Saturday, January 8, 2011

I'm Soooo Tired!

I'm exhausted.  I started a new job on Thursday at a local elementary school.  I'm a Title 1 Assistant, which means that I'm actually a Title 1 Teacher, but the district is too cheap unable/unwilling to pay teacher salary for this job, so they are calling it an assistant position in order to get away with paying the instuctional assistant, 29.5 hour a weeek, hourly wage instead.  Yeah....I sort of found that out the hard way.  I don't mind the job when I'm there-in fact, I think it will be kind of nice once someone has time to train me I figure out all by myself what's expected of me.  I'm working with groups of kids K-4, basically moving from place to place every 15-30 minutes, back and forth throughout the building.  Maybe I'll lose weight!  All of that is good, I certainly don't have time to get bored, and I enjoy working with the kids, but oh my.....the planning.  The.  Planning.  I've spent at least 4-5 hours yesterday and today working on lesson plans for next week.  Unpaid hours, of course.    Yes, if I were a salaried teacher, the hours of lesson planning and materials gathering is just an understood part of the job, but I'm not.  So, I'm whining about it.  But only at home, on Facebook, and here.  Keeping the smiley, perky, "just happy to be part of the team" on at work.  Anyhow, enough negativity.  I'll just stop and not mention the fact that I've already spent nearly $80 on supplies.  I had to buy my own stinkin' paperclips!

So, it's Saturday evening.  My son had an 8 am basketball game this morning, so no sleeping in for us, I'm up to eyeballs in laundry, I've grocery shopped and done my lesson planning.  I'm trying to get all of this done now, because, did I mention? I still have to work at my old job (the tutoring company) for the next two weeks on Monday and Wednesday evenings, too.  I'm stressing out, and exhausted, and my husband's frustrated advice of "Just quit, then!" isn't helping.

Enter some comedic relief.  My son, who had been peeling and eating a clementine at the kitchen table, comes over and grabs a freshly washed and folded washcloth off the coffee table (I tend to spread my folded laundry all over the table as I sit on the couch).  After he wipes his sticky face with it, he takes it to the table to clean up his mess.  He brings it back, clementine pieces hanging on to it and all, folds it neatly ( I had no idea he even COULD fold that neatly!), and sets it carefully back on the pile of clean washcloths.  This is the boy who never remembers on his own to put anything away.  I had to laugh-he was trying so hard to be helpful, since he could tell I was tired and stresed.  I guess I could put him to work folding the clean clothes...

9 comments:

  1. Kids are so funny. I love it :)
    Congrats-ish on the new job.
    Adjusting is hard isn't it?!

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  2. haha, that is so cute.

    As for the job; that must be so frustrating. I'm glad their are teachers like you though; you quite obviously care enough about the kids that you are willing to be treated this way. Although, I don't think it's right. Is there anyone you can talk to? Is it temporary that you are hourly, will the put you on salary later?

    I hope it all gets figured out, teachers deserve so much more than they get (well, most of them at least).

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  3. Very cute! It makes it hard to get upset at them when they're trying to be so helpful, doesn't it? Hope you get some much needed rest soon...or a raise!

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  4. I feel your pain! I worked as the principal's secretary for an elementary school and the principal had no clue what she was doing. She was an insecure youngster who passed off her work to me. I did her job (budget included) while she hid in her office.

    Hang in there! Hope it gets easier for you. I've been working at my job for 1 1/2 months and I've got a general manager from hell to deal with. I just pray that she gets on meds or something because she's making my life miserable.

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  5. Thanks, ladies! I played hooky from church and got some much needed sleep, so I'm feeling much better. Once I get in the groove, hopefully the planning will be quicker/easier.
    @Tanya-adjusting is hard-I've been at my previous job for over 7 years, it felt like home.
    @Lindsay-Thank you. I do really want to help those kids and do a good job. I suppose I could just "phone it in", and throw stuff together, but I want to make a difference.
    @Amy-Yes, it was great, perfect timing. He was trying so hard to be helpful.
    @CCD-Oh man, school secretaries are the best! They can run a school with their eyes closed, and don't get paid nearly enough, either! I hope your current job gets better-having a bad boss can really be miserable.

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  6. Awwwwww, he gets an "A" for effort...well...maybe a B+ lol Hang in there Mama...soon it'll be "old hat." I hope you get into a routine soon.

    My husband is usually super encouraging with his "just quit, thens" also... :/

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  7. Well, Congratulations on the job...even though some points are less then exciting!! Husbands, are husbands...what can I say! :0) Got to love the sons ability to clean up! The bright side of things is he did clean up after himself...mine would have left the mess, in a hurry to go make another mess!! lol

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  8. Congrats on the new job, Bethany! Sounds like it will be both life-giving and draining at the same time :-) I know you will find a comfortable groove soon!

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