Teaching? I wanna QUIT!

deafbajagal

deafbajagal

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My passion for teaching is...well, dying. Here I am, supposed to be teaching deaf and hard of hearing children. I have to teach in a total communication environment (I'll withhold my opinion on using that communication mode for now) - I have kids who use ASL, kids who uses Signed English, kids who have no or limited language base (most of them have parents who speak Spanish as their native languages), and kids who uses gestures and pointing (one kid uses a communication board). There are times I gotta talk to them...at the same time but in oh, so many ways.

If that doesn't make my job hard...

I also have to individualized their learning by following their IEP objectives...so I'm literally having to teach 12 kids at the same time, but with different objectives in mind. But at the same time I'm supposed to do these lesson plans that correlates with the regular education state standards (IEP objectives correlates with them as well)...

If that doesn't make my job hard...
I'm up to my neck in paperwork for due process, report cards/progress reports, weekly newsletters, observation reports, assessment data, and paperwork for those stupid committees we have to do at school...and the worst...stupid, stupid bullentin boards that have to be changed every month.

If that doesn't make my job hard...
On top of all of this...I have parents who are calls over every little detail (I never do anything "right") and other parents who don't give a crap about their child's education. Some of the parents really and truly believe that I'm soley responsible for educating their child...which is untrue. I'm a small part of their child's education...THEY are the key to their child's success, not me.

I actually dropped out of med' school to be a teacher. WHY???!!
 
Unfortunately, burn out is common in your field. IMO, for just the reasons you have stated. Children who are confused regarding linguistic systems, and are not receiving proper support outside school, and are so language delayed that teaching is reduced to remedial efforts.
 
Hoo boy!
It sounds horrible and confusing. How many kids are somewhat high functioning?
At least you have some involved parents, which is good.
I know it can get frustrating dealing with the noninvolved and the poor parents.
What state are you in? Are you in touch with the school for the Deaf? They may be able to help you with resources etc. You might even suggest residental placement for some of the kids whose parents are not exactly involved. (and I really think that residental placement can be really good for many kids like that)
You might want to see if there are any Dhh bilingal transistion classes available for your Hispanic kids. I know off the top of my head that Lexington in NYC offers bilingal transistion classes. They may be able to help you with some resources/advice etc. Dhh kids whose parents don't speak English as a first language or who are immigrants (except of course from English speaking countries) shouldn't even be in a regular dhh class.
That might be able to help ease your workload a bit.
 
Hi there..I am sorry you are feeling this way. That's why I consider myself lucky that I teach in a BiBi program where we just use ASL and English only. That was one of my reasons I chose to work in that environment as opposted to a TC program. I worked as an aide or did practicums in different TC programs. I will withhold my opinion about them but I felt that I wouldnt be happy in those programs.

My job in the BiBi program is hard enough but I can see that your job is much harder than mine.

However, there have been some years where I feel burnt out, like last year when I had six first graders who were so language delayed and on completely different levels. I had no aide so I was constantly burnt out from trying to meet all of their diverse learning needs. I couldnt set up centers which I wanted so I could work with 2 students while the other 4 work independently but due to their language delays, they were very socially immature and too dependent on me. It was very frustrating and I had thoughts of quitting. However, due to the friendly environment at my work and my bonds with my coworkers, I couldnt quit cuz I knew I wouldnt find that at other schools especially in the public schools.

My biggest frustration this year is my job as a co-chair of a committee. I was chosen to do that...that is something I hate doing cuz I am not interested in that kind of thing. I would rather be just teaching and not doing the other crap. The committee takes my time away from lesson planning so I have to bring work home. I cant wait until my 2 years are up by being on this committee.

My parents this year are pretty cool.

If u want to vent or whatever, PM me.

:hug:
 
This is a perfect example of why parents need to appreciate us, teachers. Without us, who will teach thier children? Their choice...be hard and critical of the teachers causing them to be burnt out or be supportive so everyone can work together to ensure the students will be successful. Your choice, parents.
 
because you're lose your creative to teaching. losing the hope for children have no future.
 
deafbajagal said:
My passion for teaching is...well, dying. /QUOTE]

I understand, Deafbajagal. Unsupportive parents and piles of unproductive paperwork (along with unreasonable discipline expectations) are what drove me from teaching at the high school level into college teaching.

Once upon a time, teachers held a position of power and respect in a community. We all know that created some abuses of power, but now the pendulum has swung the other way, and teachers are fair game for any dimwit unhappy about any element of education.

In college, when parents came to see me, I informed them it was against privacy regulations I work under to discuss anything to do with their adult child's grades or classroom activity. Period. When they insisted, I offered to call campus security.

I realize lesson plans help organize new teachers. If an experienced teacher is not conducting professional classes, then I believe a principal has the right to expect lesson plans until the teacher gets back on track -- but to expect them from all teachers all the time is a huge waste of time. I taught 5 classes of at least 25 students every day. To me, that's 125 individual students with individual needs and would require 125 separate lessons plans. Experienced professionals don't need lesson plans to teach subjects they have degrees to teach.

In college, I wrote a syllabus per class for the semester. As I became a better instructor, it became more detailed, but that's all that should be necessary--a guide, not a daily hour-by-hour time frame required by the principal at out high school who never taught a class in her life.

Ha ha ha ha, thanks for letting me vent.
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, teachers are important. I think people don't really think about it until they are teachers or have a family member that's a teacher.

My dad work at a BED school where he have to work with very dangerous students that public school won't take in. He have to take them down sometimes and I would see him coming home in pain sometimes. He feels like no one appreciate what staffs have to do at that school.

I just get angry at thought that my own parent is getting hurt so that society can be spoiled and happy. And they are even making thing hard for my parent and his coworkers with stupid policies and rules and lousy bosses. Most of students doesn't come with good parents or live in foster/group home.

I worry about him sometimes because I only have one parent. *knock on wood*

I am talking about students that you read in newspaper that assault people. He would sometimes read newspaper that mention something about his students and former students.
 
shel90 said:
This is a perfect example of why parents need to appreciate us, teachers. Without us, who will teach thier children? Their choice...be hard and critical of the teachers causing them to be burnt out or be supportive so everyone can work together to ensure the students will be successful. Your choice, parents.
Click to expand...
I agree. Nowadays, parents can't appreciate what others are really doing. All they're doing is playing the blame game.

The Columbine Shootings? Blame The Matrix. Blame Doom. Blame K-Mart. The parents didn't even notice how the kids were acting or notice the weapons that were piled up in their rooms!

Failure in school? Blame the teachers. Blame the school. Blame the principal. The parents aren't even around to help the kids with their homework or find extracurricular activities for their kids to improve themselves with.

It's all one stupid blame game.
 
Your situation sounds stressful. I would probably be stressful in the same situation.

From what you described, it sounds like there should be at least one other teacher in your field.

I have a question... are the students all from the same district or are they scattered around but sent to your school because your school is the only place that provides education for the deaf?
 
VamPyroX said:
I agree. Nowadays, parents can't appreciate what others are really doing. All they're doing is playing the blame game.

The Columbine Shootings? Blame The Matrix. Blame Doom. Blame K-Mart. The parents didn't even notice how the kids were acting or notice the weapons that were piled up in their rooms!

Failure in school? Blame the teachers. Blame the school. Blame the principal. The parents aren't even around to help the kids with their homework or find extracurricular activities for their kids to improve themselves with.

It's all one stupid blame game.
Click to expand...

I agree with you. I have been very fortunate that most the parents of the students I have had in my 5 years have been very supportive. Yes, I do get a few here and there that dont show any interest in their children's education. I havent gotten blamed for anything yet but whoever blames the Deaf schools for children's literacy problems is a direct blame to me since I work at a Deaf school. It is frustrating...

\.
 
VamPyroX said:
I agree. Nowadays, parents can't appreciate what others are really doing. All they're doing is playing the blame game.

The Columbine Shootings? Blame The Matrix. Blame Doom. Blame K-Mart. The parents didn't even notice how the kids were acting or notice the weapons that were piled up in their rooms!

Failure in school? Blame the teachers. Blame the school. Blame the principal. The parents aren't even around to help the kids with their homework or find extracurricular activities for their kids to improve themselves with.

It's all one stupid blame game.
Click to expand...

**nodding agreement**
 
Yes, request an aide. Say that your kids needs are so complex that one person can't really meet them all.
 
jillio said:
Unfortunately, burn out is common in your field. IMO, for just the reasons you have stated. Children who are confused regarding linguistic systems, and are not receiving proper support outside school, and are so language delayed that teaching is reduced to remedial efforts.
Click to expand...

Yes! "Reducing (my teaching style) to remedial efforts" is exactly what my admin. are expecting me to do...yuck.
 
shel90 said:
This is a perfect example of why parents need to appreciate us, teachers. Without us, who will teach thier children? Their choice...be hard and critical of the teachers causing them to be burnt out or be supportive so everyone can work together to ensure the students will be successful. Your choice, parents.
Click to expand...

Thanks - my thoughts exactly.
 
deafdyke said:
Yes, request an aide. Say that your kids needs are so complex that one person can't really meet them all.
Click to expand...

I have a WONDERFUL aide - couldn't live without her. But she's not qualified to teach...she can do some small groups with like craft activities and that kind of thing...but what I need is a smaller classroom with one consistent language AND communication mode...the TC environment is nuts. I feel like I'm compromising the languages (spoken English/signed English and ASL) because I can't completely do one or the other...it's jumping back and forth. I WISH, WISH, WISH I was in a Bi/Bi philosophy-based school...but I'm not...

A for the numbers, I have 10 (!!!!) preschoolers (!!!) most have additional disabilities. The reason I don't have another aide is because my principal (who has NO background in special education much less deaf education) said, "But...there's only 10 kids in there." She gave me a book on classroom management, which totally pissed me off. And was it for managing a classroom for preschool? No. For deaf children? No. For children in special education programs? No. (rolling eyes here)
 
VamPyroX said:
I agree. Nowadays, parents can't appreciate what others are really doing. All they're doing is playing the blame game.

The Columbine Shootings? Blame The Matrix. Blame Doom. Blame K-Mart. The parents didn't even notice how the kids were acting or notice the weapons that were piled up in their rooms!

Failure in school? Blame the teachers. Blame the school. Blame the principal. The parents aren't even around to help the kids with their homework or find extracurricular activities for their kids to improve themselves with.

It's all one stupid blame game.
Click to expand...

You're exactly right!
 
VamPyroX said:
Your situation sounds stressful. I would probably be stressful in the same situation.

From what you described, it sounds like there should be at least one other teacher in your field.

I have a question... are the students all from the same district or are they scattered around but sent to your school because your school is the only place that provides education for the deaf?
Click to expand...

Stressful, yes. Thank god for Lexapro and Zoloft :). And chocolate...lots of it. Yep, same school district - it's a large school district...and the zoning is according to the deaf/hh programs that are scattered...and the children go to which one is closest to their homes (L.R.E. factor).
 
Silentwolfdog said:
Yeah, teachers are important. I think people don't really think about it until they are teachers or have a family member that's a teacher.

My dad work at a BED school where he have to work with very dangerous students that public school won't take in. He have to take them down sometimes and I would see him coming home in pain sometimes. He feels like no one appreciate what staffs have to do at that school.

I just get angry at thought that my own parent is getting hurt so that society can be spoiled and happy. And they are even making thing hard for my parent and his coworkers with stupid policies and rules and lousy bosses. Most of students doesn't come with good parents or live in foster/group home.

I worry about him sometimes because I only have one parent. *knock on wood*

I am talking about students that you read in newspaper that assault people. He would sometimes read newspaper that mention something about his students and former students.
Click to expand...

Yep, I know what you mean. I taught in a behavior modification school for two years...we had lots of teachers who got hurt...broken back and ribs, black eyes, stabbed, etc. Dangerous job.

One of my kids came after me with a power drill that the custodian left in my room - plugged in (talk about STUPID! I will refrain from telling you the names I called him when he came back) - so the kid is telling me how he's gonna kill me (he actually axed his parents to death and blew up his cat with firecrackers, so when he said he was gonna kill me...) - I stayed calm (again, Zoloft, thank you!!!) and kept a straight face when I told him (had to use my voice because my interpreter ran off, scared to death) "Who's gonna be here on Friday for the Halloween Festival if I'm dead?" He had this expression on his face and then said, "Oh, shit. You're right!" and dropped it. Then he walked off. WHEWWWW!

Teaching as a job can suck. Yes I can do all the Hallmark comments about how wonderful it is and all that...but that's for another thread. This one is my venting thread ;).
 
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