Yesterday's Post Today

When I began writing yesterday's post, I had every intention of answering the question of how is online teaching different then a traditional classroom as well as giving a basic framework of my day; however, the post kept getting longer and longer and I didn't want the pressure of having to be "engaging" for a long period of time in order to keep you interested, so I thought I would break it in to two posts. :)

I, however, forgot to change the title from "A Day in the Life of Me (an online teacher)" to  "Teaching Online: How is it different" until after I had published the post. So, I renamed it after the fact. Apparently it caused a little confusion because the new name didn't update in some aggregators, etc. And, here I go again, rambling on about something not at all interesting...

So, I will finally get to today's topic. :)

I am always asked, "What do you do all day? What does your day "look" like?" Before I begin, I want to assure you that I am busy. Many times I am busier than when I worked in a traditional school setting. That being said, here is a basic break down of my day. Keep in mind, that I have flexibility to shuffle things around as I need to which happens quite often. I am big on making lists in order to keep organized. I usually make my to-do list at the end of the previous day so I know what I need to get started on each morning.

7:00am - Wake up, shower, get the boy dressed and drop him at school

7:45am - Make toast or oatmeal and sit down at my computer - logged in by 8:00am

8:00am - Check and respond to emails, check voice mails

8:30am - Check grade book and grade papers

9:00am - If I have a meeting it is usually during this time period. Last year we met as departments (middle school and/or ELA) and as grade levels (8th) somewhat frequently; we have quick "accountability" meetings each week with our supervisor to check in and see how all is going. We also have weekly training meetings on Fridays. If I don't have a meeting, I use this time to grade or plan.

10:15am - Return calls if needed. Make some calls to families - homerooms students as well as curriculum based calls and log calls.

11:15am - lunch and exercise

12:15pm - Planning for live teaching sessions, reading text, creating lessons, etc.

1:30pm -  Make some calls to families - homerooms students as well as curriculum based calls and log calls.

2:30pm - Live teaching session. This is just a place marker. The live teaching sessions are on a set schedule and last year I had four a week so some days I have a session or two and other days I have none.

3:00pm - Finish up the day - emails, grading, feedback, calls, and/or whatever needs to be completed. Check reports for attendance, participation, grades, etc. Make to-do list for tomorrow based on information in reports as well as anything left unaccomplished.

4:00pm - Done for the day :)

So again, the information above is just a guide to show how my days can be broken up. Some days I spend more time on the phone and others I might spend more time grading and giving feedback. I also attend field trips in my area 2-3 times a semester and meet with the other Dallas area teachers about once a month. I can also choose to use some of my time learning by attending training sessions or viewing training videos.

And during state testing time, I spend my time watching kids test... the logistics of state testing in a virtual setting are a whole other crazy can of warms. :)

I hope that sheds a little light on what I do for those of you who are curious. As always, feel free to ask any questions