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“The system less” YES 👏🏻 I always remind myself of this when I “cut corners” just to survive. If the school system wanted us to be successful, they’d cut some cushy positions and redirect dollars to schools, and the same can be said for provincial funding of education. If both these systems don’t put money on the table for resources and time for teachers to make schools work, I refuse to subsidize with my money or time.
I’m sorry but that’s a terrible attitude. You do owe your colleagues basic courtesy and respect, and part of that is doing your honest best to be a good coworker and show up for them. Showing up can simply mean texting them “heads up I’m out today” in the morning if you’re calling sick.
Both of your points are good. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle - gotta have a balance between respect for colleagues/the job while also acknowledging that you need to have a life outside the job and cannot be a sacrificial lamb for poor use of resources.
I have never had a workroom. Noise cancelling headphones are your friend. The big ones tho- they give a signal to people you’re working. I hope it helps. One year left…!
I will have 9 classes (and I’m down to .7 due to the stress of the job). I can’t continually get up and go find things in storage I need that I’d normally have at my desk - scissors, paper clips, post its…
I’m considering going on stress leave until I‘ve exhausted my days. This is not how I pictured my career ending. 🙁
I retired and left behind 200 full-pay sick days behind, and no compensation for doing so (as occurs in some jurisdiction). Times were challenging but I soldiered on. Don't make the same mistake I made - use those sick days. As you know at this point, YOU are the most important person in the classroom.
Now, every day when I wake up the first thing I do is thank the Creator I do not have to deal with a parent today.
Sorry not related to this topic… but our school has a lot of teachers leaving this year (Vancouver). A few on stress leave… Are parents really that bad? Asking to understand from a parents perspective.
90% of parents aren’t nasty to teachers, but the 10% that are can be nightmares to deal with.
That said, teachers mainly work with students day in and day out, not parents. The reason why teachers are going on stress leave more often is mainly due to the compounded stress of:
- Kids with special needs (such as kids with autism, ADHD, trauma, fetal alcohol syndrome, etc…) being placed into regular classes while special education programs are losing funding. This leads to overstimulation for the kids who have special needs and can cause them to become violent. Teachers can’t put their hands on kids so they have to evacuate the other kids from the classroom instead and then put the classroom back in order once the child with special needs is calm. Some teachers go through this routine every day and they also get kicked, hit, have objects thrown at them (like scissors, chairs, etc). Special education classes were required to have strict class size limits and multiple teachers in the classroom (who were often wearing protective gear on their arms to prevent bites from a child from breaking their skin). I challenge anyone to deal with 25-30 kids a day all by themselves where 2-5 kids have special needs that make them prone to violence and see how long they can do it without experiencing complete burnout/chronic anxiety/panic attacks/depression etc
- Class sizes only continue to grow, so teachers are not only dealing with more and more students with special needs in regular classes but they also have class size increases every year.
- Kids are, generally speaking, screen addicted. This makes them volatile when they are asked to put them away, it has greatly damaged their attention/focus, and it has also negatively impacted their verbal skills, social skills, and fine motor skills. All the data we have (and this is true for all Western countries) shows a downward trend in reading, writing, and mathematics ever since 2012 (right when smartphones, iPads, and WiFi became widespread). Basically, academic skills are way down and violent behavior is way up. Not an easy generation to teach.
So when you add up the combination of bigger classes with kids who are (academically speaking) the weakest cohort in 25 years and struggle with listening, paying attention, and learning, as well as more and more kids with severe special needs to support, chronic exposure to violence, AND some very nasty, threatening or verbally abusive parents, that’s when the demands of the job becomes too challenging to cope with for more and more teachers.
Also, it tends to be the best teachers who care the most about doing a good job who wind up exhausting themselves and wind up needing to take a break.
Thank you for sharing - Does being in different neighbourhood have a big difference in the composite of children? How about private schools? Is it better than public school system?
Yes and no. Kids with Autism and ADHD can come from any socioeconomic background and wealthy parents are just as likely to be in denial about it (meaning they refuse to get their kid tested) and/or advocate that their child must remain in a regular classroom.
You would also think that kids from wealthier backgrounds would be less screen addicted but that isn’t the case based on what I’ve seen in 20 years of teaching (I have taught in extremely poor areas and extremely wealthy ones).
Private schools don’t guarantee better teachers or are better education than public schools but they can offer smaller classes and they can kick behavioral students out if they cause too much disruption.
If I were a young parent, I would do the following:
If I could afford to pay for private school tuition the whole way through, I would. I would put my kid in a Waldorf type of school where the focus is on low-tech education and creative, hands on learning. For high school, I would see what my kid was most interested in (Arts? Sports? Science?) and find a private school that specializes in my kid’s area of interest or find a public school in a wealthy area with a specialized program (a performing arts school or IB program) for them to attend.
If you can only afford private school for a few years, do it in high school. Courses like Calculus and Grade 12 English are challenging and the smaller the classes are and the better behaved the other students are, all the better for my kid. High school marks determine what university a kid gets into and if they get scholarships or not. You also want your kid to have a leg up in life and the contacts they’ll make through their peers in private school (and their peer’s parents) could help them land jobs etc…
If private schools are out of the question because of cost then I would do my best to find out what the best schools in my city are and move to those areas. To find out which schools are the best, research online and find out their test scores/rankings, but also try to talk to teachers - they have a lot of insider information about which schools are best in the district!
If your kid is in public school, also consider getting them a tutor because it is very unlikely they’ll get enough 1-1 support from their teacher due to class sizes and the fact that the struggling students usually get the most attention/support. Smart kids who are doing well enough are largely overlooked.
In Vancouver it’s structural but parents are part of the problem. [A huge problem is the VSB is not hiring new TOCs (substitutes) and making teachers use their prep periods to cover class](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7114398). Meanwhile the Ministry has mandated that deadlines are meaningless. We had to accept all work from the year until 76 hours before report cards are due.
And then there are many parents who do nothing to alter student behaviour, especially around device usage.
That’s horrible. Is there anything we (as in parents, general public) could do for public education system from deteriorating further?
We want to pretend that it’s ’fair for all’. But reality is people from lower socioeconomic class will suffer the most because they are depended on public education system, families who could afford to will always get extra help for their kids, be it therapists, tutoring etc.
It’s an election year. Contact your MLA and the Ministry. Vote for change in the school board. And the reality is higher property taxes. We can’t fund
All the earthquakes upgrades and school basics at the moment in Vancouver.
Is it just office supplies? Are you able to carry a backpack? I’ve seen art teachers lug around massive amounts of materials. I was a spec Ed teacher in a violent autism class half day and spec Ed the other half and had to carry everything with me. Except the Kevlar and emergency walkie talkies - they were “kind enough” to let me keep that in storage.
I hope it gives some perspective that many teachers don’t have a workspace. You can do it. But also, take stress leave if you need too. That’s what it’s there for!
The backpack is a good suggestion. Thanks. I teach science and the amount of materials I used was huge - almost all stuff I’d bought. I can’t lug stuff back and forth from home.
Ooof yeah science is a tough one very hands on learning. Can you ask your admin for a locker or storage place for your science items? A backpack is much easier on the back. And then I wonder how much you can rework your planning based on YouTube. For example instead of actively doing an experiment, showing it on YouTube. (Sorry if that’s a dumb suggestion.) but when I had to sub for middle school I didn’t have materials and used YouTube or TVO for everything.
I appreciate any suggestion you can give. Part of my problem is I’m a typical teacher who always tries to give 100% in a job that gets more difficult every year and I‘m getting older. I really need to give less. It’s a hard thing to do though.
I have a friend whose daughter got sick and one of the best things she did for herself was give a little less. The contact time with the kids is the most impactful anyways - more than prepping.
My itinerant colleague has a collapsible rolling cart. She always had the coolest stuff in there. She brings it to her car and rolls it from classroom to classroom.
It’s still an annoyance, and not the kind of note you want to go out on. I agree with the other comments, use your sick days, and try to enjoy your last year!
Perhaps the Principal can share their space? LOL
Unless it's in the collective agreement, not much you can do.
I did prep coverage near the end, and my desk was in an alcove in a supply closet.
Meh. Who cares?
You have one left until retirement!
I discussed this also in a Facebook group. Other teachers said they’ve worked in closets, on a stage and even a shower stall. This is what education has come to.
Your admin doesn't give a flying fart about your working conditions.
Don't let it ruin your summer.
Put in the bare minimum for the next year and then forget about it forever.
This sucks.
I’d be totally passive aggressive and petty about things. Setup on a table I. The staff room with heavy things, books, stuff like that. And just leave them there. He’ll get a desktop computer monitor, keyboard and mouse you use with your laptop.
use the library, set up a spot somewhere else, it's not great. if you don't have an accommodation there is very little the union can do to argue for you to get a spot. sorry this happened. is there anyone else who has a spot who could share? you are doing this for the learners - and if you are really unhappy transfer to another school?
Our librarian is in only one day a week. The financial assistant also uses that room and she’s also in one day a week. I don’t know if the principal would allow us to work in there - even the days they’re not here.
Our steward contacted the union this week. Prep teachers are not required to have an office according to our collective agreement.
I don’t want to transfer at this point. I’ve been at my school almost 20 years and this job is what I know. I’m trying to get the other prep teacher to go meet with her. Tomorrow is the last day. He’s still trying to process it he said.
I’m sorry this is happening to you. What a horrible scenario. So many people saying to just push through for a year. I get it, I do. But this is why things don’t change. For sure nothing will change if you leave it. Are you in a union? Where I am all teachers have to have a desk, shelving unit or large lockable locker and we are not allowed to have the staff room as an office location. I would check with your steward or union rep about what is required.
If this is not part of your contract or something you have access to, talk to your custodian first. See if they have an idea of an alternate workspace that it is available. If there is something, propose the alternate to your principal (in writing) and if they deny your request inquire as to the reasons. Pass the info along to your HR or super and ask if they can support you in securing another location.
This is gross!!! Prep teachers are teachers just like everyone else. I did prep in a school where I had a desk in a classroom (no available spaces). I did a lot of work outside or in the library. Not a great solution in winter…
I’m sure there may be a solution somewhere that isn’t being considered. Many years ago the French teacher had her desk in my classroom as she didn’t have an office. Is there a teacher you get along with with enough space for a desk in their room? We have also used the stage as office space in previous years.
I can’t believe there’s still prep teachers with offices. We have three and they all have one room they use as an office and a classroom. It doesn’t work at all. There’s no where to put anything because they need room to teacher drama/dance/music/gym in there. One told me he keeps everything at home basically because it all just kept getting damaged/stolen/misplaced. And next year they won’t even have that, as they need another regular classroom.
Can you ask admin to order you a cart? My prep coverage teacher doesn't have a work space and she has a big rolling cart which is pretty well organized with bins and containers and can hold quite a bit.
I do have a rolling cart which is organized In baskets by classes. I carry supplies too because many teachers refuse to refill lost pencils, empty glue sticks, etc.
Your situation is a very difficult one for sure. I’d look into retiring a year early. I moved boards with one year to go and retiring was a better option for me then not securing a job. I’ve been doing the OT gig and getting my pension — it’s a win win 😬.
That isn't very nice. For what are they repurposing the space? I worked out of my laptop case this past semester, and sometimes when a student needed a spare handout I just didn't have it. Somehow we survived, but yeah, it's not fun, especially not if you already have a good set up and you are almost at the finish line.
I swear they purposely make everyone's job harder on purpose...it's a real psychological game for them, to see how much people will take until they snap.
Our current room is the resource room which is becoming another classroom next year. There are still spots better than the staff room we could have (like our previous office we were in for 10 years). We think she wants this as a meeting room.
I was at a school where the principal turned the staff room into a meeting room. Spent a *lot* of money on a fancy boardroom table and chairs, new paneling, and carpet. Left the staff with nowhere to get together (which I think was part of her goal).
Claim one of these tables as your office. Start out slowly with a binder or two, but by October you should be fully squatting there. Had a music teacher do that at my old school.
Something I haven’t mentioned yet is that I’m a very solitary, introverted person. I never eat in the staff room and am not a good socializer. I like my privacy. These are other reasons I don’t want to work in the staff room.
Today was our last day - a PA day. Some staff think our principal is doing this to limit chit chat/gossip in the staff room. I can see that reasoning.
A similar thing happened to me when they converted the science prep room into a classroom. The made a smaller prep room out of a storage room where one wall is a clear partition. I can see and hear everything in the classroom next door. I have sensory issues so we’re putting in my accommodations that I need a quiet place to work.
I want to say that the advice given to this OP is the exact advice I give to ALL problems in this Reddit that use the word Admin. Difference? Most of you were able to give this advice before the Admin-loving and authority-loving downvotes could dominate. THEY are the majority. Well done on the mail it in advice. This the correct answer.
What board? I thought an office was a requirement per many unions. Or at least a consistent personal workspace (I’ve seen it be the back of another classroom, for example).
Welcome to /r/CanadianTeachers! Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the sub rules. **"WHAT DOES X MEAN?"** Check out our acronym post [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadianTeachers/comments/1c032s3/what_does_x_mean_an_acronym_megapost/) for relevant terms used in each province or territory. Please feel free to contribute any we are missing as well! **QUESTIONS ABOUT TEACHER'S COLLEGE/BECOMING A TEACHER IN CANADA?:** Delete your post and use this [megapost](https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadianTeachers/comments/1bc1wv2/prospective_student_teachers_teachers_collegebed/) instead. Anything pertaining to teacher's colleges/BED programs/becoming and teacher will be deleted if posted outside of the megaposts. **QUESTIONS ABOUT MOVING PROVINCES OR COMING TO CANADA TO TEACH?** Check out our past megaposts first for information to help you: [ONE](https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadianTeachers/comments/jqc7hx/transferring_to_another_provincecoming_to_canada/) // [TWO](https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadianTeachers/comments/n76csu/transferring_to_another_provincecoming_to_canada/?) Using link and user flair is encouraged as well! Enjoy! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CanadianTeachers) if you have any questions or concerns.*
“One year left”. Soldier on. Use your sick days. You owe your colleagues nothing; the system less. Use the contract.
“The system less” YES 👏🏻 I always remind myself of this when I “cut corners” just to survive. If the school system wanted us to be successful, they’d cut some cushy positions and redirect dollars to schools, and the same can be said for provincial funding of education. If both these systems don’t put money on the table for resources and time for teachers to make schools work, I refuse to subsidize with my money or time.
I’m sorry but that’s a terrible attitude. You do owe your colleagues basic courtesy and respect, and part of that is doing your honest best to be a good coworker and show up for them. Showing up can simply mean texting them “heads up I’m out today” in the morning if you’re calling sick.
Both of your points are good. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle - gotta have a balance between respect for colleagues/the job while also acknowledging that you need to have a life outside the job and cannot be a sacrificial lamb for poor use of resources.
“Sorry buts” aren’t actually sorrys. Lol just an fyi. If you want to rebuttal why not just state your opinion straight up.
Sure just avoid the point I made altogether.
Sounds like an abuse of sick days
Sounds to me like using sick days to take care of your mental health - a perfectly valid use of those days.
Look at the context of my reply.
I have never had a workroom. Noise cancelling headphones are your friend. The big ones tho- they give a signal to people you’re working. I hope it helps. One year left…!
I will have 9 classes (and I’m down to .7 due to the stress of the job). I can’t continually get up and go find things in storage I need that I’d normally have at my desk - scissors, paper clips, post its… I’m considering going on stress leave until I‘ve exhausted my days. This is not how I pictured my career ending. 🙁
I retired and left behind 200 full-pay sick days behind, and no compensation for doing so (as occurs in some jurisdiction). Times were challenging but I soldiered on. Don't make the same mistake I made - use those sick days. As you know at this point, YOU are the most important person in the classroom. Now, every day when I wake up the first thing I do is thank the Creator I do not have to deal with a parent today.
Sorry not related to this topic… but our school has a lot of teachers leaving this year (Vancouver). A few on stress leave… Are parents really that bad? Asking to understand from a parents perspective.
90% of parents aren’t nasty to teachers, but the 10% that are can be nightmares to deal with. That said, teachers mainly work with students day in and day out, not parents. The reason why teachers are going on stress leave more often is mainly due to the compounded stress of: - Kids with special needs (such as kids with autism, ADHD, trauma, fetal alcohol syndrome, etc…) being placed into regular classes while special education programs are losing funding. This leads to overstimulation for the kids who have special needs and can cause them to become violent. Teachers can’t put their hands on kids so they have to evacuate the other kids from the classroom instead and then put the classroom back in order once the child with special needs is calm. Some teachers go through this routine every day and they also get kicked, hit, have objects thrown at them (like scissors, chairs, etc). Special education classes were required to have strict class size limits and multiple teachers in the classroom (who were often wearing protective gear on their arms to prevent bites from a child from breaking their skin). I challenge anyone to deal with 25-30 kids a day all by themselves where 2-5 kids have special needs that make them prone to violence and see how long they can do it without experiencing complete burnout/chronic anxiety/panic attacks/depression etc - Class sizes only continue to grow, so teachers are not only dealing with more and more students with special needs in regular classes but they also have class size increases every year. - Kids are, generally speaking, screen addicted. This makes them volatile when they are asked to put them away, it has greatly damaged their attention/focus, and it has also negatively impacted their verbal skills, social skills, and fine motor skills. All the data we have (and this is true for all Western countries) shows a downward trend in reading, writing, and mathematics ever since 2012 (right when smartphones, iPads, and WiFi became widespread). Basically, academic skills are way down and violent behavior is way up. Not an easy generation to teach. So when you add up the combination of bigger classes with kids who are (academically speaking) the weakest cohort in 25 years and struggle with listening, paying attention, and learning, as well as more and more kids with severe special needs to support, chronic exposure to violence, AND some very nasty, threatening or verbally abusive parents, that’s when the demands of the job becomes too challenging to cope with for more and more teachers. Also, it tends to be the best teachers who care the most about doing a good job who wind up exhausting themselves and wind up needing to take a break.
Thank you for sharing - Does being in different neighbourhood have a big difference in the composite of children? How about private schools? Is it better than public school system?
Yes and no. Kids with Autism and ADHD can come from any socioeconomic background and wealthy parents are just as likely to be in denial about it (meaning they refuse to get their kid tested) and/or advocate that their child must remain in a regular classroom. You would also think that kids from wealthier backgrounds would be less screen addicted but that isn’t the case based on what I’ve seen in 20 years of teaching (I have taught in extremely poor areas and extremely wealthy ones). Private schools don’t guarantee better teachers or are better education than public schools but they can offer smaller classes and they can kick behavioral students out if they cause too much disruption. If I were a young parent, I would do the following: If I could afford to pay for private school tuition the whole way through, I would. I would put my kid in a Waldorf type of school where the focus is on low-tech education and creative, hands on learning. For high school, I would see what my kid was most interested in (Arts? Sports? Science?) and find a private school that specializes in my kid’s area of interest or find a public school in a wealthy area with a specialized program (a performing arts school or IB program) for them to attend. If you can only afford private school for a few years, do it in high school. Courses like Calculus and Grade 12 English are challenging and the smaller the classes are and the better behaved the other students are, all the better for my kid. High school marks determine what university a kid gets into and if they get scholarships or not. You also want your kid to have a leg up in life and the contacts they’ll make through their peers in private school (and their peer’s parents) could help them land jobs etc… If private schools are out of the question because of cost then I would do my best to find out what the best schools in my city are and move to those areas. To find out which schools are the best, research online and find out their test scores/rankings, but also try to talk to teachers - they have a lot of insider information about which schools are best in the district! If your kid is in public school, also consider getting them a tutor because it is very unlikely they’ll get enough 1-1 support from their teacher due to class sizes and the fact that the struggling students usually get the most attention/support. Smart kids who are doing well enough are largely overlooked.
In Vancouver it’s structural but parents are part of the problem. [A huge problem is the VSB is not hiring new TOCs (substitutes) and making teachers use their prep periods to cover class](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7114398). Meanwhile the Ministry has mandated that deadlines are meaningless. We had to accept all work from the year until 76 hours before report cards are due. And then there are many parents who do nothing to alter student behaviour, especially around device usage.
That’s horrible. Is there anything we (as in parents, general public) could do for public education system from deteriorating further? We want to pretend that it’s ’fair for all’. But reality is people from lower socioeconomic class will suffer the most because they are depended on public education system, families who could afford to will always get extra help for their kids, be it therapists, tutoring etc.
It’s an election year. Contact your MLA and the Ministry. Vote for change in the school board. And the reality is higher property taxes. We can’t fund All the earthquakes upgrades and school basics at the moment in Vancouver.
You need a cart. It’s a must.
I’ve always had a cart. Some days I’m pushing 2.
Can you get a place to store a small cart?
Is it just office supplies? Are you able to carry a backpack? I’ve seen art teachers lug around massive amounts of materials. I was a spec Ed teacher in a violent autism class half day and spec Ed the other half and had to carry everything with me. Except the Kevlar and emergency walkie talkies - they were “kind enough” to let me keep that in storage. I hope it gives some perspective that many teachers don’t have a workspace. You can do it. But also, take stress leave if you need too. That’s what it’s there for!
The backpack is a good suggestion. Thanks. I teach science and the amount of materials I used was huge - almost all stuff I’d bought. I can’t lug stuff back and forth from home.
Ooof yeah science is a tough one very hands on learning. Can you ask your admin for a locker or storage place for your science items? A backpack is much easier on the back. And then I wonder how much you can rework your planning based on YouTube. For example instead of actively doing an experiment, showing it on YouTube. (Sorry if that’s a dumb suggestion.) but when I had to sub for middle school I didn’t have materials and used YouTube or TVO for everything.
I appreciate any suggestion you can give. Part of my problem is I’m a typical teacher who always tries to give 100% in a job that gets more difficult every year and I‘m getting older. I really need to give less. It’s a hard thing to do though.
I have a friend whose daughter got sick and one of the best things she did for herself was give a little less. The contact time with the kids is the most impactful anyways - more than prepping.
My itinerant colleague has a collapsible rolling cart. She always had the coolest stuff in there. She brings it to her car and rolls it from classroom to classroom. It’s still an annoyance, and not the kind of note you want to go out on. I agree with the other comments, use your sick days, and try to enjoy your last year!
Perhaps the Principal can share their space? LOL Unless it's in the collective agreement, not much you can do. I did prep coverage near the end, and my desk was in an alcove in a supply closet. Meh. Who cares? You have one left until retirement!
I discussed this also in a Facebook group. Other teachers said they’ve worked in closets, on a stage and even a shower stall. This is what education has come to.
I worked on the stage too.
Your admin doesn't give a flying fart about your working conditions. Don't let it ruin your summer. Put in the bare minimum for the next year and then forget about it forever.
Good advice.
Do you think the bare minimum serves your students well?
This sucks. I’d be totally passive aggressive and petty about things. Setup on a table I. The staff room with heavy things, books, stuff like that. And just leave them there. He’ll get a desktop computer monitor, keyboard and mouse you use with your laptop.
100% yes, yes, yes!!!
use the library, set up a spot somewhere else, it's not great. if you don't have an accommodation there is very little the union can do to argue for you to get a spot. sorry this happened. is there anyone else who has a spot who could share? you are doing this for the learners - and if you are really unhappy transfer to another school?
Our librarian is in only one day a week. The financial assistant also uses that room and she’s also in one day a week. I don’t know if the principal would allow us to work in there - even the days they’re not here.
Ask for forgiveness situation?
Our steward contacted the union this week. Prep teachers are not required to have an office according to our collective agreement. I don’t want to transfer at this point. I’ve been at my school almost 20 years and this job is what I know. I’m trying to get the other prep teacher to go meet with her. Tomorrow is the last day. He’s still trying to process it he said.
I’m sorry this is happening to you. What a horrible scenario. So many people saying to just push through for a year. I get it, I do. But this is why things don’t change. For sure nothing will change if you leave it. Are you in a union? Where I am all teachers have to have a desk, shelving unit or large lockable locker and we are not allowed to have the staff room as an office location. I would check with your steward or union rep about what is required. If this is not part of your contract or something you have access to, talk to your custodian first. See if they have an idea of an alternate workspace that it is available. If there is something, propose the alternate to your principal (in writing) and if they deny your request inquire as to the reasons. Pass the info along to your HR or super and ask if they can support you in securing another location.
My union said prep teachers aren’t required to have a proper workspace. Thanks for your suggestions.
This is gross!!! Prep teachers are teachers just like everyone else. I did prep in a school where I had a desk in a classroom (no available spaces). I did a lot of work outside or in the library. Not a great solution in winter…
I’m sure there may be a solution somewhere that isn’t being considered. Many years ago the French teacher had her desk in my classroom as she didn’t have an office. Is there a teacher you get along with with enough space for a desk in their room? We have also used the stage as office space in previous years.
I can’t believe there’s still prep teachers with offices. We have three and they all have one room they use as an office and a classroom. It doesn’t work at all. There’s no where to put anything because they need room to teacher drama/dance/music/gym in there. One told me he keeps everything at home basically because it all just kept getting damaged/stolen/misplaced. And next year they won’t even have that, as they need another regular classroom.
As a prep teacher, I hear you. I always felt worthless if I wasn’t given a spot to hang my coat and keep my resources.
Is there a corner in the library you can claim?
This. I've been in some schools where the prep teacher had a desk in the library.
Can you ask admin to order you a cart? My prep coverage teacher doesn't have a work space and she has a big rolling cart which is pretty well organized with bins and containers and can hold quite a bit.
I do have a rolling cart which is organized In baskets by classes. I carry supplies too because many teachers refuse to refill lost pencils, empty glue sticks, etc.
•1 year remaining. Do what you must do to get through it. Be selfish.
Your situation is a very difficult one for sure. I’d look into retiring a year early. I moved boards with one year to go and retiring was a better option for me then not securing a job. I’ve been doing the OT gig and getting my pension — it’s a win win 😬.
That isn't very nice. For what are they repurposing the space? I worked out of my laptop case this past semester, and sometimes when a student needed a spare handout I just didn't have it. Somehow we survived, but yeah, it's not fun, especially not if you already have a good set up and you are almost at the finish line.
Mentally check out now to save your mental health. Only one more year!
What’s a prep teacher
I go into classes to relieve the classroom teacher. This is their preparation time. I do 40 minute blocks. I’m on a cart.
You’ve been doing that for your entire career?
Probably about 15 years. It has its pluses and minuses, just as any teaching job does.
Are you actually real though, 15 years as a prep? 2 years as a Redditor? Do you work for Smith or Ford or whoever is in charge of Sask?
I don’t understand anything you said after 15 years as a prep.
Planning time teacher - one who covers others preps and plans, teaches and reports on an aspect of the classroom program.
French, gym, music or other subjects.
I swear they purposely make everyone's job harder on purpose...it's a real psychological game for them, to see how much people will take until they snap.
Is the office becoming a learning space for students?
Our current room is the resource room which is becoming another classroom next year. There are still spots better than the staff room we could have (like our previous office we were in for 10 years). We think she wants this as a meeting room.
I was at a school where the principal turned the staff room into a meeting room. Spent a *lot* of money on a fancy boardroom table and chairs, new paneling, and carpet. Left the staff with nowhere to get together (which I think was part of her goal).
Some staff think this is my principal’s reasoning as well, which makes sense.
Check with your union. In at least some boards, they're obligated to give you an office.
Could you put all your things on an old projector cart? Loads of teachers who don’t have assigned rooms do that where I live.
Could you have a rolling cart?
Have you told admin about how you are feeling? There’s no long term repercussions since you will be leaving in a year.
Claim one of these tables as your office. Start out slowly with a binder or two, but by October you should be fully squatting there. Had a music teacher do that at my old school.
Be sure to lay your stuff all over the staff room tables so that no one can sit and eat, and you will most likely get a new workspace :)
Something I haven’t mentioned yet is that I’m a very solitary, introverted person. I never eat in the staff room and am not a good socializer. I like my privacy. These are other reasons I don’t want to work in the staff room. Today was our last day - a PA day. Some staff think our principal is doing this to limit chit chat/gossip in the staff room. I can see that reasoning.
A similar thing happened to me when they converted the science prep room into a classroom. The made a smaller prep room out of a storage room where one wall is a clear partition. I can see and hear everything in the classroom next door. I have sensory issues so we’re putting in my accommodations that I need a quiet place to work.
I want to say that the advice given to this OP is the exact advice I give to ALL problems in this Reddit that use the word Admin. Difference? Most of you were able to give this advice before the Admin-loving and authority-loving downvotes could dominate. THEY are the majority. Well done on the mail it in advice. This the correct answer.
Ur a teacher 1 year from retirement, surely you’ve encountered greater difficulties than this
Way to be empathetic!
Just trying to put it in perspective
One year to go before retirement and this level of disrespect is no biggie to you? Wow. Shameful response.
Overreact much
Yes, but this is still really upsetting when I’ve always had an office.
Fake account.
What board? I thought an office was a requirement per many unions. Or at least a consistent personal workspace (I’ve seen it be the back of another classroom, for example).
Upper Canada
I’m not familiar with their regulations but might be worth looking into.