Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
Find support with others who have gone through a traumatic experience. Whether you have chronic or acute PTSD, we are here for you.
Friday was a hard day at work because enrollment continues to be so low at the college. My boss and I discussed today how I may not have a future job at the college. Half my classes are full, but the other half of my classes have 10 students or less. 10 is the cut off point.
For the first time ever, I actually cried at work about the pressure at work.
Im only in my third year at this college. I didnt think Id have to worry about looking for another job, at least not so soon. Half of my teaching is done by Distance Learning via live TV. My administrators bought a new system that's turned out to be a lemon for 6 of us instructors who've tried to teach on it all semester.
It turns itself off in the middle of class repeatedly and neither our techs nor the company techs who sold it to us has any control. We've had to dismiss classes, and students are getting angry and taking it out on us instructors.
Thursday we had a meeting with the college president and vice president and they were sympathetic with what we were going through. But whoever it was among them in the room who signed that contract didn't come forward, and none of them offered any help. The president never even spoke. She just took notes and left.
Friday a whole group of students dropped a class I'm trying to teach on this system and called an administrator to bless me out. The administrator passed their angry comments along. With so much inaction on helping solve the problem, they still made sure the students' angry comments were communicated.
In August our college announced a 17% drop in enrollment and that faculty positions may have to be cut. Now enrollment's dropping for those of us using this lemon of a system to teach with and I feel the pressure's on us instructors but we're being left out there alone.
I applied to another job at another college just in case. But it's really stressful. I love my job. I'm 55, and less marketable than I used to be. And the recession has shrunken the job market somewhat.
Any encouragement out there?
For the first time ever, I actually cried at work about the pressure at work.
Im only in my third year at this college. I didnt think Id have to worry about looking for another job, at least not so soon. Half of my teaching is done by Distance Learning via live TV. My administrators bought a new system that's turned out to be a lemon for 6 of us instructors who've tried to teach on it all semester.
It turns itself off in the middle of class repeatedly and neither our techs nor the company techs who sold it to us has any control. We've had to dismiss classes, and students are getting angry and taking it out on us instructors.
Thursday we had a meeting with the college president and vice president and they were sympathetic with what we were going through. But whoever it was among them in the room who signed that contract didn't come forward, and none of them offered any help. The president never even spoke. She just took notes and left.
Friday a whole group of students dropped a class I'm trying to teach on this system and called an administrator to bless me out. The administrator passed their angry comments along. With so much inaction on helping solve the problem, they still made sure the students' angry comments were communicated.
In August our college announced a 17% drop in enrollment and that faculty positions may have to be cut. Now enrollment's dropping for those of us using this lemon of a system to teach with and I feel the pressure's on us instructors but we're being left out there alone.
I applied to another job at another college just in case. But it's really stressful. I love my job. I'm 55, and less marketable than I used to be. And the recession has shrunken the job market somewhat.
Any encouragement out there?
Muji, I'm a firm believer of the whole, "closing one door and opening another" and the second one's usually WAY better anyway.
This is a test of your emergency broadcast system.
Check into the online thing, also teaching an online for the other colles. You could do this in a shirt tie, and jammie bottoms, cozy slippers, as long as you set your camera up right. hugs
Past that, my first prayer is that this may pass. I love where I work, my coworkers, it's great. It would be great if it would be possible to stick it out.
I did apply to the other job in the Boston area today, though, as insurance. So my second prayer is that if there's a response to that one, I'll have the serenity to negotiate the interviews and so forth in a way in which I represent myself well.
Then my third prayer is that if there's no response to this application today, I find the courage to continue and be persistent in filling out more applications and sending them out on deadline.
I was unemployed in 2011, so I know how it feels.
So my fourth and last prayer is for those on this site who cannot work and wish they could, or can word and cannot find employment. Work is part of my recovery in that it makes me feel proud of functioning with PTSD symptoms at a high level and rewards my efforts to do so. It aids my recovery, too, in providing me with purposeful social interaction and keeping me from isolating with my PTSD. Lastly, it provides me with structure so I don't get lost in the dissociating of PTSD.
I am very grateful for the right and ability to work. In 2011 I sifted through 90 jobs before I found this one.
Thank you all for your support today. I ask that you send a good thought or a prayer in the weeks ahead as this is resolved at work or beyond it, whichever needs to take place.
Blessings, everybody.
Who do I run into? The college president, my top boss at work where we've all been having so much trouble this week. She was going in to see the same film. She was really nice. Said hello.
Then we come out, see each other again. Said hello a 2nd time.
Then I walk to my car way at the far end of the crowded parking lot. Someone follows me the whole way. I turn around. She's behind me. The college prez, my top boss. Unbeknownst to either of us, she had parked exactly by my car in the parking lot. So I say hello a 3rd time.
Wha-? Can't say I'm not on her radar....
In my 2 years of living here, I've never run into her, my top boss, once outside work. Tonight,, at the end of the week of troubles at work, I run into her 3 times?
We have now entered the Twilight Zone.
How was that movie, btw? I heard the review on NPR and it was okay, but the clip the played was less than compelling, IMO.
I'm sending positive energy -- all I can muster -- your way.
We all know about that list of life stressors, and the relative points that are assigned. What you're talking about ..... heavy stuff.
My prayer is that you get the outcome that is best for YOU, in the long run, with the LEAST turbulence in the short-run -- whichever outcome that is.
And that you'll keep breathing, coping, and talking to us while the whole thing plays out.
I'm sorry that this is happening to you, and fervently hope for a positive outcome in a short period of time.
Big man-hug......
Deli, Im of two minds about the movie. A great Latin American director, Alfonso Cuaron, directed it. Ive been a film buff ever since I was little and started going to movies back home in South America, so Im proud. I liked Cuarons breakout movie Y tu mama tambien years ago, controversial as it was.
As artfully done as it was, as much as I like Clooney and Bullock, it didnt leave me walking out of the theatre giving it a grade of A. I cant put my finger on it, but there was still a nagging "so what?" lingering with me at the end. Maybe the penny will drop later for me.
But you can tell that at least Im thinking about the movie and not my uncertain job future, so it did the job movies area meant to do in that way. For that Im grateful. I generally am a snob who disdains 3D technology as a gimmick to make up for lazy script writing, but this being about outer space, it added to the movie in this case.
Cross your fingers about the job front. Were on Fall Break until Wed., which would normally be good. But those of us affected by the negative job happenings last week are tempted to be left hanging in limbo and suspense instead of having the break from it all the calendar intended.
Thanks for the support, everybody.