teachers!!!

[catalina]

I'm and English teacher in Mexico... I teach children, adolescents and adults but my fav are 8-12 yo children :)

It's a wonderful / fulfilling career, isn't it?

Any colleagues?

[CadensMom]

I am in college to become and elementary teacher in English. I should hopefully be done in about 5 years. I only go part time since I work full time

[Tara]

I was a teacher for 4 years until I became a SAHM. I taught 2nd grade. The 7 and 8 year olds are perfect in my opinion. Old enough to read and be somewhat independant, still love their teacher and too young for major attitude!!

[Erika]

I am a teacher too :) This is my 4th year teaching kindergarten

[catalina]

I must agree with Tara here... but 7 & 8 are still too young for me http://cmw.dailymoviereviews.com/cwm/cwm/heee.gif For more than 10 years I have taught all ages (even adolescents and adults) that's why the favs are 9 to 10 (sometimes 12) years old... for the same reasons as you! In fact I was amazed when I was reading your post. I'm not the only one who thinks that way...

Monica, I know you'll love it :nod:

Erika, let me tell you you're my hero! I tried kindergarden last year and gave up after 3 months :tear:

I have just made some tests to enter a school here. They need a teacher for elementary school. Hope I get the job :)

[camprunner]

I teach high school business. I love it. Can't picture myself doing anything else.

[earocks]

I teach 8th grade English, and I love that age group! :)

[catalina]

Let me explain the ages in the Mexican School system:

PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL (mandatory):
6 yo

PRIMARY SCHOOL
1st grade - 7 years old
2nd grade - 7/8 yo
3rd grade - 8/9 yo :)
4th grade - 9/10 yo :)
5th grade - 10/11 yo
6th grade - 11/12 yo

SECONDARY SCHOOL
1st grade - 12/13 yo
2nd grade - 13/14 yo
3rd grade - 14/15 yo

PREPARATORY
1st grade - 15/16 yo
2nd grade - 16/17 yo
3rd grade (divided in 6 areas according to the carreer they'll choose) 17/18 yo

COLLEGE

17/18 yo

- The minimum age required to enter college is 16 yo.
- Kindergarden is not mandatory but pre-primary is. Although all schools have Kindergardens.
- In Mexico 18 yo is the mayority of age.
- Some problems come when your child is less than 7 yo when school starts (end of Aug) b/c the school won't take them in, even if you kid reaches 7 during the school year :rolleyes:

Any other questions? I'll be glad to answer... :)

[Erika]

:lol: thanks kookie...but I could never teach the upper grades! :) I love my little guys

[Elizabeth]

I am a school librarian...do I count?? Actually, i have my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education, so I could teach that, but I have my graduate degree in library and LOVE it. I work in a very rural school, so I spend half a day in the elementary school and the other half in the high school. I work with ALL ages...5 to 18!

[JuniperJen]

I am also a librarian. I am in a K-5th grade school. I love my job!

[Ami]

I am a teacher! I didn't even get to complete my first year due to pregnancy complications but I taught 5th grade English. The school I was at was horrible, hopefully when I get back to teaching I can find a good school and actually enjoy it.

[Lojswife]

I am a primary school teacher in Australia. I have taught years 1,2 and 3. I am on maternity leave now until July (which is second semester for us) and have just had it approved to go back part-time. The girl who is doing my maternity leave contract (my student teacher from last year!!) is going to take Thurs/Fri of the class while I do Mon-Wed...

I love my job, but I am glad to be home with my baby and having a break from other people's kids! :lol:

[catalina]

Elizabeth and Jennifer, of course you count too! http://www.super-babies.com/smiliepages/welcome85.gif

I have been offered a job in a prep school (15-18 y.o.) and I have never tought those ages! I hope I get the job, I'm sure it would be a wonderful experience.

Any one has experience teaching those ages?

[camprunner]

I have experience with those ages. They are more responsible but I've found you can't always count on them behaving that way. Give them a few things that make them think you are giving them options. For example mine can earn the right to listen to their own music through headphones while they work on fridays. This has made the biggest difference in their behavior.

[catalina]

oh, that's a great piece of advice! thanks! :)

I see you're a lot like me. When my little ones don't do what they have to I usually tell them to bring a candy. I put all the candies in a bowl and they can enjoy them on Fridays while watching a movie. But of course I can't do that with 15-18 y.o., right? :lol:

[Ami]

That is one reason I wanted to teach younger children, it is hard to think of rewards that aren't too babyish for older ones :lol: Goodluck!

[earocks]

You'd be surprised at how well the older ones respond to rewards like candy and stickers! I don't use them a lot, but I have in the past and it's always worked like a charm! :lol:

I have given some thought to getting a degree in Library Science, but I am still trying to finish my FIRST Master's, so I better get that out of the way first! :lol:

[catalina]

I've seen them working on adults, sometimes they need to be pampered as children and they have lots of fun. But it has never worked on my teenagers. The look at me like :wtf: :lol:

[Lndofoz]

Kookie.. I used a fun system with 15-18's and it might work for you. :lol: Oh.. btw.. I am a teacher.. or was.. of Early Childhood plus I worked with 8th graders in Special Education. Here's what I did...

I had 2 bowls.. one filled with marbles.. the other.. empty... at the start of day.. or of a class with the kids.. I would have them come in and move 2 marbles from one jar to the other. One for being there and one just because they were who they were. *Kind of an incentive to be there everyday and to let them know we cared about them* As soon as all the marbles were moved they got their "treat" that we had agreed on. Mine loved movies and Flamming cheetos.. :lol: Easy for them.

However, if they caused some sort of disturbance in class they had to remove one of their marbles and put it back into the beginning jar. This could happen on each infraction of the rules. If they did something extra .. or showed they'd been working hard you can also let them ove extra marbles into the prize jar.

Now.. it depends on how many kids you have in class as to how many marbles you start out with. When you begin this you need to give more than you take away to show the class that they can gain their treat much quicker than they imagined. It works!

Oh.. when they had to remove marbles from the 'prize' bowl I made them do it themselves... it helped them know that it wasn't ME who did the wrong action but that it was their own behavior and their own actions that caused the marbles to be lost.

Good luck!
Shannon

[cmmteaches]

I am in my second year of teaching 4th grade. I worked in many different child care settings prior to starting my career in the public school system.

[JamieA]

I've been seriously thinking about teaching. I'm graduating with my Paralegal Certificate next month and already hate it :lol:

My background is in sociology, history, political science type. My actual degree is law, politics and society, so it's hard to explain. Because of this, I think I woudl do best teaching HS, but I would be open to middle school or even grade school social studies.

Since I don't have an education degree - just a BA - what woudl be the requirements to get certification? Does it vary by state or is it federal? I haven't really looked into it much - it's just something that I've been thinking about a lot lately since it's apparent that I've chosen the wrong career!

[camprunner]

I would check your state departments web site. In NC you would easily go into a Social Studies position. You would probably have to take a class in the state history if you don't already have it, all education courses, and take the Praxis test. you would have three years to complete those things while teaching. Anyway that is how NC does it.

[JamieA]

Thanks :)

[catalina]

Shannon,

Thanks for the marbles tip, that's a good one! :aok:

I haven't found a job yet :( I know it is not "hunting season" for teachers yet, not until April or May but I am getting soooooo bored just staying at home :tearhair:

[ShannonR]

I was a teacher for 4 years until I became a SAHM. I taught 2nd grade. The 7 and 8 year olds are perfect in my opinion. Old enough to read and be somewhat independant, still love their teacher and too young for major attitude!!:rotflmao: MY second grade is NOTHING like you described. Can't read and already think they are too grown for their own shorts! :slap: (That's what I wish I could do on numerous occassions. :nod: )

[catalina]

That's why I don't like little ones (to teach, I mean). They're too dependant for what I like doing in class... I don't like spending most of the day taking them to the bathroom and filling down their notebooks with round handwriting A P P L E so they repeat it 10 times at home and then color the apple :rolleyes:

Well collegues... sounds like I might put the marbles idea into practice soon :) Turns out that I got a job interview in a beautiful school 25min away from my house (believe me, in Mexico City that is close :supergrin ) and we liked each other so much that the English coordinator has aked me to go on Tues to give a demo class :yippee:

She told me they needed 2 teachers for next term (Aug) but that right now they are not happy with the 5th grade teacher so they're thinking of letting her go and maybe I could replace her. 5th grade!!!! :woo:

She even talked about salary (which is great, btw :brow: ) schedule (8am-2pm), benefits, bonuses, etc... you know they don't talk about that unless they're seriously considerating you for a position.

So you can imagine how happy I am. The lesson is already planned, all I need is the photocopies for the supplementary material and that's it.

Wish me luck, please!!! :crossfing:

[catalina]

Forgot:

Thought you may be interested in looking at this page:

http://www.edu-orchard.net/PROFESS/MANDEL/mandel1.html

It's "teachers helping teachers" and it's filled with great teaching ideas for any level ;)

[AmyJ]

:wavey:

My name is Amy and I am in my 11th year of teaching. This year I am teaching 3rd grade, but I have taught every grade k-6 except for 5th.

I teach at a parent choice (public) school where we do things VERY differently. Our students in grades 1-6 rotate through 5-6 teachers per day. Children are grouped according to performance in Language Arts and Math. The other classes are Spanish (which I teach), Science and Social Studies. In ten week sessions, kids rotate through PE, Drama and Art. Also, they all have a 30 minute piano lesson each week. It's an awesome school!!

Catalina~ Did you get the job?? I LOVE Mexico City!!! I did a teacher exchange program with a school there when I taught in Colorado.

Glad to meet so many fellow teachers!! :nod:

[catalina]

:wavey: welcome Amy!!!

So you're a Spanish teacher? That's awesome!

I kinda got the job. They have me there in stand by... they said they needed me for next school year (Aug) and I'm in no hurry, I like that school so I told them I'd wait. Meanwhile they are paying me a course given by the British Counsil and, although I already have a higher degree in teaching English as a foreign language, I couldn't say no. Now the coordinator has asked me to teach one week FT 5th and 6th graders as soon as they return from Easter break. Maybe they will leave me there until the term finishes, I don't know :dunno:

I'm so glad you liked Mexico City. Anytime you come back, please tell me ;)

[AmyJ]

I will be sure to tell you when I return. I worked at/with Coleggio Carol Baur.

I love teaching Spanish. although I learn as I go. My daughter, however, is totally bilingual as her first caregiver was Spanish speaking.

I am glad that you "kinda" have the job!! :) The good positions are always worth waiting for if you can....

[CarrieC]

I'm an 8th grade language arts/social studies teacher. Most of the time I like my job but we have a ROUGH bunch this year. :( No one is enjoying putting in the time this year. :disbelief: It's very disheartning.

This is my 4th year as a teacher (3 years with the 8th grade; 1 year with the 7th grade).

[MrsF]

I'm in my first year teaching 10th grade World History. Most of the time, I love it. I could never see myself teaching the younger kids.