Teachers in America
Education is ever evolving. On Teachers in America, we connect with real educators and ed leaders to provide practical instructional tips and talk about the latest teaching trends to help you stay on the forefront of what’s new in education. Tune in to learn from educators who are embracing innovations, rethinking their approach, and focusing on what moves their students forward in learning and in life.
Teachers in America
The 4-Day School Week with Dr. Claudia Singkornrat
Across the country, more schools are considering a 4-day school week. But how would that look like for students and teachers?
Today we are talking to Dr. Claudia Singkornrat, a Florida science teacher at Pompano Beach High School, the only school in Broward County Public Schools that offers a 4-day school week. Claudia will give insight on her school’s 4-day schedule and how it impacts student learning. Plus, she’ll share how she made the switch from a successful career as a chiropractor to classroom teacher, and how she provides real-life science experiences to foster a love for learning.
Teachers in America profiles K–12 teachers across the country. Hear firsthand from the people who are shaping young lives in the classroom every day. If you or someone you know would be a good candidate for Teachers in America, please email us at shaped@hmhco.com.
Having this Friday works for the teachers and the students to be able to step back, which allows for more creative work. I can have actually time without having to rush, without having students come at me to really plan something and come up with innovative ideas, where I really can sit and think.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Teachers in America, where we celebrate teachers and their lasting impact on students' learning, journeys and lives. I'm Jen Carujo and I'm a content producer at HMH. Across the country, more schools are making the switch to a four-day school week, but 20 years ago my school, pompano Beach High, was already operating on this now-trending schedule. I decided to contact my former high school science teacher, dr Claudia Sinkornrat, to get her insight on the four-day school week. In this episode with host Noelle Morris, dr Sinkornrat will share how she navigates the longer school hours and how the shorter schedule impacts students' learning. Now let's get to the episode.
Speaker 3:Well, welcome, dr Sinkornrat. We're so excited to have you on Teachers in America. I'm Noelle Morris, the host. I've heard great things about you from our producer, jen, and so let's get the conversation started with a topic that's actually being discussed across the country right now, which is your school. Is a four-day school week correct? Tell us about that and what that means for your schedule, and then I'll ask some follow-up questions, but definitely curious about how it works for you.
Speaker 1:Gladly so. Our school day is pretty long. Monday through Thursdays we go from 7 in the morning and the students end at 3.30. The teachers end at 4.10 with half an hour lunch in there. Fridays neither the students nor the teachers have to come to school. But that doesn't mean that nothing is happening in the school. We many times have some enrichment going on, we have tutoring going on. We have all kinds of activities going on. If a teacher also would like to go and plan at the school rather than at home, that works too. The classes in themselves are also pretty long. Mine is almost two hours long. I teach four blocks a day. We are on ABAB block and they are 160 minutes long, which is almost two hours.
Speaker 3:Right, wow, so tell me more about the. Explain more about that enrichment. So, if I heard what you're saying, you and your students are on four days a week, and Friday doesn't mean that the school is closed. It's open for all of those things that might generally happen after school or opportunities for students for enrichment, tutoring or teacher planning it actually is extra.
Speaker 1:So we have clubs and everything going on every day too, so the day becomes pretty long, especially for our sports kids. Many times they don't get home till 9, 10 at night, but I think in other sports it is that. But, for example, when I will run my AP biology extra sessions, I do that in a Friday morning many times to get the kids in that need to. We have several of the cheerleading things going on. We have debate tournaments going on, also any other practices, tutoring for the kids that are not doing really well. We give them extra Friday sessions. There's volunteer opportunities and such, and, as I said, it's not required but a lot of us will do it.
Speaker 3:That's the teacher way you know for all of us, right? That's why we know it's like it's one of those things. Now did you? I want to ask this question. Then we're going to talk about how it's impacted learning, and you've already alluded to the long day. Was it a choice? Did you all get a choice? Was it going to be Friday, the not in brick and mortar, or was it? Were there other options?
Speaker 1:No, we were tagging along another school that had started this and the other school started it because that would be our parent school. I'm in a full magnet school and at the parent school a lot of kids, because of their socioeconomic class being low and going to work they started the day and they tried it as an experiment and they wanted to Friday, Saturday so that they could work. That school has given this up long ago because it didn't work for them Okay.
Speaker 1:And that schedule just stuck with us and actually everybody at the school that I am at loves it.
Speaker 3:And what are you noticing about the impact on student learning?
Speaker 1:Okay, there are pros and cons. Needless to say, I'm going to go with the pros first. Number one having this Friday works for the teachers and the students to be able to step back, which allows for more creative work. I can have actually time without having to rush, without having students come at me to really plan something and come up with innovative ideas, where I really can sit and think.
Speaker 1:Also, as I told you, the days are very long at our school, so for students to study after they did already all their academics, sometimes it's very difficult, and I think that may be true in general, but especially if the day is that long. So for them having the time to be able to say, okay, I'm going to do this Friday or Saturday, makes it much easier in that sense and I find that they can work better. A lot of students will tell me that I already mentioned the enrichment, so that there is more independent learning, there's more, there are more activities, and I think one thing that we should also think about is, in the long run, because we're running teacher shortage. It does attract teachers because it is very acceptable in that sense. I have to tell you that extra time that I put on in the afternoon is well worth it for me to have this extra day off. Wow.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Whatever I could Right, Whatever you define off as, but I love what you're talking about the innovative nature, the ability to be creative, you know, do more collaborative without the rush right, Because when we're rushing, collaboration is often the first to go. What have you? Have y'all done any data or analytics around?
Speaker 1:how many students do come to the school on Friday and how many teachers AP exams come closer, you're going to have more people. Also, we have end-of-course exams, so that will make a difference. Sometimes, when we do big charity events, like for Thanksgiving, you will see more.
Speaker 3:And more collaboration with the community. And how are families? How have they made the adjustment?
Speaker 1:families. How have they made the adjustment? Well, that goes maybe a little bit also with the cons. When you have that kind of schedule, Fridays can be a problem if you have teenagers at home and the parents are working and stuff even though I think it works okay for many of our teenagers, but there is no bus service. So when the kids want to go, if they're not driving, if many are not getting to school, may be an issue. So it's not necessarily the best for equality if you are a magnet school, because we get kids from all over, If you are a neighborhood school, it may not be a bad idea because also, again, they can get there. Remember, also free and reduced lunches need to be somehow provided, and they would be, but the students have to make it to school.
Speaker 3:Okay, thank you. Thank you for that insight. I'm sure listeners you know will appreciate that. I'm sure listeners will appreciate that. Now, how are you managing your instructional time, so 160 minutes times four, even though it equates to similarly in an A-B schedule across five days? What adjustments did you make? How are you managing now? And then I'm going to love if you would share one of your thoughts when you first started this, because I'm going to be honest, claudia, I would go home probably exhausted, like I might sleep in my car for a little bit before I even make it into my house.
Speaker 1:Well, spoken like a true teacher. You're not right. So, yes, the classes are long and I have to say you cannot pack the same five days into four days, because there is going to be a point where in class the kids are going to be fatigued. You cannot just add on an extra hour of lecturing when you have them fatigued. So the day in that sense is hard on the teachers but it's also hard on the kids. So you have to figure things out and I feel that you have to be a lot more active, which nowadays for me is very important anyway, Because there is so much input into their mind that they easily tune you out.
Speaker 1:So you cannot lecture all the time. I think in a long class number one, you can't Number two again with them. Having overstimulation is a problem. So I try to maybe do a little power lecture 15, maximum 20 minutes, even with my AP kids. I find that after that I would lose them. And then you add activities uh, group discussions, uh, application questions, activities where they're using hands-on.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to incorporate as much movement as I can and as much active thinking so that they're not sitting back and taking it in like social media or movies, that they're actually participating. I find sometimes that that can be an issue. And with the long blocks, especially the last block, I have an AP bio class. That is the nicest class and they're trying to participate. So I really have to get them to move around and everything so that they can get themselves to do this and not feel that mental fatigue. So a lot of activities, a lot of change of pace is, I think, extremely important. And then I do the crazy thing which my school allows me to I take every single one of my classes for a seven minute walk.
Speaker 1:School allows me to. I take every single one of my classes for a seven minute walk. That time is very well spent because when my kids come back they are so much fresher and because they like the walks and they're happy with me, they got their social time in. I can observe how the dynamics are going. I can do one-on-ones with the kids that don't need it, so when they come back refreshed and with goodwill, it makes it much better.
Speaker 3:Now I'm really now curious about the seven-minute walk. But I want to ask you a question, because you mentioned student fatigue like end of day fatigue. So does that mean your A-B schedule is it fixed times or does sometimes this afternoon come in the morning, or is it always afternoon?
Speaker 1:In my district, the same classes every day on a blue day and the same classes on a gold day. So my fourth period is always going to be my fourth period and I would love to see what you're saying, because I see such a difference in my second period and my fourth period for the same class.
Speaker 3:Obviously, so now let's unpack this seven-minute walk, because the fact that you figured out this brain break, this need for a mindfulness moment with high school students how did you set up those expectations and are we all walking together? Tell us more about that.
Speaker 1:Yes, I have to tell you I've been doing this work for maybe now 15 years. Oh, every time before they go out of the classroom, please shush in the hallway, do not talk. And they make fun of me because of my shush. They all try. Oh shush, she said shush, but so I sent them. Uh out there. Uh, going down is usually because there's not too much. Uh, there are not too many classes, they're a little bit louder.
Speaker 1:Then it's a group that is a loosely formed group and I like that because it gives me an idea to observe the group dynamics. So if I see that a group is working well together, I will use it in a classroom. If I see the kid that is being left behind or that feels a little bit left out, I will see into what group I put them into. How can I get them more involved so that they don't feel awkward in class? Because you've got to have everybody feeling comfortable in class and so many times I will target different students and I will walk with them. And the one oh, you didn't do well on the test. When do you want to do the retake? What new learning strategy are you going to try? Let's do this, or are you distressed? So? And look, I was a chiropractor before. We're probably going to talk about that later. For me, I'm hoping that they take this health skill to work, that they're not just sitting around but moving around, and the goodwill, the lack of discipline issues, because of something so simple is amazing.
Speaker 3:Oh, I love that. I um. I hope that our listeners like peeked in. Even if you don't have a four day um school week, that just seems to be that you've incorporated into almost a formative assessment of getting to know and building this culture within, I mean within your classroom, outside of the classroom. Hey, teacher friends, if you're an HMH user, did you know you have access to Teacher's Corner on Ed Included with every HMH program?
Speaker 3:Teacher's Corner is a community of teachers, learning experts and coaches gathered in one place to support you with a new kind of professional learning bite-sized, teacher-selected and teacher-driven, with on-demand sessions, lesson demonstrations, program support and practical resources. Teacher's Corner lets you choose how you interact with our content. I like to think about it as inspiration on demand with our content. I like to think about it as inspiration on demand. Now let's talk about. You mentioned lectures. You mentioned, you know, labs. We have not specifically said what subject you teach, so I hope everybody has inferred science is in Claudia'sudia's um discipline, but, but, but, dr, sink and rat. Let's like tell everybody what you teach every day. What are your four classes?
Speaker 1:I teach. I teach ap biology on one day and anatomy and physiology on the other day. It worked out really well because it makes it easy. Anatomy and physiology gets repetitive after a while. But those are the two classes I teach and I kind of liked it. I teach two classes because even after all this time I will always try to reinvent the wheel in a way just to keep it fresh. I'm constantly, and that's why I like my Fridays, because then I can say, oh, let's do the new, let's do this activity, let's try that activity.
Speaker 3:I love this. So you were a chiropractor before? Yes, which is probably also why you are about the movement staying stretch. You know how. The ergonomics of your classroom? I would love to see your classroom see if your desk and chairs looked like mine, or are you more? You know thinking about the ergonomics behind the learning? Tell us how you went from being a chiropractor to coming into the classroom.
Speaker 1:I practiced for 10 years but to be honest, especially the business part of chiropractic, I found it to be very stressful and I didn't really enjoy it. And I realized that every time somebody said, would you give a guest lecture? Oh I was there, I was doing the guest lecture and I had taught while I was waiting to get my license. In Florida, I taught a semester at a massage school and I loved it. So I decided I'm going to make the switch and I switched into this and it actually worked out as a really great switch for me because I absolutely love teaching, I love my kids, but it also gives me a lot of real world experience that I can bring to class, which is a lot of fun.
Speaker 3:Do you run any of these um mindfulness and stretching with your fellow faculty? Like I would totally have you at a faculty meeting leading some of this?
Speaker 1:at a faculty meeting leading some of this we are doing. Time-wise that may be a little bit of an issue, but we've done, and little groups. We had our group that we were doing either some Tai Chi or some meditation here and there, but I also bring it into the classroom, especially with anatomy during the nervous system. It's a little bit iffy in the last period because it would be easy to fall asleep, so you do it just before you go for the walk.
Speaker 1:But here and there we are and we started a couple of times a little bit of exercise after school, but we're busy with our students. It's difficult to get that done.
Speaker 3:And how are the skills from being a chiropractor? What do you naturally elevate within your coursework? That is just. It's going to be special. Because I was one of your students, I know I'm going to get this little bit of extra just because of your background.
Speaker 1:I am such a fan of the human body and how to maintain it, so all the things that lead to healthy habits mentally and physically no, yes, mentally and physically are important to me. So when I talk about how to eat healthier here, a lot of stress. How can you bring the stress down? How can you study so you have less stress? How can you keep the body and mind going so that you can actually enjoy life and actually get the most out of it? I can bring in a lot of stories of patients that I had. The kids absolutely love that. I bring in some of the skills we do blood pressure. I show them how to do some of the vision tests and color vision and stigmatism. They love all of that. So there's a lot of these little bit of hands-on you know little fitness tests and all of that. It really makes a big difference.
Speaker 3:Now? Have you been able to keep in touch with any of your former students? I mean, have they reported back to you, taking some of your additional practices with them to their career or college?
Speaker 1:Because of another event. I got a lot of emails back from students lately and they were telling me that you know some oh my God, I ended up going into the health care profession. I also hear the kids when they exercise a lot and say, see, I'm still doing it, I didn't stop after high school and I find that very good. But the things that probably even excite me more is when I hear back that I helped them through a difficult or hard time.
Speaker 1:When they felt maybe alone, or when they didn't know what to do, or when I just talked to them because they needed and that they felt supported in that sense, because I think a lot of our kids may not be getting enough of that nowadays.
Speaker 3:And is that something that is part of your seven minute walk? Do you also have those just conversations walking?
Speaker 1:Absolutely. If I have a distressed kid, I'm going to pull them a little bit aside. As I said, we can walk a little bit loosely. I just hold them back together before we go back into the school so we don't make too much noise. But they know they have to stay around. But I have enough time that I can pull them aside and we can talk. I will also not mind stopping my class for a minute. If I see that a kid is very distressed. I take them out. We have a little hallway in the back and I will talk to them. Because there are things that are more important and it shows the kids that you don't leave people alone, that you help them when they need help and that you do it nicely and seamlessly and that you just just you're there for the people around you?
Speaker 3:I mean, you're already melting my heart. What now? Let's talk about similar to math, and even you know reading and writing. You know we all have students that are intimidated by the discipline that we love and are passionate about. So how do you recognize students that are intimidated by science and what are some approaches that you do to break that down, to change the way that they're thinking about learning science?
Speaker 1:I think the important thing is that you build a good rapport with your students so that they feel they can talk to you and that they want to talk to you. And so you will hear but I'm not good in science. I've never did good in science tests. I'm not going to study science because I cannot handle this, and I think there are a couple of techniques that work really well. With that Number one, show them study techniques and then allow them to use them and to try those techniques.
Speaker 1:Many times I have 12th graders that I ask them so how are you studying this? And they tell me I read the notes In 12th grade. Nobody has really told them yet. There is this, this, this, this, all these other techniques. Um, it would be so much better when you do this. So we go through some of those. But then also you need to allow them to fail and to remediate it so they don't feel so helpless. Many times tests are given and, okay, you got a 72. That's all you're going to ever get. But if somebody wants to better themselves, yes, I will give you a different test if you study and let's try something else, so that they have the safety and then celebrate the success. Show them that they're growing, show them that they can handle it, and show them when they come up with good ideas.
Speaker 1:When you have discussions in class or group work, see you figure this out, uh, but also always tie it in with things that they like. So you need to know your students better and make sure that you that you know. So if they like dancing and I brought it up in a video I had to do uh, and and this kid could not figure out why we needed atp in the cell and, and so I brought in the dancing and I said, uh, do you get tired when you dance? And then he put things together uh, so once you can bring it to their level and attach it to what they're passionate about, that many times uh works, uh tremendously well. So got to see what your audience is and work with them in that sense and never, ever let them think that they can't do it and show them that little by little, progress. It doesn't have to be from an F to an A in a day.
Speaker 3:Oh, just those micro goals Was another real-world practice or a way that you bring the real world into your classroom.
Speaker 1:I have gotten several guest speakers. I used to go to a university here in Florida and gotten the last biotechnology so that I could show them, but I could also borrow the equipment of the university and sometimes they would even send the speakers plus the technology and oh, did the kids feel wonderful because they were interacting with it. I have had students that were in my class before that now are graduated in the health field and in science field come back and talk to them because they can relate to that. I am working with another teacher to do 3D models, printing models of some of the processes and some of the concepts that we are dealing with. And then, because I like human body and health so much, I always get back to that and they can relate to that fairly well.
Speaker 3:The 3D printing has come up a couple of times in some of our episodes. Was that a big process? Was that just something that your school already was planning on getting, or was that an initiative you and some of your peers and fellow faculty put in a grant or put in a request for?
Speaker 1:We're a technology school but I understand there is a lot of now that the 3D printing companies are even looking for schools because they want their kids to understand it so that they get excited about using that technology. But in that sense we had it a little bit easier. But at the beginning they were just making models and some of them were already pre-programmed in the machine. So the teacher and I just said no, no, let's try to do something different.
Speaker 1:And we had them design something and then some students took it further and made it even like movable models. That was, I think, where they then really saw, because then they saw they can really do it different. It's not just pressing some buttons and getting a beautiful skull. You know, it's coming up an idea, problem solving because the first two or three times it's not going to work, and then figuring out how to do that.
Speaker 3:And, as far as collaboration, it's one of the top skills that we all need to have. In fact, the workplace is changing more and more. Even if you are virtual remote, you're collaborating, you're problem-solving with others. How are you bringing that and fostering collaboration and the thought of collaborating before isolating your thinking? How are you approaching that in your classroom?
Speaker 1:I do a lot of group work so that they can discuss together and figure out and do creative thinking. Sometimes they start on their own and then they go into groups. I usually let them go into their own groups most of the time because I want them to be comfortable and I want them to be in the level. Once in a while I will guide students, but most of the time I want them to form their own groups because then they are more willing to talk and to brainstorm. That means you have to give them work where they have to find something out.
Speaker 1:And then at the beginning of the year I may assign roles, but more and more at the end I try not to. And then I observe the groups and if somebody is disengaged then I will maybe talk to them and figure out what to do. Funnily enough and we know that with women in science, many times I will always have one group somewhere where the girls end up having to write everything and everything. And then I go and I make sure that that is not the pattern and that this could be done differently, that everybody should be taking notes, not just the girls. So I think also giving them, empowering them to no, don't be shy, your ideas are supposed to be there.
Speaker 1:I think another big thing that we really have to work on is the soft skills. I find that maybe it's because of the phone or so that sometimes the Curtis speaking waiting for somebody to finish their sentence. All of those skills, how you work together and be also tolerant and patient and not think my opinion is the only one and that's it. But how you work together, even if you don't necessarily agree, is extremely important, and you can do that when you have this work as long as you're walking around and you are just guiding them and they they're already in a classroom that I don't allow even eye rolling in my classroom right from the beginning, because I don't want any judgment.
Speaker 3:I would have gotten in so much trouble.
Speaker 3:Claudia, I would get. I mean because I'm an eye roller, but it's it's more towards direction, like, like a given being, given a directive. That I'm just like, seriously, you know, that's where my eye roll. But I'm curious about, I love, I love the conversation about the soft, still the soft skills, um one I. One of the things I was just thinking about the other day, and so I would love to hear your thoughts on it, is building that confidence in spaces where you know all about innovation is brain, is workshopping, brainstorming, throwing things out there, and you have to sometimes say, say the things and even if others like laugh at it at first or like that sounds ridiculous, having the building the confidence, confidence inside, like all right, well, you might say it's ridiculous, but here's why I'm throwing this out there, or envisioning how do you teach that? Or how do you recognize learners who you know you do not want them to hold themselves back at the same time, how you're building that tolerance to let things just be thrown out there to be heard.
Speaker 1:Taking those intellectual risks. I always tell them to do that, but it is not always easy and at the beginning sometimes people will chuckle. But what I tend to do is then I tend to turn the comments maybe around to where it made a lot of sense of what the person said and that the other people may not have seen it, and I make this like a learning experience. I say, and then I say you see, this wasn't what you meant. But I also am very good at laughing at myself and when I make mistakes. So I make it okay to make mistakes and it is actually, you know. I mean, if we didn't make the mistake, you know number one we wouldn't have the fun that we're having right now. But also, this is what life takes. You cannot grow unless you make mistakes. Okay, and I go into life is one big mistake after another. You know, if you keep learning, you're going to make mistakes. And I go into life is one big mistake after another. If you keep learning, you're going to make mistakes. But building the tolerance and having people keep their opinions a little bit to themselves, I'm very big in teaching them not to characterize people by one or two words, which we humans are very good, that person is smart, that person is stupid, that person. And I show them that no person just has one characteristic and to respect that. So that openness is very important.
Speaker 1:Just two days ago, I tell my students I don't do math in public because I will mess up all the math factors that I did. And in that class I had to do a lot of math and I had it even written down and I was messing it all up and I turned around and I said look, um, and we were having fun, they were chuckling. I turned around and said if this is the only thing about that you knew about me, how would you feel? And I told them not to answer it, see. So I told them you know we all have different strengths, so look for the strengths and then you just keep reinforcing that.
Speaker 1:I think the classroom environment is very important and it takes a while to set it up at the beginning so that you can and then throw out ideas, and when they throw it out at me, I'm always going to turn it around into something. Yeah, we can use this, let's go a little bit further there, and never. No, this is not acceptable, because that's where kids, I think, shut down, make them feel heard, make them feel important, make them feel like, oh, I do have something valuable to contribute. That's what the feeling that you need to give to the kids.
Speaker 3:Oh well, I can tell, I know why Jen still thinks about you, because our producer, jen, had you as a teacher and she spoke so highly of you and so having that imprint on someone like you know you're opening my heart even more than I think I have, you know, one of the biggest hearts out there. I'm, like I kind of like am loving what you're saying, which is why my other understanding from my notes is that you've just been announced the Broward County Teacher of the Year. How did that feel when you got the news? You know, how did you get nominated? Because I can also see the teacher in you. Like, sometimes we have a hard time being praised or being recognized because we want collectively everybody to have that. But I can tell you from this conversation, I can understand why someone would have nominated you, but tell us how. What's going through your mind? Because it's just been recent.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, I will, I will and I will be quite honest about this. In my school, first the school decides and usually you get voted in by the rest of the staff, and that was not my first time. I was selected teacher of the year. I mean, you know 50 teachers, it's going to happen here and there. And then I got a whole afternoon to do my whole application for the county, okay, so at one o'clock I had to start and by four I had to have it ready with three letters of recommendation. So, going through it fast, I went and then didn't think of it much more, and then Broward first said that I was a semi-finalist and then that I was a finalist. When they announced this finalist, they even came into, they visited each of the finalists and they that I was a finalist. When they announced this finalist, they even came into, they visited each of the finalists and they brought it back.
Speaker 1:And you are right, I don't like. I like being in front of my classroom, the spotlight I am. I had a hard time and, to be honest with you, I felt a lot of imposter syndrome because I do what I think I should be doing. I don't think I'm doing this above and beyond, which is so valuable in so many different ways that people do. They bring grants in, they do all these different projects which I think they're amazing. So why am I there?
Speaker 1:Type of idea, type of idea and um, and then this spotlight here, video, their video, um, talk here, do this. That has been, it's been, a learning experience to get there, uh, but uh, on the other hand, it has recharged me because I'm keep thinking again about again, again, what teaching is and it is uh, just giving me again this renewed energy to do more and maybe, maybe, I should reach out to more people. You know, I do some workshops in school. I, as you know, they always ask me to do some of the uh professional uh, development and I usually and classroom management or so, and it's giving me more ideas why this is necessary thing to do. So it's, it's definitely been, an interesting journey.
Speaker 3:And it'll continue. I mean it, you know it's, it's one of those things that it's a um, but it sounds like you're going to make the most of it. I'm sure your students have been ecstatic and you know, obviously, your former student, your former students I'm still thinking about you. What's your advice for somebody I mean, we're always needing more teachers. I mean we have a teaching shortage Like, what's your advice for someone who is in a career that might be considering teaching? Basically, what's your advice for them and how would you get them to think about, like, make the move?
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, and and I think these questions should ask should be asked from somebody that changed careers, because when you look from teaching from the outside, uh, it looks very easy. You go in, you you spend a couple of hours with your kids and you go home and you have nothing to do, right, and you don't necessarily think about all of that. So I think it is good that both sides are brought in. You can see, I have a passion for this and I will tell people it is an amazing, amazing career. You can't get bored. You're always learning something new. You know that you're making a difference one way or the other If you want to. There is so many ways you can make a difference and you keep fresh with the world. Also, you keep up with the technology. You keep up with the news. You understand where the teenagers are coming from. So, um, very rewarding career.
Speaker 1:Having said that, the first year is going to be challenging because you have no idea how to deal with kids.
Speaker 1:When I first started, I thought you teach, you deal with them like, uh, they are, uh, adults, okay, no, you can't, but you also cannot treat them like kids.
Speaker 1:So you've got to learn how to deal with them.
Speaker 1:You've got to learn how to deal with the parents and what to say, what not to say, and how you can make the classes interesting when you're just like 10 minutes ahead of the student that first year, you know, or how do you, how do you get? And I tell them that this is all made easier if you have some really good mentors around you. If you go into some classrooms and look and ask, and there is always, there are always these teachers, because I think that is one of the characteristics of teachers is that we like to help each other, so there will always be the one that will give you some techniques that you can try and then slowly you make your own techniques. Again, I cannot stress enough how it's important that they make the students feel seen, make the students feel respected, because then they can really start figuring out how to do this without having the experiences that could be very negative in the first year. So it's going to take a little time, but it is very satisfying and it is very enlightening and it's a great career.
Speaker 3:Solid advice. Last question why teach science?
Speaker 1:Why teach science? I will tell you why teach science. Why teach science? I will tell you why teach science. To learn how to critically think about information. Look at more than one side. Use logic and not just take the first comment that comes at you. To get into great careers biotechnology, engineering, chemistry great careers biotechnology, engineering, chemistry, environmental science, the medical field Again, logic and critical thinking skills that make life so much better. To understand the world better. If you need to fix your sink or your toilet, did you understand a little bit about water flow and gravity so you don't end up with too many broken parts and water all over the place? So to get the part of thinking that is more analytical. At the same time, you're going to be also creative, so that you can really think and apply information and not fall for every little scam that is out there as well.
Speaker 3:Well, you are definitely no scam. You are the true thing. I have adored this conversation, I have to admit. I have to admit I'm like now, you know, I need to go out into my pool and, you know, do I float. What happens?
Speaker 2:You know I, you know things that are coming at me. I don't know if you've noticed this whole time.
Speaker 3:I'm like I'm watching you and not that you are ever judging me but I'm like, am I sitting up straight and then I would like do this, and then I would slouch and I'm like, ooh, ooh, Like I need that proper advice. I get that, but I have enjoyed this conversation, so have I. I know our listeners will take a lot from this and I hope you have an amazing rest of the school year.
Speaker 1:Thank you very much. I've enjoyed this tremendously. I never talk about what I love, but thank you. Thank you for the wonderful questions. It was amazing.
Speaker 3:You're welcome. If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the Teachers in America podcast, please email us at shaped at hmhcocom. Be the first to hear new episodes of Teachers in America by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed today's show, please rate, review and share it with your network. You can find the transcript of this episode on our SHAPE blog by visiting hmhcocom. Forward slash SHAPE. The link is in the show notes. The Teachers in America podcast is a production of HMH. Executive producers are Christine Condon and Tim Lee. Editorial direction is by Christine Condon. It is creatively directed and audio engineered by Tim Lee. Our producer and editor is Jennifer Carujo. Production designers are Mia Fry and Thomas Velazquez. Shape blog post editors for the podcast are Christine Condon, jennifer Caruho and Alicia Ivory. Thanks again for listening.