Lol.
I retired five years ago - to be honest, should have pursued a disability suit, but didn’t want to be a victim.
In NY, it was Aim, Do Now, Direct Instruction, Guided Instruction, Independent/Group Work. All on a clock. If an admin walked past after fifteen minutes, and you were still on Direct Instruction, they could write you up.
Cheeseburgers in Peoria had to taste the same as those in Philly - site based management reduced to the classroom, nah.
My first year at a high performing school on Long Island, I had a 10H English class second period and the kids had PE first. I had everything planned and they would come in, sweaty (because no one dressed or showered), plop down, and I would engage them, former jock and all.
ME: What’d you do in PE today?
Everyday it was the same answer: Phhhth, free play.
My first year in Brooklyn I had two classes - 731 and 732 - they were the lowest performing kids in the school, read on a second grade level.
I would have 731 for three periods, then 732 for two. Then the next day, switch. We called the extra period “Enrichment.”
Hard to fill up 135 minutes with seventh graders, but you as a SPED teacher understand that - it can’t all be structured time.
I read to them. A lot.
By the end of the year their reading levels had gone up three grades.
Because I read to them.
If you can shut the door and read/teach, it’s a good gig.
