For this day I went to Pitt River Middle school since I couldn’t go to my parents’ work. I moved around the classes, talked to the students and just tried to help around.

The name of my host is Mrs.Siklic. She is my former teacher. I asked her a few questions about her job and these are what she had to say.

1.What is your job description?
To educate based on BC curriculum at Pitt River Middle, grade 8 core class and to inspire future learning.

2.What are the duties and/or tasks you perform at your job?
There’s a lot of lesson planning, assessing student progress, communicating with parents, helping students in area of difficulties (before/after school), adjusting work for students who needs adaptation and meeting with staff.

3.What qualifications do you have for this job in the following areas?
-Training: Completed practicum (attended workshops regularly.)
-Education: Bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate.
-Experience: Been teaching for 13 years in various capacity/grades.
-Skills and attributes (personal qualities): Patience,sense of humour, care and creativity.

4.What are some things you like about your job?
Seeing students succeed, having great people to work with and flexibility (since I only work part time.)

5.What are somethings you dislike about this job?
The fact that you can’t reach every student and when students aren’t motivated.

6.How do you anticipate this job changing in the next 5 years or so?
Teachers will have to become more creative because there won’t be more funding and the classes might get bigger.

7.Why or when did you decide you wanted to be a teacher?
I knew since I was in high school. There was a vice principle who would always make jokes. The fact that the vice principle knew me and my name, made me want to be the kind of adult that inspired kids. Also when I was young, I used to play school a lot and I was always a teacher.

8.What makes you want to keep teaching?
When you have a family, your choices are limited and it’s harder to switch between jobs. The fact that I can be a mom and be a teacher part time keeps me going. Why switch when you love and are comfortable with the job.

9.Your favourite moment from teaching?
When I worked full time (core class) and having that connection with the class. I saw them everyday and over time it builds this strong connection. I remember raising money for charity, we had lunches together as a class like once or month and they threw a surprise party for me too.

10. What is your favourite grade to teach?
Grade 7 because they’re in between grades of 6 and 8s and the kids are older so they’re not completely lost and they start to get the jokes and they learn a bit easier too.

Student Reflection

Three reasons why you like this job.
-You get to communicate with a lot of kids and you get to learn their passions and what they want to do.
-Not only are you teaching them, they’re teaching you something in return as well. For example: they could be from a different culture and you learn a bit more about the culture and the kid.
-The connections you make with the teacher(s). I always go back and visit my middle school teachers because I love going back and talking to them and the one on one conversations are so important to me.

Three reasons why you would not like this job.
-The preparation for class. Especially the grading and all, I don’t think I would like that.
-Being in a classroom everyday for more than 6 hours.
-Students that couldn’t care less about school and disrespectful students. I wouldn’t know how to handle them without getting super frustrated.

Is this job for you? Why or why not?
This job is not for me, not because I don’t like it or anything. I have mad respect for all the teachers that are putting hours and hours of work into the students even if they don’t have to. It’s just I have other hobbies. Even though it was a lot of fun, I want to travel a lot and I don’t see myself being a teacher.

Explain the value of the TOKTW experience in relation to your ideas about your post secondary (after high school) plans (education?, training?, travel?, work?)

TOKTW experience has taught me all that teachers do behind the scenes and all the effort and hours that goes into the lessons each day. This is not a career I would choose down the line (after high school) but I have a lot of respect for all the teachers that cares and are doing extra to see their students become successful.