Featured Career: High School English Teacher
Happy Monday, friends! It’s that time again – time for another featured career! Here are the careers I’ve featured in the past:
- Project Manager and Senior Designer
- Account Executive
- Broadcast Reporter
- Sport Development Officer
- Nurse
- Newspaper Editor
- Social Media Specialist
- Event Planner
- Software Developer
- General Manager in Retail
- Kindergarten Teacher
As always, please email me if you are interested in being featured!
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Today I am really excited to feature Amy from Just a Titch. Amy is a High School English teacher (how cool is that? English was always my FAVOURITE subject in middle school and high school!)
1. What is your official job title and what exactly does your job entail?
My official title is English teacher! I teach high school, and currently, I teach two 9th grade college preparatory English classes and one speech class that has 9-12 graders.
2. What made you want to be a teacher?
In third grade, I had an amazing teacher named Mrs. Airoldi who took a special interest in me. She encouraged my writing and really seemed to love all of her students. I loved kids and I realized that I wanted to do that same thing. As I got older I realized how much I loved English and combining the two seemed to be a natural fit.
My first job out of college was teaching life skills like budgeting and health to adults with developmental disabilities. It was insanely challenging but I liked it a lot. My position ended and I went into massage therapy school and worked as a massage therapist for a year. I missed the classroom a lot and so I got a job assisting in a classroom at a group home for emotionally disturbed girls ages 12-17. After doing that for a year, I knew I wanted to be in the classroom more permanently. I enrolled in a credentialing program that allowed me to get my credential while teaching full time and off I went! I taught middle school for three years and then was laid off due to budget constraints. Even though my job was offered back to me (at the last minute) I had already accepted a job working in writing and social media and decided to try that. I missed being a teacher terribly and decided to try to go back. My district had an opening for my current job in the middle of the year, which I accepted and now I doubt I’ll ever leave again. I absolutely love my job!
3. Describe a typical day in your work life?
I leave my house everyday at 5:30-5:45 am to make it to school by no later than 6:20. I arrive before the students do so I have time to make last minute copies, straighten my classroom, and finish planning. From 7:20 – 8:50, I teach my first English class to some very sleepy freshman. We have a quick break, and then I teach Speech from 9:10 – 10:40. Then, I have a break for lunch and a preparatory period where I plan lessons, grade papers, make copies, call parents, meet with other teachers, and take care of other school “business.” Okay, fine, sometimes I write a blog post, too.
I finish my day with one more English class, from 12:50 – 2:20. After school, I tidy up, get things ready for the next day, plan the next week’s lessons, etc. I spend 3-4 hours a weekend grading papers and planning, too. And even when I’m not physically “working” I’m forever thinking of better ways to teach.
4. What’s your favourite thing about your career? Least favourite?
My favorite thing about my job are the “off times” with students. I love “English stuff” but I really love talking about “life stuff.” Teenagers are in such an impressionable place and I love it when they ask me questions or tell me about their lives. I love bonding with kids and watching them grow. This year, my first class of students all turn 16 and seeing students who entered my class as tiny 7th graders show me their driver’s licenses is unreal, and it’s so special to play a small role on their journey.
Least favorite? Grading and faculty meetings. Both are torturous.
5. Do you believe it’s true what they say: “find something you love and you’ll never work another day in your life” – why or why not?
I wish I could say it was true, but nope, not at all. I absolutely love what I do, and I know it makes a difference, but my job is DEFINITELY a job and there are times when it feels like work.
6. What is something about your job that people don’t expect?
I think people are surprised by lots of things. First of all, teacher movies show teachers with a ton of freedom to just have kids write about novels or read poetry and react to it. In truth, there are standards I’m required to (attempt) to teach each year and they’re not optional. I could never deviate from the curriculum and just teach what I felt. I definitely have freedom in how I choose to teach but not what I teach, if that makes sense.
Secondly, a huge frustration in teaching is the lack of support from parents and it affects my classroom in countless ways. Kids show up to my school without the most basic of supplies and without homework or help. I spent a lot of time and money making sure kids have things they need.
7. If you could describe your career in one word, what would that word be and why?
Fulfilling! I’ve had a lot of jobs, and this one is by far the best. Work can be frustrating, but on the whole I wake up happy and fulfilled by what I do.
Wow – that is a super early morning! I would be worn out if I had to leave the house at that time and then deal with a group of teenagers!!
It’s too bad that things have changed so much since we were kids- back then, our parents definitely took the side of the teacher. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore, which is just too bad!
You sound like a GREAT English teacher – one that’s making a big difference in the lives of those kids! Thanks for this interview Amber!
teachers are amazing! i know i’ve had several amazing english teachers, and one really really awesome history teacher (most of the students hated her) but because of her I love certain parts of history – especially mesopotamia times! she made it soooo Fascinating!
Great interview! Some of my favorite teachers in high school were my English teachers. Maybe it’s because part of me always wanted to have that career too, but I loved them a ton and always kind of wanted their job!
So cool to hear about how Amy spends her days- I loved this interview
It always amazes me the amount of papers my English teacher friends have to grade and how poorly written they are! Though they are sometimes good for a laugh or two.
This is so interesting! Almost makes me want to be a teacher…almost.
I admire teachers so much for their hours, their dedication and their love of the students + subject! I have several friends who are teachers and the amount of work they put in both in and out of the classroom is intense. They all deserve raises if you ask me.
Loved reading more about Amy’s job =)
Teachers do NOT get enough credit. So many people think its such an easy job, and that the hours are only 8-3:30. Not true at all. My mom’s a teacher, and I can not remember a night that she hasnt sat at home with homework on her lap doing her marking for most of the evening. Its not an easy job, but I think its worth it. Which is exactly why Im going back to school so I can be a teacher too.
I love these posts and the little glimpse they provide into someone’s life. Amy, you’re a hero for all of your hard word, dedication, early mornings, and undying passion. All kids deserve a teacher like you!
Sweet interview! A great teacher makes such an amazing difference in ways they don’t even know. Sounds like Amy is making that difference.
What a fun interview! Dealing with teenagers can NOT be an easy job at all so I admire Amy for her dedication and love for it!
Awesome interview! Fun hearing about teaching the “big kids” as we call them in K (okay fine, we also call first graders big kids). I’m wondering why the classes are SO long. When I was in HS, we had like 6 or 7 classes a day, but they were MUCH shorter. I don’t think I could sit that long as a teenager!
And yes, I hear you on parents. And agree about the quote about not working a day in your life. Work is work, even if you love it most of the time!
I love kids and love working with them so many of my own former teachers are surprised that I’m not a teacher myself. As a primary school kid I always said I wanted to be one (but like manykids I wanted to be a lot of the professions I saw adults doing.) I know it’s possibly the most important job one can have (besides being a parents) and I applaud Amy and all the other teachers out there.
I’m not really sure WHY I’m not a teacher (besides that I do love what I do!) but I think if I hadn’t chosen this direction to go in, teaching would have been something I pursued.
What a great series! I’ll have to check out the past posts too. I have a lot of respect for teachers. It’s a job that I could never do but it’s also a job that I think is way undervalued. It’s refreshing to hear from Amy who is so clearly committed to her job!
As someone who is new to the teaching field and wants to one day have a similar job title, I loved reading your answers here
this feature is SO cute! I would love to volunteer, however I personally would rather vomit than read about being a technical support person at a tech company, so I’ll remain in the shadows
cute though. fun to read!