Not what I agreed to - what should I do?

[searchingforsunshine395]

Hello,

I handed in my resignation at my school, at which point I was offered a job (same school) teaching SEN teenagers as somebody had recently left. I agreed to take the job, if I could keep one of my favourite classes and also agreed to keep top set year 11 (core subject). There was no real increase in pay, but I did get some extra PPA.

Anyway, timetables have been handed out and someone messed up mine. Now I have to lose one of my favourite classes three times per week and pick up another difficult KS4 class four times a week. I'm concerned that the kids in that class won't cope with having two teachers as they have SEN and like consistency. Also, I absolutely adore those kids and the thought of not being their main teacher next year has left me in tears since I saw my timetable. In addition, the extra KS4 class will mean extra marking and planning, which I didn't agree to, and building relationships with an extra set of difficult and hormonal teenagers.

I took the job because keeping those two classes enabled me to give extra emotional energy to the new SEN group arriving in September. I feel like what I'm getting isn't what I signed up for, and was assured I would get, when I said I would take the job. I get the feeling that my HoD thinks I'm being unreasonable but I said I would stay under a certain set of circumstances that are now not being met - I have always gone with the flow previously and just done my best with whatever classes I got.

My concern is that taking on so much (new challenges, as well as a lot of marking, and getting to know new students) will impact my wellbeing negatively as I have found myself working constantly, even up to the last few days of school. I can't maintain 13 hour days all year.

Am I being unreasonable?

Also, any advice much appreciated - thank you in advance.

I think you're probably very tired at the end of term, to be honest. It doesn't sound that much of a big deal from an outsider's perspective. I enjoy all my classes but there's no such thing as a favourite class for me; maybe you're a bit too emotionally connected. So you lose one KS4 class and pick up another - if you're only teaching them half the time, you won't have as much to do there, will you?

With regards to KS3 - you say many have SEN, but that's where your strength is, isn't it? It's got to be positive - these children need someone to teach and guide them and from what you say, you are in an ideal position to do exactly that. Think of the difference you can make! You will bond with them as well, but eventually you will need to become a bit more detached emotionally; it's great to have strong teacher-student relationships but to go as far as to say you adore them and then being in tears over losing them shows a bit too much investment, IMO.

Does your school have department schemes you could use do that you aren't planning from scratch?
No one should be working 13 hour days regularly, but I suspect you are quite new to teaching and things are taking a bit longer than they otherwise might.

There are lots of positives in what you are saying. I'm an old hack, I suppose, but I've learnt not to expect what I want in the timetable; it never works out that way anyhow because for the timetabler the main concern is getting a teacher from the right subject in front of the class - who it actually is isn't their concern. It's the Head of Department's. With the whole school to sort out - staff and students - your priorities aren't theirs.
I always accept the timetable I get given and then go about doing the very best I can do with the children in front of me. It's less stressful for yourself that way.

Have a good rest now - you certainly deserve it. When you look again at this in September, things will feel different.

Why were you going to resign from the school in the first place?