Curious about a day in our shoes? Take a peek into the lives of two science enthusiasts – yours truly, known as Mel and Gerdy – and witness what a typical day holds for us:
7:00 am: Begin the school day by arriving on campus. If necessary, collect materials for copying. We’ve mastered the art of mastering the copy machine each morning, ensuring we have copies ready for the day, week, or even an entire unit. Sometimes, we’ve even prepared materials for several months in advance, like for maternity leave. This routine sometimes turns into a mini workout as we perform “copy calisthenics,” incorporating squats, leg lifts, lunges, and even quick races in the hallway or up the stairs if the copier is occupied. If time is scarce, we move this activity to our planning period, lunch break, or after school.
7:30 am: Proceed to our classroom, primed to organize the day’s lesson. Depending on the plan, this might involve raiding the lab closet for supplies, retrieving our ready-to-go mini-lab kits, arranging microscopes for a cell exploration, or simply connecting a computer, projecting the day’s warm-up, and placing necessary handouts in our specially designated day-of-the-week drawer (a must-have organizational tool). This drawer strategy is vital, as you’ll soon discover at 9:11 am…
8:50 am: The student rush begins. To tackle this, we arm ourselves with copious amounts of coffee. Then, we brace ourselves for the surge of students during homeroom. We mark attendance, prevent potential squabbles, exchange knowing glances with fellow educators who share in the “herding cats” struggle, and supervise the pre-class chatter as students make their way to their respective classrooms.
9:10 am: Homeroom feels unnaturally prolonged. Is it truly necessary for students to take 35 minutes to transition from lunch or the bus to their homerooms? Nonetheless, the bell eventually rings, signaling the shift to 1st period, and the teaching day takes off. Deep breaths – it’s time to dive in.
9:11 am: Enter hall duty time. This phase might be a bane for many teachers, but not for us. We’ve turned it into an instructional opportunity. Standing in the hallway, we greet incoming students with a rhythmic chant:
“Grab a sheet…”
“Have a seat…”
“Get started on your work…”
We add some funky dance moves, clapping along, and repeat the chant consistently. Starting from day one, this repetition becomes a routine that by the end of week two, students know by heart. Our day-of-the-week organizer? Absolutely indispensable. As students enter the classroom, they instinctively open the corresponding day’s drawer to retrieve their materials. By fostering responsibility early on, teaching becomes more enjoyable for us and productive for them.
BEGINNING OF CLASS (5-10 MINUTES): The bell rings – teaching mode engaged. As students settle in, they retrieve their assigned work and take their seats. We project or write the bellwork on the board and set up the necessary supplies for the activity. This could involve posing a thought-provoking question, initiating a group puzzle, or offering instructions for a more intricate task like a demo or inquiry lab. Students are given a fair timeframe to complete the activity without ample room for distractions. Our typical routine allows around 5 minutes for warm-up engagement, an additional 2-5 minutes for result discussion, and dispelling misconceptions. By the end of this phase, our introduction to the class objectives is complete within 5-10 minutes, depending on the day’s goals.
DISCUSSION/NOTES/DIRECTIONS (20 MINUTES): Now comes the core of the lesson. Smoothly transitioning from the warm-up, this segment involves notes, project introductions, or lab initiations.
For introducing new notes, we build on the curiosity sparked by the warm-up, smoothly leading into the core content. Students actively engage through discussion, note-taking, or participation, often using fill-in-the-blank notes or graphic organizers. This approach encourages clarifying questions and enhances student interaction with the material.
Project discussions entail instructions, supply lists, deadlines, etc. We project these details on the board, supporting students with visual aids while ensuring all grasp the expectations.
When embarking on a lab activity, we initiate with pre-lab questions, hypothesis formation, or variable identification. We detail lab instructions, safety precautions, assign groups, and clarify individual roles for the experiment.
ACTIVITY/LAB (15 MINUTES): Time to dive into the action. Our class discussions and lectures invariably incorporate hands-on activities. Increased student engagement correlates with better retention and analysis. For instance, covering the respiratory system entails completing warm-ups, notes, and diagrams, culminating in a mini-lab demonstrating lung capacity. By contextualizing the lesson, students connect theoretical knowledge to practical application and real-life implications.
For time-sensitive labs, we often lead the class together, ensuring efficiency and reducing the likelihood of errors. When specimens are challenging to observe, we project them onto the board using digital microscopes or embedded slides in our presentations. For experiments prone to inconsistencies, we conduct class demonstrations. Balancing inquiry within the curriculum constraints ensures an enriched learning experience.
WRAP-UP (10 MINUTES): The final stretch. The last 10-15 minutes encompass wrapping up notes, labs, or mini-labs. We discuss findings, address misconceptions, and conclude the lesson with an exit ticket. In cases of time constraints, we facilitate group discussions on lab questions. Ultimately, our focus is on solidifying students’ grasp of the material, fostering comprehension rather than leaving them to navigate assignments independently and potentially misinterpret the content.
10:05 am – 4:05 pm: Repeat the cycle from 9:10 am through 10:05 am for each class session in your rotation. Accommodate lunch somewhere amidst the routine. Utilize the lab closet toaster oven to bake cookies during planning, teasing students with the delicious aroma wafting from your classroom. Sustain your coffee consumption – Gerdy’s preference is cold coffee. Alternatively, if you’re akin to Mel, you’ll juggle multiple beverages including coffee, water, orange juice, and perhaps even a student-donated Capri Sun. You’re now on the cusp of completing the day.
However, hold on… Reality check. There’s a professional development session right after school in the auditorium.
4:20 pm – 5:30 pm: Engage in the PD session, though you’re probably already familiar with much of the content. And guess what? You’re hungry – maybe even “hangry.” Those flamin’ hot Cheetos gifted by a student in 4th period are likely not aiding your cause.
5:30 pm: Wrap up your day and head home. Spend quality time with your loved ones, both human and furry. This is what we’ve come to learn – being a teacher is demanding, with numerous expectations to meet. However, it’s crucial to prioritize self-care. While our teaching experience has been enriching, we’ve also managed to weave moments of connection with colleagues, integrate physical activity, indulge in cookie baking, and simply breathe. Remember, you need to take care of yourself amidst the teaching demands. You’ve navigated the entire day, and now it’s time to unwind.
