Going Back to the Classroom Teachers

Hey all, I wanted to create a support group for teachers. I am having to really consider if I am going to be able to go back to a full time job. I thought creating a place for teachers to offer advice and encouragement would be a good idea.

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good for you icy for creating this...I'll pm a buddy  i know to join in.

Ya'll !!!! This makes me happy !! I feel embarrassed as a teacher that I have let myself get to this point with this medication !! I am so happy to see others like me. Well I'm not happy ya'll are having these issues, but you know what I mean !!!! I hope !!!

Yay, I am glad people are finding this helpful! I teach 8th grade Social Studies and Reading (I am teamed with a difficult coworker) and am starting a part time English Comp class online for a local college. I noticed that I am starting to get anxiety in my stomach any time I remind myself of what going back to work entails. I am going to be honest with everyone; I am going to take it one day at a time. Yes, I will go to in-service and the first day of school, but if it gets so bad that I just can't, well, then I will have to reassess. I am fearful of teaching with Covid. I heard that it is not a good thing to get sick with withdrawals. Also, a lot of my symptoms match Covid, so I am afraid I will give myself a panic attack thinking I have it when the benzo flu hits.

 

 

HIIIIIII-----Here is what I'm thinking.  Do you have any paid time leave, use it at the beginning.  I'm pretty high up in a school district and a little birdie told me that many districts are going to soon go online.

ALSO, many states have laws in place that make vulnurable able to work from home.  I went to my dr and my dr wrote a letter to my district stating that I am vulnurable and unable to work in person. 

 

My district just made the call to work remotely.  I was so happy.  I CAN TOTALLY plan lesson plans, work with teachers, etc...from the comfort of my home. 

It's not good for students to be online all day too (research has stated)...which gives us time to relax in between being awesome teachers 

HIIIIIII-----Here is what I'm thinking.  Do you have any paid time leave, use it at the beginning.  I'm pretty high up in a school district and a little birdie told me that many districts are going to soon go online.

ALSO, many states have laws in place that make vulnurable able to work from home.  I went to my dr and my dr wrote a letter to my district stating that I am vulnurable and unable to work in person. 

 

My district just made the call to work remotely.  I was so happy.  I CAN TOTALLY plan lesson plans, work with teachers, etc...from the comfort of my home. 

It's not good for students to be online all day too (research has stated)...which gives us time to relax in between being awesome teachers 

 

That is a really good idea, Tallgolfer! I need to check with the leave; we have it, but we get chewed out for using it. When I was unknowingly having interdose withdrawals, I looked into some stuff and it was just financially better to keep going to school. I paid a lot in my disability just to find out it wasn't all that great. Thanks, again

 

Hi, I can’t believe you get chewed out for using leave. You need to know your rights and meet with your union leader. If they chew you out, who cares. You have rights!  And don’t be afraid to use those rights. They can chew you out but that’s about it. If they cross the line, then they can be the ones in big trouble. At the moment, we are not able bodied...YET. We will be. Until then, utilize your rights within the workforce. I also want to tell you that I suffer from guilt. We all wish we could perform at full capacity. But now is the time to be selfish

I'll jump in this group. I'm a teacher, librarian now actually. Been off benzos for 28 months now cold turkey and still feeling pretty lousy. From months 1 to 14, I was teaching high school English and ever since then I've been a librarian in a different district. I keep fixating on my job but it's more about not feeling like I fit in with my building principal and colleagues. I don't want to go back to work at all again and that's pretty much how I feel every summer for the past 10 years teaching, but it's been worse in withdrawal.

Welcome, Boomboxboy21!

I hope everyone’s school year is going okay !! I was given the opportunity to teach ALL VIRTUAL and that has helped me sooo much !! I still have to go to school, but I’m in my classroom on the Computer !! Having NO discipline problems has helped me be able to keep tapering at the rate I have !! Bc if o had kids in class my level of irritability would not have allowed me to do so !! I am lucky for this !!! My symptoms are stomach pains and weird muscle spasm thingys !! I feel weird but what do ya do ?!

Smart Again, that is so great!!!! I have been able to keep and hold my job..so far. But, there are a lot of stressors and I have a lot of disciplinary issues in my classroom. On top of that, lately the kids are either a year behind or so focused on the election that they are not responding well in the classroom. Send good vibes this way, please !

Will definitely send good vibes your way !! The election has caused a lot of tension just online for me !! I teach a high school special Ed class with behavior disorders so I can not imagine how it would be if we were in person. And I understand about the behind in grade levels !! Mine are all years behind !! But definitely sending good vibes your way especially coming back with all the news from the weekend  !!! You can do this !!!!

P.S.

After teaching school virtually I realize that about 97 percent of my job for the past 10 years has been discipline !! I’m actually teaching for the first time in years. It’s weird !! But it’s a good weird !!! I honestly couldn’t have made it this far if I had these kids in person so hats off to you !!!

Yes, I loved teaching virtually and it sparked my love of teaching and learning again! This year has made it painfully obvious that I am not really teaching, but managing classroom behavior and attitudes. We're going to get through this!

Our district is on lock down due to covid and I am working from home.  I'm so thankful for this as I am tapering.  I am able to teach, go to meetings and have small break.