I am a high school social studies teacher, and I'm feeling burned out. This is a second career, so I am frustrated at having to "start over" again. I love most students, but the paperwork is overwhelming. I have 240 students a day, teach five different classes, run two clubs and have a special needs foster daughter at home.
Today really was a challenge for me. I teach a sheltered, English Language Learners class, and many of the students in there also have learning disabilities. We were in the library computer lab doing a fun computer project and I was just so frustrated because many of the students have the answer write in front of them, and can't "find" it. This is not a language problem. Students work for 30 seconds and then stare into space for two minutes or just don't work. My regular and honors class finished this project in two days. We're on our fourth day. I lead students through it and show them where the information is but one student was tagging the library, and so many don't move unless you're right over them.
What really challenged me was when I caught the tagger and the one who gave him the pen. I asked if they want to go to a school where there's graffiti all over the place, and they said they didn't care. "it's the school's problem." This took all of my wind out and I've just been a deflated balloon. The student's contact numbers are all disconnected, they come a few times a week to school, blah, blah, blah.
How can I teach in a smaller environment or with students who love learning? I feel like I'm pushing a hundred kids up the hill and I'm done. I use all learning styles, make it engaging, connect to their daily lives, etc. etc.
