This is why teachers get burnt out.

                                   

                                I get a bad rap for how I work; I’m more difficult and I like things a particular way.

    I don’t think I’m the easiest person to work with but I also think it’s because I have very typical expectations of a co-teacher. 

I started teaching about 4.5 years ago and every year, minus my first full year, was really difficult. I was first paired with a guy 

who was extremely sexist and didn’t want to hear any advice I gave him about student behavior (what certain students liked 

and worked well for; another example: a student was not listening and then about 30 minutes later same student comes back 

to him and tries to show him something he made and he said “nope. I’m not going to pay attention because you were not listening

 to me earlier”-completely unprofessional and WORD? In my opinion). The second teacher I worked with was still in school and I 

had to handle all of the challenging behaviors myself, and as a new teacher it was scary and I felt no support from my admin as 

they did not help me (legit, a kid ran away and on top of a flimsy 10ft soccer goal and she left me by myself). 

    My first full year I got a new co-teacher and she was great-I felt like we shared responsibilities and cared equally about the 

students. We worked hard and our kids made progress. Then she had her baby the next school year and was out on maternity 

leave (obviously that’s totally fine). What was NOT fine was that I was expected to teach her sub how to work in addition to 

DO HER WORK-which was unfair; in my opinion that’s what we had a resource teacher for. The sub was super nice and 

honestly I feel we ended up working well together by mid year once she gained her confidence. However, any time the 

classroom lacked it was put on me, even if the “problem” was during her class time and I am the support teacher, not the lead. 

    My other co teacher came back part time and it was a little difficult to manage working with both since it was a split schedule

 but we made it work. The next school year, she stays part time and I work with 2 new teachers; the first was very nice and she 

actually did a good job but we never got a chance to work super well together since she ended up being transferred to another 

position. The next was a long term sub who did not take data, did not work with behaviors, took a little longer to get things done, 

and who talked a lot which distracted her during work (I like to be efficient and quick and get things done so it’s less work later on). 

During the 1.5 years of part time work that I worked with several people, admin can in and made me feel inadequate and not 

supported. I was always told I was doing something wrong and my co-teacher was always the best and never got any negative 

remarks (even though we did things similarly). For example, I pulled a student to formally test during work rotations and left the 

aides in charge of running work groups; we were also down one aide that day so it was pretty hard. Admin came in and said I 

cannot test a student during anytime of the day (so when do I do it???) and that the lesson was not planned and executed very 

effectively. I explained that we had a new aide who just started, I spoke with her before class about what she needed to do as 

well as what the purpose was for the lesson she was teacher, and she did not execute it like I said (it was also written in a binder 

that she had easily accessible to her at her table but she ignored). I was brushed off and told I wasn’t doing a good job anyways 

and needed to be responsible for my staff. Admin would come in and make comments and in the end I would just hate them 

walking in because I always felt like I failed my kids.

    This last year we had distance learning and boy was that just something else everyone had to learn about! It was completely 

stressful and this was the first year I felt like I wasn’t doing my job; I couldn’t get data because students wouldn’t show up which 

meant I couldn’t track progress and work on goals. I went into the classroom a lot at the beginning (before we were allowed to 

go back) and I would prep packets, clean the class, and lesson plan for the next week. I had the same co-teacher but I always 

felt like I was doing more; it was because I came in BUT we didn’t have to. I felt like “well I’m still contracted until 2:45 so might 

as well do things here that we always said we needed to get done but never did.” We actually ended up talking because she 

felt like she would come in and I would do case management stuff and she was the only one prepping for the classroom. I would 

be testing students or printing data sheets in addition to other things for the class; I would stay later and/or come in more frequently 

because I carpooled and my ride didn’t leave until later so I felt like it was okay id I wasn’t doing that particular thing since I would 

do it later. That was my fault and I should have spoken up to her but I didn’t want to ruin our relationship or make it awkward. It is 

funny since I felt the same way, the days I was alone at work I would be making packets or cleaning the classroom. I never said 

anything to her about it. I would bring packets home and have my family help me put them together so that the kids would have 

their materials. I asked one of the aides to come in and work with me so we could get it done occasionally. I was doing a lot more 

then she saw and I felt like I was getting flack since the days she was there I did other things too. Admin wasn’t much of an issue 

this year since we were in distance and how are they going to yell at me? Then we returned to in person but I stayed home due to 

my high risk pregnancy. It was honestly rough as I had about 3 hours of sleep every night but still had to work the day. I was in 

charge of lesson planning (the main lessons as well as circle times which was songs, stories, works of the week, and more) which 

when you have to do it alone is difficult and I felt like I had to since everyone else was in person and I was online. I know that the 

teachers who were in person, including my co-teacher, thought I had it so easy since I was able to stay at home, but I didnt. I still 

had my normal responsibilities like they did but I also had my pregnancy and the fact I felt like I wasn’t doing good enough since I 

couldn’t see my kids. I had to make more instructional videos for parents which many don’t think is so hard but when it’s 8 a week 

it can just be a lot-especially on top of my health issues. Towards the last few weeks of the year I was given the responsibility of

 finishing progress reports; I was going on maternity leave and admin said I HAD to finish them Before I left. Well that was just 

impossible; I spent the last two weeks completing 16 DRDP's (11 which I hadn’t even seen since they were in person and I had 

to collaborate with my co-teacher who was always busy with kids or would take awhile to respond) and now I was expected to 

complete 16 progress reports, again for 11 kids that I did not see; my name was going to go on their record as having said they 

can or cannot do something and I felt so wrong about that.

    I didn’t end up doing it and unfortunately it falls on someone else who doesn’t have time to do it to complete it. But again it’s 

the lack of support I’ve received since I started. I know I’m not perfect and have made mistakes but I do a good job. Now I’m 

going to get a new co-teacher and instead of asking me what I want in a partner they ask her; why? Because I’m difficult. I’m 

asking for someone who does their job, who I do not have to babysit, who is proactive, and who believes that the students can 

make progress. I am asking for a partner, someone who will do 50-50 and will not make me feel like I am carrying a heavier load. 

If that makes me difficult to work with then so be it. I have high standards for my students and I want my partner to have the same 

high standards so that they can make progress. But I also want someone who can help me grow and teach me how to say things 

A bit more sensitively two people. I am very blunt and I work well with parents and can say things to them nicely but when it 

comes to anyone else I say it as it is and that’s that. I also want someone I can joke with and have fun with because the job is 

already stressful enough and we need to make sure to laugh along the way. I’m not asking for much, this is honestly the bare 

minimum, but I want someone who WILL do their job.

I KNOW I’m a good teacher; my students like me, my parents like me, and my kids make progress EVERY YEAR. I get the job 

done and I’m damn good at it.  But when I am made to feel less than and inadequate, it makes me question why I am even doing 

this job.