4 answers
Viv
Student
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1
Question
Asked
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What does your day look like as a teacher, NOT during covid-19?
I'd like to be a teacher in a specific subject, and I'm interested in history, french & geography. #history #teacher
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4 answers
Elana Elstein
Consultant
22
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Elana’s Answer
It's a challlenging job. Not at all the way people think--that you have all that vacation, that you don't work all summer, that you are done with work at 3.
The reality:
1. Vacation--yes, you get the district's offcial vacations. As well as your own bank of sick and personal days.
2. Summer--you spend a few days once the school year is over straightening up your room. Due to fire regulations, there can't be anything with paper. So for all those items you hung up, take every single one down ad store it somewhere. In August, reverse the process.
Summer--part 2. You will often be taking classes, or some other form of professional development. It is subsidiezed by the district, but not free.
In August, you start planning out the school year sand toughing base with grade level colleagues.
3. Work day--you'll get in between 7-8 a.m. When school ends, you are still there...meetings, coaching sports, grading work, guarding detention. Rarely do you leave school before 5 p.m. (which is an additional 2 hours of unpaid work)
4. You interact with approximately 100+ people daily, with limited break. You cannot leave your classroom to use the restroom. during lunch, you might have cafeteria supervision, or need to grade student work.
5. There is always more work to grade (especially if you are in History).....it will take over your entire life if you let it.
THat said, it is an awesome career if it's the right one for you. Every day is different, you could have generous colleagues, wonderful administration and students who love to learn.
Talk to some experienced teachers. ask if you can sit it on a class.
The reality:
1. Vacation--yes, you get the district's offcial vacations. As well as your own bank of sick and personal days.
2. Summer--you spend a few days once the school year is over straightening up your room. Due to fire regulations, there can't be anything with paper. So for all those items you hung up, take every single one down ad store it somewhere. In August, reverse the process.
Summer--part 2. You will often be taking classes, or some other form of professional development. It is subsidiezed by the district, but not free.
In August, you start planning out the school year sand toughing base with grade level colleagues.
3. Work day--you'll get in between 7-8 a.m. When school ends, you are still there...meetings, coaching sports, grading work, guarding detention. Rarely do you leave school before 5 p.m. (which is an additional 2 hours of unpaid work)
4. You interact with approximately 100+ people daily, with limited break. You cannot leave your classroom to use the restroom. during lunch, you might have cafeteria supervision, or need to grade student work.
5. There is always more work to grade (especially if you are in History).....it will take over your entire life if you let it.
THat said, it is an awesome career if it's the right one for you. Every day is different, you could have generous colleagues, wonderful administration and students who love to learn.
Elana recommends the following next steps:
Krystle Holthoff
6
Answers
Updated
Krystle’s Answer
Hi Viv,
Teaching during the pandemic is much different right now and each school district is different. Several schools are not allowing visitors right now but once things are better, you should ask if you could volunteer for a day at a school or shadow a teacher to see what it is like. Teachers have their normal teaching schedules but also have planning periods, lunch duty, morning day, and after school duty to consider. A lot of this depends on the school district, grade, and subject you teach.
Good Luck!
Teaching during the pandemic is much different right now and each school district is different. Several schools are not allowing visitors right now but once things are better, you should ask if you could volunteer for a day at a school or shadow a teacher to see what it is like. Teachers have their normal teaching schedules but also have planning periods, lunch duty, morning day, and after school duty to consider. A lot of this depends on the school district, grade, and subject you teach.
Good Luck!
Thank you!
Viv
alan Schneiberg
Retired teacher and counseling psychologist
24
Answers
Sugar Hill, Georgia
Updated
alan’s Answer
A day in the life of a teacher. I would get into the classroom at 7:30 before kids came in starting at 8:00. I organized the classroom for the days lesson. At 8:00 I would stand at the door greeting students and making sure they were okay. At 8:30 I would take attendance, make announcements, and encourage everyone to have a good day. I then got ready for my morning classes. I had a planning time to get ready for my afternoon classes. (I had two preparations daily). I then had lunch supervision. After my own lunch I taught my afternoon classes. At dismissal I had to supervise the bus loading. Three days a week I supervised club activity. After making sure everyone got home I would go home to grade papers and contact parents. During holidays and summer I would work a second job. I addition I attended university classes. I also raised a family. Busy life.
Megan Dehm
Social Worker
6
Answers
Pleasant Hill, Missouri
Updated
Megan’s Answer
In my opinion as a teacher your day to day operations are completely up to you and how you want your day to go. Every teacher structures their classroom differently. The main goal is to ensure you are teaching everything that is required by the district your school is in.