I will truly miss, and I had some very challenging children that I will worry about and pray for. I know I did my best. I think you should give yourself a pat on the back first of all for surviving and doing your best.

Secondly, dealing with adminstrators can be tough. I have had 12 different ones. I was used to adminstrators coming and going. I took them in stride. When I was in my 20th year, I dealt with an adminstrator who treated me like garbage. It was horrible. Since he treated me like garbage, I did what you do with garbage- I disposed of myself and transferred to another building. It was not easy to do after 20 years but it was a good decision. Can you maybe transfer? Also, maybe wait a few weeks until you have had a chance to rest and relax and then look at the year and the adminstrator situation again. Maybe you can come up with some solutions or possible coping strategies then.

By the way the adminstrator I had trouble with was asked to leave this year(it only took 5 years). The rumor is that the superintendent was very unhappy with him. People tend to get what they deserve- it just takes time.

Take care of yourself and I wish you the best!!