I am exhausted.
Working as a teacher in a kindergarten/first grade Mild/Moderate Special Education class is exhausting.
It is also rewarding.
My students are loving and caring. My students are hard working and interested in school. HOWEVER, they are still children with disabilities.
Even when I am consoling a student for the 43rd time today or hearing my name repeated (shuffled in with a para’s name or two) or keeping calm as a student punches, screams, or kicks me, I am still their teacher.
This week was the best run week of my classroom. I blame it on the fact that 3-4 students were absent each day except Friday (when only 1 was absent). I also blame it on the fact that my students know the routines now. Whatever the cause may be, this week was fun, exhilarating, and fulfilling.
HOWEVER, this week was also exhausting.
Today (Friday) was a crazy day for our class. Everyone was off the hook and there were so many school activities to attend to that we were scattered. In the first 20 minutes of school I had already dealt with 3 meltdowns and a 5th grade teacher referring to me as an angel. (Yes being called an angel is something I must deal with: I am not an angel, I don’t know what I am but I am not an angel)
As soon as I got home at 6 (after TGIF at the librarians house and dinner with my always awesome hubby) my body crashed. I was asleep by 7. When my husband came home from his meeting, I cried on his shoulder because I was so exhausted. Now it is 10 pm and I can’t sleep because of that nap.
I love my job. I feel so fulfilled. But when my job is my entire life and I pour all my energy into it, I come home feeling empty and drained and I have nothing left to give.
What have I gotten myself into...














