So glad to see you back...You have been missed. 

I know. I have been wondering where you have been and was glad to find out that everything was ok and you were just really busy and taking a break.

That's so nice of you. I'm more making a flying visit..... all the high-post-count threads sucked me in just to see what the brouhaha was all about.

Just finished the first half-week of school

The economy is absolutely stymied here in AZ

Taxpayers voted down a standing tax (not a new one, just a standing one) saved themselves a whole $1.19/month and the result: I have two of my high school math classes are over 50 students, and my "high risk" class is up to 43.

What that amounts to for me is that I'm teaching 30 more kids than I taught last fall and making $8000 to $10,000 less than I made last year (they didn't give us cost of living increases, they didn't give us our salary steps, and they cut 1.5% out of what we made, AND I'm teaching 50 more kids than I taught last year when I was teaching on my prep hour, and not making that money but teaching a huge increase in number of students.

It's driving me bonkers.

Don't know that I'll be around steadily, but I thought I'd jump back it. Feels good to see my friends again. Climb out of my lil shell

I'm so sorry....I couldn't imagine -I didn't even know that was legal!

Good to see you back!  I've missed you 'round here!  

 Over 50 students thats insane how can a child learn in that enviroment. It is truly a shames how they treat teachers and then expect so much from them. 

Well I am glad for the fly by...

I have one foot wide spaces between desks (Thank GOD I'm no longer 350 lbs).... the kids are stacked from the back wall to the front wall, from the side wall to the side wall.... "checking for understanding" is an exercise in futility because when they are working on their assignments, I'm trying to get all the questions answered, but it ain't happening.

The good news is that this is the first year I'm back when I'm not recovering from RNY, or Female Surgery, or a huge-oh shot to my posterior for pain relief. First time I've come back healthy as an ox.... so I do not have the exhaustion I remember from other years.

*sigh*

I did MISS teaching though, didn't know how much till I was in front of a room FULL of kiddos.

 I am a teacher too, but in CA, and we lost 5 days, our step increase and 5%.  This amounts to about $8,000 in income for me as well.

I had this surgery because my mom had a stroke at age 55 and I just turned 40.  My HBP was out of control and I could not get it in control even with taking 3 medications a day.  After her stroke my mom recovered but was never able to go back to work as an RN and if that happened to me I would never work again as a teacher and to me that was unacceptable.  What am I if I am not a teacher, I love what I do so much

But I can't afford to keep losing salary every year, get more kids and be expected to work miracles to increase test score.  We have the same tax issue in CA, people want low taxes but they also want better schools.  YOU CAN"T HAVE BOTH!!

You know how crazy I am... I listened to the list of cuts, and the one that would have bothered me the most.... losing five days of TEACHING

Crazy people the devoted teachers are

My track record with my geometry kids is superb. I get from 90% to 98% pass rate on standardized testing. (compared with a state pass rate that has been anywhere from 50% to 63%) .... so I guess they wanted to see if I could be THAT good with 103 kids between my two classes. It's a nightmare to balance the needs of ALL those kids

My mother got Colon cancer at the age of 58 and after a valiant 3 year fight, she died. When it was obvious that cancer was going to be the victor, I realized that I didn't want to be her in twenty years, and so I pursued WLS. While it's not a cake walk, and my health issues in some ways are just as difficult now as before losing 200 lbs, I wouldn't change it.

As far as the tax issue, it was a tax on homes in our area. $1.19 per month for a homeowner if their house is worth $100,000 which was what we paid for our house. Sadly, our house is now only worth about one-third of that, and so the tax would be closer to $0.40/month. I'd hazard a guess that people walk by and don't pick up more than 40 cents in spare change on the street every month without thinking twice, but when it comes to keeping class sizes minimal, they won't spare the change. Idiots.

 Wow... good to see you back.  Was wondering what happened or where you went.  Also, very interesting to know that you are a teacher and all about the challenges you face.

50 kids - that was a usual in the 1950s in the catholic school I attended.  We had nuns - and you learned or went to hell!  8)   I don't suggest we revert to that system.

Can really appreciate that you are rejoicing in being able to move easily between desks (and dodging spitballs????).