Quantcast

Does this happen to you?

Published 14 July 08 08:37 AM | jtspencer 

Every year, at this point in the summer, I get nightmares about the next school year.  My first year of teaching, I had nightmares that Al-Qaeda took over our school when we didn't make AYP.  Kids enrolled in classes like "suicide bombing" and "sniper 101."  They had Arabic written on my board and loud speakers played propaganda.  Last year, I had a dream that kids went absolutely crazy and nothing I could do would change it.  Last night I had a dream that my classroom was being rennovated while I was teaching, so there were loud machines, it was blazing hot, etc.  Then, they asked me to do more paperwork, including a binder where I had to keep a tally of each kid who answered a question.  They went so crazy on the micromanaging that they sent me a memo about how to use the restroom (including which way to wipe . . . yeah, I know, I must have a really messed up mind).  Finally, they put me on a teacher improvement plan.

I was wondering if this is normal.  Do other teachers have nightmares before the school year begins? Is this typical?

Share this post: Email It | Bookmark It | Digg This | Reddit | Stumble It
Add to favorites: Favorite Post | Favorite Blog | Favorite Author
Comments
# Sophie said on July 14, 2008 11:31 PM:

This blog made me laugh because I find it very true.  Although I am not even in the classroom and still have one more year of undergrad before I get my first classroom I think about my first school year constantly.  I am afraid I am going to do something horrible or just have students that I truly cannot handle.  I am very nervous and although I have not had any nightmares I would not be surprised if they come soon.  I feel as though the education program I am in is preparing me very well for all of the lesson planning and administrative duties but I am just scared about all of the other stuff.  I know that God will not give me anything I cannot handle but who knows I could be running for the hills.  This blog puts me to ease that other teachers get just as nervous as I do about school.  I just want my first year to go so well and I hope I am prepared enough to handle it.

# Kels said on July 15, 2008 10:46 AM:

After reading this blog I thought it was funny but I could imagine how you felt after waking up! I still have one more year of undergrad as well before I teach but my classroom is all I think about. It wouldn't suprise me either if I started having dreams about it as well. My biggest fear is not being able to control my classroom. I have that "teacher voice" but I also try to hard to be their friend. I really have to work on that becasue I don't want to think I am their friend. I want them to know that they can come to me if they need me but they have enough friends and I don't need to be one. This blog puts me more at ease to know other teachers freak out about the same thing I do. I do think it's normal and even though I don't have my own classroom yet I think everyone gets nervous each year and this just might be your way of dealing with it! As long as you know that the things in your dream aren't going to really happen(and im sure you do)! haha

# masonm2 said on July 15, 2008 11:31 AM:

I am about to enter the real world of teaching and just have my internship left for my senior year. I think about my classroom and even my internship classroom and it scares me because I think of all the situations that could happen and whether or not I am going to be prepared enough to handle them. I do not have as extreme situations as your first dream but I do think about them being crazy and me just not being able to find a way to control them. I am in a course right now on classroom management but it is still one of my biggest fears.

# Jules said on July 15, 2008 2:16 PM:

I am about to become a real teacher next year, and I already have nightmares!  I am interning in a few weeks and I get scared that the students are going to be crazy and that I will be left in charge with all of them by myself. I have not had dreams as crazy as yours, but I definately think about horrifying situation! I am not a very mean person and I have trouble managing classrooms because I am too nice to the kids. Butm i am in a management course right now that is helping me with this problem.

# Toad said on July 15, 2008 4:43 PM:

I have the same problem as all of you! I cannot get these scary images out of my head for my first classroom! I am going to be a first year teacher next year and cannot believe it.  The time in school has flown by! In all of the classrooms I have helped, there has been that one child that causes those nightmares! I feel like I just need practice with this kind of child, I have no idea what to expect! But needless to say, I constantly have nightmares about future classrooms and future students.  I am so so so exicted about getting into my own classroom, but worried about situations that will be difficult to handle.  I have prepared myself for all kinds of situtaions and learned how to handle these things in classes, but I don't think I will ever really know until I am put in that situation.  I am always willing to learn new management ideas!

# Kathleen said on July 30, 2008 12:54 PM:

Ohmigosh, yes I have these nightmares. (You'll have to check out my blog.)

I'm ready to begin my 10th year of teaching and no matter how "experienced" I am supposed to be, each and every year feels like a first year.

I suppose that's what keeps teaching an invigorating enterprise!

I have bookmarked your blog; I intend to peruse it frequently.

# Monique said on August 6, 2008 9:52 AM:

This will be my 4th year teaching, and I have felt sick all summer thinking about going back to work.  I love my students. They are NEVER the issue.  Sure I worry about what I will have to work with, especially since I teach 8th grade English in a small town that is 79% eco disadvantaged, but the real issue is those I work with.  I cannot understand how half these people are allowed to work with kids.  All they do is talk bad about them.  95% of the teachers here are closed minded gossipers, who I know talk about me when I am not around.  I feel alone here.  I had three friends, but this year I will have one, since two of them could not bare another year of negativity.  I don't want to go into all the stuff that goes on... it's just that I am more nervous this year than ever before.  

Leave a Comment

(required) 
(optional)
(required) 
 

About jtspencer

I am a teacher in an inner-city Phoenix school. I'm not a big fan of online anonymity, so I'll tell you exactly who I am: I teach seventh and eighth grade social studies at Frank Borman Middle School. I love teaching, but I also know that it can be challenging. I am married and have two sons.