First-year teachers have plenty on their plates – without COVID ladled on top.
Things were going fairly smoothly for Jannie when Governor Evers closed her school! She was immediately overwhelmed as a first-year teacher because of all the lesson plans she needed to change. She couldn’t look back on lessons from previous years like the teachers who have taught for a few years. Just like anyone without years of experience in any job, it’s difficult when plans unexpectedly change. Jannie had to scramble to figure out how to change her lessons so the students could learn from home.
A First-year Teacher – Again Next Year!
Jannie said next year, “I’m going to feel like a first-year teacher again when we get to the material I didn’t get to cover in class.”
Jannie working on emailing parents about learning apps.
Everyone worries about how well they completed a task on the job as a rookie in any business, and Jannie worries about how well she has prepared her students on their journey. Now that COVID 19 took over her classroom, she doesn’t feel her students are as educated as they should be. “If I don’t prepare them for the next grade, I’ve failed as a teacher.”
Supreme Challenge
She added, “I can make up for what the 3rd graders missed next year but the 4th graders won’t be in my class next year.”
She joined a Facebook group called Teaching during COVID19. Jannie noticed someone posting about checking in on first-year teachers. She smiled, and appreciated the good thought knowing the struggle is real for the rookies. Jannie said it’s hard, but she tries focusing on the positives to carry on, and to help her cope.
“If we can get through this, we can get through anything.”
Story authored by: Travis Boulanger 70.24 | 7.4
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Good One
As someone featured in this story, the caption under the picture is innacurate. I know the journalist who took the picture had me preview the story. He had an accurate caption when I previewed the story. The picture is of me carrying a set of returned student work out to my car for me to grade and return back to the students with the next work pick up date. The title of the story is also different than the original. This title portrays it as if I’m leaving the school and profession. I want to make it entirely clear that this is absolutely not the case. I throughly love my profession and the school I teach at. My colleagues and other individuals I interact with are amazing and very supportive. We are like a family.
To edit, the caption is what makes it sound like I’m leaving for good. That’s absolutely not true. I thoroughly enjoy everything I do and the awesome coworkers I work with. We are very much there for each other no matter what.