Hello everyone! My colleague and friend Heather is currently keeping a log of her days at school, and she has inspired me to do the same. Under the current political climate (state and federal), it can be hard to understand what a teacher deals with on a day to day basis.There are joys, trials, rewards, and also frustrations. Throughout the next week I would like to tell you a little about my day, especially through the lens of a first year teacher. I'm going to start with Monday night and fast forward through today...
Monday Evening (4-5:30 pm): My planning was cut short today, so I chose to stay about an hour and half later than we are required to print stuff off and plan a lesson on political parties for the next day. I am tired and want to go home, but I know that it will be worth it to not come in early the next day. As I leave, a boy I don't have approaches me and says, "Hey, aren't you Mr. C? Do you teach Civics? Maybe I'll have you next year!" I reply yes, and at this point I'm trying to rush out the door. I think to ask the kid why he is still here at 5:30 pm, and he replies he is waiting for his mom to get off work at 6 so he can walk to meet her. I leave realizing that even in the frustration of grades, lesson planning, etc. teenagers need us. They look up to us for guidance and a home.
Monday Evening (6-11:30 pm): I get some rest at home and decompress from the day. As a first year teacher, it is extremely rare (read: never) that I get to come home and just relax all night. After watching some T.V., I sit down and enter three different assignments into powerschool for all three of my classes.
Tuesday Morning (7:30-8:50): I wake up kind of late today and I hurry into the shower, and I get dressed. I throw some snacks (read: breakfast) into a plastic Publix bag because I need to be at work around 8:20.
I get to school and print off several makeup assignments since several students missed yesterday and Civics is a fast paced course where we cover a lot of information in one day.
Tuesday Morning Class (8:55-12): During this time I have a small standard class (1st) and an honors class (2nd) with 26 students. Today we took notes on political parties, and we did a quiz as a class to see where students fell on the political spectrum. Most students enjoyed the activity and we had a discussion about how much parents and upbringing may affect your political leaning or views. A kid in 2nd period says in a matter of fact manner, "Well my parents are both Republicans, and I'm sure not!"
Planning Period/Lunch (12-2): Today I am set to cover a class/overflow for students that showed up late to the ACT. I end up going to two classrooms where I'm not actually needed after running all over campus. I find some testing coordinators and after about 4 tries and 30 minutes they ask me to be a hall monitor. I ask if I can eat my lunch while I do this since it will take the rest of the period or longer. I sit in the hallway and eat some leftover quiche and a banana and watch my friend Dave mime in the hallways out of sheer boredom.
Teachers get an email 20 minutes before 2 and are asked to hold third periods until testing is over. Many of the teachers don't see it, so many students are stuck in limbo. I hall monitor until 2:15.
Fourth Period: (2:30-3:35)- At this point I am worried about pacing and completing my lesson with my fourth period because the time has been cut short. Many of them (Honors Class) do not show up. Probably because of the chaos and testing beforehand. We get through some notes and the activity, with 15 minutes leftover. I let them talk a bit and work on an ongoing project since the day is almost over. One of my sassy girls looks at me and says, "You have something on your back Mr. C!" Of course I fall for it. Nothing is there. My young, 22 year old, "I'm the authority here" attitude strikes back at her and says, "Well, I get the last laugh! Remember who is in charge of your grades, where you sit, your happiness, etc.!" We both laugh and I'm reminded sometimes you just have to be sassy with your students.
IEP meeting: (4-5) Right after school I have an IEP meeting for a student I had last semester. Before going to the meeting I see one of my my students in the courtyard and he yells "Yo C" and beats his chest two times and waves. Sometimes I do it back to him because he beats his chest when he knows an answer and thinks he's the king of Civics.
The IEP meeting goes for an entire hour and we look at literally every single test score in the student's history, and the student's discipline referrals. Everyone is drained from the day, but this must happen. It's a legal requirement.
I leave school at 5, so tired, and I see another student I had last semester. She too yells my name, "Hey Mr. C!" I realize that maybe I haven't been the best teacher this year. I realize that my lesson plans don't always have 6 points or the best formative assessments. I'm learning. But what I have realized, and realized even more today, is that students remember you. They remember how you talk to them, what you said, and how you made them feel. Three boys I had last semester come visit me every morning just to hang out. We joke about "them teaching the class today" as they hurry off to their first period.
Ya'll. This job is hard, but it's also so rewarding.
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