teacher

elementary school teacher

english teacher

interventionist

school program staff

Durham Public Schools

whatever you do, do NOT work for this employer. As a teacher there was little communication between administration and teaching staff for example emails were sent literally two minutes before a meeting was to be held/canceled. I never had any of the principals come by to check in on how classes were going and received no support with any behavioral issues with the students. Each time I scheduled a doctors appointment or time to address needs with my family/household my pay would be docked even with documentation from a medical provider etc. we were expected to clock in and out despite being salaried employees, and bookkeeping / payroll is so poorly handled that in the event one resigns from a position they always demand wages back. 

The school I worked at in particular couldn't even provide a dedicated classroom to each staff member and staff were expected to shuffle all their things up and down the halls into other rooms while that teacher had their planning periods. Planning periods were also frequently interrupted with having to cover another teachers class as there was no dedicated substitutes for the school. 

Student behavior while typical for the demographic and age of the population was severely out of control largely due to disengagement between administration and parents so far as setting expectations let alone enforcing them; principals rarely came to ones room when called even when students got violent or threatened a teacher. 

performance reviews / observations were poorly handled and documented in that negative instances of not meeting proficiency were solely placed on the teacher without any consideration for the aforementioned extraneous and environmental factors which went unaddressed by administration.  

I cannot more strongly encourage anyone seeking a position with this employer to look elsewhere. 

Some schools have more money for supplies and technology than other " poorer? schools within the district. Most of the students attending the Durham Public Schools are black and Hispanic.

A typical day for the Substitute Teacher is spent adhering to the lesson plan requirements of the lesson plan of the absent classroom teacher. I am also responsible for managing the learning environment. I usually supervise the students in the Cafeteria, during recess and while they transition to Specials (Art, Music, PE, Media and Computer classes)

At the end of the day , I complete the behavioral folders of each student., send out homework assignments( if needed) and prepare the classroom for the next day.

The hardest part of my day is dealing with student behavior and their "lack of respect" for Substitute Teachers and their classmates. Thankfully the majority of the students come prepared to learn and are respectful of their peers and the teachers(including the Substitute Teacher).

The most enjoyable part is witnessing students have a "lightbulb" moment. I love when a plan comes together. These students finally understand the lessons. Also, I enjoy the smiles, greetings and hugs I receive from students at each school that I substitute.

I worked for the local school system in Durham, NC as a Substitute teacher for several years.  I liked working with students as a Substitute teacher because I was able to change classrooms by the day or by the week.  I felt as thought I was able to try to maintain order in the classroom, and start anew everyday.  Some classrooms are more challenging than others and I had to work to try to resolve issues the moment they came up to get the students focused and back on track.  I liked co-teaching in Special Education classrooms, in a Teacher Assistant role.  I liked helping to circulate around the classroom and help students with their Independent work.  I liked watching students as they began understanding the lesson.  I enjoyed seeing teachers work with curriculum standards in order to see what they wanted students to learn about.  We addressed goals as a school community, even as a bounced around from school to school, I saw where the teachers and administrators chose important goals by grade level to help students learn by doing activities, taking field trips, or working closely with Specialists.  I liked helping students to feel confident and ready to learn.

Lakeview school has been a great place to work.  The leadership of the school is fair, supportive of teachers and staff, and open to any ideas that will improve the culture and environment of learning for the students.  

In this environment I have learned how to teach and help students who have difficulty controlling their anger and their behaviors.  Many of the students are progressing below their academic grade levels due to suspensions and environmental conditions at home and in the community.  

My greatest joy comes in a day when I am successful in helping a student or co-worker think about ideas or problems from a different or more creative point of view.  Watching students become engaged in learning with the ability to apply higher order thinking skills in ways that are relevant to their lives is very rewarding in this environment.

I enjoy working with my co-workers because even though we may have different approaches to teaching or to student discipline I feel that all of my co-workers genuinely have the student's best interest at heart.

I have typically liked all the jobs that I have had because they all are dealing or interacting with people and that is what I enjoy doing most. A typical day at work for me would be a day that is productive. Throughout the day I would be learning, as well as teaching, team work. I believe we can be more productive together as a team and get the job done. Management is always a major part of the job because if management is good and supportive to staff then the team as a whole can or would get the job done together. Co-workers are essential because they help to get the job done otherwise this becomes the hardest part of the job when, others don't pull there weight. The most important part of any job that I have had is being successful and making sure the job was complete. For example I have worked a job where an assembly line was a major part of the production and in order to assure the work was being completed our staff had to work as a team and the only way we would make the quota at the end of the day was if the staff worked as a team, to get the work done . However if that was not happening we, the team could have lost our jobs because productivity would have been low which would have made the work incomplete.

A typical day at work was energetic once the children got there in before school or when they were getting out of school. There was never a dull moment. I learned a lot while working at DPS. I've learned management skills, how to work with others on a consistent basis, and also how to train other on games or any activities that I may know. My manager worked well with me. There were times when she came to me for advise about what should happen in the before and after school program. My co-workers were great. They were always willing to listen to advise and also share great advise with me as well. The hardest part about working there was having my own child in my group and him wanting his way because he is my child. The most enjoyable part about working there was the joy on the children's faces everyday from some of the simple things in life such as art activities or maybe even playing an easy game in the gym. I feel that I've made a difference in some of the children's lives.

Poor job advancement and pay to live off of in the state of North Carolina. No room for career advancement for job growth.  You are grading papers all day and night unless you get a scanner or other Angels (Students/ Family members) to help grade papers. Little time to cook family dinner or time for yourself at home. You have no potty breaks during the day while teaching classes (or) rarely is there anyone ever around the classrooms just to relieve you / Teachers, if you/ they have to go potty/ use the restroom. Upper Management is some school talk down to you because of the position you hold. Most times they are afraid of the students and will not effectively teach or manage a classroom full of children themselve.  Most of them are scared to death to leave their offices and cushioned jobs with pay just to interact with the students on a daily basis at all. They figure why bother, when they can find anyone / someone to teach the class for little to no pay. What do they care?

Start at 6:30am preparing for the day.
7am on hall duty, students enter class from 7:15-7:25.
4 to 7 classes per day which vary from 15 to 34 students, with diversity (linguistic, socioeconomic, ethnic, gender-identity, religious) representative of Durham County.
2:30pm student dismissal
At school or home, grade up to 150 assignments, enter grades into online grading software, plan reteaching/next lesson/assessment/technology integration/field trip for next day or beyond.

Repeat daily from mid-August to mid-June.  Then take classes, apply for scholarships, complete references for students, breathe and spend time outdoors until the next school year starts.

I learned that summer was the best time to engage in continuing education, and enjoy family time.  The hardest part of the job was balancing work requirements and family needs during the year.  The most enjoyable part was watching a student master a skill or demonstrate understanding of a new concept.

A typical day as an EC Pre K Instructional Assistant consists of gathering the children from the buses during arrival, leading them to the classroom and preparing them for breakfast. The children would then have centers, in which they have the opportunity to interact with each other and mostly, play. This is followed by circle time, more time in centers, lunch, nap time, and one last circle time before dismissal. The atmosphere feels more like providing daycare as opposed to an educational environment. 
     I have enjoyed several aspects of my employ with Durham Public Schools ( particularly when I was teaching), but I found my interactions with co-workers and clients to be more enjoyable when I worked as a qualified professional. I enjoyed the opportunity to educate minors (while providing such services as intensive in home and community supports) in areas outside academics, and helping them develop life skills and independence.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Teacher 8 salaries reported	$52,198 per year
Elementary school teacher 3 salaries reported	$46,167 per year
English teacher 1 salary reported	$3,500 per month
Interventionist 21 salaries reported	$25.00 per hour
School program staff 3 salaries reported	$16.86 per hour

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