Tales of a Teacher

  One of things that a good teacher has to do is learn about their students. Each child is different. And some children require more one on one instruction than others. Then there are the students that may have a special circumstance, such as autism. One year I did have a child with autism. He was brilliant and very serious. He was also non-verbal and so it was hard to communicate with him at times.  Since he was smart, very smart, he often became bored with the lessons I was teaching the class. I would supplement his learning with things that were more advanced. This included worksheets, videos, etc. It would work for a while, but eventually he would become more restless. I didn't want him to be bored or restless. And, of course, I wanted him to learn and be able to advance to the next grade. But with his autism, it was very difficult to keep him focused. He also would have bad days when he would become violent. This would include hitting, pushing, and throwing things. The ot...

  Most kids love recess. It's the break they need during the day and statistics show that it is good for them. Brains need a break, and bodies need exercise. Over the years, I have had many recess duties and there have been several incidents out on the playground. One year, I had a student who was playing on the monkey bars, and she jumped, missed the bar, and fell to the ground. When I approached her, she got up and said that her arm hurt. Her hand was literally hanging the wrong way, just dangling there. Turns out that she had broken her wrist. The ambulance was called, and the parents met her at the hospital. Luckily, the parents understood that things happen.  I have had many dramas involving fighting and arguing. The ever present "She's not my friend" comes to mind. It seemed like every other day; I was told that by a girl in my first-grade class. It usually took me a good 20 minutes after recess to get them to be friends again.  I also had boys who would get in ...

 Today's blog goes out to all those teachers who are preparing for a new school year. Yes, the meme is funny, but no one knows the real struggle and hard work of a teacher like a former teacher. It is right around this time that most of you really start thinking about what your classroom is going to look like and what kind of new reading series have they come up with for you to learn. There are certainly many thoughts running around in your head right now, for sure. Plus, you are still in your summer, the weather is great, people are camping or going to the beach, and dammit, you're going to enjoy it! Nobody realizes all the things you have to do. The many meetings you're going to have to endure. Getting your room ready and preparing engaging and exciting lessons. If you know a teacher, thank them today! They are a hard-working group who work hard to make sure that your children are learning and growing to be successful and happy adults.  Thank you, teachers, and enjoy the ...

  Who remembers school field trips? When I was a kid, I loved it when we went on a field trip. We got to get out of school and have fun. Even as a teacher, I loved field trips. It was fun to see the kids out of the classroom and watch them have fun. The zoo was always a popular field trip in almost every school I worked in. And almost every field trip to the zoo was a fun experience for the kids and the teachers. Let me start by saying that this story is not about me. It actually happened to a teacher that I worked with years ago. This teacher was well loved and very experienced. She was and still is an amazing teacher. That particular school year had been a tough one. The kids and the teachers were ready for the year to be over. As a treat, the school decided to send us all to the zoo for a fun field trip. It was late May, and the day of the trip was a hot one with temperatures in the 90's. But the kids were excited! We all spent the day in heat, but we all had a good time. If you...

  Ahhh....detention! It is a part of school that most kids hate. But it does happen. When I was teaching, my daughters came to school with me. I never had either of them in my class, but they were in the same school with me for years. One time my oldest daughter, Mandy, got in trouble for saying "ass". She was mad at her friend, and they got in an argument in the hallway. Well, there was a teacher who happened to be in the hallway at the same time and she heard the argument. Mandy got a detention and had to serve it that afternoon.  The assistant principal came to me during the day and told me that Mandy would have to stay after school for her detention with him. He told me what had happened and how she should not be saying cuss words in school. I agreed. Mandy went to her detention. I was in my classroom working on papers and lessons. After an hour, Mandy came rushing in the classroom. She was all smiles, telling me that she loved having detention. She told me that she got t...

  Ok, I have a confession.... teachers really dread the parent teacher conference! When I was a new teacher, I felt confident and happy about my lesson plans and actual teaching. Then it was time for the parent teacher conference. I worked in a private Catholic school and knew the parents pretty well, but I was nervous about those conferences. I had to tell a parent that her daughter was getting a D in math and was told that the parent didn't pay for D's. I reminded her that I had nothing to do with what her tuition costs! I had parents that grilled me about every lesson and every minute of the day. But I also had some awesome parents that supported and appreciated my work. As a parent, I also dreaded the parent teacher conference. What was I going to hear? Was I a good parent? Were my kids doing well or were they flunking miserably? I was always happy when it was over.  The one thing to remember about parent teacher conferences is that they are supposed to be beneficial to bo...

  One of the things that always irritated me as a teacher was when people would say, "you are so lucky, you get the summers off!" Well, yes, that was true, but did you ever think about the stress and the preparation that was involved in teaching?  Well, let me tell you that it is a demanding profession! One thing that teachers have to do is to keep their licenses active and that often involves college classes, workshops, and even, volunteering. Teachers often have to take classes in the summer and many of them work a second job in the summer because, let's face it, teachers are very underpaid! And let's think about the actual teaching day. All of those lessons, worksheets, videos, and even play sessions are planned. As a teacher, I spent hours on lesson planning and that was when I was home on the weekends. Now, as a tutor, I also plan the lessons, make copies, and make up exciting games that will keep my students involved and engaged. So, when you are thinking that t...

There are so many fun and entertaining things about teaching that I remember and want to share with you, but there are also some things that really make you sad. One of the things that always bothered me was when there would be a lockdown drill or active shooter drill. I would have to make sure that the door was locked, lights were out, any onscreen activities were shut down, and that the kids were huddled in the back corner of the classroom. I taught first graders and when this drill would happen, they were always super quiet and super serious. It was because they were scared. I had to remind them several times that this was just practice and that it wasn't real. One of the questions that they would ask is if I would protect them and I thought about that question for a long time. The real answer was that I would definitely protect them and honestly wouldn't even think twice about putting myself between those kids and a bullet. The truth is that I would die for those kids. And ...

Over fifteen years ago, I worked in a very high-class private school. It was located in Florida, about 2 blocks from the beach and catered to very wealthy families. I was excited to get the job in the school, but I had no idea how the wealthy lived until I started working there. It was like living in another world for sure.  For example, the school car line was where most parents were "keeping up with the Jone's". There were Porshe's, Mercedes, Maibach's, Bentleys, etc. If you drove up in a Chevy, you certainly got some dirty looks. Most of the "normal" cars were in the teacher parking lot. A few times a year, we had a clean-up day where the kids would volunteer to help clean up in the surrounding community. That usually involved the beach, and it was always a fun day. One year, I had a parent rent a couple of limos to take the kids to the beach. We could have walked....it was only 2 blocks, but the parent didn't want the kids to get too hot. Include...

  As teachers, we often see the "helicopter parents." You know the type. They are the first ones to volunteer, they make sure that their child has whatever they need, and they know everything about the classroom, including your lesson plans, schedule, and upcoming events. Sure, this just sounds like an involved parent but believe me when I tell you that it can go too far.... way too far.  Over the years, I have had plenty of "helicopter parents." One year, I had a fourth grader named Brian. He was a great kid; smart, a hockey player, and just a good kid overall. The problem was his mother. She insisted on following him into the classroom, unpacking his backpack, putting things away, and then asking him if he needed the bathroom or anything else. This went on until November....really, it did. Even when I would tell her that she was not to come in the classroom, she still did it.  Brian had to deal with the looks from the other kids, the comments that he was a baby, e...

A Lesson Learned Many years ago, I was working in a school in North Carolina. I was a third grade teacher at the time and I had a young lady in my class who would often show up to school wearing bulky sweaters and a bad attitude. As her teacher, I knew something was wrong and would often ask her if I could help or if she wanted to talk. She never did. I knew that her parents were divorced and that her mother had a new boyfriend that this girl did not seem to like. I spoke to my principal and guidance counselor regarding my concerns. They told me to keep an eye on her. After a few weeks, this girl started to come to school with bruises, ripped clothes, and barely any food for lunch. She often looked as if she had been crying. Very concerned, I again went to the principal and counselor about this new behavior and the bruises that she had. They documented the concerns and told me again to keep an eye on her. One morning, this girl came to school looking very troubled. She asked me to go t...

Flying Ice Cream I used to live in Florida and worked in an upscale private school. For the most part, the parents were friendly and helpful. But there were always the exceptions. One year, I had such a parent. She was the kind of parent that always volunteered, asked a million questions and hovered over her child like a helicopter. I usually did pretty well when being confronted by her and we began to build a peaceful relationship until one morning.... We had decided to meet before school to discuss her son's work. It also happened to be his birthday, so Mom was bringing in ice cream for the class. My classroom was on the second floor and there was an outside walkway to get to each classroom. As I pulled into the parking lot, I saw Mom already waiting upstairs on the walkway. Our meeting was set for 7:30 and at first, I thought I was late, that maybe she thought we were meeting earlier. The time was 7:20 so I figured that she was just early. I got out of the car and made my way up...

  A few years ago, I was teaching a class of 35 kids. Many of these students came from tough families and a lot of them were discipline problems. I was at my wit's end trying to keep order in the classroom and also trying to help these kids. I wanted them to feel safe and to want to learn. But for that to happen, I had to form a bond and try to get them to trust me. After trying several strategies and them not working, I was ready to call it quits.  My husband, a truck driver, was always on the road and would stop at McDonalds fairly often. At the time, McDonalds was giving away Cleveland Browns football cups. He had the idea that I should use the cups as an incentive for good behavior in the classroom. I figured that anything was worth a try. I started to collect the cups and put them on my desk at school. Once the boys saw the cups, they were interested. They started to talk to me about football.... the games, the players, etc. I had to really research and watch the games to...

  Hey everyone, I'm Donna and I have been a teacher for many years. I have so many interesting stories to tell about being a teacher. We have all been in the classroom, but how many of us have been teaching in the classroom? As one professor in college told me, "as a teacher, you will never be rich and never be bored." Boy, was she right! I became a teacher because I love kids and I wanted to make sure that they learn and have a great future! I still feel that way, but I never knew all the different things that you would have to deal with that have nothing to do with the actual teaching.... The TMI Student When I was teaching younger children, I would often start the class off with a morning circle time. This was the time when we would go over the calendar, weather, and schedule for the day. I would also ask the students how they were doing and try to make sure that I was taking an interest in their lives. On this one particular Spring morning, the students and I were dis...