1st Grade Teacher: Summer
Today on the blog I have an interview with Summer! I connected with Summer through Instagram and instantly connected with her bright and cheery posts. Summer taught first grade this year but is changing it up next year to 4th grade. I thought she would be an awesome addition to my interviews because she is going through a change in grades like many of us teachers may be doing and I loved her insight into what moved her to switch it up.
Here is Summer’s Interview:
1. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
When I was growing up I always wanted to be an Occupational Therapist. It is very similar to a physical therapist, but they help with fine motor skills. I realized my junior year of college (late, I know), while shadowing an OT, that it wasn't for me. The reason I realized this was because they only got up to 30 minutes with each of their clients. I liked working with children because of the relationships that form, and 30 minutes, once or twice a week, just wasn't going to do it for me, so that led me to teaching! Since I decided so late in my undergraduate degree, I finished my bachelors with a rehabilitation major, and then went straight into a master's program and got my master's in elementary education!
2. Is there a moment that sticks out to you that you remember from school with a teacher you had growing up (can be good, bad, or both)?
I was definitely the student every teacher wants, almost to a fault. I listened, followed all the rules and always completed my work. The one thing that sticks out to me the most is the first time I had to clip down. The first time this ever happened to me was in 5th grade and I was a mess. I went home and cried for so long that my mom had to call my teacher and ask what happened. When my mom found out I had to clip down on my behavior chart for talking, she laughed and reassured me that it would be okay. My teacher had a conversation with me the next day and made sure I knew she didn't think differently of me. Because of this experience, I will not be using clip charts in my own classroom!
3. How long have you been teaching, what do you teach, and what did it take for you to get there?
I was a teaching assistant for 2 years, one year in a special education classroom and one year in a 1st grade classroom. While I was a TA in the 1st grade class, I was getting my master's degree at night, which would allow me to get my teaching certification. You are able to get a teaching certification from a bachelor's degree in Arizona, but my undergraduate degree was not education, so I went ahead and got my master's. After one year of being a 1st grade TA, I started as a 1st grade lead teacher (this year) and it was amazing! I was finishing up my master's the first semester of this position, which was tough, but I made it happen!
4. What is your go-to tool you use in the classroom and why?
For the littles this year, my go to tool was my timer! I never realized how important this tool would be. Having a timer allows students to pace themselves through their work, but they also know that there is a point in which they need to complete it. This tool helped my class stay on track and monitor their work time. I will never go without a timer again! Mine is from Lakeshore and it is wonderful!
5. Is there anything you do to accommodate your students and how often do you find yourself using that accommodation?
I work with each child on an individual basis to meet their needs. If a student struggles to sit still for too long, they can get up and take a walk to the drinking fountain. If they need flexible seating, that is also an option. I like to make sure my students feel like they are cared for.
6. I saw that you are moving from 1st to 4th, how are you feeling about the change?
I am feeling so excited, but also nervous. It is a big jump. I taught an after school sign language club this year, and the 3rd-5th grade kids were SO fun. They are what sparked my interest in moving to a higher grade. The conversations are different. I will always miss the littles though, and who knows, one day I might end up back there!
7. Any advice for a new teacher?
Don't be afraid to ask for help. It is totally okay to have no idea what you are doing as a first year teacher, but don't keep this all inside and try to do it yourself. There are so many experienced teachers. Ask a colleague, ask a teacher on Instagram, ask anyone if you have a question! This is so important and it will only make you a better teacher.
8. How is it going teaching virtually?
Virtual teaching was a struggle at first. We are on week 7 and I finally feel like I have Google Classroom down and I actually love the Google Classroom platform. I'd much rather be in my classroom with the kiddos, but this works! I love seeing them on Zoom and I hold one-on-one reading times with each of them once a week!
9. A lot of people have been saying they hope things start to change in education since this Pandemic, do you think anything will change from it?
I am not totally sure. I would love to hope that people start truly seeing the value of teachers and that our pay starts to reflect ou work, but I truly don't know if that would happen.
10. Last but not least, where do you see yourself in ten years?
I would be interested in teaching college level education classes in the future for students who want to become teachers!
Thanks Summer and Happy Teaching Everyone :)