Has anyone had to re-do student teaching or switch placements?

I'm going to a new placement soon. I took an incomplete due to being with a toxic mentor, a supervisor who did nothing to manage the situation, and health issues from the stress. I'm curious if others have dealt with needing to completely re-do student teaching or partially re-do it with a new mentor? How did it work out? Did your new mentor know about your past student teaching placement? Advice?

 

Only one, and it is said with kindness - drop the toxic mentor mention and make your standard answer, should anyone ask, health issues. Period. No mention of stress as a factor, just health issues, that you would prefer not to talk about or dwell on. If you still feel the need on the forum to vent, feel free, because there is always someone willing to listen. But I would think it might be good for you to start thinking "health issues that I would prefer not to talk about." I also hope that you will simply accept your new placement as a gift, and stop worrying about what others may or may not know. Whatever they may have heard will pale by comparison to your work in this reboot. If you are constantly paranoid about the first placement, she won - she planted seeds of doubt which you have allowed to take root. My son had to restart his student teaching when he was devastated by the violent death of his best friend halfway through the experience. We used the time off to deal with the emotional devastation, and helped him cope with the unimaginable. When he went back, he was successful, and no on ever asked him about ST#1. If he was forced to mention the pain and shock of what happened every time someone asked, he would not have been able to move forward. He learned to put that in a secure box that he doesn't share with just anyone. That's how he moved forward.

 

Thanks again for your reply!

 

Who says you have to keep it in the dark? Let it strengthen you to be proactive in your career, speaking for those who can't speak for themselves. But not every shadow will be someone like your tormentor. You invite stress if you see ghosts of what went before when the ghosts aren't there. You do yourself a favor when you can control stress and manage to truly stay on an even keel. Be well.

 

I know a really sweet lady who went back to school and started ST in her early 40's. She'd spent most of her life teaching/management in Head Start. I am not sure why or how she was placed with a very cranky, unstable, downright mean teacher. I had never heard the sweet lady ever talk badly about anyone, but she was shaken by being in this setting.
Fortunately, she spoke up. I teach in a place too far from where she lived, but 1 of my friends has a sister-in- law ( who I know is very experienced and sweet) who taught close to where she lived. She agreed to take her as a student teacher if the University agreed to the transfer. Once she spoke up at the U, they transferred her. She finished off her ST there and had a much more pleasant experience.
I wish you the best! Oh, and I am with Vickilyn when it comes to explaining your reason. When you tell them you had a health problem, they should not ask more.

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply! You just described me and my former mentor teacher's disposition in your 1st paragraph! It's a little eerie the similarities. I'm no spring chicken and have years working in an educational setting. I've been told everywhere I go that I'm soft-spoken and easy-going. I don't participate in gossip or trashing anyone. When I left my job due to my college schedule, they didn't want me to go. So, the issues in my placement have not been my usual experience in classrooms. I've only once seen a teacher I could compare my mentor to, and she was put off work for disciplinary reasons.

I agree with both you that the best thing for me to do is state health problems. It's just not easy knowing that's not why I left. It'd be like being punched in the eye by a co-worker and telling everyone that you quit your last job due to health problems.

I really appreciate the well wishes and you sharing about the student teacher you know of and how it worked out. It makes me feel better others have went to new placements and it worked out. It gives me hope that this ends up being the best thing to happen. I hope you've had a nice summer, and the beginning of the year goes smoothly!

 

Thanks! I have definitely had a great summer! I see the health issue a bit differently. When you are put in a negative environment and treated poorly , it impacts your mental health. Mental health can cause physical symptoms. If I feel really upset, my stomach starts hurting or I might get a mild headache.
The lady I helped switch placements was truly shaken (anxious, depressed, and questioning her decision) after she started ST. She was not like that before.
I am assuming it impacted you like that too. I know it would me. Saying health was the reason to transfer, leaves off the word "mental," so I guess it may be a lie by omission.
For many years, I took a sick day off for my mental health when needed. I never realized anything was wrong with it until a few years ago, it became an issue where I work. The union president warned us all not to use the words "Mental Health Day" anymore. Our P around the same time explained what was acceptable for a sick day. I have always seen health with more than just a physical part to it.
I guess it depends on how you view health if it is a lie or not. Remember that there is always hope. Sometimes situations are bad, but you will get through it. No one goes through life unscathed. When going through tough times, my mom used to say, " It builds character." Looking back, I realize how right she was!

 

Hi Tired Teacher,
It's very nice of you to help the lady find a new placement! I'm sure you made a big difference in her life! It says a lot about your character. I hope everything worked out for her, and she was still able to find a position afterwards?

The mind-body problem. Too bad it ever was a problem for debate, because I don't know how there's any doubt now they are very much linked. Showing any need to care for mental health, often times comes with a stigma; much like what you experienced at your school with your principal. No one wants to tell people they have a mental illness or environmental conditions are effecting their mental health. It's also not acceptable to admit you need time to care for yourself in order to continue to care for others. I have a new respect for teachers! They are a care givers to many. I can see how important it is for teachers to find work-life balance in order to care for themselves, so they can give their all to their students. That's something I need to work on, and it worries me more than it did before now. With all my college assignments and being over worked by the last minute changes, I was struggling to fit everything I had to do and get enough sleep.

I developed a chronic disease during student teaching that is known to be triggered by stress. So, it's true I have health issues now. This mentor put my body in fight or flight mode way too often. I'm starting to accept the damage done to my health and to look at things from a more positive outlook. Honestly though, it's been a process. I like your mom's saying that character is built through tough times. I'm trying to look at it in that way, and learn from everything, including my own areas I can improve. I've learned some things about myself, and I've seen how this has helped me grow on a personal level. There are positive things that came out of it, but the cost is still unknown, so I'm still concerned , hoping I can find a job with all the candidates that saturate my rural area who don't have this on their record.

Again, thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I can't tell you how much your words helped! I'm going to do the best I can to move forward and stay positive.

 

I can't stand to see nice people get walked over and it was actually a fairly easy fix.
I have no clue why a P would have approved the grumpy teacher to have a student teacher. I think she may have been an OK teacher at 1 time, but had gone over the edge. Maybe she was just really ill in some way. IDK...
We talked about it later and both of us wondered if the P wasn't trying to keep an eye on her or trying to keep her on her toes by giving her a ST. I guess we will never truly know why. She sounds very much like the 1 you describe. Up 1 minute and down another/// almost
Cyclothymic. Yours sounds really passive aggressive on top of it all.

She ended up w/ an excellent recommendation from my friend's s-in- law, but it is almost impossible to get a job in this area without experience. There is a college town close by that pumps out new teachers and this is more of a tourist area with very few kids. It is known as the most preferred district in the state because of the beauty, lack of crime, and at 1x it paid higher than many others. Not now! Anyways, she had to move away to get some experience , but I hope she'll come back some day.
It is good that you are able to see this all as a as a learning experience. Through the years, keep learning. I think sometimes people who struggle w/ it are perfectionists. I used to be, but I am not at all now. Sometimes we are people who think too much. We need slow our minds down a bit. If I need a break from thinking, I do Sudoku. For me, faith in God gets me through a lot too. I look back over the yrs, and know he has gotten me through much worse than this! Also, this experience will make you a wonderful mentor teacher to someone, some day. You know exactly what not todo! <3

 

Can you meet with your new CT before school starts? I would kindly ask if you could be provided with materials in advance so you can prepare yourself. Forget about the last placement and start fresh. From my experience, most teachers really want to help student teachers in any way they can.

 

It's funny how a change in CT makes all the difference. It's been like night and day. My supervisor is another story.

 

My batch mate had to change mentor during our placement, I however was blessed with the best mentor ever <3

 

My supervisor won't let my last placement go. She's embarrassed me, talking about my old placement in front of the principal and my new mentor in a way that social psychologists would classify as social undermining, invading my privacy and sharing personal information that is inappropriate, creating an atmosphere of questioning my reputation and character. My new CT noticed this abnormal treatment and has been supportive.

 

What do you do when she says all of those things?

 

What would you say if your principal (that you hardly know) said things like that to you during your first weeks on your first teaching job? I was in shock and not sure how to deal with it. What I should have said was, "Stop, I find that very inappropriate and likely violates a confidentiality policy" I had to figure out how to stand up for myself with someone who had a great deal of power over me, which I did. Luckily, others saw it also and backed me up.

 

I would have turned right to the principal and said, I'd like to speak to you privately later today. It's obvious your supervisor knows you will not defend yourself and she can just say whatever she wants.

 

This conversation has run off the rails so I am locking the thread.