[PA2VA]

Help! I am the newbie 3rd grade LA teacher. My math-social studies-science team partner is also a newbie in 3rd but has taught for over 15 yrs (mostly 2nd) and long term subbed in our school for 3yrs. Anyway, my team is new while the other four teachers are not and the other two LA teachers are veterans who have things DOWN PAT! I was selected to join the grade level-when hired I was told I was teaching 2nd (which I have experience in)-so I do take the placement as a compliment from my princiapl (she has even said this). The other two LA teachers are VERY helpful but I feel like I am sinking. We are assessing (QRIs, PALs) and teaching. We do have covered for these assessments but no assistance from reading specialist. So the other teachers are flying through these assessments and I am just plodding through. I am really stressed: focusing on routines/procedures/classroom management, trying to get the curriculum down (ugh Words Their Way has me frazzled), and now my partners and I have some real issues with students (one of the students literally failed 2nd grade-comments say he slept through most afternoons, another has medication issues-he is not sleeping, constantly going 120mph in the classroom and a huge distraction, and another has hearing issues and two more have severe anger management issues). I am at school from 7 until 5:30 and only leave to get home to have human contact but more so for my beloved dog. I go in Saturday and Sunday too. Things are school are a mess-no copier-one of toner, other being replaced "soon", laminator is fried, teaching space not working (big room with BIG desks so some kids are always squinting at board) and only Internet sometimes. HELP!!!!! Feeling like I am not going to make it....

[Armand2REP]

I just quit a job teaching 7&8th grades, no internet, no computer much less SMART board. My school and classroom were a dump. Administrators didn't care if you didn't have it, too busy getting out of work. Parent complaints started mounting for kids trying to play the race card. I know I wasn't going to make it so bye!! It isn't worth 60hr work weeks, I don't care if I get two months in summer. The amount of work during the year can kill not only your spirit, but take years off your life. You need to have a life and a good work environment, unless you have a supportive administrative staff and the resources to carry out your plans, you won't make it.