Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Job

It's been awhile! I've thought about sitting down and writing a blog post MANY times in the past few months, but actually doing it is another story altogether. Even now, I should be in bed, but here I am instead...

It's been quite the adjustment for me going back to work after being a SAHM for the past 5+ years. It's been challenging, but I do feel like we are finally falling into a routine. I just feel like I have no time to do anything anymore. No time for myself. No time to clean the house or do yard work. No time to cook dinner. No time to run errands. My freedom is gone. But really, now that I think about it, did I have freedom to begin with as a mom of two young children?

I know that working moms have been managing it for years, but my goodness, how??? I look at it kind of the same way as all the people that say they don't know "how we do it with twins." You just do. As a parent of multiples, you have no choice but to figure it out and make it work. I figure it's the same way with working parents. You simply find a way to make it work the best you can. You find your own routine.

I really struggled with my job at first because there wasn't a lot of guidance. I was basically handed my schedule and I was on my own. Literally. Nobody gave me a tour of the school or introduced me to the other staff members. I was given a map of the buildings and was told to walk around and find the classrooms I would be working in. It felt very awkward and unwelcoming. I started about a week before school resumed in the Fall, so there weren't any students. Once school actually started, things did got a lot better and I do like my job now.

I absolutely LOVE that I am working at the kids' school as an Instructional Assistant. I love that I can walk by their classroom and see that they are where they are supposed to be. I love that I am there if something happens to one of them. A few weeks into school, Rylee fell on the playground jungle gym and scraped her leg up pretty good. The school secretary told me about the incident and asked me if I would check her out and make sure she was okay. The scrape was up by Rylee's underwear line, and the secretary thought it would be more appropriate for me to look at it to see if she needed more attention. Easy peasy since I was right there at the school already! I also love that I get to be there for all the school assemblies. I was able to be there when Ayden received an award for being a responsible student last month!



Another positive to working at their school is that I am getting to know who their friends are, as well as the teachers. Their teacher is awesome, and always fills me in if there are any incidents that come up throughout the day so I can be ready for potential conversations later at home. It's so great to hear from all the teachers how wonderful Ayden and Rylee are, and how they are so kind and respectful. Makes my Mama heart proud!

As for the job itself and what I spend my time doing all day... my schedule keeps me hopping! I am not working in just one classroom or with one teacher. My schedule has me moving all day long, spending a half hour here, a half hour there, all day. I run reading groups, do classroom supervision so the teachers can have a break/prep period, help with math intervention, and I spend a lot of my time in the "wellness room," helping with the kids that are having trouble behaving themselves.

It's been extremely eye opening! Holy smokes, I had NO idea what goes on in public schools these days. I knew there would be troubled kids, ones that are especially ornery and have behavioral issues. But I never came close to imagining the reality of it. I had no idea that there are some kids that cause so much havoc that classrooms have to be cleared for the safety of all the other students, because desks are being pushed over, and chairs are being thrown, among other things. I had no idea that kids would go into the library and wipe out entire bookshelves. I had no idea that I would be chasing kids around the school that REFUSE to stay in their classrooms. I had no idea that a 6 year old boy would be banned from using the student bathrooms because he was exposing himself to other students inappropriately.

Just this last Friday, we had to call the police to come help contain one of the students because he was so out of control and his parents couldn't be reached. He assaulted a student and a teacher. He took a swing at me, but thankfully missed. The school went into lockdown so that he couldn't enter the office, classrooms, the cafeteria, because he was on a rampage to destroy and was terrorizing staff and other students. So the police had to be called. This was a first grader!!!!

Our elementary school has roughly 500 students, and there are about 10 that are on the extreme end of being behaviorally challenging. The others are wonderful. Because I am in so many different classrooms throughout the week, I have gotten to know a lot of the students. I feel a little like a celebrity when out and about in town and they holler "hi, Miss Amber!"

I may have gotten off to a rocky start at the beginning, and I may have to spend a good portion of my day dealing with hooligans, but I do feel like this has been the perfect job for me to step into as the kids have started school. I am mostly on their school schedule, get to see them a few times throughout the day, and am fulfilling the financial need that is necessary for our family.

12 comments:

  1. This is a wonderful update! I’m so glad to read that not only the kids are doing so well in school, but so are you! I feel like it’s always a struggle to juggle schedules, but it’s great that you at least are on the same schedules as the kids too.

    But WOW I am just astonished at the behavior you described. I mean, I know stuff like that happens, but it just breaks my heart for those kids. It’s not a first graders fault he is like that, you know?? I pray that the school is able to help find him and kids like him the help they need and deserve.
    My friend is a social worker in a local highschool, and she daily has a dozen kids in crisis, and I can’t imagine how heavy that is and how you deal with seeing that every day.

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    1. Exactly! It's definitely not a 5-6-7 year old's fault to have those behaviors, and it is definitely heart breaking. I was pretty shocked at the severity of the behavioral issues that we are seeing. I'm happy to say that the schools (at least in our district) are doing their best to provide quality resources to help them.

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  2. Wow, what an amazing, challenging role! My heart aches for the trauma some of these children must have been through, to end up behaving in the way you describe at such a young age. Hopefully it feels like you are making a difference, and how lovely to be in the same environment as your kids so you share some of their experiences. Great to hear from you : )

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    1. There's definitely been some trauma for a few of these kids, and it is heartbreaking. I am so glad that we have people in place to try to help them become the amazing individuals they are meant to be though.

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  3. What a Thanksgiving treat to see a blog from you...I check every morning!!! This is my 3rd attempt trying to post a comment...it's so long in between I forget what I'm suppose to do & through the process this goes away! Each time I write here, it changes but I will try to write my thoughts. I am thrilled that you have found your place in this job & that it is working for you. You will find your groove in keeping up with everything at home including taking care of you. Giving up perfection will help...perfection is really overrated! A GREAT accomplishment when we achieve perfection in our activities but not necessary in every day life. It is so scary & sad to have such behavioral problems in such young children. Hard to image what they have to deal with in their every day life to be so scared & angry. But sounds like the school & you handle it as best as you can. I love you & thrilled that you have found a job that is working for you & your beautiful family! Aunt D

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    1. So annoying when you lose your attempts to comment! Sorry that happened. I always appreciate what you have to say though, so thanks for persevering!!! :)

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  4. Holy crap. That behaviour is insane. I remember in elementary school having one out of control kid in my class...that was it. And he wasn't as outragious at this one in your school, but still pretty wild. I'm glad you're enjoying it and hear you on accomplishing everything. Working from home, it's similar and most days my head is just left spinning.

    Also, I love your aunt D! I love reading her comments on every post and how amazingly dedicated she is to your life and what's happening in it. <3

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    1. Risa Kerslake: thank you for such a nice comment. Amber & her family are pretty special so very easy to be dedicated & wish them the best as they are the BEST!!! Wishing you & your family a very happy, fun holiday season!!! Aunt D

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    2. It really is insane! I have a whole new appreciation for what teachers deal with on a daily basis.

      Also, I love my Aunt D, too! She is a pretty special person.

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  5. I'm glad that you are liking your new job! It sounds both interesting and challenging at the same time. And boy, that behavior in such young kids is heartbreaking.

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    1. It is very heartbreaking. It's a wonderful thing when we start to see improvements though, and rewarding to feel like what we are doing is actually making a difference!

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