I Will Survive
As of yesterday at 3:30 p.m., I officially completed my first week (although it was just a half of a week) at work. It went fine, for the most part, and I made it to Friday virtually unscathed. There are a lot of changes this year. First off, I have a new "main boss", whose title is Director of Special Education. I think I will really like her - I've already been in a few meetings with her and she handles herself quite well and has a nice manner. A bigger selling point is that she has a very extensive knowledge and appreciation for speech therapists from personal experience. Already I've given her a head's up on a few things I have coming up in my personal life, and she has assured me not to worry and that everything at work will be taken care of. The second big change is that, at my main school, I'll be working with a new principal. She is not brand-spankin' new, but just new to our building. I was not sure what she'd be like, but so far, so good. I take it as a good sign that she didn't freak out when I couldn't attend every staff meeting, and when I approached her about it, her response was "Don't worry - you just do what you need to do. I trust you."
A few things worried me ab0ut the start of this year. First of all, I started back for a few hours on Tuesday, and already I had calls requiring me to put out some fires. Even worse is that our only two program specialists, who are psychologists that handle the "tough" cases, are in the hospital due to undisclosed illnesses. I know that they are stress related, which sets the tone for what's coming. These are the gals I turn to when I have a parent come to me with a 10 page list of demands. These are the gals I call when I've handled things as diplomatically as I can and the parents are still not appeased. At my other school, I have a lot of these cases. Usually the kids are wonderful, it's their parents who are the problem. More often than not, they are coming into meetings with advocates - people who are trained (and untrained) to push for certain things.
I am realizing quickly that, in order to make it through this year with my sanity, I have to ask myself a couple of questions when I start getting stressed out - "Is this worth my energy?" and "Is my stressing-out going to change the outcome?". This is another way of relinquishing control over the happenings of the impending school year. Giving up control is hard for me to do, but there are so many things that happen that I never had a handle on in the first place.
If made it through my first week, and hold on to those important questions that I'll need to ask myself on a regular basis, then I just might survive this year.
A few things worried me ab0ut the start of this year. First of all, I started back for a few hours on Tuesday, and already I had calls requiring me to put out some fires. Even worse is that our only two program specialists, who are psychologists that handle the "tough" cases, are in the hospital due to undisclosed illnesses. I know that they are stress related, which sets the tone for what's coming. These are the gals I turn to when I have a parent come to me with a 10 page list of demands. These are the gals I call when I've handled things as diplomatically as I can and the parents are still not appeased. At my other school, I have a lot of these cases. Usually the kids are wonderful, it's their parents who are the problem. More often than not, they are coming into meetings with advocates - people who are trained (and untrained) to push for certain things.
I am realizing quickly that, in order to make it through this year with my sanity, I have to ask myself a couple of questions when I start getting stressed out - "Is this worth my energy?" and "Is my stressing-out going to change the outcome?". This is another way of relinquishing control over the happenings of the impending school year. Giving up control is hard for me to do, but there are so many things that happen that I never had a handle on in the first place.
If made it through my first week, and hold on to those important questions that I'll need to ask myself on a regular basis, then I just might survive this year.
posted by Notta Wallflower at 6:59 AM
16 Comments:
Kitkat - Thanks! I know I'll have my hands full, but if I can stay positive and do stress reduction, then it should help. Oh, and stay away from the negative people. It's too easy to get sucked in.
I always read your posts and never cease to wonder why you are such a giving person. I have a much lower tolerance level than your self.
Persons of your calling are deserving of canonisation.
Sounds like it's going well the first week. Have you ever tried progressive relaxation therapy? It really does help.
That is good news. A first week at work can be quite daunting.
Thank you for visitng my blog.
My God, it's like you work in a war zone. People dropping left and right with the school system version of PTSD.
It just blows my mind the sense of entitlement with which some parents approach public schools. Some parents. Meanwhile other parents, like the majority of those in the Chicago Public School System, get nothing or worse and barely complain.
A guy in my neighborhood as a kid was a hoodlum. But surprisingly, he obtained his education and devoted his life from a biker to working with children in Special Education. I admire YOU! Because this really takes a special person with heart and insight and empathy. It sounds like a HUGE challenge, but something tells me you will do just fine. lol! And BTW: I agree with Vest!!!
Vest - I'm not sure what canonisation is, but I'll take that as a compliment. I'm running out of things to give, though, so the time is coming soon for me to take care of myself.
Laura - I've not heard of that before, but I'm open to try just about anything.
Barbara - Thanks for visiting. :-)
Tessence - What a good way of putting it, but sometimes it does feel like PTSD. My highest income schools have the highest number of "those" parents. My low income schools are where I have parents who are grateful for whatever they get.
Michael - Thanks for your encouragement. The best part of my job are the kiddos, so if I can just not lose sight of that, I'll be fine. :-)
Notta: A faculty member at my University runs a stress institute and they have free materials. There's a woman I went to in Chicago for a while who was trained by this guy. Progressive relaxation is kind of a form of meditation. It trains you to become aware of where tension is in your body and therefore to be able to release it. Check out this link: http://www.roosevelt.edu/stress/default.htm
I'm sure a google search will yield some results too. Something like Tai Chi might be good for you too. Something to help you tune into your body.
Good luck
Notta, give yourself a pat on the back for surviving the first week of school. I think that you will do great in whatever decision you make. Hang in there!
"Is this worth my energy?" and "Is my stressing-out going to change the outcome?"
I've been asking myself these questions AND following through on it, for the last 10 yrs or so. It WORKS! It's sort of like triage for the mind. ;)
Angelique - Thanks for the kind words. I don't I'll do okay, it's just all a little bit daunting at the moment.
TSHS - I'm glad to hear that my system works from a "veteran" point of view. :-P
Had to grin about the veteran quip in your previous comment.
Age shall not weary her nor her years condemn, he he.
Laura - I'm going to look for that. I could use it when I get home from work, when I have some quiet.
Vest - I didn't think she'd mind me saying. If TSHS has wisdom and experience that I can learn from, then that's more important than her "years". :-)
I don't know Vest, the years ARE pretty condemning to me; especially first thing in the morning. ;)
Canonisation = Sainthood.
TSHS - I can relate to the "morning". Mornings are no friend of mine. :-P
Vest - I can assure you, I'm no saint. I just have my vices to cope. ;-)
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