By: cdoh01
2025-08-06T19:31:54.993Z
ADHD, ADD, and ASD Sensory Impairments Dyslexia, Speech, and Communication Mental Health - SEMH

Completely exhausted from my first year of teaching


I’m nearing the end of my first year teaching in an early-years SEND classroom and feeling completely exhausted. One of my biggest challenges has been working alongside a classroom assistant who is kind but inexperienced and struggles to manage behaviours or react quickly in critical moments. This often results in me stepping in to de-escalate situations or ensure safety. Despite offering guidance, I find myself micromanaging throughout the day, which adds to an already heavy workload. I’m juggling IEPs, assessments, paperwork, planning, adapting materials, and collecting data - all while meeting mainstream-style expectations like reports and intervention programmes. Planning time is rare, and I often end up bringing work home. Recently, I missed a deadline for intervention data because I used an adapted programme for a learner whose needs weren’t met by the standardised system - and I’m now concerned this could reflect poorly on me. I genuinely feel stretched thin and unsupported, and I’m unsure how sustainable this is. Does anyone relate to this experience? How do you manage the pressures of SEND teaching, especially with paperwork, supporting classroom assistants, and balancing wider expectations?

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