Feeling frazzled

My para, a.k.a Ms. S is out for another 7 more school days for some sort of personal/ life situation that came up. No fault of her own, life stuff happens and I get that. Even though she announced her absence on Monday and today is Thursday, I still don't have the coverage that I am supposed to have. Granted, I had some help for an hour or so on Tuesday and I had the speech therapist assist me at dismissal and that was wonderful. I am grateful for help. Yesterday we had no school.

That brings us to today. All of the students are here with seemingly more energy than usual. I have no assistant today. I needed to send a note to the office to get lunch coverage. A parent came in demanding that I fill out two sets of assessments that are due today. He wanted to pick them up at 11 and I explained that I was working by myself and that they would not possibly be ready. So he shows up at 11, wondering where they are.

Then I need to go to remind the assistant principal that I need help at dismissal. I cannot stand with both the walkers and the bus students since they go to different places at opposite ends of the school. Nor can I leave one group of students by themselves. She looked at me as if I was speaking a foreign language.

I am honestly not trying to whine, even though it may sound that way. Teaching of and in itself is a hard enough job but then when there are all these other struggles, it is simply overwhelming. And then there is this nagging feeling that this is directly impacting the kids. I feel as if I am not giving them as good of an education.

My classroom is designed on the idea that there are two adults there. Without Ms. S, I am dragging and struggling. I hate that it affects the children. Hopefully, tomorrow and in the coming school days I will be better able to adjust to these temporary working conditions.

The kids and I all miss you, Ms. S. Resolve whatever issue has happened and try to hurry back.