New and Overwhelmed Para
I just finished my second day as a para in a K-2nd Multi VE classroom. There are only 4 kids in my class, but it is just me and the teacher, although today we had a substitute with us too. The first day was very overwhelming for me, I do love working with kids and have a degree in psychology with the hopes of becoming a child therapist, but one girl in my classroom is very aggressive (i know it’s not her fault) and scratches, punches, and hits me a lot. She also elopes and has escaped from the classroom and other spaces multiple times a day. I get very anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed when it is just me with the 4 kids when we are at lunch or at one of their electives (the teacher’s planning period) and I know it’s only been 2 days but I am already considering quitting. I love the kids, and I love helping them, but it’s already so draining for me. Any advice from paras who may have gone through something similar or who have more experience? 🥲 I also do not have any training besides early childhood education classes I took in college, and feel like maybe there should be better training for these situations