You never throw in the towel, you just change your path. Such as, does your school have shared teaching? You can work half days maybe or maybe become a sub, or an adviser to home schooling (home schoolers have teachers come in the help in a group on certain subjects).

You could speak with your neuro about Ritalin or something to help with your energy level. For me, when it got to the point that I was doing nothing but working or sleeping it was clear it was too much!

I don't wish to discourage you from taking disability but I think you should talk with a more seasoned elementary school teacher. I think you need to hear how taxing the first year of teaching can be for teachers. From what I remember from when I was younger being the son of two high school teachers was that my mom normally would come home and crawl into bed. So, from my experience, yours doesn't sound that far off. It's so easy to blame MS for all that ails us but sometimes we need to seek more information before attributing things solely to MS. Being an elementary school teacher is just flat out hard no matter if you have MS or not. Make sure you really want to do something else before you bow out of teaching.

Thanks everyone! I love teaching. I just worry that I am not being my best for my kids when I'm too exhausted to plan or think. With past employers, I have been treated wrongly when I told them about my MS so I hesitate to let my principal know when I am having a hard time because there is nobody to take over when I need a break or a day to rest so I have to push on without complaining.

Maybe the summer break will rejuvinate you. I have a desk job in the legal arena and Im about over the constant deadlines and freaked out people, not to mention baby sitting attorneys. Im highly considering doing the 32 hours a week and I think the only way I can do it is ADA accomodation. I think thats all I can get out of my Neurologist too. I think shes a stickler with disability and really only giving it to those who truly deserve it and cannot work...which isn't me yet.