I'm a new teacher and would like to send home notes to the parents letting them know how I enjoy having their child in my class. However, what I've come up with is so generic that I feel bad sending them out. Any tips/ideas!?
I would like to send home notes to parents letting them know how great their kids are doing...I wrote some tonight, but they are so generic I don't want to send them. Any ideas/tips for me?
I am a new HS math teacher with 3 preps. I am working easily 70 + hours a week. At first I was exhausted and upset...now I am exhausted and resentful. I have one 50 minute prep period. I get to school at 7:30 and get home around 6 only to put in a few more hours prepping for the next day. I work most Sunday afternoons 4-5 hours. Is this normal? Any help? Ideas? Coping skills? I'm not sure i'm going to make it even until Thanksgiving. I have three children of my own who feel like I'm never there for them anymore.
I don't want to seem resentful, but working 70/80 hours a week for so little pay is why I sub instead of teach. I tried teaching full time several years ago. I literally was in the school (I was a traveling teacher) by 7:30 a.m. at the latest every morning. 5:00 p.m. was norm for leaving. Have to make copies sometime! I also put in 2/3 hours every night prepping for the next day, and the weekends were all lesson planning. Maybe I put too much time into it, but I was expected to try to push some knowledge into their little heads, and just because you might have 20 or more hours of study in the subject you are teaching does not mean you know it all. I admire all of those teachers willing to put so much into teaching. As they say, "You don't know anything until you've walked a mile in someone else's shoes." Well, I paraphased that.
I'm glad I have the luxury of choosing to sub instead of full time teaching. Subbing answers some of the needs I have to be a "teacher". I can teach (when the kids let me), but I don't have all of the paperwork and discipline forms to mess with. I get the fun of teaching.
On 9/20/05, iteachmath wrote: > I am a new HS math teacher with 3 preps. I am working > easily 70 + hours a week. At first I was exhausted and > upset...now I am exhausted and resentful. I have one 50 > minute prep period. I get to school at 7:30 and get home > around 6 only to put in a few more hours prepping for the > next day. I work most Sunday afternoons 4-5 hours. Is this > normal? Any help? Ideas? Coping skills? I'm not sure i'm > going to make it even until Thanksgiving. I have three > children of my own who feel like I'm never there for them > anymore.
I am curious: are you planning your lessons more than one week at a time? Do you grade all the papers? Do you have a mentor? Do you corroborate with other math teachers? I did the same thing you are describing in my first year of teaching and realized I was killing myself unneccessarily. I can't say that I quit cold turkey (I still do some work at home) but I did rein my time in. Here are some things I did: Plan your lessons out for a month at a time. This takes some initial investment up front, but frees you up later. Most textbooks have this stuff already in it- use it! Have students grade some of their own work. It may slow you down as far as lessons go, but kids learn much from finding their own mistakes and fixing them. (You may even offer partial credit for the fixes) Get a responsible student aide who can file, grade some papers, and handle non- specific administrivia. Get a mentor, preferably someone in your department who knows what they are doing. Invest a few of your prep periods to go watch some of these other teachers work and steal everything you can from them. Share lesson plans with other math teachers and steal theirs. (We have a saying: A good teacher knows where to steal all the best stuff. The effective teacher is the one they stole it from.) Declare your Sundays a "homework free" zone so that you can be there for your own kids. Trust me on that one: they will remember that you put them first. Do NOT sign yourself up for extra stuff at school- focus on becoming a good teacher first. Being on the Welcome Committee or the PTSA or the Holiday Party Committe or the Whatever Committee can wait until you're ready. Trust me, there are always people willing to dive into that stuff. You sound like a teacher who really cares about doing the right thing. I hope things get better for you soon!
I tried posting this yesterday and it didn't show up so here I go again... Last year I had morning preps and with our schedule this meant I had 2-3 times a week that I had 2 in one day. This year I have afternoon preps and have 2 in one day less frequently. The real issue though is that by the time I teach 4 classes and make it to my prep, I am too drained to do anything! Maybe I get some photocopying or something done but not clear, creative thinking about lessons. I then take it home with me and come in the next day to start all over again. I don't mind bringing work home but I'd prefer it be grading or reading (I'm an English teacher), not the bulk of my planning.
Any advice on adjusting to the new schedule? How else do people use preps productively? Please help! Thanks.
This is the third time I am trying to post this...it keeps going to some other board??
Last year I had morning preps and with our schedule this meant I had 2-3 times a week that I had 2 in one day. This year I have afternoon preps and have 2 in one day less frequently. The real issue though is that by the time I teach 4 classes and make it to my prep, I am too drained to do anything! Maybe I get some photocopying or something done but not clear, creative thinking about lessons. I then take it home with me and come in the next day to start all over again. I don't mind bringing work home but I'd prefer it be grading or reading (I'm an English teacher), not the bulk of my planning.
Any advice on adjusting to the new schedule? How else do people use preps productively? Please help! Thanks.
On 9/21/05, respond here not below wrote: > This is the third time I am trying to post this...it keeps > going to > some other board?? > > Last year I had morning preps and with our schedule this > meant I had 2-3 times a week that I had 2 in one day. > This year I have afternoon preps and have 2 in one day > less frequently. The real issue though is that by the > time I teach 4 classes and make it to my prep, I am too > drained to do anything! Maybe I get some photocopying or > something done but not clear, creative thinking about > lessons. I then take it home with me and come in the next > day to start all over again. I don't mind bringing work > home but I'd prefer it be grading or reading (I'm an > English teacher), not the bulk of my planning. > > Any advice on adjusting to the new schedule? How else do > people use preps productively? Please help! Thanks. > > > > >
This is the third time I am trying to post this...it keeps going to some other board??
Last year I had morning preps and with our schedule this meant I had 2-3 times a week that I had 2 in one day. This year I have afternoon preps and have 2 in one day less frequently. The real issue though is that by the time I teach 4 classes and make it to my prep, I am too drained to do anything! Maybe I get some photocopying or something done but not clear, creative thinking about lessons. I then take it home with me and come in the next day to start all over again. I don't mind bringing work home but I'd prefer it be grading or reading (I'm an English teacher), not the bulk of my planning.
Any advice on adjusting to the new schedule? How else do people use preps productively? Please help! Thanks.
There was a discussion about this on the Investigations3-5 group, but you might not be using the Investigations Math program. Try posting your inquiry on the 3rd grade teachers group.
I'm just a little tired of the sniping, so I thought I'd change the subject. One big surprise I had this year was that I actually enjoy 4th grade much more than I expected. I always thought I wanted only the lower grades, and that 4th was getting too old. I think they're a blast at this age.. funny and able to have really good discussions. Any other new teachers surprised by anything so far?
On 9/21/05, sorry about nasty "change the subject" note.... by Tlav wrote: > I don't know how that happened, but I went to post a new > message to the beginning teacher's board and it posted > here. sorry folks!
Hi all, This is my first year teaching. All summer, I slaved away prepping for interviews to land my first teaching job and when I was finally hired I was so thrilled. I expected to come to school eager to meet the kids each day and to love every moment of teaching... which is really how I felt when I student taught, I absolutely loved it. In reality however, I'm kind of sad to say I don't love it. I feel like everything is such a struggle. In the mornings, on my very long commute (1 hour and 20 minutes) I just think about the day and I start to get a sinking feeling in my stomach. In part, I guess my feelings are do to it being my first year, and also teaching in a grade level I'm totally comfortable with, but now I'm really hoping that it will get better soon. Did any of you feel this way when you first started teaching? If so, how long was it before you rediscovered the happiness of being in the classroom?
I've always loved teaching. I had a fantastic student teaching experience and, like you, I was eager to start my first job. My first job was not my ideal either; it was a BSI position where I worked mostly in a pull-out situation. I cried for the first week of school because I did not have a class of my own like I had hoped.
My efforts were noticed and I was given my own classroom during my second year. I truly love what I do; it is a passion of mine. I worked briefly in marketing/advertising before going to school to become a teacher (not alternate route). I think that plays a part in it for me. I've seen the "other side" and for me, the grass was not green.
Get through your first year - it's always the toughest. Not having the grade you want and a long commute are probably affecting how you feel. Good luck!
On 9/21/05, PANewbie wrote: > Hi all, > This is my first year teaching. All summer, I slaved away > prepping for interviews to land my first teaching job and > when I was finally hired I was so thrilled. I expected to > come to school eager to meet the kids each day and to love > every moment of teaching... which is really how I felt > when I student taught, I absolutely loved it. In reality > however, I'm kind of sad to say I don't love it. I feel > like everything is such a struggle. In the mornings, on my > very long commute (1 hour and 20 minutes) I just think > about the day and I start to get a sinking feeling in my > stomach. > In part, I guess my feelings are do to it being my first > year, and also teaching in a grade level I'm totally > comfortable with, but now I'm really hoping that it will > get better soon. Did any of you feel this way when you > first started teaching? If so, how long was it before you > rediscovered the happiness of being in the classroom?
Where are you teaching? Over $70,000?? Acording to my district's pay scale in AZ, teaching 30 years gets you up to $47,000. (Only 6,000 more than I was making 3 years ago when I worked an office job!) To get over $70,000 you'd have to teach for 74 years! And practically no responsibilities?! You must be kidding!
On 11/08/07, Helen wrote: > Dear Rolina, > > Well, I also hated it when I started teaching at 23. So I quit > and went into business. I had exciting, high-profile jobs, > worked long hours, traveled extensively, negotiated many > million-dollar contracts, etc. Now when I am over 50, already > having two grown-up children of my own, I started to miss > teaching. Guess what? I returned to teaching and love every > minute of it! As a mature person and a mother, I love being > among young kids - I have a lot to teach them. I also enjoy > having returned to my beloved subject. So, my first advice to > you - get some first-class education (what does "do to it > being my first year" mean?! A teacher making mistakes of this > kind will never be respected as a professional). Secondly, > consider long vacations and all other benefits. Frankly > speaking, teaching appears to be one of the cushiest jobs in > the US: where else can people of very modest abilities get > steady jobs paying over 70,000 a year, with excellent > benefits, luxurious pensions, long vacations and practically > no responsibilities? In business, for a salary like this they > will soak you! Work is not all pleasure! > > So, good luck to you! > > Helen > > On 2/21/06, Rolina S Phia wrote: >> On 9/21/05, PANewbie wrote: >>> Hi all, >>> This is my first year teaching. All summer, I slaved away >>> prepping for interviews to land my first teaching job and >>> when I was finally hired I was so thrilled. I expected to >>> come to school eager to meet the kids each day and to love >>> every moment of teaching... which is really how I felt >>> when I student taught, I absolutely loved it. In reality >>> however, I'm kind of sad to say I don't love it. I feel >>> like everything is such a struggle. In the mornings, on my >>> very long commute (1 hour and 20 minutes) I just think >>> about the day and I start to get a sinking feeling in my >>> stomach. >>> In part, I guess my feelings are do to it being my first >>> year, and also teaching in a grade level I'm totally >>> comfortable with, but now I'm really hoping that it will >>> get better soon. Did any of you feel this way when you >>> first started teaching? If so, how long was it before you >>> rediscovered the happiness of being in the classroom? >> >> Greeting to you all. >> I am just a student, majoring in education. Here I am taking >> most of my required courses; but, here I am very much >> looking forward to the day I will be standing infront of my >> students and teach some lesson. I can't wait any longer...
I don't want to seem resentful, but working 70/80 hours a week for
so little pay is why I sub instead of teach. I tried teaching
full time several years ago. I literally was in the school (I
was a traveling teacher) by 7:30 a.m. at the latest every
morning. 5:00 p.m. was norm for leaving. Have to make copies...See More