Where Are All The Teachers At?! How Much Longer Til You're DONE?!

[rchurchward]

Alright fellow teachers, where are you? Sound off! I know there are several of us here.

First of all, let's hear what you have previously taught and what you currently teach! My degree is in Integrated Social Studies Education so right out of college I got hired at a missionary school in Mexico City to teach all of the secondary Social Studies classes. It was a small school of only about 80 total kids so I was stretched pretty thin, but it was such an awesome experience. In my year there I taught: 6th Grade World History, 7th/8th Grade US History, 9th/10th Grade World Geography, 11th/12th Grade US Government/Economics, 7th Grade Keyboarding, and 9th-12th Grade PE/Health. Yeah, all of that in one day, everyday. But it was a blast, and I loved it. I'm currently teaching 6th grade English/Language Arts, but my main area of certification here is grades 4-12 Social Studies. I'm hoping something opens up at my school here soon...

What is your favorite unit in the curriculum that you currently teach? For me, being a Social Studies (history, in particular) fan, I love the unit where we read Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry. If you're unfamiliar with the book, it takes place in Nazi-occupied Denmark during World War II. The main character, Annemarie, is a Danish girl who takes on the responsibility, along with her family, of protecting her best friend Ellen and her family, who are Jewish. Partly based in fact, the book does a great job of describing the consequences of the Nazi-occupation and the impact it has on those involved. It features the Danish Resistance Movement which was successful in saving about 97% of the Danish Jews from the hands of the Nazi's. Before the unit we discuss the Holocaust and the Nazi war machine. We view a documentary titled "One Survivor Remembers" about a girl who survived a concentration camp and her experiences. It's something the kids have heard but never really seen so it's great to show them the reality behind it and allow them to connect the experiences of the girl in the documentary with the girls in the book. It's by far my favorite time of the year.

How much longer until you are DONE for the year? Today is our last day with students! :horn: :wave: We have a 1/2 day today full of final exams and then a PTO catered Chick-Fil-A lunch followed by some work in our rooms this afternoon. Then tomorrow we have a full work-day in our rooms, but no students. Unlike other teachers, I love these kinds of days. Turn on my Spotify, crank it up, and do some work (a.k.a. browse SCF and eBay :typing:)

What are your plans for the summer? On June 10, my wife, daughter and I will be joining my wife's parents and her brother and his wife in Australia for 3 weeks! My wife and her family are Aussie's and myself, my daughter, and her brother's wife are the only ones who haven't lived in Australia, let alone ever been there. So needless to say, I'm looking forward to it! We're flying into Melbourne, spending most of our time in Euroa (where my wife's family is from) and then travelling the Prince's Highway along the coast up to Sydney. Even though it'll be winter over there, it'll still be awesome, I'm sure! I love traveling and this will mark 4 of the 7 continents that I've been able to visit. Just gotta get to South America, Africa, and Antarctica. Someday...

When we get back from that, we have a 4-day rest time and then we head to Atlanta for my sister's wedding. Then it's back home for hopefully some rest and relaxation.

What will you be teaching next year? Next year I'll be teaching the same thing I'm teaching now, 6th Grade English/Language Arts. Hoping to have a Social Studies position in the next few years or so.

So let's hear from all the teachers out there. Who's next?

[pghin08]

Not a teacher, but just wanted to say have fun in Australia! My boss lived there for four years and always spoke very highly of it.

[rchurchward]

Not a teacher, but just wanted to say have fun in Australia! My boss lived there for four years and always spoke very highly of it.
Thanks Kurt! I'm very much looking forward to it.

[duane1969]

Previously taught - Nothing. Just finished my teaching degree 2 years ago. Immediately was offered a job with the county education systems technology department as a Technology Systems Specialist and worked that for a year. So this year was my first as an actual teacher. My degree is in Early/Middle Education. I am certified to teach K-6 General Ed, 5-9 English/Language Arts and K-Adult Alternative Education. I am currently an Alternative Education teacher at a high school.

Favorite unit - I love to teach writing. Descriptive writing is my forte. I love teaching students the difference between "I looked into the creek and saw a fish eating." and "As I stood on the rickety, old, wooden bridge and looked into the crystal clear waters of the babbling creek, my eyes grew wide as they caught a flash of pink and green as the young rainbow trout shot around the deep pool, chasing darting minnows, trying to fill his belly with some breakfast."

Even more fulfilling is when they go from 2-3 sentence paragraphs to half a page paragraphs as they begin to expand their ability to write.

How much longer until you are DONE for the year? - Since I am teaching Alternative Ed this year my students got an early release. My students were finished after they finished their state standardized test on Tuesday, so I have been student-free since last Wednesday. However, I am still in the classroom doing end of year stuf like grades, classroom cleanup and organization, etc. We have an in-service day on Friday and a training session on Monday. My official last day on the job is June 5.

What are your plans for the summer? - Two words. Beer. Beach. Any questions?

Seriously, I plan on relaxing a lot. Because we schedule a lot of reservations with a particular hotel chain for my wife's job they gave us a free vacation this summer at one of their resorts. We could have chosen between any number of places like Las Vegas, Miami, Denver, Salt Lake City, a few others I can't think of...we settled on Myrtle Beach. They are giving us 3 nights for free at either the Barefoot Resort and Golf Course or at the Bay Watch Resort and we are planning on paying for an additional 4 nights, so 7 nights and 8 days at Myrtle Beach are on the agenda.

What will you be teaching next year? - Good question. I had a new job teaching 8th grade English/Developmental Reading and had been told that the job was mine then got a call at the last minute telling me that I was beat out by someone with senority. Go figure.

If I can't get a job in my field then I will be teaching Alternative Ed again next year. The upside is it is an easy job. For the bulk of the year I only had 2 students and never had more than 5, so the workload is easy. The downside is I have to drive 30 miles to work and gas prices are killing me. I have joked that I am going to get a moped.

[Oxxon]

Previously taught- This is my 8th year teaching 9th grade World Geo and most of my classes had 30 plus students. I'm done with World Geo and freshmen. My degree is in History and I want to use it. One of my best friends teaches World History at the same campus and he is retiring this year. I asked for his position and it seems like I will get it.

Favorite unit - I really liked when we covered Europe because of the history aspect.

How much longer until you are DONE for the year? - Tomorrow is our last day for the kids but we have a teachers work day on Friday. All we are going to do is put our stuff away and clear for the end of the year.

What are your plans for the summer? - My summer plans have changed. I have been told that I have to attend curriculum writing for World History. Its going to be for 2 weeks 40 hours per week. I have never done curriculum writing before so I don't know what to expect. June 16th I'm going on a hog hunt just North of Hondo, Tx. July 4th - 8th I'll be in Las Vegas for a slot tournament.

What will you be teaching next year? - I hope I'll be teaching World History next year and if I'm not and given World Geo again I might resign. I'm done with the subject and 9th graders.

[andrewhoya]

Ryan, I remember reading Number the Stars. That was awhile ago in English class.

Have you ever read 'Night'? It is also about the Holocaust. It is creepy and graphic, but very,very good. It was written by a survivor.

[rchurchward]

Favorite unit - I love to teach writing. Descriptive writing is my forte. I love teaching students the difference between "I looked into the creek and saw a fish eating." and "As I stood on the rickety, old, wooden bridge and looked into the crystal clear waters of the babbling creek, my eyes grew wide as they caught a flash of pink and green as the young rainbow trout shot around the deep pool, chasing darting minnows, trying to fill his belly with some breakfast."
I wish I was able to teach this to my students. 6th graders don't grasp creative writing. It's really not a strong suit of elementary curriculum so when they get to me, some of them can't write a basic sentence. It's sad.



What will you be teaching next year? - I hope I'll be teaching World History next year and if I'm not and given World Geo again I might resign. I'm done with the subject and 9th graders.
You can switch with me. I'd LOVE to teach World Geography! The blue squares are always my forte on Trivial Pursuit :)


Ryan, I remember reading Number the Stars. That was awhile ago in English class.

Have you ever read 'Night'? It is also about the Holocaust. It is creepy and graphic, but very,very good. It was written by a survivor.
Yeah, Elie Wiesel. We read Night when I was in the 9th grade. Very good book. You are right: very graphic and very disturbing at times, but also very real. It's one of several that I recommend to my students as outside reading while we are going through Number the Stars. Did you enjoy Number the Stars?

[andrewhoya]

I wish I was able to teach this to my students. 6th graders don't grasp creative writing. It's really not a strong suit of elementary curriculum so when they get to me, some of them can't write a basic sentence. It's sad.


You can switch with me. I'd LOVE to teach World Geography! The blue squares are always my forte on Trivial Pursuit :)


Yeah, Elie Wiesel. We read Night when I was in the 9th grade. Very good book. You are right: very graphic and very disturbing at times, but also very real. It's one of several that I recommend to my students as outside reading while we are going through Number the Stars. Did you enjoy Number the Stars?
It was 5 years ago in 5th grade, but I cant say I remember too much about it. It wasn't as bad as others, such as Siddhartha, etc, but nothing compared to Night/other great history novels.

Granted, I was 11, so maybe I just didnt appreciate it much.

[rchurchward]

Yeah, that's unfortunately how it is with the kids that I'm working with. Reading fluency has dropped so drastically since I was in the 6th grade (granted, that was only 15 years ago). Kids in general just don't have the reading skills that we had when we were their age. We read three books during the year, two of which are Newberry award winners, and they just don't appreciate them as much as I'd like them to.