A Week in the Life of a Teacher: Day 1: Friends, today I had the honor of meeting former Secretary of Education Dr. John King and hearing him answer questions on educational policies and practices. All these wonderful meetings this week have sparked many discussions with my students, colleagues, and the community about current educational practices and have inspired me to think critically about connecting the larger community to public school classrooms, so, for the next week I will be posting a summary of the joys, triumphs, tribulations, and frustrations I encounter as a public high school teacher on a daily basis. I am only one voice from one school, but it is my hope that you as taxpayers gain a new perspective on the joyful challenge that is teaching.
8:15-8:50: Department meeting in my classroom. A technology person has come from central office to train us on using Discovery Ed. A good training, but It lasts until 8:50, and class starts at 8:55. My English I students pile into the classroom while I frantically get the handouts and books ready for 1st period. I am supposed to be in the hall, monitoring. I feel very stressed.
8:55-10:25 1st Period: English I for standard and ESL students (27 freshmen)
Suddenly my classroom is very hot from the direct sunlight and there is lots of complaining about it. We open a window (which we are not supposed to do). I am frazzled by the morning and the students feel it. They are "off" after a week of disruptions, and feel as worn out as I do. Normally they are energetic and excited and work very hard, but today we power through together while we read aloud The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian and discuss complex characters, but they are struggling. Some of the boys start acting out. I have to take a phone from a girl who keeps texting her friends. Two announcements are made on the intercom in the middle of class asking juniors to bubble their information for next week's ACT administration. I receive 3 phone calls during class for three students to go to guidance to register for next year's classes. They are gone 20-30 min. One student has come to school with a fever, and I have to convince him to call his mom to go home. His mom doesn't have a car. He is worried about bothering her. They leave with smiles and hugs and "have a good weekend," but we're all hot and tired.
10:25-12:00 2nd period Planning
I stand in the hall with another teacher between classes. We talk to the kids, joke with them, give hugs to some. It makes their day better, and ours. I check in with the teacher who is covering my class during 3rd period while I am to go meet Dr. King at Wake Forest. She has a family emergency and can't help. I spend 30 min finding someone else to cover during their planning. Many people offer. I feel guilty about taking up their precious planning time. I make copies and leave for Wake Forest.
12:00-2:00 3rd period: AP Lit (seniors)
I attend the amazing presentation by Dr. King and connect with WFU students, professors, principals from the school district, other teachers, and community members. I am fortunate to have been invited to be a part of this small group. It is extremely inspiring. I return before the end of class and tell my students all about the discussion.
4th Period: 2:05-3:35 AP lit (seniors)
I am exhausted standing in the hall between classes. My students ask for details about meeting with the governor. This sparks a thoughtful discussion about teacher pay raises, why they are important, and the governor's proposed budget to be released in two weeks. They want to know how he plans to give teachers a 5% raise. I don't have the answers, but we talk about how important it is to be informed voters. I am in awe of their thoughtfulness and desire to understand. They take a quiz where I assess their inference making abilities and understanding of theme and symbol. Nine students are absent: six for Western Regional Orchestra and two for a scholarship weekend. There are two more announcements made on the intercom about ACT bubbling. I receive two phone calls from the office. A student comes on the intercom at 3:22 to make the afternoon announcements which last 4 minutes. With ten min left in class I can barely convince them to do any work. I go from table to table in an attempt to motivate them. They are very sweet and trying but would much rather talk to me about the dance they are attending this weekend. They leave as the bell rings, and I spend the next 25 min trying to get things in order for Monday morning. I have 90 essays to make suggestions for revision on before next Friday, 11 lesson plans to write for next week, 6 chapters of Jane Eyre to read, and a stack of random make up work to grade, handed in this last week after numerous absences. I am thankful for a weekend to catch up and rest.
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