Everyone is aware of the usual teacher responsibilities, such as grading papers, writing lesson plans, and attending staff meetings. But anyone who has been in the classroom knows there’s a whole lot more to the job. Not everybody knows about the numerous day-to-day duties that sometimes overwhelm teachers and interfere with actual teaching. Take a gander at this list. I need a cup of coffee just reading it.
1. We create materials and search online for engaging lessons.
Due to budget cuts, textbooks are outdated or nonexistent. Teachers have to scavenge and create curriculum. Luckily, we are creative and resourceful people, creating our own curriculum and looking on sites like Teachers Pay Teachers.
2. We differentiate lessons and analyze homework.
One size fits all does not work with education. I know teachers who create four different spelling lists to accommodate the needs of their students. We also spend extra time looking at homework so we can better understand the learners in our classrooms.
3. We help fellow teachers.
Teachers are collegial. When a colleague needs to borrow materials or books, we drop what we are doing to look for them. That’s just who we are, and it happens pretty much every single day.
4. We document, document, and then document some more.
In order to qualify students for any type of special assistance, we must document all academic and social behaviors daily. Sometimes, even by the minute. It’s not our favorite part of the job, but it’s important.
5. We input endless data.
The documented data we collect has to then be organized and analyzed. This includes grade books, IEP data, RTI, and assessment. Graphs are created. Goals are set. The paperwork is endless.
6. We read over daily plans and organize all materials before the day begins.
Although teachers are smart, we aren’t all Jeopardy! champions. We need to review materials and plan effective lessons. This takes time, and it usually means we’re coming in early and staying late.
7. We attend committee meetings.
There are now committees for organizing committees. At my school we have committees for safety, social, technology, curriculum, budget, and staff development. The list is long, and even more tasks are assigned at these meetings. These are usually on a volunteer assignments, so teachers are giving their free time to help the school.
8. We respond to lots of parent questions.
Although technology makes our lives easier, it also makes us more accessible. Communication apps enable parents to contact us every second of the day with any and all questions they have. We get questions about behavior, student eating habits, attendance, and more. And we have to take the time to respond.
9. We jam and fix the copier.
When we are running late, the copier we need to use is going to be jammed from the previous teacher, who was also running late. We spend a lot of time unjamming or finding someone who can fix the copier.
10. We stress about standardized testing.
All teachers stress about students being stressed. We stress about our test preparations, test results, and administrators’ reactions. Standardized testing is synonymous with stress. And we think about it all the time.
11. We manage technology.
