I would like to tailor these blog posts to my current teaching position and have these be reflective assignments for my end of year portfolio. Sooooo.....
What does a typical day look like for a teacher? Speaking from my own experience, it's a lot of running around! Maybe that's because I do not have a classroom to call my own, but I do have a nice little office under the stairs. I love my little space, because it is laced with artwork from my students, my children, and even myself. That's where I start my day off. Since I only work the second half of the day, my day starts at 11:30. I have to check my school issued email for any important information. I usually have about a half hour for my prep time. That is one thing that I've learned so far this year. Teachers do not have enough prep time.
During that prep time, I am usually gathering supplies for my 3rd and 4th grade classes and loading a cart that I push around to their different classrooms. You can find me making copies, cutting paper, loading up paints, scissors, and even filling up water containers, because some classrooms do not have sinks. The next two hours are spent on my feet teaching and evaluating the students. You get to answer a ton of questions as you guide the students through their assignments. You also get to be a disciplinarian. That's what surprised me the most I think. Classroom management has been a tricky thing for me, mainly because I enter their classroom space where things are ran a certain way and I have to try and fit into that.
Once my elementary classes are over, I head upstairs to the art room for my 8th grade class. I enjoy them much more, even though they are a pretty loud and chatty group. From the time I walk into that classroom, it is game on. I never sit and there is never a dull moment. They have a ton of questions, and I like that I can really get hands on with them, and feel like I'm really teaching them art as opposed to just doing art projects. I've had a lot of success with them. I usually start the class with announcements, go over a new assignment, or teach them some sort of art principle and then I circumnavigate the room, commenting and encouraging the kids as they work.
After that I drive over to the high school for my two 9th grade classes. These classes are much more laid back. The class sizes are small. I have about 20 kids, split between the two classes. You are able to build a good relationship with the students when the class sizes are small like that. You become more of a mentor to them I think. That's where I catch up on attendance for the day, maybe get some grading done while they are working. These students are much better at working independently.
Once those classes are finished, I head back to the main campus and prep a little for the next day, do some grading, enter time sheets so I can get paid, hang things up in the halls, enter grades, and prep for upcoming lessons.
It's a little crazy, but I like it, and I find it challenging. There are always ways you can improve and I get to study and do things that I love. It's not a job, but a career!
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