A Reminder for Teacher and Paraprofessionals Next School Year

     As I'm near the end of a school year as a substitute paraprofessional, I noticed a trend in certain grade levels and specifically with certain set of students. Usually, it's the early teens crowd (about 13 to 15 years old) alongside the teachers and paraprofessionals that work with them. Now that I've sectioned out that group, this little post is for them and others that work with them. 

    Do not give up on this group. This group is especially difficult, I get that. This is the age group most likely to shove against rules and boundaries that they were given when they first started understanding rules and their consequences. This is the age group that wants to gamble with their life in the most impulsive way possible. But this is also a time where we as the adults can do so much to set them up for the most realistic expectations for life. That life will not be easy, and it will not make us happy all the time, and it cannot give us what we want or need when we need or want them. 

    But this is where we can fall apart as adults. 

    I say this knowing that the end of the year -or sometimes, the entire school year- is difficult for teachers and paraprofessionals. It can prove to be a time with more difficult and energy-consuming students than we expect. We can run into serious problems with a student that ends up resulting in suspension or expulsion. We can have chain reactions of students antagonizing or enabling other students to join them in an imaginary fight for control. At the end of the day, we may crawl into bed and wonder if we are doing our job or if we are glorified baby sitters instead. Not to mention how the parents might engage or sometimes disengage with their kid and their actions. 

    This is not the time to give up. Take a break, sure. Be honest with each other as adults, sure. Professionally set boundaries and rules with the students and other adults, sure. But not give up. 

    I say this after I've had a rather harrowing five days at a school where the teacher and paraprofessionals had given up with their students. They lacked the energy to get their students to do their assigned work, let alone keep the consequences up when the students crossed boundaries or broke rules. And like I said before, I get it. It's hard. Being a teacher or a paraprofessional has its difficulties.

    Please try to remember what brought you into this job. What your boundaries are. What you know is the truth. And if that seems to be difficult, please take the time to re-evaluate what is going on that is making you question things. Not that anything is amiss with how you feel; you just may be at a point of change in your life that has made it things difficult for you personally. 

    With that all said, please enjoy your summertime. Whether that is the peaceful calm of a room while you prepare for the next school year, time at home, or time away from your usual spaces. It is important to take this time to rest as much as you can and gain your sense of self again. 

    And please remember you are doing important work. I'm glad you are doing it. It is very important that you know that.