Katie: Full-Time Work + Full-Time School = One Crazy Life

Juggling full-time graduate school and full-time work makes for one heck of a chaotic life. My to-do list is difficult to keep up with as it grows and grows throughout the week. To make matters worse, it’s hard for me to maintain my concentration on the task at hand. When I’m at work I want to do school stuff, when I’m at school I want to do work stuff, and on weekends I would rather spend my time with family, friends, and my pillow (oh how I miss the pillow!).

It’s hard to stay on top of all the work I need to complete, whether it be planning home visits, writing 10-page papers, posting in a discussion, planning for a team meeting, maintaining data collection sheets, and so on. I’m managing—but not as well as I would like to be. Basically, I’m overwhelmed. (By the way, here’s a sample data collection sheet, which one reader requested a while back.)

It’s hard for me to ask for help or know what exactly I need to be helped with, so . . . I try to take on everything! This is not necessarily the best route, I know, but I’m not quite sure what else to do. (I’m coming to realize that my perfectionist, control freak, “I’ll do it all myself” personality isn’t helping in this situation, but that is so hard to change.)

Luckily, I know that this time won’t last forever. I’m learning so much from my first year of lead teaching and I’m fortunate that my schoolwork in Early Childhood Intervention coincides beautifully with what I do in my classroom. Currently I’m taking classes in the following areas: issues in special education, research in education, and curriculum and intervention in early childhood.

My assignments and coursework fit perfectly together. While some of my classmates have yet to be in the “real world of special education” and struggle to relate to topics we are working on, I have the privilege of thinking about how, for example, I can best arrange my classroom and create lesson plans that will really assist my students in their learning and help meet their individual needs. Or I can respectfully disagree with my classmates on the impact of inclusion in schools, based on my experiences: It works really well in preschool and has potential to be great beyond that, but I do understand the difficulties teachers face and the debate on least restrictive environment… this is a topic for another time perhaps.

Similarly, I don’t have to go too far to find an early childhood setting where I can work on my assignments—I’m there five days a week and I have nine kiddos who I can use in my projects. (Don’t worry, the parents know that I’m in school and that I will be “experimenting” with their children—that sounds better in my head, I think.)

My special education coursework also helps me bring new ideas and facts to my co-workers. Just when I think I’ll be lost in planning for an IEP meeting, I learn about one of the new requirements or a necessary aspect that perhaps my team didn’t know about, helping us all learn something new and useful. I feel that as stressful as it may be to try to stay on top of my many to-do lists, I’m learning more than I ever would be otherwise and I am keeping up with new findings and practices within my field.

Regardless of how much I just want to relax, I know that this experience is benefitting me more than I can comprehend. And just in case my co-workers or instructors are reading this—SORRY! I’m trying to be as productive and timely as possible. There just aren’t enough sticky notes in the world to make me perfect.

Comments

[Erick Ruiz]

Let create a page blog for full time workers and full time college students. I have not done this before but I will attempt it this semester.

[Katrina Lastinger]

I have felt the same way!! I was working as a Special education paraprofessional full time, going to school at night full time and raising a family. It was caotic. I didn't know what to do if I wasn't running somewhere or in school.
I have been teaching for 4 years and am now am about half way through with my Master's in Special education. I know that when I get finished it will be all worth it.
You are doing a great job!!

[Katie Woodburn]

Emmy,
Although I take my Master's classes on campus, KSU is starting to do more online learning in an attempt to attract distance learners; so, many of my courses for my lincesure end up being online (or a hybrid, online and face to face). In my personal experience and opinion I prefer face to face class sessions, especially when it comes to a profession where you will be having many face to face interactions. Although I am becoming more comfortable with the online courses I take, I think they lack the very important component of teaching us how to work with others. With the wide array of parents, students, and professionals that we will be working with it is so important for us to learn how to best interact with them, read their cues (facial expressions, tone of voice, etc), and be able to share sometimes difficult news in the proper manner.
So, my suggestion is to enroll in a campus setting and hope that not all of your classes will be online. That way you can learn the interpersonal skills necessary to be the best special ed. teacher you can be.

P.S. I'm not knocking online courses... it saves on gas money and is often easier to make time for while you are working.

[Emmy]

I have a undergrad degree in Pyschology and am thinking of going back for my masters in Special Education. There are so many online programs available, do you think it is better to do a face to face program or online? I'm not certfied to be a teacher, so I'm not sure what to do about working and going to school . Would it be a good option to become a parapro while getting my masters? This is something I have wanted to do for a while but just not sure how to go about doing it the best way.

Thanks! Advice from anyone is greatly appreciated

[Katie]

Thank goodness I'm not the only one! When I tell my fellow grad students or people I know what I am doing they act like I'm crazy- and I may be, but at least I know there are other crazy (yet passionate and ambitious) people out there just like me! Good luck in your studies, and work, and sleep schedule! :)

[Courtney]

Katie, I am in the same boat as you. I am fresh out of college with an Major in Special Ed/Elem Ed. I am working full time as a Transition Coordinator and going to full time graduate school to get a Masters in Special Education-Strategist. It is so much work and is very stressful, but I am happy that I am doing it now instead of waiting. :)

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=834322777]

I am in the same situation as you are, Katie. We can get through this together! Chin up!

[Katie Toppel]

I completely understand! I got my mastser's in special education a few years ago and I was working full time while doing it. I found that taking courses and continuously learning really informed my practice. Other teachers thought I was a bit crazy for taking on so much in my first few years of teaching, but it was worth it! If I hadn't gotten my master's in SPED, I would never be in the job I have now. I just got hired to be a support services teacher in an international school in Germany. I have been at it for one week, but so far it is great! Love your posts/topics and of course, you name!

Katie
www.sneakerteacher.blogspot.com

[Katie]

Thank you Andrew. I'm proof that its doable, but if you plan on following in my footsteps just know that it is hard! Be sure to relax (when you get a chance to breathe) and you will be ok!

[Andrew Miller]

everyone has to give you credit for doing both school and work at the same time. I was thinking about doing that next year.