A teacher's life. In the summer
Aug. 14—This has been updated from its original version to correct an error.
School might be out for the summer, but for teachers, the learning is still going on.
For educators, enjoying those lazy summer days isn't the main item on the to-do list. Summers are full of training, conferences, classes for recertification, reading curriculum, preparing the classroom, gathering materials for the coming school year and getting a chance to catch their breath before the school year starts again.
Lewiston teacher Jamie Morton is going into her 11th year as an educator, teaching high school science including forestry, biology and environmental science. She often hears comments about teachers getting the whole summer off to relax.
"Like any job, in all honesty, people can step back and think there's not much to it," Morton said. "I can say without a doubt there's so much more to it than you can possibly imagine going into the field of education."
Sheila Frei is a first grade teacher at Camelot Elementary and has been teaching for 32 years. Frei is already back in the classroom getting it ready for the school year. "I'm one that can't wait," she said.
And she's not the only one.
Melissa Stroupe is heading into her 10th year of teaching, but this year she's moving from third grade to teaching music at Centennial Elementary. Not only is she getting ready for the new school year, but a new classroom and a new subject.
Her prep work began when the school year ended. "I don't know if there was really an end," Stroupe said. "I take little vacations here and there, but for the most part I come in every day and do little things."
Most of her time now is spent preparing the classroom, which includes redecorating, reorganizing and seeing what instruments and materials are needed. That way when school starts she can focus all her attention on her students and not be distracted by prep work.
"We wouldn't be in this job if it wasn't for the kids," Stroupe said. "That's why we spend so much time setting up in the summer."
During the summer, she also read resource and curriculum books to help her become more knowledgeable about her new subject so that passing on that information to her students becomes second nature. She also met with other music teachers through the Idaho Education Association to learn what resources and strategies they use in the classroom.
"It's kinda nice when you have those people to bounce ideas off of," she said.
She also works with the band teacher and other teachers at the school to set up the classroom, like putting in risers and seeing if there's songs or lessons she can do in her music class that could complement what they're learning, like singing a song about multiplication.
"We never really turn our brain off. We keep going, 'How do we do the best for our students?'" Stroupe said. "It's constantly learning."
That constant learning for teachers like Stroupe, Morton and Frei also means attending training and conferences, sometimes putting it on themselves.
"We want the absolute best educators for our kids," Morton said. "Public education is important for our democracy."
For the past eight years, Frei has been helping train teachers on how to use science, technology, engineering and math, known as STEM, in primary grades like first grade. She realized that STEM was focused on upper grades and saw a need for it to be implemented in lower grade levels by using Legos.
The training is funded by a grant and with the Idaho Stem Action Center. They start planning for the training in the fall for the four-day training in the summer.
"You always learn something new," Frei said. "I love it because it's a chance to teach educators."
Stroupe also helped with STEM training and Morton develops and attends conferences through the Idaho Education Association. This year, the Summer Institute was held at Lewis-Clark State College and had 150 participants around the state. Some teachers also attend national and state conferences that relate to their field of education to bring that knowledge into the classroom.
Sometimes new laws are passed that can affect the training programs for teachers. New laws can cause changes in the common core standards, so lessons must be adjusted and new requirements must be met. This year, the Idaho legislature passed a law to establish dyslexia screening, training for teachers and created a handbook with intervention strategies.
Morton said when laws get passed, there's often not a lot of direction on how to implement it.
"So what do educators do? Educate themselves," she said.
In this case, one of the teachers from the Lewiston School District created dyslexia training for educators.
While students might be able to take a break from classwork and credit course loads in the summer months, teachers can be taking classes to earn credits for recertification or to keep up with current information in education. In the Lewiston School District, teachers need at least six credits every five years to recertify.
Stroupe took courses to get ready for her new music role and as part of her recertification at the Center for Teaching and Learning through the Idaho Education Association. Frei also took a class this summer as well. "Not to recertify," she said. "I want to be current and I want to be knowledgeable and have as much information as I can to be a better teacher."
While it's all work, some of what teachers do in the summer includes traveling with students for educational trips. Morton went to the Galapagos Islands with three other teachers and 17 students as part of a field trip.
When Frei takes vacation time, she's still thinking about her students. She went to Hawaii this summer and is bringing back brochures and photos to show her students.
"Anything that we can bring back and share with them, it makes it more real," she said.
All the work teachers do during the summer isn't part of their contract, which only includes the 190 days during which teachers officially work. Teachers in the Lewiston School District are paid for 10 months but the money is divided into 12 months to include the summer.
"It's not like we're getting paid to do any of these things," Morton said, about the summer work that includes the classroom prep, training, conferences and recertification.
Teachers officially start three days before the students arrive but many are in the classroom before that to get ready for the new school year. Some elementary school teachers are writing letters to parents and students once they have their class list to begin a connection. High school teachers like Morton are preparing for six classes and about 180 students.
"Summers are getting shorter. There's always more to do," Morton said.
Teaching is more than just educating students, it's building a relationship which takes an emotional toll as well. The time away from students in the summer can give some teachers a break from that side of the education profession.
"Any relationship you build with another person, it takes a lot of time and a lot of yourself," Morton said. "The emotional down time is so critical for most educators I know."
For Frei the emotional and social components of education aren't the hardest part of the job, it's the academic pressure for students and teachers to perform.
"I just want the kids to be kids," she said.
Frei said her goal with her students is that they "know they are safe and loved and cared for here and all the rest will come," she said.
Those connections also help with the student's learning so she can know who needs extra help in reading or math.
"I love my kids and I want to give them everything possible to make the best learning environment for them," Frei said.
Despite the challenges and weeks of work during the summer "break," Morton said it's the best profession. It's intellectually challenging, never boring and has great colleagues. The best part is the students and seeing them grow, change and become independent.
"There's so much reward that comes with it, but it's definitely not easy by any means," Morton said.
Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.
