Instructional Resource Teacher In An Elementary School

How I Got The Job

My Education: BA, Elementary Education, Furman University MA, Literacy, University of North Carolina

My Prior Experience: I was a camp counselor and camp director. I also did volunteer work in elementary schools.

My Job Profile

My Company: I work for a public school system near Raleigh, North Carolina.

Job/Career Overview: I am an instructional resource teacher and an intervention teacher in an elementary school. Each job is considered fifty percent of my day but both jobs could easily be one hundred percent by itself! As the instructional resource teacher, I act as a liaison to the staff at the central office. I share with the staff new initiatives and any information from central office. I set up staff development for the teachers, include literacy trainings, math, technology, discipline, facilitative leadership, etc. Modeling lessons in classrooms is another aspect of the instructional resource teacher's job. I go into classrooms and do lessons with the students. While I am doing a lesson, the teacher observes what I do. I also meet with individual teachers and assist with planning or ideas for things to do in the classroom. For example, I am currently working with a third grade teacher who needed assistance with teaching writing. We are planning together and I help out during her writer's workshop block each day.

Another important aspect of my job is to serve on the administration team. I meet weekly with the principal, assistant principal, magnet coordinator and counselor. We discuss issues affecting the school. The other half of my job is as intervention teacher. Currently our third grade classes are overcrowded. I spend half of my day helping out in the third grade classes. During this time, I work with small groups in reading, writing and math. This frees the teacher up to work with other small groups of teachers. I also work with the third grade team during our professional learning team time. During this time, we study data, develop lessons, discuss students and proper placement and how to reach all students. This time has allowed us more time to plan together. I love my job! There is a lot of variety and I am busy all the time!

More Insights: Being a teacher is fabulous! Don't let people try to talk you out of it because they say that you do not make much money! It is awesome and we need good teachers! Teachers do work very hard! It is definitely not a nine to five job. However, the rewards are wonderful!