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I'm not a teacher, but people start new jobs preggers all the time! I know you are probably very stressed out, but given the economy and the health benefits, my inclination is to tell you to still take the job.
Wow oh wow. I feel for you, this is a lot to take on at once, but is totally doable! First year of teaching is challenging, but if you are a good school it could make all the difference. It is more time consuming than anything. You might want to look into the medical offered through your school before you decide what to do. I've heard some insurances treat pregnancy as a pre-existing condition and might not cover all of what you think and it might be better to look into other plans anyhow?
Relocating is a big adjustment too so just take everything day by day. Everything happens for a reason. Best of luck on your new journey :)
My sister (and I) are teachers and the only problem I can think of is if your district won't give you all of your leave once the baby comes. My district and the district my sister worked in had a mandatory work a full year then get the leave. I would def look into the insurance you will have and what all of the "catches" are
I just finished my first year teaching and I feel for you - it is incredibly challenging and time-consuming. It is not like starting any new job. I think it is important to look at your background - do you have a solid background in student teaching? Do you have lesson plans to work with? Are you a procrastinator or are you someone who will be overplanned? What grade are you teaching - will there be a lot of grading like with high school (especially English and History)? I think you can do it if you start your curriculum now - you will be overwhelmed with so much during this year.
I also agree with futuremrszapper - a good school district will make a WORLD of difference.
Good luck!
Do you HAVE to work this first year? If i were you, if I could afford it, I would take a year off. I have a few teacher friends and it felt like their first years they were just exhausted all the time. The first year seems harder because you have to make your lesson plans, find a routine, etc, etc.
If you can, I would do it! And start your lesson planning now. There are sooo many teachers looking for work. I heard that something like 90% of teaching graduates will NOT find a job this year. Eek! So it is great that you already have your job! Between your 3rd and 6th months you should have the most energy, so do the most you can handle now to have your lesson plans ready! Best Wishes in everything this year! :)
I'm not sure how schools work in the states, but high school here, first semester is Sept - end of Jan. So Assuming you are due in December (since you said you are already 4 months along) doesn't that mean you wouldn't even finish first semester? Also, I thought you have to work somewhere for a full year to get mat leave benefits? I could be way off on all this, but just thought I'd throw those questions out there!
I'm a long time teacher but only pregnant for the first time now and married about 9 months. Anyway, those are huge transitions. Depending on how long you are out and who is your long term sub, you may not have to do too much lesson planning if you get a 'regular' long term sub--savvy teachers and your admin can help you find a 'good' one that can handle being pointed in a general direction without having to write everything out. So secure that soon and you feel a lot of weight off your shoulders. In our state, we can only get 6 weeks off for birth but then 6 months more for breastfeeding with a note written by the pediatrician. And I'm using sick leave for all of it.
I'm assuming you don't have much sick leave saved up (being a new teacher) but use nearly all of it if you want to be with baby as long as possible. You'll be earning more sick leave days as soon as you go back to work so you can use that if you need to go to doctor's again. This is one of the first things you can do too. Calculate exactly how much sick leave you have with personnel or your school's secretary.
Also, you have your breaks going for you so that you can rest, recharge and be with the baby so that's a good thing. Stay in teaching! It's hardest (the most work) the first two years but if you stay in the same grade level it will get so much easier. The people who work the hardest are the people who move around all the time.
I feel for you honey, I really do. I say, hit the ground running now with lesson plans because the 1st yr IS as hard as people say it is. It's basically learning everything. ESPECIALLY try to get those lesson plans for the months you will be gone. It will look like you are concerned about your job and keeping it. I say that because some principals will go ahead and look for another teacher, especially coming in pregnant, in the 1st yr. But that is NOT to scare you.
My biggest concern would be job security. If you don't teach this year, will you still have a job? The teaching market is super tight in California. So in that case, I would say teach this year.
I would recommend finding a BFF at your school in your grade level (or subject) and just do what she does as much as possible.
The first year is tough no matter what, so maybe being pregnant will help you not to be too hard on yourself?
Please PM me if you want to talk more. I have taught HS English for 5 years, my sister teaches 5th grade and my mom taught elementary forever. And I hoping to be pregnant while teaching this year too....we'll see.
What part of LA are you in? I went to UCLA and lived there for 6 years...
Just take it one day at a time. And breathe. As long as you don't panic it's amazing how much you can handle. Yes I think it'll be hard but it will also be totally worth it IMO.
Being pregnant is hard no matter what stage of life you are in or what career path you have chosen. I am a nurse and it is a VERY STRESSFUL job and can be somewhat dangerous with combative patients etc. However life happens and you take it one step at a time, one day at a time. In todays economy I could not imagine NOT working especially if neither of you have any benefits or insurance. Pregnancy is expensive period. I personally would work through it.
Hi,
Thanks so much everyone! To clarify, when school starts, I will only be two months along! So I will be starting at the worst possible time, correct? That means I will have to take leave in March or late February.
Oh goodness I feel for you! I'm not a first year teacher yet, but I've done some of my student teaching and even that is overwhelming with making all of the lesson plans and stuff. It's definitely difficult because it isn't easy to find a teaching job now, so if you have one lined up it would be hard to give up. On the other hand, I agree with some of the other bees in that you should make sure that you would get the leave you need for the first year. If not, I would probably consider taking the first year off since I would want to make sure I was home for a good amount of time if I could afford it!
Since your husband doesn't have a job that provides you benefits, essentially, you have to work. You don't really have a choice! You NEED healthcare. You may get the 6 weeks leave (even if it's unpaid), but then you'll have to go back if your husband isn't working and/or has no benefits to provide you. Plan ahead with your lesson plans. Just crank them out!
As far as it being a hard job, yeah, it'll be hard. But LOTS of women have tough jobs. Nursesk lawyers, and doctors work long, hard hours, and are around cranky sick people a lot, so take solace in the fact that MANY woman work VERY stressful jobs, capping over 40 hours a week, and you won't be the first to survive it =]. Don't think of it as impossible, think of it as very possible.
You really should take the job if at all possible. Do your absolute best. I suggest this mostly b/c of the insurance and also b/c of the time you would take off if you didn't work this year. I want to tell you there are a lot teacher layoffs in the midwest. It's almost impossible to find a position in teaching. The universities in my state are finding it nearly impossible to place their students in student teaching positions, a lot of schools are closing. I'm assuming it's quite competitive elsewhere in the U.S., even if it's not now, it will be b/c a lot of people are relocating so that they can teach. Take the job so that you have experience and aren't having to compete for a position if you took time off to have your child.
I'm not a teacher, but I'd at least try to make it through the first semester. Will your husband have insurance by then? If it's more than you can handle, just give your principal super advanced notice that you won't come back after the break, so he/she can have a chance to hire someone over the break. Hopefully he/she would understand if you aren't well and would respect the advanced notice.
You just don't want to mess up your only reference, but ultimately your health is the most important. I hate to say it, but it is still VERY early in your pregnancy, so I wouldn't go quitting this early.
Actually, that will be a great time to be taking your leave, for you and baby anyway. You will be able to take the 6 weeks which MIGHT get you to the summer. That is very good for you and baby, extra time together without having to take more unpaid leave.
When you start you will be assigned a mentor. You should work very closely with this person to get you plans in order. It is never to early to get started on them!
Please do not do cannotwaits advice. If you bail out on a contract midyear it will be very difficult to get another job with that on your record. Also, can you imagine how your students would feel if their teacher just left them? Definite no-no.
I was a first year teacher last year. Yes, it's hard and stressful but I think if you put your mind to it you can totally do it!
All I'm saying is there is no guarantee you can make it through the first year; I'm not saying you shouldn't try, nor does my post say that. Things like bed rest happen to the best of us, and based on my pregnancy, you learn that not everything is in your control anymore. I'm just trying to take into consideration ALL the factors the OP has mentioned, but she can take my advice or leave it...just remember that people have babies early, people have bed rest...either way you would have to leave your students during the first year, since you are due before summer break, anyway.
That being said, I wish you the happiest/healthiest pregnancy, and I hope the job works out for you!
Why dont you substitute teach for the first yaer - it will give you a little bit more control over your schedule. I know how hard it is. I got married in univeristy and ended up pregnant. I had my son a few months into school and went back 2 weeks after my c-section. I had arranged my schedule ahead of time so all my classes were two days a week and i worked at a school helping in the classroom for part of those days. Its really tough. I am glad that I made my schedule workable around my son though becuase I would have hated to miss time with him. I took this past year off and am now entering teachers college this september and he is turning two. I think if you substitute you will continue to get experience until the baby is born and then you can continue to substitute even one day a week that way you have time with your baby. In the end its all about how you feel and what is right for you and your baby. everyones situation and feelings are different so take some time to think about it and good luck!
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Help! I am so overwhelmed! I am a newly newlywed (just under 4 months) and just found out I am pregnant. We just moved to Los Angeles from AZ (big move!), and I am still so unfamiliar with the area! To top it all off, I am about to start my FIRST YEAR of teaching, and have no idea if this is a good idea! 22 years old, first year teacher, new loaction, and now pregnant? My initial reaction is not to teach. It seems too overwhelming, and I feel like the first year is already so hectic teaching, that to add a first year preganacny to the mix, when my husband and have barely lived the newlywed life, and I still have no idea which grovery store to go to...might be too much?
Are there any other teachers out there who have taught first year while pregnant? And also young teachers? The only thing keeping me from making a decision is the benefits -- my husband doesn't get any through work yet, so I would be the sole provider, and I know medical is a HUGE neccessity of pregancy.
Thank you, bees!