Blog Post #3
Are you a school teacher or a classroom teacher? Explain which aspects you embody well and which areas need improvement. How would teaching in a school filled with “school teachers” make your job easier?
Are you a school teacher or a classroom teacher? Explain which aspects you embody well and which areas need improvement. How would teaching in a school filled with “school teachers” make your job easier?
I see myself as mostly a classroom teacher. I focus mostly on my own classroom and students. I work hard to develop relationships with each student and their families and get to know them as individual learners. Over the last few years, I have had several different teaching partners. I am more than happy to collaborate with teaching partners to improve student learning. We used to do some team teaching, but that has changed the last few years.
ReplyDeleteAre you a school teacher or a classroom teacher? Explain which aspects you embody well and which areas need improvement. How would teaching in a school filled with “school teachers” make your job easier?
ReplyDeleteI'm a school teacher. In my grade level, we compartmentalize, so I teach reading and social studies to the entire grade. I have my own students for intervention, so I intervene with them on subjects I don't teach and their scores won't reflect me at all, but I know their learning is far more important than test scores reflecting just my subject. I'm also on committees that bring memorable experiences to all grade levels, like our party rotations. All of my school's students are my students.
Are you a school teacher or a classroom teacher? Explain which aspects you embody well and which areas need improvement. How would teaching in a school filled with “school teachers” make your job easier?
ReplyDeleteI feel as though I am a classroom teacher. I teach 5th & 6th grade math at a small school district. i have 6 sections total so I spend most of my day with the 5/6 graders. However, I have taught the 7/8 graders and they are in the same building as well. Even though I see myself as a classroom teacher I think throughout the day while walking and monitoring the hallways I go out of my way to talk to the other students (7/8 graders) about his/her day as well. I think this helps build and maintain relationships since I have taught them previously.
I think if we all taught in a school with school teachers this would make everyone's job easier so we could work together as a team and make our everyday life flow better. However, I do not see that ever happening with our school as we have some teachers who teach a certain way and are not willing to change to help others benefit.
My position is K-8 art teacher and an elementary classroom paraprofessional- so a school teacher. I love being able to have all the students for some of the time throughout the week. I believe I do well with creating fun, engaging projects for all the grades I teach. I also think I am good at switching from one aspect of my job to another. I go from teaching art, to helping with 5th grade language arts, to lunchroom supervisor for k-2, to kindergarten group work, to working the after-school program for k-5. An area I think I could improve would be management of the kindergarten class during art. There are 24 students. Many projects I have done before are too complicated with 24 students at one time. I need better planning ideas for the projects we will do- quick and easy directions, simpler projects so they can complete them with less assistance, etc.
ReplyDeleteIf everyone was a school teacher there would be more shared responsibility for all students, not just a certain group of students for the majority of the day. There would also be more support for all students.
Are you a school teacher or a classroom teacher? Explain which aspects you embody well and which areas need improvement. How would teaching in a school filled with “school teachers” make your job easier?
ReplyDeleteI would consider myself a classroom teacher. With my grade level team, we collaborate about all over students and finding ways to close the caps that our students have and how we can push learning for each of our students. As I would consider myself a school teacher, I don’t just want my students to excel, I want all students to excel. If I see a student struggling and it’s not one of my students, I stop to help that student. If a student is not following school expectations, I have a conversation with them. I’m not just looking out for my own students that I have in my classroom, but I’m looking out for all students.
Having a school full of school teachers would be very beneficial. It would make the school environment positive and consistent. All of us teachers would be on the same page and it would impact students in a positive way.
I would say I am more of a school teacher than just a classroom teacher. I care a lot about the culture of the building, not just what happens inside my four walls. When teachers are only focused on their own class, it is easy for the student culture to turn into “me first” too. But when students see the adults are united, and that we care about every kid, not just the ones on our roster, it helps create a school that feels safe, welcoming, and built for learning.
ReplyDeleteI think I do the “big picture” part well, building relationships, supporting kids that are not technically “mine,” and trying to be a positive presence in the building. The area I need to keep improving is balance. Sometimes when you are invested in the whole school, it is easy to take on too much, or feel like you have to fix everything. I am still working on picking my spots and making sure I am taking care of what I need to in my own classroom too.
Teaching in a school full of “school teachers” would honestly make the job easier because you are not carrying it alone. Expectations for students are consistent, support systems are stronger, and kids get the same message everywhere they go, we are here for you, and we are in this together. That kind of teamwork makes the day-to-day smoother for staff, and it makes school better for kids.
ReplyDeleteAre you a school teacher or a classroom teacher? Explain which aspects you embody well and which areas need improvement. How would teaching in a school filled with “school teachers” make your job easier?
I am a school teacher. However, I acknowledge that having students IN my classroom allows me to make a better connection with them so I can get to know them better. But I care about all of them. I want all of them to be safe and succeed and grow. I think as a student I went to a school with quite a few classroom teachers. I think I had a mix of the two types at former jobs.
However, at my current job, I think I work at a school of school teachers. We all want our students to succeed. I've never worked at a place with so many people who want to innovate and learn and do better for the world and our students.
Right now, I am a retired teacher but saw myself as a classroom teacher. I worked hard on building relationships with each and everyone of my students. My fellow teachers and I would work together with students.
ReplyDeleteWhen I taught in the classroom, I saw myself as a "classroom teacher." When I was a SPED para I saw myself more as a "school teacher." I think I labeled myself as such based on how many classrooms I was in or how many students I would see daily. I had recess duty and breakfast duty in the mornings so I had lots of opportunities to develop relationships with all kids regardless of if they were in my classroom or not. I think being a part of a community where everyone saw themselves as "school teachers" would be beneficial because we all have the same vision and the same goals for every student. We would learn from each other and our students would know that they can come to any of us whether we are in their classroom or not.
ReplyDeleteI am a school teacher. I go beyond just working with the students in my classroom. If I see a student upset, or struggling in the hallway I always talk to them. I also say hi to students I don't even have in the classroom. I want to be well known in the entire school,not just my classroom. This is a community, and I really try to build that with ALL students, whether in my classroom or not.
ReplyDeleteI think I do a good job at balancing my "classroom teacher" aspect. I do not see anything I need to work on specifically at this moment.
Again I think everyone working as a "school teacher" in my school would be our best bet. We are a team and working together just makes things better for everyone!
I see myself as a school teacher more than just a classroom teacher. I believe every child in the building is my responsibility, not just the students on my caseload. I try to build relationships beyond my classroom and support school-wide expectations so students see me as a safe, consistent adult anywhere in the building.
ReplyDeleteI also value collaborating with other teachers to benefit all students in the building and district. Sharing strategies and problem-solving together creates consistency and stronger support for every child.
At times, though, I slip into my own silo and focus only on my classroom because of daily demands. I have to intentionally remind myself to step outside “my lane” and think bigger.
Teaching in a school full of “school teachers” would make my job easier because there would be shared ownership, consistent expectations, and stronger collaboration. When everyone sees students as our students, the entire school community benefit
As a high school, School Counselor, I see myself more as a school teacher than a classroom teacher. I focus on supporting the whole student, building relationships, and creating systems that help students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. I also have the privilege of working with students throughout all four years of their high school career in multiple avenues. As a School Counselor, I collaborate with teachers and staff, connect students with resources, and guide them through challenges beyond academic work and content knowledge. Part of what I do involves fostering trust, encouraging student growth, and helping students navigate pathways toward college, career, and personal goals. I feel that I embody those aspects well. I would like to improve getting the opportunity to know more of my students better, but it is a challenge being in a school with a larger student population. Working in a school filled with school teachers would make my job easier, as staff would value collaboration, holistic student development, and innovation beyond academics and test scores. It would create an environment where supporting students’ mental health, engagement, and personal growth is integrated into daily practice, allowing me to focus on connecting resources and interventions.
ReplyDeleteI view myself as a school teacher. It is just who I am as a person. I build genuine relationships and with that, just because a student moves on to another grade level, I am still going to go out of my way to check in with them and see what is new with them. I also use my time on the playground or in the lunchroom to chat with kiddos of all ages to either begin to build a relationship or to continue one that has already started. I think it's important for students to see that just because they are in a different class, it doesn't mean that you have forgotten about them.
ReplyDeleteI’d say I’m more of a school teacher as a PE and weights teacher because I’m big on building relationships and teaching kids things like work ethic, accountability, and being a good teammate, not just lifting or playing. I think I do a solid job creating a positive environment and connecting with most kids, but I could get better at tying in more academic pieces or being more intentional with that side. If I was in a building full of school teachers, it would make things a lot easier because we’d all be on the same page with expectations and how we support kids. That consistency across the school really helps kids buy in and grow in more than just PE.
ReplyDeleteI work in a very large middle school and don't always see all students but I do have 7th grade and as 7th grade teachers we all work together. So, I would like to think I am a school teacher because in my wing of my school we have all 7th graders. I have made it priority to get to know all of them (200+) and we really do a lot to share our learning and build off each other for the benefit of the students.
ReplyDeleteI am a school teacher as I teach every student from TK-5th grade in my district. I really focus on good sportsmanship, teamwork, and healthy living. I also try to make PE a positive experience for all of my students, and truly believe that PE has a lot of life skill that kids can take with them in the future.
ReplyDeleteI think my school does a great job of having a lot of school teachers. We are all willing to work together, collaborate, and help each other out with everyone's students. It does make our jobs easier in know that we are not alone and we always have people we can go to for help.
Are you a school teacher or a classroom teacher? Explain which aspects you embody well and which areas need improvement. How would teaching in a school filled with “school teachers” make your job easier?
ReplyDeleteSadly, I'll have to admit that I'm mostly a classroom teacher. But I have worked to branch out and be more of a school teacher. I help out with the music department, collaborate with my colleagues, and help student council plan events to engage students in the life of the school.
Teaching with only school teachers would probably allow more collaborative activities and for me the biggest thing would be the ability to run ideas by others and get their feedback before I try doing something new.
I would describe myself as working toward being more of a “school teacher” than just a “classroom teacher.” As a high school social sciences teacher, I try to see students as part of the whole school, not just those in my classes. I make an effort to support students even if I do not teach them, whether through hallway conversations, quick help outside class, building relationships across the school, or through my coaching responsibilities. That coaching role is another way I connect with students beyond the classroom. This reflects shared responsibility for all learners.
ReplyDeleteOne strength I have is building relationships. I try to know my students as individuals, understand their interests, and create a classroom where they feel comfortable thinking and participating. I also push students beyond memorization and toward deeper thinking, not just completing tasks. Ultimately, I still have areas to improve. I sometimes focus too much on covering content and structured assessments instead of giving students more choice in how they show learning.
A school full of school teachers would make the job easier and more meaningful. When all staff see every student as “our students,” it builds stronger support, clearer expectations, and better relationships. I feel like this would be a high tide lifting all boats situation because students benefit from more adults invested in their success, and the school culture becomes more collaborative and connected.
I would say that in some ways, I am both a school teacher and a classroom teacher. I don’t mind sharing my lessons or assignments with others because I have been on the receiving end of others lessons and I know how helpful it can be. On the other hand, I can struggle with sharing with teachers who I do not feel are putting forth the effort to make their classroom engaging or do not reciprocate new ideas with me. The only reason I continue to share lessons with those teachers is because I feel that it is in the best interest of the students. Teaching rosters can sometimes feel like winning or losing the lottery and I want to ensure that I am helping as many students as possible, regardless of if they are on my roster or not. It is not the students fault that they have a teacher who is checked out. I love to collaborate and try to find solutions to challenges that benefit our students. I do not however, view supervision as an opportunity, but more of a chore that takes time and energy away from me that could be spent working for my classroom. I feel that I am in a building where overall our staff has a team approach to all of the students in our building, which is one of the reasons our building is a great place to work.
ReplyDeleteI consider a classroom teacher to be focused only on their own four walls, while a school teacher works for the benefit of the entire building.
ReplyDeleteI embody the school teacher mindset by collaborating and caring about the total student experience. I try to ensure my work supports the goals of the whole school. I need to improve by making more time for building-wide initiatives instead of getting buried in daily tasks like grading.
A school full of school teachers would make my job easier through shared responsibility. When everyone is invested in every student’s success and a consistent culture, there is less friction and more support for new ideas. It makes innovation a collective effort rather than an individual struggle.