burn out

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2002 : February : 7

burn out
By ck

First year teacher (but I'm 49 years old!), teaching 20 children in Early Childhood Education program: 3-, 4- & 5- year olds, with "special needs' ranging from speach therapy to aspergers, autism, etc.
I feel that I am
drowning in paperwork. I have 20 Brigance testings to do, 20 IEP's to update, 9 Kindergarten Task Inventories to administer and 5 Metropolitan's to give....all before the end of the month. And I'm supposed to "teach", too! Oh, yeah, I have to start to schedule end of the year meetings with parents to plan for the children's placement next year.
My other complaint is lack of good aides.

I am blessed with a wonderful classroom aide and one of my 1:1's is with the same kid she strted with last year. My other 1:1 aide is inexperienced, except to be a lunchroom mom & raising her own kids. The women who are being hired (as 1:1 aides) have no education background, and are provided with no pre-training before starting the job. A few "workshops" are offered, but after hours, etc. when they are "off the clock". We teachers have argued to have them be able to put the time on their time cards. The pay scale offered these people will NOT attract the spec ed educated people that we sure could use in our classrooms.
So my beefs: too much paperwork (I could use a secretary so I can TEACH!) and poorly trained (& paid) aides.