8th Grade Math Teacher 

(Female, Age 29) from Vancouver, WA

This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 29 who works as a 8th Grade Math Teacher in Vancouver, WA. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.

At a Glance

Current Job

Basic data on your current job

Job Title 8th Grade Math Teacher
Salary $56,000
Other Compensation None Set
Hours/Week
Company Size (not answered)
Location Vancouver, WA
Years Experience 8 years

Career Ratings

Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)

Years in Career 0
Education (not answered)
Income Rating 0 / 10
Interest Rating 0 / 10
Work-Life Rating 0 / 10
Fulfilment Rating 0 / 10

Current job Q&A

Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work for one of 2 school districts in a large suburban type area. There are over 26,000 students in our district.

Describe your job role and responsibilities.
teach 3 8th grade/high school level math classes, mostly algebra. grade papers, plan lessons, meet with other teachers, contact parents as necessary.

Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
summer vacation, 2 weeks winter vacation, 1 week spring break, 12 sick days, health insurance, dental

Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
justly compensated

Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
Yes – I have dealy with other students (obviously), other teachers, and also parents on a daily basis. I really enjoy all of this interaction.

Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes

Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes

Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
Teachers that teach the same areas as me are continuously collaborating regarding what lessons we are on, how we are teaching them, how are students are doing, and sharing ideas.

Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 4
Benefits: 5
Hours: 2
Co-Workers: 1
Supervisors: 6
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 7
The Actual Work: 3

A day in the life of…

Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:

5am to 6am
6am to 7am
7am to 8am Arrive at school at 7:30AM. Check email, check mailbox, until 7:40 when students are allowed into the building. Provide general supervision until school officially starts at 7:55AM. SUpervise a 10 minute homeroom period where attendance is taken and schoolwide announcements are made. Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
8am to 9am This is my “planning period” where I don’t teach kids and have time to plan for my classes. This morning I talked with 2 special education teachers about a student who may have been placed in the wrong class and needs more support. Checked phone messages and got a return call from a parent I tried to reach yesterday. Called back and talke to the stepfather of a student who has been acting out in class.
9am to 10am Made copies of a mini quiz on metric measurement for one class, and copies of a worksheet on combining like terms for 2 other classes. Talked with another math teacher next door. Typed up a quick PowerPoint presentation that contained problems for students to do as they came into the room (daily starter). First class started at 9:35AM.
10am to 11am First class continued until 11:05 AM. We reviewed Chapter 1 for a quiz they are taking on Monday. I wrote down sample problems under a document camera and worked through them with the class. They needed extra practice with combining like terms, and so they worked on a worksheet for the last 15 minutes of class.
11am to 12pm 2nd class started at 11:05. Class took the mini quiz on metric measurement. Played a fractions card game. Finished up 2 pages in their notes journal.
12pm to 1pm 2nd class ended at 12:35. Lunch from 12:35 – 1:05 in the teacher’s lounge.
1pm to 2pm Last class of the day started at 1:05. We reviewed Chapter 1 for a quiz they are taking on Monday. I wrote down sample problems under a document camera and worked through them with the class.
2pm to 3pm School ended at 2:30 PM. From 2:30 to 3PM I checked and responded to email, cleaned off my desk, organized the room.
3pm to 4pm Left for home.
4pm to 5pm at home
5pm to 6pm at home
6pm to 7pm at home
7pm to 8pm at home
8pm to 9pm at home
9pm to 10pm at home
10pm to 11pm
11pm to 12am

Table of Contents

How you got your job

How did you get your current job?
Internet – school district’s website

What was the application process?
Submitted an online application, which included attaching a resume

Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Yes. I was out of state at the time so I did a phone interview. The interview was with a group of administrators and teachers.

If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
What part do you see collaboration playing? What steps would you take to differentiate instruction for your class? How do you assess students?

Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes. I was given all the resources I asked for and felt supported by administrators and colleagues.

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Yes – I enrolled in a MAster’s program (not necesary) which also got me certified. Another important aspect was a student teaching practicum.

Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes – I teach math and my undergraduate degree helped prepare me.

If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
YES! It was experience teaching full time in a realy class setting.

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Volunteer at different schools to see what it is like and whether it is fun for you.

What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
Patience – you are working with kids here. Organizational skills – you have to grade students and keep track of it all.

Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
you need to be comfortable with the content you are teaching and to be successful, you should have some education regarding classroom management and assessment techniques

What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
It can be overwheliming at first. Find a mentor at your school to answer your questions and be supportive.

Long-term career plans

Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes

What are your current career goals?

Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?

Prior work history

Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:

Title Length Salary Description
Prior Job 1 6th grade math teacher 1 yr. 35000 Taught 6th grade math at a middle school
Prior Job 2 Quest Teacher 4 yrs 45000 Taught 5th and 6th grade highly capable students at an elementary school

Educational background

Please list your educational background:

High School GPA:

GPA School Degree
College (Undergraduate)
or Technical/Vocational
University of Illinois BS Bioengineering
Graduate or Professional
(Masters or Doctorate)
Seattle University Masters in Teaching

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