Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Any teachers w/IBS? Need advice

Hey there, I just got diagnosed with IBS and I am a teacher as well. Having been battling digestive issues during my mere second year of teaching, I can tell you that it certainly is stressful. I am an elementary special education teacher. So, the bright side, is you'll probably be a lot less stressed out as me because special ed can be cumbersome in terms of paperwork. I'm not sure how it compares to highschool level since I've never taught that. There are a few things you might want to consider, however: First of all, while younger kids can be less self-sufficient and might need more of your time, they also are often more excited about learning and more positive, which (in my case) usually makes me smile, which makes me feel better, even when I'm having a horrible IBS day (which can happen frequently, as we all know). Secondly, a lot of the stress I can get is not necessarily from the student, but more from the adults I work with. So equally important is finding a supportive staff and administration. I am lucky to team-teach with an amazing group of teachers who are always there for each other, both in terms of instruction and for mental/emotional reasons. Basically, it might be a 50/50 sort of deal. Essentially, I think the best advice is to play to your strengths -- if you think you want more mature students with more self-reliance, go with highschool. Hopefully somebody else on this board will have secondary experience, and can offer some insight as well. Good luck with your certification!

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"We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."

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