The Sage's Library: Education Untold

A Day in the Life of a Teacher Candidate

Welcome to your first day as a new teacher! Here is your itinerary.

6:00 AM – Morning Routine:

Have you ever heard of the saying, “The early bird gets the worm?” well, you have now. Mornings begin early as to provide enough time to review the day’s lesson plans, agenda, next steps, and savor that large cup of coffee & healthy breakfast. The last thing you want to do is rush in the morning; personally, I find it just throws off the entire day. I do find, though, routines work best in keeping me on track, in a good mood, prepared for the worst, and motivated.

7:45 AM – Arrival at the School:

Your day begins. Time to put on your thinking cap and multitasking skills to work. Your day begins with checking in at the main office, greeting fellow staff, and checking in with your mentor teacher to ensure you’re both on the same page (or book, at least). Arriving early gives you enough time to make last-minute adjustments to the agenda without disrupting the class.

8:30 AM – Morning Classes begin:

Students slowly trickle upstairs, full of energy, and ready to go – well, sometimes. The day begins with co-teaching with your mentor teacher, engaging with students, responding to questions, and assisting in prepping for the day (printing or photocopying duties included). Your goal is to co-teach and assist when needed and based on your better judgement. During breaks, it’s a good opportunity to connect with individual students that require further assistance or clarification, and to begin building a positive relationship with each of them.

11:15 AM – Lunch and Planning:

After the morning classes, it’s time to refuel – and maybe grab another cup of coffee. During this time, it’s good practice to reflect on where the students are versus where you thought they’d be and make those adjustments with your mentor teacher. It’s also good to just take five minutes to meditate and sit in silence as the daily rush can quickly become exhausting.

12:15 PM – Afternoon Classes:

It’s always good to meet with your mentor teacher to discuss if it’s okay to take the lead in the afternoon and teach the students. Afternoon teaching usually consists of you teaching the material while your mentor teacher takes notes to provide further feedback on how you did. Take this time to truly understand the focus needed to teach various topics, rephrase instructions, and answer a plethora of questions.

3:15 PM – Professional Development Meeting:

Classes are done, but now is the perfect time to reflect on what went well, what did not go well, and areas of improvement. It’s also a good time to check in with your mentor teacher on their feedback, concerns, comments, and constructive criticisms so you may learn and adjust accordingly. Take this opportunity to engage with your mentor teacher and ask questions, relate theory from class with in-class engagement, and begin to understand the fundamentals of pedagogy.

5:00 PM – Preparation, Reflection, and Planning:

You’ve made it home. However, it’s probably best practice to connect with your mentor teacher on what is being planned for tomorrow and if there are any last-minute changes you can complete to assist. Or you may take the time to review the curriculum and plan lessons or activities for later on in the week (at the discretion of your mentor teacher). It’s also important to reflect on past lessons to see how you can implement the feedback and improve the lesson’s overall success.

7:00 PM – Evening and Self-Care:

It’s finally YOU time. You can finally take the well-deserved break you’ve needed all day.  For me, personally, it’s my time to catch up on my novel of the month and finish that movie I’ve been trying to watch all week. Whatever it is, just make sure you set aside some time to recover so you don’t burn out two weeks from now. Maybe even call it an early night – either way, tune in to yourself and reconnect with how you’re feeling.

My Inspiration to Teach

“We became an inspiration to one another, which in turn made us want to be leaders for the rest of the world.” This quote is from one of the best movies I have ever had the pleasure of watching, Freedom Writers. The movie is based on true events where a teacher tries to change the lives of students that the system has failed in hopes of bringing positive change to the classroom, education system, and each student’s personal life. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend that you do.

The movie is just one of the reasons for my inspiration to become a teacher for the new generation. The other reason, as you may have concluded, is because I have had poor teachers in the past and want to change that for someone. In my rise against poor teachers, I hope to be a better one so that students feel valued, seen, heard, and acknowledged for their efforts and identity.

I think everyone has an inspiration and inner driving force to take certain turns on the path we call life. But I think what matters most is when you use that driving force to stand up for your beliefs and ideologies. Movies like Freedom Writers inspire me to adopt their teaching strategies in my own classroom one day so that I, too, can create positive change and inspire others to be the best version of themselves.

Who knows? Maybe the movie will inspire you to jump on a new journey of becoming an educator, too.