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Carrie is currently a 5th grade teacher at Golden Hills Elementary School. She has been teaching for 6 years now and is still very passionate about it. Carrie also runs the student council with her amazing colleague, and she is one of the two Teachers in charge on campus. Carrie and her husband have been married for just over two years now and together they have the most wonderful baby boy, Jameson, who’s ten months old. When Carrie is not grading papers, doing lesson plans or other prep work for her classroom, she enjoys spending her time with her family, friends, animals and be outdoors.
For Carrie, teaching was always what she saw herself doing. At just sixteen, she began teaching dance. Her mother and grandmother before her were teachers and she knew she wanted to follow in their footsteps. It was only recently though that she was truly able to make her dream of teaching come true. Before meeting her husband and moving to Tehachapi, she lived in the East Bay Area and the cost of living was so high that it would not have been a viable option, as teachers are paid so little. Her husband supported her journey and her dream though, and they found a way for it to work, completely changing her life.
As you might imagine, teaching can have its ups and downs. Days where either the teacher or the students are not in the mood to focus and be fully present and days where there is so much fun and learning going on that everyone goes home feeling inspired. When asked what her favorite part about teaching is, she answered, “I love this question because there’s always too many favorites. Watching my students go through their “ah ha” moments when academics and skills click is what motivates me to keep going, but I love every part of teaching. From my coworkers and administration to my physical classroom and students. I go home genuinely happy (most days), and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Many teachers find that having a schedule is the solid foundation for a fun, exciting and instructional classroom. Schedules help the children know what part of the day it is, it makes it the atmosphere feel comfortable, normal, and routine. All things, children need to feel at ease and learn. “Our schedule remains consistent each day, but we have to always be flexible. Monday-Thursday we start with ELA, followed by math, then after lunch we end with social studies. This leaves each Friday to be Fun Friday where we spend all day doing science and get to go to the library, music, and play dodgeball. I preach a growth mindset in my class and the students are out of their seats collaborating daily. They practice work independently, utilize technology, and learn how to be self-sufficient when possible.”
Over the last couple of years though, classrooms have been all but turned upside down. Teachers have had to revise their curriculums, find new and encouraging ways of teaching their students. Carrie was one of these teachers, “There are no words. I still applaud the parents who chose to do the best they could when others threw in the towel. It was extremely difficult and the only way I got through it was to remind myself why I was doing it; why I’ve always done it. I was transferred from Golden Hills to TILA where I provided assistance and materials to students who were being homeschooled. It was clear which parents weren’t going to let anything come between their kids and their academics, regardless of how terrible it was. They also inspired me.” She saw what the parents and the other teachers around her faced. She saw how it challenged her students in ways they were not meant to be challenged in. It made lesson planning, grading, and teaching in general so much more complicated and more time consuming than ever before. With the kids back in her classroom again once more, she is able to enjoy every moment she spends with them. “Now that we’ve been back this year, aside from masks and Covid19 absences…it’s really no different. I can only speak for the students in my classroom, and although we can all agree masks are infuriating, their joy of learning and the fun we have in class is still there. I wasn't sure what to expect with this school year, but my students personally don’t let the masks hold them back.” The restrictions of course have still been in place, though new announcements have been made that masks will no longer be required soon. Until then, like in most schools, her and her entire class were required to wear them.
Carrie has had several years of teaching experience before the pandemic, and one thing she has learned and would tell any new teachers, especially with having had to go through the tough roller coaster of the pandemic, is, “Be flexible! I actually get asked this all the time! You have to stay flexible. You can begin your teaching career with a bulletproof classroom management plan and the most astounding lessons, but if you don't have plans B, C, D, and E in place, you’ll find yourself stressed and burnt out.”
Along with a clear classroom schedule, an exciting lesson plan and to have an enthusiastic and inspiring school year, Carrie has a goal for her class. “Each year, it’s my responsibility to prepare my students for the next grade as well as future education. In addition to academic standards and skills, it’s important for me to teach my students how to be effective problem-solvers, to be self-motivated to do well in all aspects of their life, and especially to have a growth mindset. Kids come to school for so much more than academics, so it’s important to provide them with more than just how to multiply numbers and use adverbs properly. I instill kindness and accountability within my students and I’m able to grow amazing, respectful relationships with them. This provides them with the positive environment they need to successfully learn.” She also encourages each child to grow at their own speed, letting them know that though it can be tough and at times discouraging, they are still making progress. “Students have high expectations and can get very disappointed in themselves. This leads them to giving up, but a growth mindset helps remind them that it’s difficult, not impossible. It reminds them to be self-motivating and reminds them to be resourceful and use the tools at their disposal to solve the difficult task. I encourage all students to take risks and clarify that mistakes and errors help us learn; they’re not negative situations, they’re opportunities to grow.”
The entire school year is filled with learning, new opportunities and growth. There are fun days, test days and everyday in between. Many teachers have a favorite time of the school year, some enjoy the beginning when it is all fresh and new, some love the time during the holidays, decking their classroom out in the joys of the seasons, for Carrie, it is springtime.
“My favorite time is after state testing in Spring! After state testing, I carry out fun weekly themes in my classroom where students apply their learned knowledge and prepare to take their learning a step deeper before moving forward to middle school. We incorporate all subjects into tasks and projects where students collaborate and critically think together. Some of these themes include watermelon week, lemonade week, and airplane week!” The spring is not the only time she does incredible lessons. Right now, her class is doing a group project for social studies, where they are simulating life in the colonies.
Many parents have lots of questions for their child’s teacher, some simply want to know more about them and what their child will be taught. Above, Carrie offers some insight into her classroom, their schedule and their lessons. Another question parents often ask the teacher is, “what can I do as the parent, to assist my child in learning?” Carrie has the answer, “stay engaged with your students' learning. Every year I tell my parents, unless certain skills are addressed and practiced at home as well, your child will begin to struggle. We only have a short period of time to address so many standards at school. That’s not always enough time to retain it for all students. Also… let your child read to you daily!! Encourage them to read! If you are, do it more! Help them master their multiplication facts! Please oh please help them learn their facts! Math will become enjoyable and simple for students who know their facts!” She also has some encouraging words about the dreaded Common Core. “Common Core is frustrating because it’s different but if parents are open to it, their students will think more outside of the box and have a more comprehensive set of academic skills.”
“Thank you for letting me participate in this Telling Journeys section of your blog. Being a teacher was my passion, my calling, and something I couldn't live without. It’s fun to share my experience with others!”- Carrie P.
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