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ESL forum >
Message board > Mourning Period
Mourning Period
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carinita
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Mourning Period
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Hi! I �m writing because I need to unleash my feelings
I started teaching this year so I �ve only stay for long in one of the courses I took Great part of my job consists of replacements Today I finished one of the substitutions (I finished, if it is the case that the teacher in charge decides to come back next week...I was supposed to be teaching for a month...she decided to ask permission to be absent for a fornight...she asked permission a again...It �s been 2 months I �m substituting that teacher)
To the point...today �s lesson was awful On the one hand I had timing problems, activities were a bit far fetched, etc., on the other hand I wasn �t in the mood to be there
I want to be the teacher and if I can �t be...I want to be an outsider...But I don �t want to be "the subtitute" Besides, I �m in a mourning period  as if I lost a pet, a close relative...I have problems getting up early Mornings are aaawwwww Today �s class ended and the students left the room silently I didn �t say "goodbye" I didn �t feel it
Could you answer back telling me your anecdotes? Comments? They would certainly make me feel better
P.S. Mourning because teacher-students relationship will end up |
28 Sep 2010
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manonski (f)
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Hi
Even non-susbtitute teachers go through a mourning period. Every year, I have to let go of students who have been in my life for 6 years. Letting go is never easy.
If your heart is not in it, there is a good chance that your students know that and this is why things are not going well. And sometimes, students relate well to substitutes. I know my students are happy (well, they don �t mind) when I go because they love the person who substitutes for me. .
Many years ago, I wrote a personal Christmas card to a student of mine. At the time, I did not understand how hard of a time she was having at school. I did not do much, I just let her know how much I apppreciated having her as a student. At the end of that schoolyear, her mom told me that the card had been in display in her bedroom ever since and that not itself gave her the boost she needed.
It does not matter if you �re a sub or not, you can still build a good relationship with your students. You never know... you might be the person they are looking forward meeting during their day. I �m pretty sure you are making a difference because you sound like a caring person, even if you �re feeling down right now.
Do you have a colleague you can talk to? |
28 Sep 2010
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carinita
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Precisely, as I don �t stay for long periods in THAT school and it takes some time to build up confidence with peers (other teachers) I have to keep all this to myself Yes, to be in good terms with the school staff would definitely help.
Anyway, I feel distant because teachers talk about personal matters when they are at the staffroom and I start looking at the walls or the windows  They talk about their teenage children, how they are getting ready to get laid or how their little children managed to put the teethbrush into their little mouths...and I don �t even have a boyfriend  Sorry I needed some comic release.... PS I usually chat on MSN with other teachers who graduated last year but I have some difficulties mingling with teachers at school |
28 Sep 2010
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Olindalima ( F )
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Hi Carinita
SMILE; SMILE; SMILE!
Smiling is good for HEALTH. Even when you don �t feel like smiling, instead of picking a glass of water and a pill, make a BIG SMILE. SERIOUS- make a big smile and if you do it, you �ll see you �ll start feeling a little better.
Here in my country, older teachers used to have less classes - it was supposed that we were already a little old and so, we were given a cut in our week timetable. But, since some 3 or 4 years ago, everything changed. Now we all have the same nimber of lessons.
Well, it seems more or less fair, but the point is that we don �t have students.
Yes, that �s right, teachers without students.
My case, I am amoung the oldest in the system, I have worked for 36 years and now I have nine hours a week without students. I have to substitute every teacher who is absent. This makes me crazy. Maths teacher is ill, French teacher had a car crash, Science teacher didn �t wake up on time, Physical Educ teacher had to go to the doctor, Religion teacher had a flat tyre, Drawing teacher went to the hospital to hace a baby, Chemist one didn �t feel well enough, the other one lost the train, and so on and son, and so on.
This means that, many weeks, but I am telling you this seriously, not joking, I work more NINE hours a week .....
and those who are absent get the money I GET THE WORK.
This silly system made many of my colleagues to ask for an antecipated retirement; they managed it, but they also got a very huge penalty, some of them went home with around less 700 / 800 �. This is quite a lot, at least here, in my country and the problem is that things are not getting better and their wageswill go on increasing ... down, down, down.
When this comedy started I felt really frustrated, but I am not to be put down that easy.
I said:
This Minister of "Education" ( ? ) has a shorte time of validity. She will go and I �ll stay. She will not be a minister in a very short time and when she will go, I will go on being a teacher.
Here I am - a teacher.
The other lady has gone. A new one has arrived and very slowly things will turn better.
Carina, STAND UP and go ahead, and, don �t forget, SMILE.
Smilings are contagious.
All the best
Linda
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28 Sep 2010
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carinita
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I already feel better |
29 Sep 2010
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