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3 a.m., early October. I’m lying in my bed praying for help.
It is my first-year teaching in Oakland Unified School District, but I’ve spent four years teaching in private schools to prepare, because I believe deeply in integrated public schools. When I started in the district, I already had strong professional skills as well as a strong self-care routine.
Because of my experience I also knew what I was looking for in a school and found it. I thought I was ready.
What I didn’t know before starting was the district had been mismanaging the school for years. Almost half the staff left the prior year. Still, we were hopeful that this year we would turn the school around.
Less than a week before school started, the district told us we would not be getting a second first-grade teacher. I would have 28 students — the state maximum for first grade.
School leadership looked at me with worry in their eyes. I looked back confidently. “The start of the school year always feels uncertain,” I said. “I have good behavior management. I got this.”
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After the first day, I was in tears. I rearranged my entire classroom — putting in all the highly restrictive group management systems we intentionally avoided in private school. I had hoped to instill the same sense of agency in public school as I had in private, but 28 kids are too many for that level of freedom.
And these 28 students came from two kindergarten classes without consistent teachers. One teacher had quit midyear, and her class was on day-to-day subs for three months. The other suffered chronic health issues due to stress, was out often, and quit teaching at the end of the year.
I spent the first few weeks focused on students’ social and emotional skills. We expanded our emotional vocabulary from “happy, sad, mad” to over 15 different emotion words.
I talked to last year’s staff to learn more about my students. Last year there were daily fist fights, and students had destroyed the classroom almost every day.
Now in first grade, my students came to school ready to defend themselves against each other, either by running away, clinging to the teacher or getting in the first shove.
The school’s only academic mentor, Ms. R., came to my room the first week to help. She had worked there for a decade, and her presence made a big difference. When a kid suddenly began
to scream (and I do mean scream) “f— you. Everybody is stupid,” she was able to take him out
of the class, so the rest of the students didn’t become dysregulated as well.
At the end of the first two weeks Ms. R. confided, “I didn’t think you were going to make it this long.” I looked her dead in the eye and said, “I’m here to stay.”
Parents approached me the first week offering help. They told me about last year — how unsafe it had been. I did my best to reassure them. They expressed gratitude and reiterated that if I needed anything, they would help.
The class began to settle and learn fundamental kindergarten skills like listening and lining up.
But there were still four students exhibiting extremely unsafe behavior — getting in physical fights and running out of the classroom.
One day, they joined forces and destroyed the classroom.
Leadership tried to help. A veteran teacher offered to do a demonstration lesson for me in my classroom. At the end she said, “You’ve got your hands full. Seems like you’re doing a great job.” She didn’t offer to demonstrate again.
As the year continued, Ms. R. started to get pulled away to support other struggling classrooms. We began to slide backwards. When a student climbed onto the desk and kicked another student in the face, without Ms. R. there to remove him, I had to stop everything to go speak with him and keep the other students safe. Events like this were not uncommon.
I taught them about the “quiet, safe place” tool — put your heads down and imagine you’re in a quiet, safe place. When one of the violent students began to get dysregulated, I would call out, “Go to your quiet, safe place” and the entire class would put their heads down and cover their ears (effectively dropping into a safety position).
One day when I was out of the room for training for 30 minutes, a student jumped up and attacked anyone he could. I spent hours calling families to explain how their child got kicked in the head, punched in the stomach or had their hair pulled out. The families were incredibly understanding, but they needed to do something to help.
They wrote a letter to the school district, arguing that the district had so badly mismanaged the school that they now needed to repair the damage. They requested an aide for the classroom. The district sent a one-line “thank you for your email. We’ll be in touch.” They never did get back in touch.
I started talking with the other teachers. They were all amazed that I had stayed, let alone made any progress with the group. One veteran teacher said, “You absolutely have the hardest class, and the largest. They need to give you more support.” I used these opportunities to mention Ms. R. and ask if they’d give up her time in their class to help in mine They agreed. Ms. R.was now in my room for most of the day.
The class was getting back on track, but I was still under enormous stress.
I worked 10 or 11 hours a day on a contract that only paid me for eight. Between 8:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., my students and I spent the day in a loud, unpredictable, and often unsafe place. Adrenaline and cortisol coursed through my veins by the gallon.
My sleep suffered along with my mental and physical health. When family and friends expressed concern, I replied, “This is the hill I’m willing to die on.”
I had just three or four students who continued to be disruptive. One day a little boy pinned a girl against the wall and punched her in the head multiple times.
Every day, I spent hours on the phone or in the parking lot, talking to families. They were so respectful and responsive. They made an incredible difference in the students’ behaviors.
Despite my success, my partner continued to worry about me. Every day, I came home and cried in his arms from exhaustion and frustration. I often woke up sobbing in the middle of the night.
Other teachers and staff began to comment on the progress we were making. A behaviorist came into observe and had no suggestions — only compliments.
Positive feedback helped me stay positive and empowered. Despite exhaustion and stress impacting my physical health, I was making a difference.
One day, I realized that I had enjoyed the morning’s lesson. Although I was beginning to find joy in my job again, I was drained. Chronic pain was returning.
Thus, I found myself praying in bed at 3 a.m. in early October.
The next day, my principal called me into her office. She told me that the school was underenrolled and being consolidated by the district. As the teacher who signed their contract last, I had one week to choose another school and transfer to another classroom that had (once again) been on day-to-day subs for months.
I went through all the stages of grief, from denial — I won’t go, to anger — they can’t make me, to acceptance.
The first week at my new school, I came down with strep throat. Since October, I have had strep throat twice, RSV, a bacterial sinus infection, and a viral cough. The stress of teaching in Oalkand Unified has destroyed my immune system.
My story is not unusual. Teaching in our schools is hard, and it’s getting harder. We cannot continue to ask more and more of our teachers — this approach has caused a mass exodus from the profession. We have to start supporting teachers. Supporting teachers is supporting students. I know; I’ve spent my year witnessing how teacher burn-out traumatizes students.
•••
Kira Billman is a teacher in Oakland Unified School District.
The opinions expressed in this piece represent those of the author. EdSource welcomes commentaries representing diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.
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Comments (21)
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Laura Brooks 3 months ago3 months ago
This is impactful. It was also not a ” blame the parents/ caregivers.” It does illustrate the need for systemic change to support our families and schools and it does highlight how many talented professionals are leaving.
Belen 3 months ago3 months ago
It's amazing that you stuck with that class as long as you did. I've been in education for a looong time, and at my current district for over a decade. When I started in this district I had minimal behavior problems (Title 1 minority-majority). For the past few years it has turned into a violent nightmare. It really started happening a year or two before Covid. What was once a population of … Read More
It’s amazing that you stuck with that class as long as you did. I’ve been in education for a looong time, and at my current district for over a decade. When I started in this district I had minimal behavior problems (Title 1 minority-majority). For the past few years it has turned into a violent nightmare. It really started happening a year or two before Covid. What was once a population of nice, humble kids has turned into a street-fighting zone for druggies.
Many families are leaving our district, and our highest admin wonder why. They like to celebrate themselves and their accomplishments (I’m not kidding – in one breath they’ll wonder aloud about declining enrollment, then in the next breath they’re congratulating themselves on some phony accomplishment), but absolutely do not care about what’s happening in the schools.
I know we have a military industrial complex, a health industrial complex, but has anyone considered that we have an educational industrial complex? Like, are all those manipulative banshees screeching about equity and least restrictive environment and better test scores actually just greedy sociopaths? They don’t care what happens as long as there’s kids there for funding? I’m looking at you, superintendents and central admin.
At this point I’ve grabbed the popcorn and am enjoying watching the crash. I just wonder how violent and out of control it will get before it completely implodes.
Jacob Hosier 3 months ago3 months ago
Why were the few disruptive students allowed to remain in the classroom?
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gina 3 months ago3 months ago
Where else would they go? There is also a belief that kids always belong in the classroom and always deserve a second chance.
But yeah, where are they going to go? seriously.
Melanie 3 months ago3 months ago
I have taught elementary school for the last 10 years in districts with majority BIPOC students in Connecticut and Washington State and I can say that this situation is not unique to Oakland. Teachers are working so hard. I can attest to teachers having more and more physical and mental health conditions that they didn't have before teaching- even second career, later in life teachers. I disagree with those criticizing the author. Kiri continued … Read More
I have taught elementary school for the last 10 years in districts with majority BIPOC students in Connecticut and Washington State and I can say that this situation is not unique to Oakland. Teachers are working so hard. I can attest to teachers having more and more physical and mental health conditions that they didn’t have before teaching- even second career, later in life teachers.
I disagree with those criticizing the author. Kiri continued to work hard and BELIEVE in her students. She set up systems in her classroom. She built relationships with families. She asked for help and support, repeatedly.
Even though I do believe teachers are miracle workers, we need so much more support from the districts, yet we are expected to shoulder most of the dysfunction at schools. We need smaller class sizes and more para-educators/teacher assistants. Students need healthy school breakfasts and lunches; more art, music, and recess. School districts are so budget crunched that they take away the supports that really matter and then put more and more responsibility on their teachers. This is a terrible way to manage schools.
Districts need to look at the “true cost” of providing an appropriate education for students and stop cutting corners. But, in order to do that, school’s need to be fully funded. We need citizens to demand this from their state and federal government.
Annie ag 3 months ago3 months ago
This is so awful for all the students and the teachers. Good teachers will flock to well managed schools. Then what? Oakland students will not get the same quality education with no steady teachers. Oakland school management sucks. I like having our own taxes to own school choices. For decades, Oakland had Gates funding for this reason - to start and support charter schools. I hope this amazing teacher gets a safe place to … Read More
This is so awful for all the students and the teachers. Good teachers will flock to well managed schools. Then what? Oakland students will not get the same quality education with no steady teachers. Oakland school management sucks. I like having our own taxes to own school choices.
For decades, Oakland had Gates funding for this reason – to start and support charter schools. I hope this amazing teacher gets a safe place to teach. She probably is better off becoming an engineer and making triple her wage with zero angst.
Marie 3 months ago3 months ago
So OUSD is again ‘off the hook’ for driving excellent, credentialed teachers away with their lack of support programs and choices of principals and their much needed trainings to create safe places for students and teachers, that want to teach in Oakland and live in Oakland. The harm against BIPOC students is having no teachers, 18 substitutes a year, no education, no caring, no compassion, just suspensions, year after year after year. Go to some … Read More
So OUSD is again ‘off the hook’ for driving excellent, credentialed teachers away with their lack of support programs and choices of principals and their much needed trainings to create safe places for students and teachers, that want to teach in Oakland and live in Oakland.
The harm against BIPOC students is having no teachers, 18 substitutes a year, no education, no caring, no compassion, just suspensions, year after year after year. Go to some OUSD schools and see for yourself what the district thinks is ‘normal urban education’ in Oakland.
Sounds like Nikki believes BIPOC students don’t deserve a good education to prepare them for life. I’ve taught in OUSD for 30 years and have seen it all, and far worse than this article states. I tried to stay alive and going to the end as I had a great career here with amazing success in the years before. I still see my students in Oakland, who are successful, working with their own families that were exactly like the students this teacher is describing when I first got them. This is what happened in OUSD at the end of my career and the beginning of this writer’s. It was incredibly hard and my health is forever damaged but it’s gotten worse in OUSD.
It’s NO fault of students and their families and their teachers that try so hard. It’s the district’s lack of policies, support, funding, and total disregard for our children and their lifeline – teachers. Get real! Children want to learn, want to love school, and want to do well in the world. All of them! if given half a chance, they can do this. And I am a third-generation member of this community, as well, and went to schools in Oakland all my life. I know what public education is supposed to look like and this ain’t it!
AND, if you believe this is “white educator as savior trope”, this ain’t it! – either!
Replies
David 3 months ago3 months ago
Thank you Marie for your response. Nikki, I hope someday you can see a caring person who loves to teach and help children, as just that.
gina 3 months ago3 months ago
My mom has worked in OUSD for the same amount of time as you. She has said the same things for years. We’re black. Her stories are the reason I did not apply there. I was taught to go where the districts are managed and respect their teachers.
I think dealing with disruption like this is way different when you have district level support and you’re paid competitively. Everything is just messed up…
Dr. Bill Conrad 3 months ago3 months ago
Kudos to Kira! Managing a large classroom of 28 within a school that had experienced such a failure in culture and administration is beyond imagination. Teachers are the key bur they need support! I can remember conducting an evaluation of the small schools in Oakland. We visited one school where I was asked to watch a kindergarten class while teachers engaged in evaluation activities. I thought the task would be relatively easy! After all, it would only … Read More
Kudos to Kira!
Managing a large classroom of 28 within a school that had experienced such a failure in culture and administration is beyond imagination.
Teachers are the key bur they need support!
I can remember conducting an evaluation of the small schools in Oakland. We visited one school where I was asked to watch a kindergarten class while teachers engaged in evaluation activities. I thought the task would be relatively easy! After all, it would only be 1/2 hour! How wrong I was! The teacher had established a very detailed classroom management system. The kids started off very attentive and on task because of the great work of the teacher!
However, as soon as the children figured out that I did not understand the system, all heck broke out. Fortunately, I was saved by a contingent of neighboring teachers who converged on the room and saved the day!
Most teachers do great work with children! All they are asking for is a little support! Let’s give it to them!
Nikki 3 months ago3 months ago
This article not only follows the “white educator as savior trope,” but it further causes harm against BIPOC students and the community. First rule of teaching when you aren’t from the community that you find yourself teaching in: Listen. Be Humble. Learn. This ain’t it 🙁
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Adam 3 months ago3 months ago
What a ridiculous, racist take on an article written by someone trying to do an effective job in an organization that doesn't support her. At no point does she describe herself as a savior. Nor does she say anything to support your assumption that she hasn't listened or isn't learning. She's simply sharing how challenging it has been for her to do the job she was hired to do by people who have failed to … Read More
What a ridiculous, racist take on an article written by someone trying to do an effective job in an organization that doesn’t support her. At no point does she describe herself as a savior. Nor does she say anything to support your assumption that she hasn’t listened or isn’t learning. She’s simply sharing how challenging it has been for her to do the job she was hired to do by people who have failed to provide the necessary support. Her race is not relevant. Neither are the races of the children.
Marie 3 months ago3 months ago
I agree. Sounds like she was in over her head and thought that teaching for 4 years in private school had prepared her. I didn’t see any reflection of how she could have done anything differently. Many teachers have strong, successful classrooms in ousd. This wasn’t one. And it doesn’t sound like it’s the district’s fault or the kids’ fault.
Susan Ratliff 3 months ago3 months ago
I understand free and appropriate education. Is this appropriate? We need new state legislators to be in these classrooms before they pass new laws.
Lynda Lee McClain 3 months ago3 months ago
I taught 1st grade in 2003; it was nothing like this. I am sad for you and sad for the children. I teach in an alternative middle/high school and we have to keep a tight rein on our students or they would be violent and out of control. However, last year, I was threatened by a student, and admin wrote me up for causing him to escalate. The student received no punishment whatsoever. I … Read More
I taught 1st grade in 2003; it was nothing like this. I am sad for you and sad for the children. I teach in an alternative middle/high school and we have to keep a tight rein on our students or they would be violent and out of control. However, last year, I was threatened by a student, and admin wrote me up for causing him to escalate. The student received no punishment whatsoever.
I took a few days off and made a plan of action. The next time I am threatened by a student, I am not going to shout out for any other staff to help me, I am calling 911. I have tried it and the police are very responsive. I have no empathy with the fact that the child will be taken to station – this is what being a teacher has become.
Jim 3 months ago3 months ago
It’s a truly terrible situation for teachers. I’m sure more micromanagement by the state legislature will make it so much better.
Diane G. 3 months ago3 months ago
Teachers’ stories like this must be sent to the state of California CommiSsion. Those 4 students needed to be tested and evaluated for Emotional Disturbance behavior for an IEP.
Greg L 3 months ago3 months ago
Absolute shame on the state, the Legislature and the courts for creating a situation where a positive learning environment cannot be created. You have described multiple situations which should have led to suspension if not expulsion. It’s a disgrace created and endorsed by the state.
Pablo Mecias 3 months ago3 months ago
Public education is a joke. Let the taxpayers have our own dollars and decision of where to send our kids!
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Kira 3 months ago3 months ago
In no way is the lack of funding provided for public schools today evidence that public schools are inherently flawed. The best school systems in the world are publicly funded. These charter schools cherry pick students and families, take tax payer money, and provide no better results (by their own, highly biased assessments). The sense of “crisis” in American Education has always existed. “American education always seems to be in some kind of 'crisis' and the 'crisis … Read More
In no way is the lack of funding provided for public schools today evidence that public schools are inherently flawed. The best school systems in the world are publicly funded.
These charter schools cherry pick students and families, take tax payer money, and provide no better results (by their own, highly biased assessments).
The sense of “crisis” in American Education has always existed. “American education always seems to be in some kind of ‘crisis’ and the ‘crisis talk’ is used to drive some kind of change” (Econ Talk April 11, 2010). None of these reforms have ever done what teachers ask for and research consistently shows: smaller class sizes and supporting good teachers. The privatization movement has in fact done the opposite of this, attacking teachers (for example: propaganda like “Waiting for Superman”), and with No Child Left Behind, creating a system that punished (by defunding and restricting their budget use) the most struggling schools.
As we discuss education reform we cannot afford to loose sight of the bigger picture: public schools are crucial. This article is meant to remind everyone that we desperately need to reinvest in public schools. Furthermore, it is a rallying cry to teachers – so many have been traumatized by the gaslighting and bullying in the public rhetoric (again, thanks charter schools) they are scared to speak out. But veteran teachers are experts, professionals with years of experience who have the most direct knowledge of what our students need to succeed. We just need to start listening to them.
paul andrew keefer 3 months ago3 months ago
Thank you for sharing your experience. The public education sector has seen a massive shift in behavior, expectations, and staff shortages while meeting those challenges has lagged considerably. This will pass one way or another with either students leaving the schools or classroom and school systems improving 10 fold.