for the teachers out there

[Tri Girl]

I teach 5th grade, but taught 2nd grade for one year. Although I didn't love the little ones as much (too touchy-feely, and they didn't get my sometimes dry sense of humor ), I had a lot of fun with them. I really love my job, and consider myself to be very lucky that I have the opportunity to be an influence on a young person's life. The pay isn't bad (considering the time off), the rewards are great, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. That being said, there is A LOT of work involved. Not only in the planning and grading, but managing 24+ families and keeping the peace with everyone. Burnout is common (I experienced it myself after 7 years), and stress can be high with so much at stake- but it's still the best job I could ever imagine having.
I agree you should volunteer in a classroom and really talk to teachers and see what it's all about. I tell my non-teaching friends that although I get two months off in the summer and two weeks off at Christmas- I work as hard in those 9.5 months as others do in their 11.5 months of work.

[deedolce]

I'm a primary teacher! I teach multi-age - means I have 1st, 2nd, and 3rds in the same class. I carry the kids from year to year as well, so my 3rds I've had as 1st and 2nd graders. Um, got that?

I love it. It's the best, and the most challenging job I've had. Never boring. But I work in a district where I don't have to teach scripted aka Open Court!

You have to be able multi-task - the thing that gets me these days is the amount of required assessment. Often one on one, and keen auditory skills! While keeping the other 19 (class reduction, I have 20 kids) occupied and on task. I have to test each child with QRI running record, BPST (Basic phonics), San Diego quick assessment, 100 most common words/120 irregular words, Phonemic Awareness, and BEAR spelling test. Each kid. 2-3 times a year. Then there's the Writing Samples and STAR testing, and in between I get to actually teach!

As far as pay, other districts are better. If you work full time, have 2 kids, you pay over $1000 out of pocket a month towards health benefits here.

But all in all, it's an awesome job. I love my students. I always try to be conscious of every word I exchange with them. And patience...I have a lot of it!

That's what comes to mind to me for now. Good luck!

[kelownagirl]

As far as pay, other districts are better. If you work full time, have 2 kids, you pay over $1000 out of pocket a month towards health benefits here.

I pay $75/month for a full family - all medical, dental, and extended health.

[Veronica]

I Not only in the planning and grading, but managing 24+ families and keeping the peace with everyone. Burnout is common (I experienced it myself after 7 years), and stress can be high with so much at stake- but it's still the best job I could ever imagine having.

Oh my! I wish I only had 24 families to manage! I have 34 students in my 5th grade class. We're all about ready to quit at my grade level.

Too much is being asked of us and there is just not enough time to do what we need to do with so many kids! And I refuse to martyr myself. I am already putting in a good nine hour day M-F and 4 - 5 hours each weekend. I'm pretty organized, intelligent and responsible. And I am still not meeting all the demands of my district and the state.

The reading level in my classroom ranges from pre-primer to 11th grade. Huge amounts of my planning time are spent differentiating my instruction to meet the levels in my class.

Health benefits- it was cheaper for Thom to get his through COBRA when he quit his job than to go on my plan.

My kids this year are pretty good, although very low. I feel like a failure because I know that only about 10- 15% of my class will achieve the standards set for 5th grade. Intellectually I know that many of them entered my room with 2nd - 3rd grade skills. I know in a year, I can't bring them up 2- 3 grade levels. But still... it's my responsibility to get them there. I do wonder WTF are the parents doing?

It doesn't help that California has set the bar for standards higher than 40 other states, but is 47 or 48th in spending - hence my 34 students in my classroom.

My mantra has been, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

V.

[Tri Girl]

Sheesh V- that's insane!!! I had 30 fifth graders a couple years ago and it was sooooo tough to manage all those diff. learning levels and styles. I almost went insane! It's way too much to ask!
Actually, I'm lucky this year. I moved districts and am able to teach Math to all the 5th graders, and Language Arts and Spelling to my homeroom class (which is good and bad because I have 3 less preps, but 68 more students to keep up with in a subject that, like Reading, has my kids from 2nd grade level to 10th grade level in abilities). I guess I'm really trying to keep the peace with 92 families since Math is the biggest push in our system right now (and I agree about the state standards- man we rush through the dang curriculum so fast so we can be ready for "the test" that it's ridiculous).
V- find a different district if you can (not that it'll help with state standards- but I found changing districts made a huge difference in my outlook and in my stress level). I had burnout BIG TIME a couple years ago and was ready to leave teaching altogether. A little change has made a HUGE difference in my life.

[Veronica]

I've been thinking about changing districts. It would be a big pay cut. I've been teaching 15 years and most districts will only credit 9.

It would mean having to commute. I have a ten minute commute by bicycle now. The district I would want to teach in is about 40 - 50 min. each way by car. That's ten hours a week I would lose. I stay sane now, by getting out and riding after work.

I'm thinking maybe a job share in a year or two... or a sabbatical.

V.

[Tuckervill]

And people wonder why I don't send my kids to school. (Not because of dedicated teachers like you, but because of what's wrong with the system.)

My DIL became a history teacher and is in her 2nd year at a city high school. She sure talked a good game when she was getting her degree. She had so many romantic ideas about how to make "history come alive!" Her reality is very, very different. The kids could not care less. She has the administrators and impossible standards to deal with, too. The workplace politics are unbelievable. She was asked by some students to sponsor a Gay-Straight Alliance club, and other TEACHERS are "monitoring" it to make sure she's not promoting the "gay lifestyle". Other TEACHERS have removed the club posters and didn't even try to hide that they did it. She's very disillusioned.

Karen

Oh my! I wish I only had 24 families to manage! I have 34 students in my 5th grade class. We're all about ready to quit at my grade level.

Too much is being asked of us and there is just not enough time to do what we need to do with so many kids! And I refuse to martyr myself. I am already putting in a good nine hour day M-F and 4 - 5 hours each weekend. I'm pretty organized, intelligent and responsible. And I am still not meeting all the demands of my district and the state.

The reading level in my classroom ranges from pre-primer to 11th grade. Huge amounts of my planning time are spent differentiating my instruction to meet the levels in my class.

Health benefits- it was cheaper for Thom to get his through COBRA when he quit his job than to go on my plan.

My kids this year are pretty good, although very low. I feel like a failure because I know that only about 10- 15% of my class will achieve the standards set for 5th grade. Intellectually I know that many of them entered my room with 2nd - 3rd grade skills. I know in a year, I can't bring them up 2- 3 grade levels. But still... it's my responsibility to get them there. I do wonder WTF are the parents doing?

It doesn't help that California has set the bar for standards higher than 40 other states, but is 47 or 48th in spending - hence my 34 students in my classroom.

My mantra has been, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

V.