8 hours of teaching plus grading at home and lesson planning, 5 days a week, 180 days a year. Summertime’s dedicated to professional development and taking classes to earn credits in order to renew your license and stay on top of all the changes being made in the educational field.
In my opinion, this is the typical life of a teacher. Well, as with all jobs, there are perks. For teachers, days off of work, watching students graduate, and sometimes some REALLY great educational grants that fall into your lap.
Let me tell you a brief tale: Two years ago, my first full year teaching in my school, I was introduced to a man who represented the Teaching American History grant that my school district was involved in. Being that I am the only Social Studies teacher in my building, no one had mentioned this program to me. I totally thought it was a hoax. I mean, here’s this guy telling me that if I attend a week class in the summer about using primary sources from local achieves in my classroom, plus created a few assignments on my own, I would be paid a $1000 stipend and earn 2 graduate credits for $125! THEN, I could also attend a school year class, once a month, dealing with a specific topic, earn 3 credits AND get paid $600! I thought this guy was crazy!! (I should mention, up to this point, I’ve never worked with a grant before, so I didn’t totally accept that the government just gives you money to learn). Well, the “crazy” man mentioned a teacher at a local high school that had attended the class last summer, so I realized that maybe this was a legitimate thing. So, I sign up. One of my greatest ideas EVER!!
At the end of the summer class, we were assigned to go to our local achieves, find 5 primary sources and write questions to be able to be used in a classroom. The 5 people who have most of their assignments published in our book (yes… we created a book) would win a free trip to the annual NCHE (National Council for History Education) conference. Well, last year, I won! And I had the unique opportunity to present at the conference with the other people who won!
Of course I took the fall class as well and then the summer class again. (By the way, this grant has brought me 3 credits away from my Masters in Education!!) Well… I must be very blessed, because I won the contest AGAIN! I get to go to Charleston, South Carolina for this years NCHE conference and we’re talking about submitting a proposal to speak again!!! Two years in a row I will be published and rub elbows with some of the greats in my field!! It’s amazing!!! I am ridiculously excited and so happy that I have chosen this profession… even with all the stress and drama that has been occurring. A shining light has reminded me why I love teaching… again.
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