Bloggy friends, this post has been incredibly difficult to write. I’ve written it three times already and I just keep lashing out through the keyboard in hate and disgust at the situation I was in. I have decided not to go into it. Many of you know me personally and know the school I teach at and I don’t want any more negativity clouding our school system. I feel like we are all being pulled under by the currents of our times.
This is my 18th year as a teacher. For most of my career I taught 1st grade. Over four years ago I was offered my dream job to teach art to PK-4th grades. I jumped at the chance. Now I find myself making another change.
The short of it is my health declined a lot the last two years and constant pain made my job very hard to do. My back hurt all the time. On top of that my school became very, very dangerous with out-of-control discipline and violent children. I watched as others were seriously hurt and made the horrific decision to quit my dream job. If I got hurt in the shape I was in I was sure to end up in a hospital and maybe even permanently injured. I could not take that chance. To top it all off, I was completely burned out from back pain and school violence and it was taking an incredible toll on my mental health. I am an 18 year veteran teacher and I had never dealt with anything like this in my career. When you are in constant, horrible pain all day you have very little tolerance left for bs. I had no tolerance. I took a job teaching at a different school.
I no longer teach art, I teach 2nd grade now (which I have taught before). I am very sad about that, but I am in a much better, safer school. I won’t be attacked by students here and I am safe (have I said I am safe?). Hopefully one day I will be able to teach art again. I am still working on my National Board Certification in art so I do teach it to my own class. 🙂
When I had to make the decision to leave I just prayed over and over that God would put me where he wanted me. I believe that he has and that he has a plan. My health issues have also been answered and I will address that in an upcoming post.
With a great school year to you from Kansas Street, and interesting new beginnings,
-Jaime
PS- For some reason, taking pictures in my art room of students being creative makes me INCREDIBLY happy. I did this a lot last year as often it was a piece of joy that helped heal my hurting heart last year.
Life on Kansas Street 