Last week I was contacted by the website, Teacher Certification Degrees. It was a pleasant surprise to learn that they had checked out my blog and wanted to interview me for their website. Teacher Certification Degrees is a wonderful resource for those seeking information about becoming a teacher. They also provide resources for current teachers. Their website hosts a list of the Top 50 Teacher Blogs in several categories. I aspire to be on that list someday! Here is part of my interview:
Interview with Diane Hubacz,
Texas Third Grade Teacher
We recently had the chance to interview Diane Hubacz, a Texas educator who teaches math, science and social studies to third-grade students. Diane’s been a teacher for ten years, having also previously taught second and fourth grades. Diane attended Ohio State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Early & Middle Childhood Education. For eleven years, Diane took a career break so that she could stay at home to raise her two sons, but during that time she remained active in the schools as a PTO and PTA President. She received a School Volunteer Recognition Award and Distinguished Friend of Education Award from the Connecticut Association of Schools for her volunteer efforts. During our interview, Diane detailed what an average teaching day is like for her and also articulated the most challenging and rewarding characteristics of her job.
Please describe what a typical day looks like for you.
It is important to me to start the day with solid lesson plans and to be as prepared as possible when the students arrive. I have created my own lesson plan template, which helps me to remember everything I need to do for each day of the week. Years ago, I attended time management training; I still use the techniques I learned then as the CEO of my classroom today.
As the students arrive, I greet them at the door. It is important to me to find connections and build a relationship of trust with each student. I spend a lot of time going over expectations for everything that we do in the classroom. I believe in positive behavior management and learning from our mistakes. Most of my lessons are designed to begin as whole group lessons. We then break into independent activities, which are differentiated to meet the needs of my students. This allows me to pull individual students or small groups to review or re-teach. Each year this changes a bit based upon the current group of students.
I have fifty minutes of planning time each day and most of it is devoted to team planning meetings. I love team planning as it keeps us all on track, allows us to evaluate what worked and what didn’t work, and share a variety of ideas. I work with a very experienced group of teachers and love learning from them.
Once the students leave for the day, I go through my list of ‘to dos’ for the next day, answer parent emails, prepare materials, tidy up, etc. I do most of my grading at home.
What aspects of your job are the most challenging and what do you do to overcome them?
The most challenging part of teaching is managing the ever-growing demands placed on educators. As with many businesses, teaching jobs are being eliminated and responsibilities are shifting. Teachers wear many hats and we are often asked to add one more. The key is to be adaptive and flexible while trying not to stress over things for which you have no control.
What do you most enjoy about being a teacher?
I most enjoy the children. They make me smile and warm my heart in the most satisfying way. There is nothing more important to me than making a difference in each of my students’ lives. I strive to help them do their best and get the most out of their year with me. I want them to be as well prepared as possible for their next level of education.
I find teaching to be a tremendously rewarding job. It is music to my ears to hear a former student tell me that I helped them succeed. That’s what it’s all about!
To read more of the interview, click HERE.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing this exciting news with me!
