I've recently thought I would contact TRS (Teacher Retirement System) to see what I'd need to do about retiring. It would be just great if I could retire in the next year or so. I wanted to check my teaching record online and to do that I have to get a password. I suppose it has a high security because I couldn't apply for a password online. I had to download a form to fill out, put in the "snail-mail" and then wait for the return response with my "secret" password. Sounds like a lot of trouble, but if it'll get me the information I need to quit teaching school...I'll do it.
My classes this year are not too bad really. The three third grade classes of reading that I teach each have 22 students. Most of them are a little too immature and don't really want to do schoolwork over playing. But I don't blame them because I'd rather play too. Unfortunately, I don't think we'd get away with it. The principal would be sure to find out and we'd all be busted.
Playing instead of being at the school really does sound better to me. Every Monday evening I have the same strong desire to get up in the morning and just drive away and forget about that school and my job. I know that would be very irresponcible, not to mention that people would think I was crazy.
I have managed to get my school principal to let another teacher and myself have a day in Houston attending a workshop on improving TAKS scores. No, it doesn't sound too interesting, but we aren't at school. I'm not complaining. We get to eat lunch with the business crowd and listen to a speaker give us tips on helping the helpless in TAKS. I even get my gasoline paid for plus the cost of the registration. Not a bad deal.
When I retire, I realize that I'll have to get some sort of job to help supplement my paycheck from the state. But this time I'm going to work at something that I enjoy. I want to be able to leave it at work and not bring home work. I would like to be able to sleep later than 6:00 a.m. and not be at work until 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. I do not want to have to substitute teach. Been there, done that. I'm thinking Barnes and Noble might like to hire an ex-teacher. Or better yet, Half-Price Books.
Well I haven't retired yet and I have papers to grade and a few lesson plans to write. It never ends. ;-/
4 comments:
Hope you hear from TRS soon. You are SO ready, girl! I almost felt guilty reading your blog this morning at 7:45 a.m. A year ago I would have been at work doing morning announcements and then ....
What a difference a year makes!
having watched my mom get throught the "end" of her career in public education and reading your blog just flat scares the fool out of me. What are we doing when the best leaders and teachers in our system feel the way you do and have to fight tooth and nail the way I saw my mom? I must say it makes private school more and more appealing.
I relate, I relate, I relate. I guess the difference is that as a theatre teacher I would be doing theatre regardless of whether I was teaching it or not. That's what frustrates me the most and in turn frustrates the kids. I want them to be little actors and I want to be their director. They want nothing to do with theatre and just want their credit and for me to leave them alone. I've resigned myself to the fact that I can't teach public high school forever. Unfortunately, I have to figure out what I can do instead.
Thank you all for your empathy. I am very ready to retire from teaching. It has gotten to be more and more work the longer I stay in it. The kids are ALWAYS hyper and it seems that more of them either need to be medicated or have stricter guidelines at home. I suspect it is more the later.
ML
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