I promised that this week would be about frustration. When I decided on this topic, I was originally thinking about student frustration, but I may even put a word in about teacher frustration! Let’s start with the students.
Most students with emotional disabilities have an extremely low tolerance for frustration. Maag calls it the “Back to Zero Rule” where past experience means nothing. These students cannot recall ever being successful. “Why bother trying, I’ll only fail.” So there is a lot of deserved praise in my class, with emphasis on the word “deserved” because students know when you’re merely appeasing them. The goal is to find a balance between challenging them (because they don’t want “baby work”) and making the level of work so difficult that it frustrates them. It may be a matter of the level of work or the amount of work; either one can be adjusted to accommodate individual student needs.
The students in my classes know that they must be of at least average intelligence; it’s a criteria for the program. But they are not all working on grade level for a variety of reasons; some are below and some are above grade level. So arranging instruction can be VERY tricky. It’s a very good thing that I have two excellent, experienced paraprofessionals who work with me. Sometimes they’re checking up on students who are in regular classes, but most of the time they’re sitting with a student (or two or three), making sure that they are doing the work assigned to them. Because the program is so flexible, there could be three different sections of math or three different subjects being taught in one class period! This is where the teacher frustration comes in.
Planning can be a nightmare! Right now I have four different levels of math and I’m thinking of splitting up one of them, based on the fact that two of the four students in one period are at the frustration level, and refusing to work. So that’s another lesson I’ll have to plan. But that’s just what we do. I have a section of social studies and three periods of English. Somehow, don’t ask me how, all my English students are working on the same thing…at the same time! That is my biggest time saver!
So even though we want to minimize the students’ frustration, we also need to take care of own frustration. Remember, there is only so much we can do. Try to compartmentalize. Try taking a yoga class once a week (we have one right in our school every Wednesday!!). Try walking. Try drinking lots of water (I live in a desert). Try anything that works for you. Be good to yourself.
Next week: grading and TALIDs.
Just curious; is there a blog re: bullying & harassment?
Raading Cliff & Evelyn's notes remind me that misery has company (although I doubt that we love it, as the saying goes). But perhaps there is strength in numbers.
I have been subjected to both, near the end of my career; I am retiring soon & am deflated that all of my time & devotion seems to have been rewarded by illogical, mean behavior.
How do you deal with people who want to take your profession from you? I am in mourning for the seeming terminal illness of mine.
Posted by: Mary | June 30, 2010 at 03:22 PM
Dania,
I agree with you. These students, I'm speaking about students with moderate to severe disabilities, have amazing intuition. We have to, not only teach them, care for them and keep them safe, but we have to respect them and like them. These past five years I have worked with students who are really involved. We see very few negative behaviors in the classroom, I think because we like them, and we really know them, and although they are non-verbal, they communicate with us and we do our best to understand them. The difficulty is having the time to spend with each child building that relationship.
Posted by: Sue | May 19, 2008 at 11:26 PM
Carol,
You keyed right in on it! When the students get frustrated they refuse to work so, it is our job to adjust the work to an appropriate level for student success. I think the most frustrating part of teaching is knowing what can be done to help a student and not having enough time to do it. Thank goodness for those Para’s!
I am leaning for a short time-management class.
Posted by: Peggy | March 24, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Help, have bully for administrator, looking for evaluation that teachers can take to give to the board. Bully is only the top of the iceberg.
Posted by: cliff | March 21, 2008 at 05:13 PM
I am on my 10th week of my internship working in a V.E. setting and I am LOVING IT!
I have 16 students in grades K-4 and have more than my hands full to say the least! I have been very busy and wanted to join when I first started, but have been unable to enjoy any extra-curricular activities since I am getting used to the lesson plans, copies, school activities, and of course, TESTING!!!!
However, this month's title was eye catching!
FRUSTRATION!!!
Indeed I did say I was very happy with my internship experience so far, but I admit that at times I am very frustrated with the situations that arise in and out of the classroom.
Let me just share this week's moment:
I volunteered to eat lunch with the students- this is usually done by our para-professional, but she had an appointment and I volunteered to help out. No biggie I thought, I can do this. Well- I was escorting 16 students, one in a wheelchair, one with autism who was perseverating on the fact that he was missing money (no he did not have any) and trying to listen to a volunteer tell me how one of my students used profanity and he was denying it by having a tantrum and hitting the wall!
Hmn...Shall I say more?
The room was in a spin. I thought I was in a Charlie Brown cartoon where the teacher just talks for ever...you remember, "wa-wa-wa-wa"!
I wanted to just stop the madness and I could not. My instinct told me to ask for help- which I resisted at first since I wanted to show all the other teachers that I was in control. Needless to say, I gave up and asked a cafeteria helper to watch my students while I asked security to come and help me get the student having a tantrum off the floor. At the end...it all worked out. I survived, but needless to say- I feel that there be many more days like this in the world of SPED.
I need to learn to accept that every day cannot be "rosy" and sometimes, I will only see the thorns! OUCH!
Posted by: Cessy Pelaez | March 14, 2008 at 05:56 PM
After reading through all these comments, I geniunely feel these teachers have covered it all.
I come home and mediatate. If I can meditate in school, I do. It helps me to remain calm in very difficult situations.
Water would not do it for me. It has to be chocolate -- dark to be exact. Jean
Posted by: Jean Hayes | March 14, 2008 at 02:04 PM
Hang in there girls and guys. It is my experience in working with a multitude of levels and disabilities in the classroom that genuine relationships assist in overcoming things that have come prior to that moment. I am fortunate in that I have had one of my students since he was in Kindergarten...he is now a third grader and making progress. I did not think that it would happen but he is growing more from my personal interest in him than the academic instruction that he receives.
Posted by: Dania | March 14, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Carol, Thanks for the response about John Maag. You're reference to Back to Zero hit a nerve with me as a teachr and as a parent of boy with ADHD. Not that my son or students do not remember successes, but rather do not learn from mistakes. I found a Maag book online and will try to get a copy. I am interested to see whether he addresses that side of it.
Posted by: Jennifer | March 13, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Kathleen,
It sounds as though you need help! Got any paraprofessionals? I've seen elementary teachers post BIG schedules on their walls regarding which student goes where and when! Do you use taped books for the non-readers? Sorry...books on "tape"??? More like CD's! Guess I'm showing my age! Just try to organize as best you can. Make the students responsible for knowing where their work is located and where to put it when they're done.
Carol
Posted by: Carol Eisenbise | March 12, 2008 at 08:24 PM
Evelyn,
Wow! It looks like you got the raw end of a deal. Was this decision a result of the effects of Hurricane Katrina? Sometimes principals are really just "middle men" who take orders from higher up. I'm sure there's got to be a school somewhere near you who would just LOVE to hire a person with your talents! Keep looking! We need you!!!!
Carol
Posted by: Carol Eisenbise (in response to Victor) | March 12, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Hi, Jennifer,
Sorry, I introduced John Maag in my first blog article. He gave the keynote address at the TECBD conference in Tempe, AZ, last November. I know he's written a few books. Look him up! He has GREAT ideas!
Carol
Posted by: Carol Eisenbise (in response to Victor) | March 12, 2008 at 08:14 PM
Who is Maag?
Posted by: Jennifer | March 11, 2008 at 08:16 AM
About frustration: I know teaching Special Needs in a parochial school is not the same as in public school--I've done both 20 years, but to be told by a principal that Catholic schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, LA no longer wish to have "special children" in their midst was a horror to me!! No other children were accepted at the school where I taught and I was given a "Study Skills" class to teach.
Frustration doesn't even cover the emotions I felt when the new principal told me he didn't need "my" program any more or me--someone who was/is qualified to teach "reg ed" and/or Special Ed and that I could tell everyone I was retiring!!! Well, needless to say I did retire because I didn't want to remain in the Catholic system now that I've found out how they treat one of their own.
Our public school system in Tangipahoa Parish is a good one but I didn't want to go back to it either.
So I remain a frustrated
Special Educator whose former students have gone on to do great things and e-mail me or call me to say
how much they love and how could christians treat someone like he did.
Posted by: Evelyn | March 10, 2008 at 08:49 PM
thanks for understanding the frustration of teaching all subjects at all levels at once.....can anyone tell me HOW exactly they do it mixed in with Gym, specials etc.. in only 8 periods a day? I teach 7th and 8th grades at 3 diff levels...non readers etc...
Posted by: Kathleen | March 10, 2008 at 12:12 PM