This video will be live tomorrow morning (July 10, 2019). Just click the picture to watch. (I'll wait.) I hate it when I hear someone jokingly say, “Those that can’t do, teach.” If you are a teacher, this probably makes you mad too because we know it’s not true. The phrase “Those who can’t do, teach,” originated from the play, “Man and Superman” which was written by Bernard Shaw. Some form of this quote gets thrown around in some fashion especially in popular culture. I decided to tell the world what teachers do if they did not know already. So, this is my story as a middle school teacher. I clock into work at 7:15 am. I am required to be there at 7:20 am. When I get to my room, I pull up my flip chart for the day (presentation), my online grade book for attendance, and email. I stand at my door to greet students at 7:25. While they are entering I make casual conversation, make sure they use the restroom, etc. At 7:50 am, I start teaching. I rarely sit down. 4th period is my planning period. I was one of the lucky ones. At my school, this is the lunch period so I get an extra 30 minutes for planning which is amazing. Anyway, at 10:48, I tidy up my room, straighten desks, etc. Around 11, I go to the bathroom and get caffeine. Sometimes, I grab lunch. Sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I have students come to my class for lunch detention, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes, I have IEP meetings or professional development during this time, sometimes I don’t. On the days when my schedule is free, I work on lesson plans and presentations for the following week. Sometimes I have paperwork or miscellaneous tasks to do for administration during this time. Many times I am making copies and getting activities ready for the next week. Either way I don’t sit on my bottom and do nothing, I am working. This is essential to not taking so much work home. I also use this time to collaborate with my inclusion teacher. I also grade papers which are usually my exit tickets. I also use this time to call parents. I start teaching again at 12:08 and I continue until 3:00 pm. Students relax until their bus is called. I am running around the room like a mad woman. I am busy getting my room ready for the next day. I change the date on my board, change my focus question and standard being taught if it is different. I put bell ringer worksheets in their appropriate place, I lay out the activities for the next day. I tidy up my room, make sure pencils are sharp, and clean student desks if needed. I finish grading the remainder of my papers. (Most of my grading is done digitally except my exit tickets.) I make notes of students that did not understand my lesson today and those that did. I will target the ones that didn’t the following day. I am allowed to leave at 3:30 pm unless I have a parent teacher conference or IEP or TST meeting. I am usually done with my after school ritual by then. I turn off lights and go home. When I get home, for the most part I don’t have to work too much at home unless, there is something extra I want to create or my administrators need something done ASAP. It varies. Many times I will call parents when I get home if something is heavy on my mind. But this is a new thing for me. Up until this last year, I got on the computer and worked until bedtime. Then I decided to quit being so extra. So that’s a typical day. Now, for the week. Mondays and Fridays, there is nothing scheduled during my planning or after school. Tuesdays, we have a faculty meeting at 3:15 until whenever. Usually 4-4:30. Wednesdays I a Department meeting during my planning period and I have Drama Club after school until 5:00 pm and tutoring until 4 pm. Many times, my school will have after school programs, sporting events, or students extracurricular activities the kids participate in and many times I will make an appearance. So this is a typical week. It is nonstop. Let’s me share with you what teachers do while they are teaching: teach amazing children which includes breaking concepts down into smaller pieces so they can understand them, researching different strategies for numerous standards, accommodating different learning styles, grading papers, providing feedback, writing lesson plans that accommodate all learners, write assessments, create worksheets, create engaging activities, create PowerPoints, collaborate with other staff members, confiscate snacks, talk to parents, keep current records like documentation & grades, participate in a variety of professional development, attend a variety of meetings, analyze student data and plan accordingly, provide interventions... I could keep going. You get it, right? Here are some of the different roles teachers play: counselor, mentor, peacemaker, motivational speaker, maid, babysitter, developer, nurse, entertainer, detective, actress, social worker, cheerleader, and role model. So, now you have an idea what teachers do. Let’s ignore Bernard Shaw’s, “Those who can’t do, teach.” And replace it with Charles J. Mertz, “Those who teach show those who can’t how to.” I get chills thinking of it. Nice play on words, Mr. Mertz. If you are a teacher, leave a comment below what your favorite role as a teacher is. And if you are a brand new teacher, tell me which role you look forward to playing. I hope you found this post helpful. Below is your gift for watching and reading this post. It is a recording sheet for you to document daily the students that understand the lesson and those that do not. Customize how you'd like. Hope it helps. ![]()
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AuthorI am not an expert yet by any means. I felt inspired to create a YouTube channel and website so new teachers will have an easier journey than I had. Archives
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