When I found out we were moving to Korea, the question I heard the most was, "Are you going to teach??" For a while, I really didn't know the answer to that question. I figured I could do some tutoring here and there, maybe some babysitting, and if all else failed be an ESL teacher off base. But then I found the perfect job! Nannying four little girls and homeschooling the two oldest. We are 3 weeks into our school year and I love it already! I use a curriculum that the girls' mom bought and then I am able to supplement it however I want to. Right now, the girls are finishing the curriculum work Monday - Wednesday, and then they get to choose what we learn about on Thursday and Friday. It is so much fun and I love getting to teach exciting new things with the girls!
I really love homeschooling, but I could NEVER do it for my own kids!! I'd go nuts if I had to teach my own haha!! Anyway, I love my job and here are my 10 reasons why MY JOB is better than any teaching job I would have had at home!
1. School starts at 9:00am and usually ends by noon. (And I don't have to "check my window" ugh)
Homeschooling cuts out lots of the unnecessary transitions and down time, so we finish a lot faster than traditional school. On average, homeschooled kids work for 2-4 hours a day, 4 days a week. School goes much faster since there are 2 kids as opposed to 20, and we don't have to worry about things like specials and lunch and recess!
2. I follow a curriculum, but THERE IS NO CURRICULUM MAP!
Last year, at Sutton, we had to follow a curriculum map and HAD to teach certain standards at certain times. It makes it easier to know what you are going to do and when, but I hated that I couldn't go off the beaten path every now and then and do things my own way. Right now, if the girls want to learn about how plants grow rather than the normal Autumn and hibernation lessons, THEY CAN! And I love it!
3. I DON'T HAVE TO TURN MY LESSON PLANS INTO ANYONE!!!!!
This isn't realistic AT ALL in the teaching world today, but I'm really enjoying not having to write full on lesson plans for each subject, for each day, for each week, etc. etc. I don't have to write them down, print them off, email, or upload them ANYWHERE or to ANYONE. It's amazing. First time this has happened in 3 years.
4. I can wear slippers and sweatpants to work!
Usually I wear actual clothes to teach, but I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear my slippers. It's the greatest. Oh! AND I don't have to straighten or curl my hair every morning! It's the little things ;)
5. Tattoos don't matter.
I can wear my flats, flip flops, sandals, or no shoes at all and not have to cover up my tattoo with a stupid bandaid and make up an even stupider story of how I hurt my foot every day!! Oh also. There are no fellow teachers to judge me and ask me what my tattoo is or why I "would ever ruin my body like that".
6. I can leave my "classroom" to go to the bathroom as many times as I need to during the day!
Since my bladder is the size of a pea (haha I'm funny), I don't have to dehydrate myself in order to ensure that I don't have to run out of the classroom or ask another teacher to watch my class while my bladder tries really hard not to explode. I can drink as many cups of water or coffee or tea as I want while I teach and not have to wait to pee until lunch or specials!
7. I know basically everything about my students.
That was a tongue twister. BUT I know how the girls learn best. I know their interests. I know their hobbies. I know what is going on in their lives. I know when to push them and when not to. I know if they're grounded, or in trouble. I know how they are disciplined. And if there's something I don't know, I can always ask! Too bad it's not this easy for a normal class of 25 kiddos.
8. I can take as many field trips as I want and I don't have to write a request form or figure out how to fund it.
There are two girls. Korea is one big field trip and there are so many places to explore and learn about. We could literally walk down the road and have a "field trip." We actually haven't gone on any yet, but we have one planned this coming Friday to a folk village to learn about the Korean holiday, Chuseok!
9. We can take breaks when necessary and not worry about losing instruction time!
We start each day with a stretching exercise and then a dance party! Gotta get that blood pumping and those brains working somehow! The girls love the dance parties and they always ask if we can have dance parties throughout the day. The great thing is, if we've been working on something hard, or just working for a long time, we can stop and take a break. The girls can dance. They can go chill out in their room. They can read. They can even give their favorite teacher a back rub or play with her hair!! ;) (This is actually one of their favorite things to do, much to my enjoyment!) After our break, we pick up right where we left off and start learning again! Oh yeah.. I can take breaks too. Like holding a cutie baby! That makes everyone's day better!
10. I have the best students!
Last year I had a student, who we will just call Eli, that caused so many interruptions that it was almost impossible to get through an entire lesson. He would throw things. He would walk around the room. He would yell. He would cry. He would SCREAM AT ME. He would tell me he hated me, tell me I was the worst teacher ever, and tell me he hated school. He would run away. He would hit. He would throw tantrums anywhere and anytime. It was a daily struggle that always ended with him in the office. Now??? I have two well-behaved girls that would never dream of causing problems like that; or really any problems at all! Why can't all kids love to learn and behave like these girls do?!
There are SO many more reasons why I love my job, but those are the reasons it is better than a traditional teaching job! (Shhh.. don't tell, but I don't know how I'll ever go back!)
Now.. since all of my friends at home have been doing this for weeks, here is my "classroom" review!!!!
I really love homeschooling, but I could NEVER do it for my own kids!! I'd go nuts if I had to teach my own haha!! Anyway, I love my job and here are my 10 reasons why MY JOB is better than any teaching job I would have had at home!
1. School starts at 9:00am and usually ends by noon. (And I don't have to "check my window" ugh)
Homeschooling cuts out lots of the unnecessary transitions and down time, so we finish a lot faster than traditional school. On average, homeschooled kids work for 2-4 hours a day, 4 days a week. School goes much faster since there are 2 kids as opposed to 20, and we don't have to worry about things like specials and lunch and recess!
2. I follow a curriculum, but THERE IS NO CURRICULUM MAP!
Last year, at Sutton, we had to follow a curriculum map and HAD to teach certain standards at certain times. It makes it easier to know what you are going to do and when, but I hated that I couldn't go off the beaten path every now and then and do things my own way. Right now, if the girls want to learn about how plants grow rather than the normal Autumn and hibernation lessons, THEY CAN! And I love it!
3. I DON'T HAVE TO TURN MY LESSON PLANS INTO ANYONE!!!!!
This isn't realistic AT ALL in the teaching world today, but I'm really enjoying not having to write full on lesson plans for each subject, for each day, for each week, etc. etc. I don't have to write them down, print them off, email, or upload them ANYWHERE or to ANYONE. It's amazing. First time this has happened in 3 years.
4. I can wear slippers and sweatpants to work!
Usually I wear actual clothes to teach, but I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear my slippers. It's the greatest. Oh! AND I don't have to straighten or curl my hair every morning! It's the little things ;)
5. Tattoos don't matter.
I can wear my flats, flip flops, sandals, or no shoes at all and not have to cover up my tattoo with a stupid bandaid and make up an even stupider story of how I hurt my foot every day!! Oh also. There are no fellow teachers to judge me and ask me what my tattoo is or why I "would ever ruin my body like that".
6. I can leave my "classroom" to go to the bathroom as many times as I need to during the day!
Since my bladder is the size of a pea (haha I'm funny), I don't have to dehydrate myself in order to ensure that I don't have to run out of the classroom or ask another teacher to watch my class while my bladder tries really hard not to explode. I can drink as many cups of water or coffee or tea as I want while I teach and not have to wait to pee until lunch or specials!
7. I know basically everything about my students.
That was a tongue twister. BUT I know how the girls learn best. I know their interests. I know their hobbies. I know what is going on in their lives. I know when to push them and when not to. I know if they're grounded, or in trouble. I know how they are disciplined. And if there's something I don't know, I can always ask! Too bad it's not this easy for a normal class of 25 kiddos.
8. I can take as many field trips as I want and I don't have to write a request form or figure out how to fund it.
There are two girls. Korea is one big field trip and there are so many places to explore and learn about. We could literally walk down the road and have a "field trip." We actually haven't gone on any yet, but we have one planned this coming Friday to a folk village to learn about the Korean holiday, Chuseok!
9. We can take breaks when necessary and not worry about losing instruction time!
We start each day with a stretching exercise and then a dance party! Gotta get that blood pumping and those brains working somehow! The girls love the dance parties and they always ask if we can have dance parties throughout the day. The great thing is, if we've been working on something hard, or just working for a long time, we can stop and take a break. The girls can dance. They can go chill out in their room. They can read. They can even give their favorite teacher a back rub or play with her hair!! ;) (This is actually one of their favorite things to do, much to my enjoyment!) After our break, we pick up right where we left off and start learning again! Oh yeah.. I can take breaks too. Like holding a cutie baby! That makes everyone's day better!
10. I have the best students!
Last year I had a student, who we will just call Eli, that caused so many interruptions that it was almost impossible to get through an entire lesson. He would throw things. He would walk around the room. He would yell. He would cry. He would SCREAM AT ME. He would tell me he hated me, tell me I was the worst teacher ever, and tell me he hated school. He would run away. He would hit. He would throw tantrums anywhere and anytime. It was a daily struggle that always ended with him in the office. Now??? I have two well-behaved girls that would never dream of causing problems like that; or really any problems at all! Why can't all kids love to learn and behave like these girls do?!
There are SO many more reasons why I love my job, but those are the reasons it is better than a traditional teaching job! (Shhh.. don't tell, but I don't know how I'll ever go back!)
Now.. since all of my friends at home have been doing this for weeks, here is my "classroom" review!!!!
Here's a view of the whole thing. I love that their house has this space upstairs! It's so perfect for a classroom. The girls and I each have a desk and a chair. We have a lovely pocket calendar! More posters and decorations added all the time! (The girls were watching Magic School Bus Blows its Top on our volcano exploration day!)
This is our bulletin board wall! This is our work from our volcano unit. Volcano diagrams, drawings, stories, and quizzes! (Working with what I've got here haha. No butcher paper. No borders. Can't staple into the wall. And I handwrite almost everything! I still love making bulletin boards though :)))) )