Teachers view this thread, please! I have some questions!

[châteaux]

What grade do you teach?

What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them?

Are the students cooperative most of the time?

Public school vs. Private School:

Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?

What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?

When do you go to Disney?

What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.

 

[CowboyCO]

DW of CowboyCO here

What grade do you teach?
9th Grade mostly. High School English and electives.

What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them?
Rewarding, challenging, frustrating, aggravating. All in one day.

Are the students cooperative most of the time?
Most of the time yes, but ask me on Monday.
Public school vs. Private School:
Public School small town (800 kids in HS).
Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?
School pays for all supplies and materials, but things to decorate room nd change themes are usually out of pocket. Federal tax law allows you to deduct this cost as a teacher.
What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?
I love Literature, so secondary was the only way to go. I may someday go teach college, but we'll see.
When do you go to Disney?
We go to Disney right after school lets out, just after new years or just before christmas depending on the school calendar. Once I took 4 days off during the school year.
What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.
Don't do it for the schedule or the benefits(they're getting worse and worse every year around here) or any other reason except that you love what or who you are teaching. You'll burn out and quit. Accept that you'll never make much money, no matter how many degrees you get. It's part of the job.

 

[JoyG]

I have a few questions for those of you who don't mind answering them. You don't have to answer all of the questions if you don't want to, you can always just answer the questions you're most comfortable with:

• What grade do you teach?
• What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them? Are the students cooperative most of the time?
• Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?
• Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?
• What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?
• When do you go to Disney?
• What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.

1. 3rd grade
2. It's generally a fun job. I teach all academic subjects and cursive. The students are generally cooperative. You have to set up your classroom systems and expect cooperation right from the beginning though.
3. I teach in a public inner city school. The atmosphere in my building is strict, strict, strict. Discipline is a big deal. My kids go to a private school in the suburbs and there school is much more laid back than mine is.
4. Most of the materials I need to teach the school district supplies. The fun things I want to do that are above and beyond the curriculum, I pay for.
5. I went to college to become a high school English teacher but changed my major to Elementary Ed because I wasn't sure I had the personality to handle high school discipline problems. I made the right choice!
6. The first week of summer vacation or the last week of summer vacation.
7. I love my job, although with the Federal No Child Left Behind laws in effect, much of the fun and love has been sucked out of the teaching profession. It will get better though. One thing I've learned is everything that goes around in education comes around again. So if I hang on, there will be a pendulum swing and I can get back to doing what I love. Even with the NCLB nonsense, teaching under the worst conditions is still better than not teaching at all. I could never be a 9-5 office type of person. I need to feel like my job directly impacts the lives of others...that what I do makes a difference in someone's life. Teaching is definitely that kind of job.

 

[Sinderelli]

What grade do you teach? I teach 1st grade. I previously taught Pre-K & Kindergarten
What is it like teaching them? I LOVE my 1st graders!What things in particular do you teach them? In 1st grade, we teach everything! I am self contained, so I teach all subjects.
Are the students cooperative most of the time? Yes, which is why I love 1st grade- the kids are so sweet. They are also gaining their independence, so I don't have to deal so much with bathroom issues, etc.
Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like? I teach in a Catholic elementary school. We have a very active, supportive group of parents. Our teacher turnover rate is not that high from year to year either.
Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself? I spend a LOT of money out of pocket.
What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher? I always gravitated towards kids in my teenage years- I worked in a day care, babysat, etc. I could never teach middle or high school. I have the utmost respect for the teachers who deal with those hormones and attitudes every day!!!
When do you go to Disney? Mardi Gras!!
What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.
I love my job, although I wish it paid more. I am in my 11th year of teaching and still get paid under $30,000 a year. It's easy to get burnt out- you are working long hous for little pay. I find it helpful to stay away form the perpetual whiny teachers- you know the ones who complain about every little thing???

Good luck!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

What grade do you teach? 1st

What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them? Are the students cooperative most of the time?
-They are very "busy". You have to keep them engaged all the time or they will find something to do, and it's usually not the kind of something you have in mind. I teach all subjects because I have a self-contained general education classroom. I find I have to teach a lot of vocabulary with everything because they are lacking in that area (because English is their second language and/or because they come from households where they do not use a lot of rich language.)
-Every state has "standards" now; I have to teach what the state tells me to. I suspect you could use google to find the state standards for Massachusetts to get an idea of what they teach in each grade.
-Most of the students are cooperative most of the time. It's the 10-15% who are not that cause 90%+ of your problems.

Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?
I teach at a public school in the South Bronx. The atmosphere can be good or bad depending on the time of the month, the moon phase, the weather, any holidays, and how much paperwork is coming due within the next few days.

Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?
The past few years we've gotten $260 to spend on classroom supplies beyond what the school provides. This year it is $150, but with budget cuts I can't complain too much.
I've found that schools can vary a lot in what they provide for you in the classroom. I have a LOT of books and math tools in my classroom, so I don't need to supplement that. What I have problems getting is copies, paper, and basic school supplies such as crayons and pencils. I use my "teacher's choice" on those basic things, as well as bulletin board borders, letters, etc.


What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?
Um...well I'm certified grades 1-6 in "common branches" (general education) and I chose that because I didn't know what content area I wanted to teach in depth at a higher grade level. This is my 4th year teaching; all four years have been in 1st grade but at some point I'd like to try an upper elementary grade. I'm also certified to teach ESL K-12 so I could branch out into that also.

When do you go to Disney? Mid-August. The week-long breaks we get during the school year are more expensive and more crowded. (Although the weather is typically better at those times than in August!)

What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.
Overall, I like it. I get really frustrated a lot because of the sheer amount of paperwork and things the administration wants. This year, I really like my class but the last few years I got some really difficult groups and that made for a rough 10 months (x3 years). I figure if I got through that, I can do just about anything now!
Know what you are getting into. See if you can job shadow someone for a day (or more) in a few different schools and grade levels to try to get a really good idea of what all this job entails. Yes, our hours are 8-3 and we get a lot of vacations, but we do a LOT outside of those hours. There is a lot of professional development that you have to do on those vacations, and there is a LOT of data, paperwork, planning, etc. It really is exhausting and most people don't realize it unless they've done it or really know someone who does it.

 

[Kath2003]

I'm British but:

I teach grades 6-10 at the moment; geography mainly.
It's great teaching them, I really enjoy it. I teach them mainly geography so topics like globalization, river processes and landforms, urban morphology, tourism, sustainable development, map skills etc.

I teach at a selective public school. The atmosphere is fantastic; it's such a warm, kind environment. One of the places I trained wasn't so great, lots of verbal abuse toward staff and other students etc. so I really wanted to work somewhere with a positive atmosphere once I qualified. I got my wish!
The school pays for everything. I contributed an inflatable globe.

I wanted to teach secondary school because primary school (ages 4-11) is taught in a singular classroom setting (i.e. the same 30 kids in the same class with the same teacher all year). Secondary schools in the UK work on usually a 25-period per week timetable. My students see me for anything between 1 and 4 periods per week (each lasting an hour) depending on the grade they are in. Much more variety for me as a teacher, much more independence for geography as a subject and this is the age when the students are really learning about the world around them and their influence on it.

The school vacation system in the UK is different. We teach 39 weeks of the year; 13 weeks vacation. So our school year looks like this:
Start of September - school year begins
Last week of October - 1 week vacation
Two weeks vacation for Christmas/New Year
Last week of February - 1 week vacation
Two weeks vacation at the beginning of April (hence my visit to Orlando in April 2009!)
Last week of May - 1 week vacation
Finish for 6 weeks summer vacation mid-July
We don't get the summer break the same way you guys do; but we never have to work more than 8 consecutive weeks which I think is better for both the staff and the students. I normally go to Disney either at Easter or in the 6 weeks summer vacation. It's ALWAYS expensive for us to come over, because of the flights. That said, I managed to get a return trip from London to MCO for $700 during the Easter vacation (British Airways wanted $1300 for the same trip!) so there are bargains to be had. We stay off-site, use public transport and do Universal mainly so that saves an awful lot of money.

I'm new; I started my first teaching job two months ago. I love every second but I have to tell you, I'm exhausted. I've been sick virtually constantly with every cold going. I work 50 hours a week or more. I get paid what is considered in the US a VERY good wage (teachers start on $40,000 here) but this is NOT a job to do for the money; you have to be really committed and really WANT to do it otherwise I'm sure you just burn-out. It's worth it

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[perla75]

Hi there! My teaching experience might be a little different than what you are looking for, but I am in Massachusetts so this may help you a bit:

* What grade do you teach?
special education-all levels
* What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them? Are the students cooperative most of the time?
It's a challenge and a reward every single day. Sort of like solving a puzzle and when you do, you feel so accomplished! We teach all skills from math to toileting to safety skills to basic communication. Many of our students have challenging behaviors, but with the right behavior plan, they learn to be cooperative
* Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?
I currently work in a public school district, but I've taught in both settings. I have found both settings fairly similar, staff atmosphere-wise. Private is obviously more tailored to the student population.
* Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?
Haha-welcome to the world of teaching! No, budget is fairly tight with supplies in both private and public settings. It's a struggle to get reimbursed and we usually end up spending alot of our own money.
* What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?
Started out volunteering in an Easter Seals swim program & I loved working with this population.
* When do you go to Disney?
Early January or summer
* What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.
It's a great job-very rewarding & very important gift to society. You learn something new everyday.Benefits and vacation time are great!

Good luck to you!! Where in Massachusetts do you live & where are you headed for college?

 

[DawnM]

A few things I have learned.....

I'll be going to college soon and I would like to become an elementary school teacher, preferrably 2nd grade (and if it makes any difference, I'm looking to be a teacher in my state of Massachusetts). My mother jokes that I was "born to be a teacher" because children seem to gravitate towards me (I think it's because I look awfully young for my age, not to mention my height - 5'. People always assume I'm 14 years old when I'll be officially an adult in a couple of months). I don't know of anyone who is a teacher, so I thought it would be okay if I asked here on the Dis.

I have a few questions for those of you who don't mind answering them. You don't have to answer all of the questions if you don't want to, you can always just answer the questions you're most comfortable with:

• What grade do you teach?
  I have taught everything from 6th-12th grades in the fields of English, History, and ESL
  
• What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them? Are the students cooperative most of the time?
  
  One thing I learned early is that teaching is 1/2 content and 1/2 classroom control. Make it interesting and show your own interest in the subject and kids will respond.
  
• Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?
  
  Public and inner city for me. I am NOT the prep school type, even though I attended private schools most of my life. I felt I was making a greater difference in the public school.
  
• Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?
  
  Well, there were many times when I said that if it isn't available and provided by the school, we will just have to do without and make do or come up with a much cheaper alternative. My shelves were lined with used books for the kids to read, prizes were bought at 90% sales, etc....
  
  
• What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?
  
  I am not that great with really young kids....that sounds horrible, but I need some sort of reasoning skills for discussion. It is just my personality (and I am 5' tall and was mistaken for a Jr. Higher for a few years of my teaching.)
  
  
• When do you go to Disney?
  
  I worked in year round schools for years and years. I had plenty of off season times to go. If you can find one, look into working there.
  
• What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.

Expect the first 2 years to teach you more than any college or grad school program every will. Find teachers you can trust to go to and say "what do you do in this or that situation?" Find teachers who you can admit defeat to and if they are caring at all, they will remember their first couple of years and help you out. I learned more from veteran teachers than from professors!

I'm sorry for asking so many questions. I just would like to know as much information as possible before deciding that being an elementary teacher is exactly what I'd like to do.

I'd greatly appreciate any help I could get. Thank you so much in advance!

 

[MM27]

What grade do you teach?
4th Grade. I was an early childhood education major in college and was actually hired as a 2nd grade teacher. Two days before school started I was setting up my classroom and the principal came in and told me they needed me in 4th. 9 years later, I'm still there. It's an awesome grade because the kids are independent, yet they still love you.

What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them?
My school is departmentalized beginning in 4th grade. I teacher math/science/social studies. As far as WHAT you teach, that comes from the districts curriculum and the state standards. Every day is different. Some days you come home ready to bang your head on the wall. Other days, when kids have their ah-ha moment, you realize why you do what you do.

Are the students cooperative most of the time?
Depends a lot on the teacher and the standards and expectations they set in the beginning of the school year. Kids crave consistency. If you don't provide them with it, all hell can break loose.

Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?
Public, urban, 3rd-6th grade.

Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?
We get a supply order at the end of each year for the following year. It is usually $300. In that money we have to buy ink for our printers, paper for the kids to use, chalk, charts, planbook, gradebook, etc. Even though it sounds like a lot, I always buy a lot of stuff with my own money as well.

If you shop in the summer during Staples/Target/other stores sales, you can get a lot for a little bit of money.

What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?
I think you just know what is best for you. I would never have even considered middle or high school. I know some teachers that teach upper grades that think us elementary teachers are crazy for wanting to work with little ones.

When do you go to Disney?
Vacations are at Christmas vacation, Spring Break or in the summer. Be prepared for paying higher prices. Every time I book a cruise, it kills me to see the weeks around the week I'm going. Prices drop hundreds of dollars the weeks around the time I can travel.

What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.
There are things they don't tell you about in college.
It's more than the 9-3 job that many people will claim it is.

 

[december]

What grade do you teach?high school-9-12

What is it like teaching them? Every day is different

What things in particular do you teach them? I teach Algebra I, Transition to Algebra, and AP Calculus-pretty self explanatory

Are the students cooperative most of the time?Depends on the student! I have great kids-but I also teach in a high poverty minority school. One of mine spent the night in jail last night, and was in class today. Another one in the same class is in juvenile lock up for burglary until after Christmas. Many are parents-some have mult. kids. So cooperation is day by day.

Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?I teach at a small (less than 400 kids) public school. We are 82% minority, and over 80% eat free or reduced lunch. Private schools around here are generally all about race-I would NEVER teach or put my kids in one. Atmosphere the last few weeks has been tough-lots of fights. We recently had to hire a cop full time at the high school, and another one at the middle school. A girl attacked the cop yesterday morning, and is in jail charged with a felony. I'm currently deciding if I can keep my kids in this school. I may be looking elsewhere next year.

Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself? We get $150 to cover everything. The ink cartridge for my printer was $60. So we have to buy alot ourselves.

What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher? I always wanted to teach, and for some reason I really like teenagers.

When do you go to Disney? I've been to WDW twice-once in July and once during Thanksgiving week. I went to DL last year the last week of May. We are out from end of May until end of July.

What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field. Even with the problems I mentioned above, I love education. I love that I am making a difference in kids lives, and I'm currently working on my masters in counseling. I'm becoming burnt out in the classroom, though. NCLB and high stakes testing has got to go. As a young teacher, I thought I could save everyone. When you find out you can't, it will break your heart. But you learn to save who you can.

 

[MrsPete]

[*] What grade do you teach?
High school

[*] What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them? Are the students cooperative most of the time?
I like my job, and that's something most people can't say. I teach the things that the state DPI (Department of Instruction) tells me to teach; you can google your own state's curriculum for a given grade and/or subject to see what a child in a certain grade should learn over the course of the year. Most elementary teachers work in "teams" so that they're all teaching the same things at the same time. By doing this, they divide the work too; for example, they don't all have to create a math test -- one person does that while someone else puts together a science experiment. Most of my students are cooperative (but not enthusiastic about learning); the few bad apples are constant problems.

[*] Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?Public. Most teachers teach in public schools because the pay and benefits are better, especially the pension.

[*] Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?The school buys textbooks every five years. We usually have copy paper, though I have had to buy that out of my pocket. I can count on construction paper, tape and paper clips. I get a grade book and a planning book each year. Classroom decorations, etc. are pretty much out of my pocket. I have bought novel sets for my class. I've bought clothes for kids who had nothing to wear to graduation. The first few years are the worst for spending money out of your own pocket, and it is rarely appreciated. At the end of the year, we go through lockers that've been abandoned, and we collect still-good notebooks, paper, etc. and give them to kids who have no supplies the next fall. We buy bookbags, etc. at yard sales. I've been teaching a decade and a half, and I've never been give a dime to spend on materials in my classroom.

[*] What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher? I always wanted to be a teacher, but I let people -- my mom especially -- talk me out of it with theats of low pay, etc. That was all true, but at that point in my life I foolishly thought that a perfect job existed. There are bad things about teaching -- the worst being lack of respect from the majority of the world -- but there's no other job I want. Some people will assume that you're not very smart and that you're a teacher because you couldn't do anything else; those same people will want you to tutor their children for free after-hours.

I've heard that you teach elementary school because you like children, high school because you like the subject, and college because you want the opportunity for research. I think there's some truth to that.

[*] When do you go to Disney? June

[*] What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field. Start substitute teaching. It'll give you an idea of what school is like from this side of the desk, and it'll give you a feel for whether this is for you or not BEFORE you put any effort into becoming certified. Also, most people in my area get their first "real job" because they were student teachers or substitute teachers, and the principals got to know them. You should also look in to the job availability in your area; it varies widely from area to area.

Things you don't realize about teaching 'til you're doing it:
You must be an excellent multi-tasker; you must be able to lead a class discussion while hushing the chatters and taking away the cell phone from the kid who's texting behind her purse. You must be able to deal with multiple phone calls during class asking kids to come to the office or the library for various reasons.
You must be exceedingly organized; you must have systems in place to keep up with attendance, make-up work, grades, and more.
You must be unbelievably patient. You must be able to explain the same material to the same kid for the third time, then send it home to his mom because he wasn't listening.
You must be able to give clear, concise instructions that're easy to follow.
You will spend the majority of your day apart from other adults. At times this is lonely, and at times you'll want support or help -- but you'll have to wait 'til the end of the school day to get it.
You must have a strong bladder because you're never going to get a bathroom break.
People ask if you get tired of doing the same novel or unit year after year; I say no, when it's time to teach a favorite unit, it's like seeing an old friend again.
The paperwork is significantly more than you think it will be. After a couple years, it gets easier because you have a file cabinet full of activities -- did I mention the need for organization? -- but the grading and reporting will always be tough.
You must be able to teach multiple ability levels; in elementary school you're going to have kids who don't yet have the hang of reading sitting beside kids who already read at the middle-school level.
Teaching is a job with few pats on the back. You cannot be a person who is looking for atta-boys for encouragement; you have to be motivated from within. Likewise, light-bulb moments in the classroom -- moments when you see joy in a child who just realized he learned something big -- are wonderful, but they aren't a daily thing.
Unless you want to move into administration, teaching is a job that's relatively promotion-less. A first year teacher and a 20th year teacher do basically the same jobs. Again, if you're a person who needs encouragement from outside, that's hard. If you're an ambitious person who wants to move up, you may be unhappy.
You have to care about the children, but you can't allow that to sway your judgement in grades or punishment for occasional bad behavior; at some point you'll find yourself forced to give a failing grade to that darling girl in your class, or you'll find yourself forced to give a detention to that really smart boy who's always so well behaved.

Liking children is important, but it isn't at the top of the list of requirements. A large part of doing the job well is having the right personality; it isn't a good or bad thing, rather it's a matter of being well-suited to the job.

December is right: At first you think you can save everyone, but that idealistic enthusiasm quickly turns to realism as you realize that some families just don't care. You keep doing the best you can for those kids, but you recognize that you're not a bad teacher if some kids just won't try. After you've had your heart stomped a few times by kids whom you thought you were going to help, you'll discover the happy medium that'll allow you to care about kids without burning yourself out.

 

[Patricia]

What grade do you teach?
I teach 8th grade Reading/Language Arts


What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them?
It is almost always an enjoyable experience teaching my students. I love how they are on the cusp of young adulthood and childhood. Just enough to have fun, but enough to be able to have mature discussions with. My curriculum involves some terrific noves, Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, Night, so we are able to delve into some meaty topics such as racism, the Holocaust, euthanasia. It is so interesting!

Are the students cooperative most of the time? They are almost always cooperative


Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like? I currently teach in a private Catholic school, but I taught public school for 10 years. The atmosphere is loving and family oriented. I love it!!

Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?
My school pays for all my materials.


What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?
I always knew that I wanted Middle School. It is just more enjoyable to me than the lower elementary and I can reach the kids more than in HS

When do you go to Disney? In the summer.

What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.I adore my job. Good days or bad, there is such a wonderful feeling spending time with those kids. It makes all the negative go away, no doubt about it.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I'll be going to college soon and I would like to become an elementary school teacher, preferrably 2nd grade (and if it makes any difference, I'm looking to be a teacher in my state of Massachusetts). My mother jokes that I was "born to be a teacher" because children seem to gravitate towards me (I think it's because I look awfully young for my age, not to mention my height - 5'. People always assume I'm 14 years old when I'll be officially an adult in a couple of months). I don't know of anyone who is a teacher, so I thought it would be okay if I asked here on the Dis.

I have a few questions for those of you who don't mind answering them. You don't have to answer all of the questions if you don't want to, you can always just answer the questions you're most comfortable with:

• What grade do you teach?Fifth grade
• What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them? Are the students cooperative most of the time?I love fifth graders. They are still young enough to be open-minded and receptive to an adult and yet their sense of humor is becoming abstract and well developed. Once we establish a relationship they are cooperative 99% of the time. I teach Language Arts and Social Studies.
  [*] Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?Public school. Very stressful. Lots of mandates from "above."
  [*] Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?The school provides materials, but they never seem to be what I need at any given moment. I spend my own money often. Mostly on novels. We never seem to have enough.
  [*] What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?I took the first job I was offered. It ended up being the right fit.
  [*] When do you go to Disney? Spring Break, every year.
  [*] What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.LOVE the kids. They are the reason I stay. The paperwork and executive mandates from district level and parents are reasons that I would leave. Thank goodness for the kids. Never forget they are the reason that you are there.

Hope this is helpful. It's been a hell of a week and I just got back from walking many miles trick or treating with my son. Best of luck to you.

And I second every single thing Mrs. Pete said. Amen and 100%.

 

[Sonya]

* What grade do you teach?high school

* What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them? Are the students cooperative most of the time?I am lucky I am an elective teacher, most want to be there. However some years are more difficult than others. I teach French

* Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?public, not inner city but close. For the most part everything is good, we are a close community, but one does have to have some street smarts

* Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself? Yeah, we get paper and books, and some supplies but if we want to do anything special we have to buy it ourselves. I still have a homemade matching game that I have been using for 14 years made out of poster board and library insert envelopes!

* What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?I don't deal well with little kids, I like to have more of a challenge and be able to reason with my students. I think you know if you are elementary or secondary, and I can pick those teacher out of the crowd. I am NOT elementary material. I would make them cry. And heaven forbid I even have to teach middle school, I would go insane.

* When do you go to Disney?spring break and thanksgiving break

* What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.do a lot of observing before you commit. You need to know if you can handle it or not. And get yourself organized NOW if you do continue with it!

 

[Tinijocaro]

[*] What grade do you teach?
I teach 4th and 5th grade music, strings.

[*] What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them? Are the students cooperative most of the time?
I teach kids to play the violin, viola, cello and bass. Since I am not a classroom teacher, I have little to no issues with discipline since I teach in small groups. I love teaching them and love the excitement of a child being able to play his first song.

[*] Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?
I have a budget of 100.00 in four out of the five buildings I teach in, so I do pretty well. I use my own money to buy sticker charts, rewards (candy, pencile, tatoos...)

[*] What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?
I don't like the idea of receiving students that someone else started. I don't think many string teachers are picky enough. I prefer to be the one setting the foundation, it's something I take great pride in.

[*] When do you go to Disney?
I don't like Disney.

[*] What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field. [/LIST]
I wouldn't focus so much on which specific grade you are going to teach. wait until you get out into the field and actually work with different age levels. I always said that I would NEVER teach middle school and it turned out to be my favorite age group.

Also, keep in mind that elementary classroom teachers work very, very hard and give up a lot of their own time and money to make the classroom a great learning environment. I could never do it. I think a elementary classroom teacher needs to be a highly organized person.


Good luck with your decisions!

 

[RangerPooh]

I'm in a different boat, I'm a certified teacher working with at-risk students in an afterschool program. Our family relocated after all the highering was completed for the school year.

What grade do you teach?
Currently I work with 2nd and 3rd graders, 33 students
What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them?
Challenging. In our program the fundamentals are stressed. So I am covering basic math and writing skills as many of the students are lacking in this department
Are the students cooperative most of the time?
That depends on your version of cooperative. Classroom management is a difficult thing and these kids are not too receptive to it. I've been working with them for two months and we're still trying to get the rules established. However when they like something their behavior is usually much better
Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?
Public School. Old building in a lower socio-economic district. The school-day teachers are not too receptive to working with us, but that also depends on the teacher. Many of the classrooms feel cramped, although they are getting new playground equipment to replace the structure that has been off-limits for quite some time.
Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?
Our program claims that they supply most of the materials but I am regularly spending from my own pocket. I was fortunate that my old district was very fortunate to supply materials for the teachers.
What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?
I was originally a forestry major but switched to education after I was injured in a car accident. I had worked in interpretation for the state parks and had really enjoyed it. So switching to teaching made sense. I have worked in elementary and middle school and love working with the little ones. I don't think that I have the knack to work with high school students
When do you go to Disney?
Spring break, winter break, summer vacation. When ever we can coordinate our schedules. Say goodbye to off-season vacations unless you are fortunate to work at a year-round school (I wish we had them here).
What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.
This is what I have discovered; colleges have been claiming that there is a teacher shortage for so long that the shortage is now only in certain areas. Instead here is an abundance of teachers out there who are without positions. Also be prepared to move for the job. If I was able to relocate for a position I would have applied to districts with hundreds of openings (they do exist but may not be in your desired location), but alas I was uanble. Another thing that I noticed is that those of us who have Master's Degrees in Education might be at a disadvantage due to the economy as the starting pay is higher than for those with only a BA.

Also consider getting endorsements. I am almost finished with mine in Special Education. A literacy endorsement is also handy. Good luck in your studies.

 

[SDFgirl]

What grade do you teach?

Well, right now I am on a child-rearing leave - but before that I taught 3rd grade. I will return to teaching in a year or two and I would LOVE to teach in the third grade again.

What is it like teaching them? What things in particular do you teach them?

Third graders are awesome! For the most part, they still *love* their teachers, don't talk back much (though there are exceptions), and are eager to please. Yet, they are independent enough to work on their own, use critical thinking skills, and "get" more sophisticated humor. I do notice that towards summer, they get more attitude, more clique-y, and more interested in drama with the opposite sex. But for most of the year, they're fabulous. I miss them! I teach the whole curriculum.

Are the students cooperative most of the time?

Yes. I've had a few difficult students, but I've almost always been able to get to the root of the matter and to get them to see me as an ally. Most of the really difficult kids have emotional issues and, once they trust you, will at least try to be cooperative because they want your approval. Not that they always succeed - I had kids who would act up all year - but usually those kids would show their sweet sides and try to do better (at least for the next 10 minutes). Catch them being good, let them know you're noticing, and you'll see them continuing to try.

Of course you will have students that you just don't like and you can't seem to reach. I've had a couple, but they're few and far between.

Having said all that, I can not stress enough the importance of establishing control and order at the very beginning of the school year. My kids said I was strict...but I always had one of the best behaved classes in the school. We talked a LOT about behavior, expectations, procedures...it was a point of pride in my class to have a "reputation" for being well-behaved. No, they were not perfect, and got in trouble sometimes in lunch or special areas. But they knew my expectations for them and they knew the consequences for breaking the rules. Once you have control of your class, life is a lot easier and you have a lot of fun together!

Public school vs. Private School: Which do you teach at? What is the atmosphere like?

I taught in a lower-middle class public school in a suburban area. Most of the parents were pretty involved and there was a fair amount of involment in extra-curricular activities. I like teaching at public school - you get a more diverse population and are challenged more. Plus the pay is better in my area than in a private school.

Does the school pay for the materials you will need over the course of the year or do you need to buy most of the materials yourself?

I got $250 to spend throughout the school year - I used that to stock up on copy paper, pencils, glue, teaching aids, games, books, etc. I usually end up spending about $200 of my own money throughout the school year - on things like books for our classroom library, "fun" stuff like treats and craft supplies, and room decorations. Money you spend on your own is tax-deductible. I never felt like I was spending too much money on my room.

What made you decide to become a(n) ______ teacher over a elementary, middle, high school, or college teacher?

Elementary kids just appealed to me. I'm a little scared of middle- and high-schoolers!

When do you go to Disney?

I think the best time to go is right after the school year ends, or after Christmas.

What are your overall thoughts on your job? Or just anything else you would like to add that you think would be beneficial for me to know before going into this field.

You will hear a lot of negativity from teachers and about teachers. Some of it is valid, some of it's not. Call me naive, but I truly feel like there are good and bad points about any job and your attitude depends on you. Honestly, I feel that I am fairly compensated for for the amount of time I work. Summers off and Christmas and Spring Break are terrific benefits. You'll hear teachers complain that they have to spend some of that time working and it's true that you do sometimes. But I can't count the number of days I've been sitting on the couch relaxing in the morning while my husband went off to work in corporate America. Teachers DO get a lot of time off. It's nice, especially for a mom.

If you're the type who begrudges every extra second or penny you have to spend to get your job done, teaching is not for you. If you're the type who listens, and then joins in, to the complaining in the teacher's lounge about how bad teachers have it, it's not for you. You can grow to hate it if you listen to all the negativity, and then you won't be a good teacher. I know so many bitter teachers. But I also know plenty who take the good with the bad, who love their kids, and who choose to look on the bright side. If you can be that person, it's a wonderful, rewarding, and challenging profession.