Finally starting to come out of the fog induced by WFH, the pandemic, family stressors, and just not feeling great.

Anonymous

October 2,2022 at 2:14PM UTC

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Finally starting to come out of the fog induced by WFH, the pandemic, family stressors, and just not feeling great. Over the last week, I've been able to work on some major projects that have been neglected while I was in the throes of a major grief and depression.

Some background: I lost a sister two weeks into the pandemic to an unrelated illness. We've never celebrated her life as a family. During the midst of the pandemic, I elected to take care of some family business, for which I was vilified to my youngest son, who has chosen to cut me out of his life. I basically stopped moving during the pandemic, and now that I'm moving again, I'm discovering that I've lost some lung function as well as some flexibility. I wheeze when walking any distance at all, and my right hip is refusing to bend as it should. In the meanwhile, as a special educator, I now have students who routinely fight to get out of my classroom door (one is 300#, and the other is a runner) and two staff who are 30+ years younger than I who are unable to chase them.

Y'all, I could use some encouragement! I'm feeling like I'm physically the least able member on my team, due to aging limitations (I'm 67 and one of the most innovative individuals on my team) and fear of falling and breaking something that won't heal. I try to use my brain to invent other ways to restrict my students elopements without using bodily strength.

In addition to these stressing events, I'm also dealing with a staff member who thought that she could enter my classroom as a 1:1 aide, and take over the room. She is highly disrespectful of my position, and does everything EXCEPT her own job. Last week, the eloping runner got away from her twice and she didn't chase him - I did. I'm frustrated and so ready to just hang it up, but I'd really miss the kids I'm there to support.

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AnonymousOctober 2,2022 at 3:39PM UTC
I think now is the time to involve school administration and express your fear if the 2 children getting hurt when they run away. Let them know your issues with the new staff member who is unwilling to concentrate on her duties. Suggest you and admin hold a meeting together to address her performance in the classroom.
Since you have made the choice to remain employed as lead teacher. So you must lead and also be fully able to perform your duties. So while accommodations can be made up to a point, your health and physical ability need to be there for your kids assigned to your classroom. It's not enough that you would miss the kids if you left.
I would get a comprehensive physical to assess your health, request whatever reasonable accommodations are available and then have a clear job assessment for each of the staff. If you have runners then there must be clear assessment of responsibility fir them when they run.
It's time for you to take the lead on all fronts nit just for your wellbeing but for the safety and betterment of all the kids under your instruction and care.
AnonymousOctober 3,2022 at 2:19PM UTC
I agree with the other commenter — you are putting your own health at risk due to the unhelpfulness of other teachers. I'd ask them for assistance in these issues.
Deb HornerOctober 5,2022 at 12:54AM UTC
Thank you so much for your extremely well considered response. I am scheduled for a physical during the Christmas break - my schedule and the docs do not mesh often. I've invested in a fitbit, and am forcing myself to move at least my daily step goal - and I'm mostly managing to do it. The past couple weekends, I've been canning, which is a lot of work, but doesn't require walking. That feels very frustrating. I'm investing time in preparing foods that are open a jar and dump in a pot to reheat - because I'm so brain dead when I get home that I rarely have the energy or desire to cook for myself when I get home. I've dropped nearly 10# in the 5 weeks we've been back in school, mostly due to increased movement. As it was a needed change, I'm pretty happy about that. I did mention to the new staff member that I was unhappy when I returned from being out three days with a bad upper respiratory infection to find that she was trying to take over my room - whether or not that was her intention, it was my perception. Since she's a millennial, she can't handle a direct conversation. We are going to make this team work like a well oiled machine. The administrator keeps telling me that he takes my staff to support elsewhere because I handle my kids so well - and he's right. It just feels like I'm being punished for doing my job well. Thanks for the encouragement!