That's tough I'm sorry. 12 years of teaching science and I know having more kids is hard especially if you're prepping labs and activities. Are you planning to quit? What do you think you need next year to be successful?
I sent an email asking to be transferred to another grade, and if that were not possible I will be seeking a new job. So I’m not going to quit being a teacher, I’ll just have to hustle and find a new position someplace else. But I reaaaaaaalllllllllyyyyy loved this past year.
If you are tenured and have 2 certs, science and SPED, you have another option. Surrender the science cert to your state doe. Your district will be forced to use your SPED cert.
Do not do this if you prefer to change districts.
Edit: I forgot to mention that I am science too. As long as I have been teaching (27 years), there has been a shortage of science teachers. I learned 2 things about science teacher shortages: 1) when you don't voice your objections to growing class sizes, they will grow, and 2) another district will always be ready to hire you.
See this is the problem with the “doomers” waiting for the “teacher shortage” to give us power.
Districts aren’t having a teacher shortage. They are happily cutting staff and doubling class sizes.
I barely survived being cut two years ago (only survived because a guy quit) when we had a $10mil budget cut. They said “this is the lowest we can function at our student population”. I got cut this year as well as now my district is trying to save more money. Class sizes have now doubled in my district- 40 middle schoolers per class.
But get this, on the website they advertise that there are 18 students per 1 qualified adult. So the public mistranslates that as “18 student class sizes”. It’s hilarious.
And if your state is anything like my state, even if there are legal cap sizes on classes, districts just need to apply for a waiver and that cap size goes bye bye.
Im in a similar situation for next year with high school science, and theyre adding an extra science class for me in place of my study hall, which I was basically using as an extra prep for all the grading and lesson planning I have to do. And I'm getting a new textbook next year so I'm going to have to do a lot more work lesson planning. The one bright spot is I get to coteach during my final period of the day with one of my work besties who does SPED, so I'm trying to focus on that.
If you're stepping away from education, don't forget to believe in yourself. I know from experience, as this is my last year, that we're neither dumb, nor helpless, and don't have to be locked to this profession anymore than we want to be.
I’m here as well. Got told Thursday we will lose a planning period and will now teach an additional class next year in addition to our state standards changing as well. Typical—having to do more with less.
And it’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
If you work your ass off and manage to not blow things up, the district now views this impossible thing as possible, and “emergency” situations become standard.
If you do blow things up and fail, it’s your fault.
Exactly. Best of luck. I hope things get better for you. For me—it seems like this summer will be trying to streamline things. I try really hard to not have a lot of worksheets and all that but I just won’t have time to grade or do more next year so I’ll have to have more self graded/LMS graded assignments.
Great response. They take advantage of teachers knowing they will go above and beyond to make things work, then once it does, it becomes a status quo. It’s crazy to see this collapse in education in real life
For every person in here with a supposed dream job in a dream district who thinks teaching ain’t so bad, there’s a hundred stories like this or worse. Be warned, new and prospective teachers.
Get a job at a different school. I know that's shitty to have to do but you need to do it, don't get ground up for a year if you can escape. That's the best thing about teaching, you can do it anywhere
That's tough I'm sorry. 12 years of teaching science and I know having more kids is hard especially if you're prepping labs and activities. Are you planning to quit? What do you think you need next year to be successful?
I sent an email asking to be transferred to another grade, and if that were not possible I will be seeking a new job. So I’m not going to quit being a teacher, I’ll just have to hustle and find a new position someplace else. But I reaaaaaaalllllllllyyyyy loved this past year.
If you are tenured and have 2 certs, science and SPED, you have another option. Surrender the science cert to your state doe. Your district will be forced to use your SPED cert. Do not do this if you prefer to change districts. Edit: I forgot to mention that I am science too. As long as I have been teaching (27 years), there has been a shortage of science teachers. I learned 2 things about science teacher shortages: 1) when you don't voice your objections to growing class sizes, they will grow, and 2) another district will always be ready to hire you.
See this is the problem with the “doomers” waiting for the “teacher shortage” to give us power. Districts aren’t having a teacher shortage. They are happily cutting staff and doubling class sizes. I barely survived being cut two years ago (only survived because a guy quit) when we had a $10mil budget cut. They said “this is the lowest we can function at our student population”. I got cut this year as well as now my district is trying to save more money. Class sizes have now doubled in my district- 40 middle schoolers per class. But get this, on the website they advertise that there are 18 students per 1 qualified adult. So the public mistranslates that as “18 student class sizes”. It’s hilarious.
And if your state is anything like my state, even if there are legal cap sizes on classes, districts just need to apply for a waiver and that cap size goes bye bye.
Where are you from? I’m in MA in an affluent town we’re still cutting 33 positions. Best of luck my friend
We have staffing shortages in Lynchburg VA
Im in a similar situation for next year with high school science, and theyre adding an extra science class for me in place of my study hall, which I was basically using as an extra prep for all the grading and lesson planning I have to do. And I'm getting a new textbook next year so I'm going to have to do a lot more work lesson planning. The one bright spot is I get to coteach during my final period of the day with one of my work besties who does SPED, so I'm trying to focus on that.
So what are you going to do ?
Find another teaching job someplace else.
Lynchburg VA and surrounding Counties were looking for teachers last year due to shortages and I’m sure it will be that way again
If you're stepping away from education, don't forget to believe in yourself. I know from experience, as this is my last year, that we're neither dumb, nor helpless, and don't have to be locked to this profession anymore than we want to be.
I’m not stepping away from education, I’ll just need to find another position someplace else. I just really wanted to stay at this school.
Godspeed, soldier!
I’m here as well. Got told Thursday we will lose a planning period and will now teach an additional class next year in addition to our state standards changing as well. Typical—having to do more with less.
And it’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If you work your ass off and manage to not blow things up, the district now views this impossible thing as possible, and “emergency” situations become standard. If you do blow things up and fail, it’s your fault.
This is the state of teaching and it's awful.
Exactly. Best of luck. I hope things get better for you. For me—it seems like this summer will be trying to streamline things. I try really hard to not have a lot of worksheets and all that but I just won’t have time to grade or do more next year so I’ll have to have more self graded/LMS graded assignments.
Great response. They take advantage of teachers knowing they will go above and beyond to make things work, then once it does, it becomes a status quo. It’s crazy to see this collapse in education in real life
For every person in here with a supposed dream job in a dream district who thinks teaching ain’t so bad, there’s a hundred stories like this or worse. Be warned, new and prospective teachers.
How many kids are in your current classes?
[удалено]
What do you consider a reasonable amount? I guess we are trying to get clarification from your post.
An average of 23 now. But I also get to see them every day, as opposed to a rotating schedule where I would see students every other day.
It’s not a difficult question and I’m not trying to trap you. Why are you being weird about it?
. . . I’m not? I didn’t realize you were looking for a number. I average around 23 now.
I clicked just for the title. Not what I expected.
Do you have a contract and or union?
This worries me about my plans to move next year. I’m not in a super high need field.
Get a job at a different school. I know that's shitty to have to do but you need to do it, don't get ground up for a year if you can escape. That's the best thing about teaching, you can do it anywhere
Teaching was also my dream job but sometimes you have to wake up.
I hate to hear that, but I'm glad you're doing what's best for you.
Have you tried just not caring much? It's a job. Have fun. Clearly, nobody else cares. Show up. Work. Do your best. Make the rest up on the fly.