This blog has been transcribed from an AmeriCorps Great Stories assignment written by Rhocia Ibok, a cohort 7 teacher resident graduate of the Educator Academy. It has been formatted to fit a blog. All edits that have been made are for legibility purposes only.
Today, we are diving into another AmeriCorps Great Stories “day in the life blog” of Rhocia Ibok, a cohort 7 graduate of our teacher residency program. In this blog post, we explore a typical day for a teacher resident as we gain insights into an aspiring educator’s daily responsibilities and challenges.
Evening Prep: Behind the Scenes of an Educator
To give a glimpse at a day in the life of a teacher, we have to start with the day before class begins. “I dedicate about three hours to preparing for the next school day. This preparation includes reviewing each subject’s lesson plan, organizing materials, and ensuring everything is ready. By the end of the evening, my accordion folder is neatly packed with all necessary documents, from lesson plans to handouts.
This dedication to preparation is what sets great teachers apart. By investing time in effective lesson planning, Rhocia ensures that her classroom runs smoothly, allowing her to focus on what truly matters—engaging her students and fostering a love of learning.
Morning Routines: How Teachers Start Their Day
Rhocia’s day begins early, typically around 6:30 AM. After getting ready and having a quick breakfast, she takes a moment to review her planner and ensure that all her materials are organized for the day ahead. By 7:15 AM, she’s out the door and on her way to Crestview Elementary, her school site, for her residency year. Arriving by 7:30 AM, Rhocia has time to set up the classroom, including preparing an anchor chart for the day’s math lesson. Before the students arrive, she and her mentor teacher attend a staff meeting to align on the day’s objectives.
“Arriving early gives me the chance to prepare the classroom and ensure everything is in place before the students walk in,” Rhocia explains.
This routine ensures that Rhocia starts her day on the right foot, ready to engage her students and facilitate a productive learning environment. Being prepared is a great way to have a successful day as a teacher and for the students. Each teacher has a way of preparing for their morning, which we saw last week when we read Sharita Wright’s blog.
Day in the Life Teaching in Action: Early Morning in the Classroom
Rhocia’s school day officially begins at 9:45 AM when the bell rings. She greets the students as they enter the classroom and starts the day with a morning circle at 10:00 AM. This time is essential for building community and fostering relationships within the school. Following the morning circle, Rhocia leads the math workshop, focusing on a new multiplication strategy.
By 11:00 AM, she transitions from teaching to professional development, spending an hour on her Educator Academy seminar assignments. Afterward, she heads to the library for the weekly checkout session with her students. Rhocia’s day carefully balances direct teaching and ongoing professional growth, ensuring she continuously improves her teaching methods while remaining actively engaged with her students.
Teaching is an ever-growing profession. We continue to support our educators after their first year of the program by providing a continued coaching service for an additional three years. In addition, The Educator Academy hosts an annual professional development conference called The Summit, which all of our educators and community partners are invited to attend.
Afternoon Adventures: Student Engagement at the End of the Day
Rhocia’s afternoon is packed and moves quickly. After lunch at 1:05 PM, the class begins with a calming read-aloud session, setting a focused tone for the rest of the day. This is followed by a writing workshop where the students work on Haiku poems. During this time, Rhocia takes the opportunity to conference with individual students about their work, offering personalized guidance.
At 2:25 PM, the class heads outside for recess, giving Rhocia a moment to plan the next day’s math lesson. Once recess is over, her mentor teacher leads a reading lesson, focusing on the elements of poetry in narrative poems. Rhocia continues to work one-on-one with students during this time.
“The afternoon is always busy, but seeing the students engage deeply with their writing and reading is rewarding,” Rhocia shares.
Wrapping Up the Day: Balancing Work and Life
For Rhocia, her day wraps up with a quick clean-up and dismissal at 4:10 PM. Once the students have all left the classroom, she and her mentor teacher complete their assigned exit duty at the school. Most teachers will have after-school activities that they are in charge of or have been assigned to ensure students make the bus!
Teachers should have a good evening routine that helps them transition from the classroom to their personal lives. The smallest thing can make a difference in ensuring you do not experience burnout. Setting this up early is key, and adjust it as needed. “My evening is usually spent picking up my niece, making dinner, and returning to lesson planning and assignments until around 9:30 PM.” This is a typical day in the life routine for Rhocia and many of our teacher residents in our program.
Becoming a teacher is one of the most rewarding careers, offering the opportunity to make a lasting impact on students’ lives. Rhocia’s journey as a teacher resident, from early morning preparations to afternoon lessons and professional development, exemplifies the dedication and passion required to succeed in this field. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities for growth, both for the students and for Rhocia herself. As she continues developing her skills, She is shaping young minds and carving out a meaningful and fulfilling career.
For those considering a path in education, Rhocia’s story give a glimpse of what a typical day in our teacher residency program looks like. Balancing learning and practice, our approach empowers individuals to become highly effective teachers.
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