Does your school use textbooks older than your students? Do they use textbooks at all?
I got this email from a GeometryCoach.com email subscriber.
I don’t know about you but I’m in a district that has no textbooks and I’m the only person teaching Geometry. As a new teacher to the district (not to teaching math 10 plus years) I am having a very hard time adjusting. There are no textbooks, everything is supposed to be done via Google Classroom, iPads, email, and the worst part is there is no other Geometry Teacher in the district to get materials from, bounce ideas off of, or even plan together with. Oh, and I didn’t even mention everything we do has to be aligned to the new Common Core Standards. I couldn’t imagine what this would be like for a first year teacher! Do you have any advise or suggestions as to how to make this adjustment?
My response was simple:
Hi Molly,
Sorry to hear about your frustrations. Unfortunately this is the case in a lot of schools now a days. It is even worse for those of you in small districts where there is only one Geometry Teacher. Let me ask you this one simple question and it may answer all of your questions. “How much is your free time and sanity worth to you in dollars?” If you could never have to plan a lesson again, never have to create a test or quiz again, never have to worry about staying current with the constant standard changes, and constantly had new materials and a support forum to the extent that if you wanted something created all you had to do is ask, how many hours a week would that save you? Would it be 10-20-30 hours a week in planning? How much more free time would you have? How much happier and less stressful would your life be?
My advice would be join the Geometry Teacher Community for less than $1.25 per day. It has everything and anything you could possibly need for your Geometry class and it’s all common core aligned. However, more importantly than that it is a forum with other geometry teachers that have the same frustrations. You’ll be able to share ideas and materials.
Here’s the best part! A lot of schools are given a stipend to use for the math department. In some cases each teacher is given one to buy materials. If this isn’t the case, after you ask the school to pay for your membership and they say no, you do get a tax write off as a teacher for purchasing school related materials. In most cases our teachers don’t even have to pay out of pocket to join. If you don’t ask or don’t look into it then your struggles will continue until you do. Make the decision based on how your life will change without those stresses. If your time is worth $1.25 per day then the decision is easy. JOIN TODAY!
Moral of the story:
This teacher’s options are create everything, be completely stressed out for the entire year, probably be in a bad mood which will affect those around her including friends and family; or she can spend a little money (possibly not even her own!) and get her free time and sanity back. It’s really a no brainer’ for those of you in situations like this. Time is our most valuable asset! Simply click the link below to join the Geometry Teacher Community. Want to see some samples first? No problem! Download the Unit 1 Sample Lessons at the bottom of the membership option page!
