A Spring Day in the Life of a Teacher

I have to tell you about a great spring day in the life of a teacher. Not every day is a good day, but that's really in the way that you see things. So, most of my days are pretty darn good as a teacher.

So, yesterday, I got up around 6am, took a shower and ate the same breakfast that I eat every day. (Old fashioned oatmeal with cinnamon and a protein shake with a few blueberries.) I grabbed my lunch that I prepared the day before and my bicycle, and I headed out the door.

My first class started with a student doing a presentation on Romeo and Juliet. Once she said that she was doing her presentation on Romeo and Juliet, I gave her this puzzled looked and asked, "Did I give you permission to do that play?" She said that I did. I was wondering why would I say yes to doing a presentation on Romeo and Juliet when it is taught extensively to every student in this school? But, Oh well, I sucked it up and got ready for ANOTHER presentation on Romeo and Juliet.

This student totally shocked her classmates and me by giving a very refreshing spin on William Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet. She even introduced some ideas that I had never heard before. Her presentation really gave the class a warm feeling, and we all left feeling upbeat, or at least I was feeling upbeat. (We really thought that we knew everything that there was to know about Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet.)

My next class was working on essays on Romeo and Juliet. (As stated before, every student in this school extensively studies Romeo and Juliet.) I had to talk to them about the fact that my name is not editor. I want them to get use to the idea of reading over their own papers, correcting their mistakes, then asking me to correct the mistakes that they do no find. This went pretty well. I ended up reading six or seven essays that were actually good. (I must pat myself on the back.)

After that class, I had my planning period and lunch. So, I ran to wholefoods to get an omelet and later talked to a teacher about Treayvon Martin, the Revolution, the faculty meeting that would be held later etc. Then, I scurried to my classroom to get some work done: answering emails, grading papers, planning, and adding more things to my "to do list."

My last class of the day was a group of ninth graders who were working on Greek Mythology projects. It was so great to see students working in groups to create a puppet show, comic strip, powerpoint or any other idea that they would like to demonstrate their understanding of their chosen Greek Myth. We ended the class by watching a PBS special on God and Goddessses

After my last class, I headed downstairs to a faculty meeting where we were given ice cream and discussed a training that our entire school will participate in next year. (I didn't eat the ice cream. Hooray for me) The meeting was quite interesting.......We have to wait to see how the training goes next year. (I am keeping my fingers cross, because we all know how those trainings can go.)

Then, the other part of my life started!!!!

I changed into my biking gear, and my co-workers and I rode our bikes into DC to see the famous Cherry Blossoms. What a fun filled, good for the heart, ride in more than one way!

I got home around 7:30, had a great salad, and thought "Everything's gonna be alright!"

Teachers do "A Million Things" in a single day and usually with love.

I wonder what non-teachers do at work? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm