I am a slacker/slave
Friday, February 29, 2008 at 
9:14 pm ()
Calling myself a slave would be a little dramatic and slightly politically incorrect, but I seriously feel like one sometimes. However, it’s probably a little bit of my own fault. I have a massive amount of responsibilities on me at work. Everyone always gushes over how great I am at my job, and it makes me feel good. Therefore, I end up doing pretty much anyone asks me to and then some.
Teaching second and third grade in Lexington was a living hell. When I started my computer lab job last school year, it was a totally new thing for me. I didn’t really know nothing about being a school technology coordinator or administering online assessments. Luckily, I’m good with computers and have always been good at figuring things out for myself. Apparently, I am like a million times better than the previous computer lab person which of course, makes me feel good. At the same time though, it sometimes puts pressure and stress on me.
Some teachers in my school feel that the special areas teachers (music, art, P.E., computer lab, and library) have too much planning time. The teachers get an hour of planning each day. I, on the other hand, have at least two most days and sometimes three. The teachers are only planning for one class though. I have to plan for six different grade levels. Not only that, I have to go around and play superwoman and solve everyone’s technology troubles and install this or that, and take photos of things, etc. I guess some of the teachers feel we have too much free time to sit around and do nothing though. We (the special area teachers) affectionately refer to ourselves as “slackers” because some people don’t think we have anything to do. 
Whatever.
A teacher sends a kid to the library with a dollar and asks the librarian to buy her a drink from the coke machine. People call me on the phone while I have a class and expect me to leave and come help them figure out why their VCR isn’t working. It’s ridiculous. My principal doesn’t know a thing about technology so I am left to make ALL of the technology decisions for our school. It’s a huge responsibility to decide who gets a new computer first or which classes get an extra computer. Apparently, no teacher or parent has ever complained about me personally though which is nice to know.
It’s been a super busy couple of weeks for me (that is, when we have actually been in school and not out for now), and I just needed to rant for a minute. I am overworked and underpaid like most people, and sometimes it just really frustrates me. Do any of you How many of you have a job that makes you feel like this?
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Filed in: Education, Rants, Work ()
6 Comments so far
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Miranda scribbled this note on February 29th, 2008: 
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When I worked at the elementary school, I befriended the computer lab teacher. Although she obviously wouldn’t tell me how she really felt, I know how hard it was for her to help everyone with their technical troubles plus other stuff. I can’t believe the other teachers are mad about your planning time. They of all people should know how it is to plan a day out for their class.. then you have all of the other classes in that grade, PLUS the other ones! I love the idea of merging my love of technology with my love to work with and teach children, but it definitely sounds like a trying job. Lucky for you, you’re a strong and very intelligent woman that can handle it!
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Aww, blah. It’s lame that other teachers assume that about what you do. My mom used to say that everyone has their own “little world” and think their field is the most important and has priority over everyone else’s. Nice little pearl of wisdom, hehe, and it’s pretty true! It’s soooo weird how people get huffy and consider themselves more important or higher up in the “hierarchy” than their coworkers. I HATE THAT.
I happen to love my job…but I am around the bottom of the food chain, heh, as the newest AND youngest person in the entire company, lol. Sometimes certain people talk down to me and think I don’t know what I’m doing or that I should spend more time on certain tasks that really don’t involve me at ALL…but that’s when I remember I still have time to “move up” and maybe these people will be working for ME someday. ;D
Hail, Ashley! QUEEN OF TECHNOLOGY!
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That sounds like a really hectic non-stop job you’ve got yourself there!
I don’t know how I’d be able to handle all of that extra work if it were me.I don’t believe that other teachers are mad about your planning time though! How unfair is that? They plan classes themselves don’t they know how hard it is already without having to figure out everyone else’s technical problems on top! The arrogance of some people.
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I think I know how you feel. I work as the webmaster for our university yearbook and besides being grossly underpaid, I’m always having to do all these little “extra” things because nobody else knows how to do it. Like you, everyone is always telling me how much better everything is with me running the Web site, blah blah, and then I get all this stuff dumped on me. It’s very frustrating, and I feel your pain
I guess a consolation is just knowing that you’re doing a job that you like, whereas you could be working a job that you completely hate.
(Sidenote: I love this layout! The search bar thing at the top almost made me squeal with joy when I saw it. The scalloped pattern makes me happy love:
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I currently do not have a job, so I don’t feel this way right now. Teaching must be such a stressful and hard job, I don’t think I could do it.
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@ Melissa: Heh heh! Thanks Melissa.
I love my actual job (I do not love the extra annoying things and attitude of some people), and I am also one of the youngest people at my school. I just wish the circumstances were different. I feel like technology is not really valued enough in Kentucky. If it were, they would hire certified teachers to teach it and not assistants. @ Kim: It is very hectic! I know how the teachers feel because they often have to go to meetings during their planning time and I don’t, but at the same time… that’s not my fault!
@ Heather: I do like my job, and you’re right. It could be MUCH worse. I try to think about that whenever I feel down about it all. And thanks for the comments about my new layout!
@ Sarah: Teaching is stressful. It does take a special kind of person, I guess, to do it. Sometimes I don’t feel like I can do it!
Ashley scribbled this note on March 2nd, 2008: If this is the first time you have commented on RainbowStuff.com, your comment must be approved before it is made public. Please refrain from profanity and cruel or ignorant remarks.
