This is topic Back to school, teachers! (a mini mini corny landmark, with new Icarus feature in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.
This was mentioned on JT Stryker's thread, but I felt like it was taking away from the students' discussion.
So, who is back at work?
Icarus? You teach math, right? What age? Jenny, did you get a job? Beatnix, what do you teach? Eduardo, more stories, please! Others?
I will be teaching fifth grade math and reading in a middle school setting, after nineteen years of teaching very emotionally and behaviorally needy children and adolescents of as varied ability as deaf, blind, and severely mentally retarded to college age. I taught mostly adolescents, though, except for about three years. They rock. I am not looking forward to my daughter's tenth year, though, as far as the back talk goes. Egads.
Some kids came in today while I was fixing up my room. They were so sweet. I am not used to that. I am used to surly, rowdy kids with a lack of general etiquette. So, while it will take some getting used to, I will enjoy it, as I have enjoyed every class I have ever taught.
Because of the newness, I will have to limit my Internet play quite a bit. I do not want to drop out, I want to check quickly through threads, but I will go mostly into lurk mode.
I would love to see/meet more people. You can never know too many innerly beautiful, intelligent people, you know what I mean?
So, fifth graders, you just bring it on. I will be ready for your bathroom humor, and ready to throw down some of my own. We will play games and learn facts and study for a stupid state test, and do lots of fun projects. We will figure out, together, how everyone needs to be challenged, and when they need to be left alone.
My real motto? It is: See the best you can in whomever you meet, even if they disappoint you later on.
[ August 25, 2004, 06:07 PM: Message edited by: Elizabeth ]
Posted by beatnix19 (Member # 5836) on :
Well... I teach eighth grade reading for an urban school. I have a fairly even mix of whites and blacks, poverty stricken and middle class, jerks and slightly less jerks. I really enjoy the kids I teach. They are a far cry from the upper middle class school distrit I come from but a lot of fun to be involved with. This is actually the first year I have returned to the same classroom I left the year before and I have loved not boxing and unboxing all my things this year.
I have four years of experience teaching all for the same district, Lima City Schools. I taught Fifth grade my first and second year but in two different buildings. I was laid off after my second year and did not get rehired until about three days before last school year. I began last year as the intervention specialist (A.K.A. SPED teacher) for an 11th and 12th grade mixed math class. I hated it. Every signle moment was worst than the last. I had a 20 year old student who came to class once a week just long enough to talk about drug, guns and whores. Half way through the year I was moved back to my old school to teach 8th grade reading when the previous teacher shot and killed herself. A bad way to come in but I was happy none the less. And I returned to that same position this year a very happy teacher.
The first day, today, went very well. I have had a good number of these kids as fifth graders and it's nice coming into the year already knowing about a third of the students names (I am horrible at names, everyone in my class is either joe, bob or fred for at least a month until I learn all the correct names, even the girls). I was more prepared than I have ever been in the past to begin the year and I look forward to getting another chance with these kids, most of them have very bad memories of our time together. I was a typical 1st year teacher who made a lot of mistakes and added to that I went through back surgery half way through the year which made me a real bear to deal with.
Teaching is a great way to make a living and ontop of that I get to teach the best subect in school. What more could I ask for.
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Elizabeth, you are one of the Hatrackers that I consider really cool. You really do see good in all people. I don't think I've ever seen you get angry at someone or not be able to engage someone in pleasant conversation. Plus, you drink beer. I will really miss you. Don't be a stranger, k? Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
School for my students starts September 2. I've been so busy with the move, and working in the office (which I will continue to do in the mornings), that I haven't really started prepping.
And I got a new textbook for the bio class (gen sci, chem, and physics are all books I've taught from before).
This should mean I will be scarce around these parts as well, but I'm far too addicted to the Hatcrack for that. Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Thank you, SS. I will probably be here more than I should be, don't worry!
Rivka, I don't know how I missed that you were a teacher.
Good luck, Beatnix!
Posted by screechowl (Member # 2651) on :
Does a principal count? I am starting my fourth year as principal in my current building and my 36th year in teaching and administration.
Students come in today!!
Hope you all have a really great year in your classrooms.
Screechowl
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
What did you teach before you became an administrator, Screech?
Farmgirl
[ August 25, 2004, 09:55 AM: Message edited by: Farmgirl ]
Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :
Elizabeth, when I dave more stories, you bet I'll share them in Hatrack. I found out it's a great way to take things out of my system, hehehe.
Meanwhile, "Teachers of the world, unite!"
Just a curiosity: Teachers in the U.S. also feel grossly underpaid?
Oh, yes...and here in Brazil the school year goes from February (it's summer here in february, remember) to the beginning of december.
Summer vacations are from december to the end of january/beginning of february (there is a 7-day recess in february for the carnival, though).
There's a 15-day break in July, also.
[ August 25, 2004, 08:51 AM: Message edited by: Eduardo_Sauron ]
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
In Arizona, some schools are on the six weeks on, one week off plan. I kind of like that idea, actually. (I think there is a longer break in there somewhere, too)
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Screechowl, Of course principals count! My dad is going into his forty-third year of teaching middle school this year. I can't believe it.
[ August 25, 2004, 09:02 AM: Message edited by: Elizabeth ]
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
43 years!!!! Why would anyone not choose to retire after about 30 or so? (I mean, from ANY job, not just teaching.....)
Farmgirl
Posted by screechowl (Member # 2651) on :
I taught high school English for 19 years.
No one can retire on the money Kansas retirement pays of course. I continue to work because I need to financially. Kansas ranks in the lower half for salaries and near the bottom in per pupil expenditures.
Enought of that.
I enjoy most of my job still, the long days supervising activities and sports is beginning to take its toll.
Elizabeth, over 40 years in education? That is remarkable.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
How about a grad student teaching classes? I'm coordinating a large Fundamentals of Music class at IU (huge, by the standards of music theory classes--114 students). This will be my first time teaching this many people. Up til this point, my largest class was 30ish. I'm starting next Tuesday, and it's a little scarey! I'm also supervising other AIs (associate instructors...yeah, it's a funny abbreviation) for the first time. It should be an interesting semester...
Oh, and this is a little off-topic, but it's my last year of coursework for the PhD! Yay! Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
And which "IU" would that be, Megan -- University of Iowa? University of Idaho? University of Indiana?
(one reason why abbreviations don't work so well on a global forum)
Good luck with your grad student work! I'm sure you'll do fine -- although that does sound like a LOT of students!
Farmgirl
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Indiana University.
The University of Indiana does not exist.
[ August 25, 2004, 01:25 PM: Message edited by: fugu13 ]
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
I teach Honors Algebra II, Precalculus, and Statistics to high schoolers.
This year is off to a pretty great start this year, despite the hurricane.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Yup, IU is Indiana University. Thanks, fugu! Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Hey Icarus -- my daughter is taking pre-calc this year and loves it so far (she loves math in general). But I'll bet it would be REALLY cool to take it from Hatracker.... Too bad you're in Florida.
FG
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Icarus,
In a huge way, you are part of my mini mini corny landmark, so I am going to go all corny on you now.
A while back, you said something that changed the path of my career. I am sure it was not your intention, but it was a side effect.
You said, somewhere, that a good math teacher should know math through the high school level, comfortably. I shivered in fear.
I am a good math teacher of elementary or remedial(esp.) math. I always have been. When my position was cut this year, I wanted the social studies position that was open. Instead, they moved the math teacher into that position(even though she wanted to stay where she was) and asked me to do fifth grade math.
I thought about what you said, Icarus. I signed up for a frightening summer math institute hosted by a local college. During the pretest, I thought I was going to die. It was like being transported back in time to high school, when my teachers would patiently repeat the same explanation over and over when I did not understand. They never said "OK, just take a deep breath and think about this overnight," nor did they teach me in a different way.
Well, these guys did. I ended up with an A minus, and now I want to take more math. (I did have a number of temper tantrums, but nothing like high school. No tears at all!) I want to retake college math: Algebra, Geometry, and even (Heaven forbid) advanced math and calculus. I want to focus on middle school math, instead of trying to get a job as a teacher in a self-contained class. I want to feel comfortable way ahead of my years. It makes so much sense.
Anyway, Icarus, thanks for all that.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Yay Elizabeth!! Good for you! I must say that as I launch into my student teaching in less than a week *gulp* that I have the utmost admiration for middle school teachers. I think middle school is the craziest age to teach and those who do it WELL, are truly special people. I live in mortal terror that I will end up teaching middle school....and not that the kids will be bad, but that I just won't be a good enough teacher to help them have a good experience. It's a scary age.
But, that aside, teacher inservice for me starts on Monday, 8/30. Then, a week later, we get students and we're off and running. I'm student teaching all year in a wonderful high school choir. There are 2 beginning choirs, a sophomore choir, a concert choir, and a smaller chamber choir. My class this year is the beginning girls' choir. I'm really excited. Oh yeah, and the mortal terror thing applies here as well. My cooperating teacher is fantastic and really fun-loving, so I'm planning on having a blast while at the same time, screwing everything up. It'll be great.
I also continue my grad course work at Portland State later in September.
And in the spring!!! I will be graduated, certified, finished, etc, you name it! And I'll be employable. Finally. This is going to be a fun year. Good luck everyone!!
PS Megan, is that IU the one in Bloomington? I have a good friend there in another PhD program....
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Yep, its the bloomington campus.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I was wrong. My dad is going into his forty-fourth year of teaching.
He works at a private school. He figures he will just drive mom crazy if he retires.
He was my eighth grade social studies teacher. Our class met after lunch. One day, the idiot boys put a Playboy centerfold out on his desk, so it would be the first thing he saw when he walked in. I pleaded with them, as much as my adolescent self esteem would allow, to take it way.
He walked in. He looked down. He yelled: "Oh My God! Breasts!" He closed the magazine. He started class.
I will remember that, always. ha ha. I think that is how one survives middle school fo so long, with a solid sense of humor. (or with absolutely NONE, which also seems to work at times)
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Yup, I'm at the Bloomington campus, though there are in fact campuses all over the state. Bloomington is the big one, though. and it's freshman move-in today (one of the few times a year Bloomington has bad traffic!).
Narnia, what program? Unless it's music, or possibly ethnomusicology/folklore, I'm unlikely to know him/her. The school is just too big, and there are just soo many of us.
Anyway, back to making lesson plans! Now that I'm actually supervising other people, I can't just put them together in the hour or so before class...not that I ever did that... Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Are Profs allowed or only K-12 teachers. I'm teaching "Heat Transfer" this semester. Today was our first day of classes.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Of course, Rabbit. I just wanted the students to be able to have their say on the other thread.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
O_O
Wow.
Thank you.
And good for you. For taking the course and for getting excited about math. Your students will pick up on that, and the perspective you have gained on where they are going in their future education will make you invaluable to them.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Thanks, Icarus.
Edit: Oh, and you are welcome.
[ August 25, 2004, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: Elizabeth ]
Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
Thank you Icarus, for you help with my SAT studying. It really helped me calm down and focus on what I needed to know. I'll probably take it again later this year.
Posted by screechowl (Member # 2651) on :
Elizabeth
Knowing how to use humor is so important. I had a group of freshmen boys and an excellent principal who opened the door for me on that one many years ago.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Eruve, let me know how soon, and I'll try to finish what I started. Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
True, ScreechOwl,
It is my secret weapon. I learned from the best. My father is about the funniest person on earth, and my step-mom as well. Humor can really diffuse things with kids. They love to be teased.(in a friendly way-and some can take more than others)They love jokes and games and plays.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Cattleprods also help.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Fifth graders do not need the prods, they would enjoy that. Remember playing those games like rock-paper-scissors? And how raw your arm would get? Well, I have to be the one to stop that stuff now. No, this class of youngsters will need the horse tranquilizers, from what I have heard. ha ha.
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