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I teach high school on Chicago's south side. What would you like to know? I teach high school on Chicago's South Side. What would you like to know?
(35 minutes later)
For the last seven years, Dave Stieber has taught history and social studies at public schools in Chicago's south side. He currently teaches at TEAM in Englewood. Dave will be online today from 12.30 to 1.30pm ET | 5.30 to 6.30 BST to answer your questions. What would you like to know? Toss your questions in the comments. For the last seven years, Dave Stieber has taught history and social studies at public schools in Chicago's South Side. He currently teaches at TEAM in Englewood. Dave will be online today between 12.30pm and 1.30 ET (5.30-6.30 BST) to answer your questions. What would you like to know? Toss your questions in the comments.
What's your typical day like?What's your typical day like?
My typical work day consists of me waking up at 5am, walking the dog, breakfast, and dressed by 5.40. Giving my son and wife a kiss then out the door by 6.10am. I'm on the bus to work and at school by 6.40am. My typical work day consists of me waking up at 5am, walking the dog, breakfast, and getting dressed by 5.40. Giving my son and wife a kiss then out the door by 6.10am. I'm on the bus to work and at school by 6.40am.
I'm a morning person so I need time before kids arrive to get everything set up and prepared and make sure my plans are ready to be carried out. Students come up at 7.30am and class starts at 7.45am. I'm a morning person, so I need time before kids arrive to get everything set up and prepared and make sure my plans are ready to be carried out. Students come up at 7.30am and class starts at 7.45am.
I have five classes from 7.45am – 3.08pm with one 48-minute block for meetings, one for preparing my lessons, materials/copies and grading, and another for lunch. Most days I have to stay after school to meet with students or prepare for the next day. Some days I have meetings or a spoken word club that I along with two other teachers run. I have five classes from 7.45am – 3.08pm, with one 48-minute block for meetings, one for preparing my lessons, materials/copies and grading, and another for lunch. Most days I have to stay after school to meet with students or prepare for the next day. Some days I have meetings or a spoken-word club that I along with two other teachers run.
(I have back-to-back classes from 7.45 – 9.33am. Period off for meetings and planning with other teachers. Another class from 10.33 – 11.24 then lunch. Another class from 12.25 – 1.16. One period off for planning, grading, copies etc. Then my last class of the day from 2.17 – 3.08.) (I have back-to-back classes from 7.45–9.33. One period off for meetings and planning with other teachers. Another class from 10.33–11.24, then lunch. Another class from 12.25–1.16. One period off for planning, grading, copies etc. Then my last class of the day from 2.17–3.08.)
I teach high school juniors and seniors. I have three world history classes, one AP world history class and one urban studies class. I teach high-school juniors and seniors. I have three world history classes, one AP world history class, and one urban studies class.
What is your salary? Do you get benefits?What is your salary? Do you get benefits?
According to the salary schedule I have seven years in the system plus my Masters so I make $67,000 before taxes. I have health and dental benefits that I partially pay for my employer covers most of the monthly cost. According to the salary schedule, I have seven years in the system plus my Master's, so I make $67,000 before taxes. I have health and dental benefits that I partially pay, for my employer covers most of the monthly cost.
What's your work: life balance ratio like? What's your work-life balance ratio like?
I am involved in a lot of things professionally so the balance between work and home life is delicate. I have had to learn to say "no" to taking on more things at work so I can make sure I am home with my 17-month-old son and my wife (she is also a teacher). The balance is tough I am working on it and improving as best as I can. I coach poetry at my school, am the union delegate, and I am taking a weekly grad school class so my school days typically end up being longer than I sometimes want them to be. So if I end up staying longer one day I try to make sure I get home as soon as I can the next. Because as much as I love teaching and my students, there is nothing like being home with my son and wife. I am involved in a lot of things professionally, so the balance between work and home life is delicate. I have had to learn to say "no" to taking on more things at work so I can make sure I am home with my 17-month-old son and my wife (she is also a teacher). The balance is tough, but I am working on it and improving as best as I can. I coach poetry at my school, am the union delegate, and I am taking a weekly grad school class so my school days typically end up being longer than I sometimes want them to be. So if I end up staying longer one day I try to make sure I get home as soon as I can the next. Because as much as I love teaching and my students, there is nothing like being home with my son and wife.
What's the most unexpected thing that's ever happened to you while working?What's the most unexpected thing that's ever happened to you while working?
Having to grieve with my students after our first student was killed due to violence outside of school. He was a senior a few months from graduation. He had come from difficult circumstances (like most of our kids) and had turned his life around and gotten accepted to college. I found out early on a Saturday morning and was dreading going to school that Monday. I had written a poem about him that Sunday. I got to school and most of the school was gathered in the auditorium to talk and grieve. I decided to share my poem with the kids and staff and I cried hard and barely made it through the poem. It was a terrible experience that I wish no one ever experiences (sadly our school has experienced other deaths from violence since). Having to grieve with my students after our first student was killed because of violence outside of school. He was a senior a few months from graduation. He had come from difficult circumstances (like most of our kids) and had turned his life around and gotten accepted to college. I found out early on a Saturday morning and was dreading going to school that Monday. I had written a poem about him that Sunday. I got to school and most of the school was gathered in the auditorium to talk and grieve. I decided to share my poem with the kids and staff: I cried hard and barely made it through the poem. It was a terrible experience that I wish no one ever has to go through. Sadly our school has experienced other deaths from violence since.
What makes for a really good day at work?What makes for a really good day at work?
A really good day at work is when the lessons that I spent time preparing work how I imagined them to, the kids enjoy the lesson, and I enjoy teaching it. Because a bad day means the lessons that took hours to create were not embraced, the kids didn't understand, were too easy or I just wasn't able to convey clearly. Or even worse those lessons were interrupted with announcements, a fire drill, kids coming late to class, or coming up late from lunch. A really good day at work is when the lessons that I spent time preparing work how I imagined them to, the kids enjoy the lesson, and I enjoy teaching it. Because a bad day means the lessons that took hours to create were not embraced, the kids didn't understand, were too easy, or I just wasn't able to convey clearly. Or even worse, those lessons were interrupted with announcements, a fire drill, kids coming late to class, or coming up late from lunch.
What's the biggest mistake you've ever made on the job?What's the biggest mistake you've ever made on the job?
The biggest mistake I have made and still sometimes make is taking some things the kids say or do personally. I am respected by the students, but sometimes teenagers have bad days due to hormones, their home life, or events of all types outside of school. Kids often bring their sadness and anger into school and unintentionally may take out their frustrations on others. At times it is easy to remember that they are kids who are unable to put their emotions into the proper channels, but other times those emotions stick with me as their teacher. The biggest mistake I have made, and still sometimes make, is taking some things the kids say or do personally. I am respected by the students, but sometimes teenagers have bad days: hormones, their home life, or events of all types outside of school. Kids often bring their sadness and anger into school, and unintentionally may take out their frustrations on others. At times it's easy to remember they are kids who are unable to put their emotions into the proper channels, but other times those emotions stick with me as their teacher.
What are the biggest challenges facing you and your industry right now?What are the biggest challenges facing you and your industry right now?
Public education is under attack in this country. There is a lot of money being pumped in to make it appear that temporary two-year teacher programs are helping students and that charters supposedly perform better. There are an insane amount of standardized tests. Then there is our mayor, who doesn't actually listen or care what the community thinks he has other priorities with our district. There is the fact the mayor appoints the school board rather than having an elected board. Our city claims it has no money for schools, yet gives money hand over fist to beautify an already nice downtown, build new subsidized sports stadiums, river walks and parks, all while closing the most schools in the history of the United States. Public education is under attack in this country. There is a lot of money being pumped in to make it appear that temporary two-year teacher programs are helping students, and that charters supposedly perform better. There are an insane amount of standardized tests. Then there is our mayor [Rahm Emanuel], who doesn't actually listen or care what the community thinks; he has other priorities.
There is the fact that the mayor appoints the school board rather than having an elected board. Our city claims it has no money for schools, yet gives money hand over fist to beautify an already nice downtown, build new subsidized sports stadiums, river walks and parks, all while closing the biggest number of schools in the history of the United States.