handling teaching and post-op

went back to work this week after 5 weeks off. surgery was 11/29 and i have lost 45lbs. however, i am a 10th grade english teacher and teach lower level kids. they have been wild, and i am exhausted. any suggestions? i am trying so hard, but yesterday i broke up a fist fight in my class, and all this was after having been sick lst period, disgusted enough to walk out of my 2nd period class for the last 9 minutes, and then the fight 4th period. i am still struggling trying to get the diet and water right, but nothing is regular and i can't seem to depend on anything. i am glad to be back to work, but i can't seem to wrap my head around how to juggle it all. all of my kids are good, and they know about the surgery. but even knowing that, they haven't altered their behavior one iota. i am a good teacher and don't have problems, but right now i just can't do emotionally what i normally do, and the kids lack of compassion has really bummed me out. easy

I am SO sorry to hear about your rotten week back. I think the kids are always rowdier after a holiday, especially Christmas break. It's wonderful that you've lost so much, so quickly, but they do say that it takes a while to get everything in balance. I also teach high school kids, and went back after 2 weeks, and so far, so good. (Except for one day when I had such awful naseua (sp?) that I had to leave school! I've been ok since, now that I'm keeping up with my water better.) I don't know about the fights, but is there anything you can plan that will give you some 'down-time' during the class itself? I know that I've included a class project this week, that I normally would not have, just so I don't have to be 'on stage' all the time! That and having an honest talk with the classes, with lots of 'I-messages', asking for their support and help as you recover. Remind them that the alternative will be more subs and boring busywork, if they can't cut you some slack so you can teach!

Ellen, I know how you feel I teach first grade now but did teach middle school for 15 years. Sometimes, I have found if you just talk frankly with the kids and tell them how you are feeling and what you need from them they will respond well to your needs. I found when I first went back to school after my surgery, if I nibbled on cheese and Kraft has a great craker cut vaiety that is just the right size for people begging the journey, also peanut butter works well. My team teachers had to get used to eating 2T of peanut butter with a baby spoon for a while. DO NOT BREAK UP FIGTHS!!!! Send a child for help or call the office. You could injure yourself and cause be time problems with your surgery. If you are not aVEA member I suggest you join. You will find that m y advice about not stepping in and breaking up a fight is legally correct. Make sure you tell the kids to stop. Have other kids move away for their protection and send for help. That will cover your libility. Check with your Unisev office to make sure but I think I'm right. I go back to work Monday after having a revision of my tummy tuck. I go back to bus duty. I can hardly wait! Diane I'll be praying for you.

Amen on breaking up fights! I know we have been told that if we tell them to stop, and protect the other kids, we are legally cleared. I won't break up fights anyway, espexially girls! YIKES Guys will listen becuase they really don't want to beat the crap out of each other, girls don't care. When I first read that I thought, "Oh my God, what if they accidently puched her in the stomach?"

Jenny, I have a friend that used to teachin Tazewell. Jackie Yates. However, it's been a long time ago. She has two sisters who did teach in VA but are now retired.