Remincing working days

[Sunny]

I don't work anymore as a grade-school teacher. I was placed on longterm disability 3 years ago. My husband is a high school teacher and my 17 year old daughter
is a volunteer teacher's aid at the school where I used to teach. This is the end of the school year for them and they come home with all sorts of gifts and cards from their
students. I get so sad about not being able to teach anymore this time of year because these things cause me to remember so fondly of my teaching days and what
I've been forced to give up. Any of you miss the old job?

[MIbarra]

Sunny,
What grade/subject(s) did you teach?

I teach 2nd. Luckily while on dialysis, I was still able to teach. But it is definitely more enjoyable now that I have more energy. My kids' last day was Wednesday. And even though I had a great bunch of kiddos, I am grateful for the break!   

Have you ever thought of volunteering to tutor or help out in a teacher's classroom for a few hours a week? I know I would love it (and so would the kids!) if I could get another adult in the room to listen to my kids read for 1/2 hour or play a game with an attention needy kiddo.

[flip]

Being retired from law enforcement, I can't say that I miss my working days at all. No way I would want that career in this day and time.

[paris]

Right there with you, Sunny.  I just fininshed my first year of not teaching.  Every month was hard, knowing what I would be doing or planning.  I miss my kids, the teachers, the parents (well, some of them!) the end of year activities.   It is getting better. Think I will always miss doing my job.

[twirl]

I can not drive in the part of town where I used to teach. I avoid it at all possbile costs. It breaks my heart. I miss teaching and everything to do with it. My husband is a coach at our rival school. My sister teaches 2nd grade in another district and all she does is complain... I like to tell her to shut the F up.... she also has a kidney she will not give me but that is a different thread.....I am not done teaching in my heart... I could not keep up with dialysis and teaching and leaving school early on dialysis days... I had no conference period and I got to school an hour early..so I was not cutting into anyone's time. I always spent my hours on dialysis involved in school work - lesson plans, grading papers or anything school related.. Now my time passes slowly... nothing I want to do. I was born to teach and am like a fish out of water. I worked at a 7th -12 grade school and really got to know my students and their families. I loved them and they were hard to love. I had the students with the most problems. I miss it and it is depressing as hell. I could go on and on but I won't. And funny thing is, they can not keep a teacher in my position... it is too hard and too much work...I could have still been there with a little adjustments but some teachers were thinking I got out of afternoon bus duty on dialysis days and that was not fair..... go figure....

[Sunny]

I was a 4th grade teacher and it was wonderful.
I don't have the energy for it now. The last time I did teach 3 yrs ago, the school did everything possible to accomidate my needs, but I kept getting sick and
was constantly taking time off to recuperate. Finally, my renal doctor told me I had to give up teaching because the environment with little kids meant I was
always being bombarded with germs and that being on my feet was to physically strenuous. Since I am still pre-dialysis, every infection was putting what remains
of my kidneys at constant risk. So I live vicariously through my husband and daughter. Maybe I need a nice "desk job" now.

[MIbarra]

I used to teach 4th too! I loved it! I miss reading the novels and the discussions that 4th graders are prepared for.   Now, I'm in second. I still like teaching, I just miss the maturity my fourth graders had.

You're right. They are "germy"! Thankfully I haven't gotten sick since my transplant. I was very worried I wouldn't be able to continue teaching due to the germs.