A teacher’s first year is a mix of excitement and new challenges. Learning how to manage a classroom and how to cater to different student learning needs can be demanding. However, first year kindergarten teacher, Carol Rotz, has approached her first semester teaching with excitement, and is achieving great results. The D38 Communications Team spoke with Rotz to learn more about her experience and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
Before this year, you were a paraeducator. What prompted you to make the move to teacher?
I've had my initial teaching license for about ten years now. I completed my student teaching in a kindergarten classroom in 2014, and I was a kindergarten para for about a year around 2017. Around that time childcare got too expensive, so I stayed home with my youngest child. I decided to slowly transition back into the classroom in 2021, and I worked as a part-time preschool assistant at Bear Creek Elementary. Last year I was given the opportunity to work at Palmer Lake Elementary as a kindergarten para and work closely with that amazing team. My team taught me a lot, and I was offered a position as a kindergarten teacher this year. I feel incredibly lucky!
What has been your favorite part of your first semester teaching? What have you found most surprising or challenging?
My favorite part has been my students and my co-workers. I have a very sweet, funny, smart class this year. They really are great kids!
I have the amazing privilege of working with Chris Thomas again this year. I have an amazing mentor, Kecia Tomitsch, and help from our instructional coach, Lisa DelVecchio, and principal, Kim Briding. I could not do my job without any of them, nor without our paras, Tammy Dolan, Shea Westmoreland, and Eileen Arnold. Our team here is outstanding; everyone is always ready to pitch in and help.
The most challenging thing is keeping the attention of some of my students, and managing some of the challenging behaviors in the classroom. For me, the most surprising part was the amount of “behind the scenes” work that educators do. As educators, we don’t just teach. A lot of time and effort goes into planning, preparing materials, training, progress monitoring, meetings, report cards, and more.
What do you enjoy the most about Palmer Lake Elementary and your students?
I really enjoy working with my co-workers and my students, and I appreciate that we are a small school. I get to see my kindergarteners from last year who are now first graders, as well as my own son. My students this year are sweet, funny and so smart. They teach me new things and make me laugh every day.
How do you define success for both yourself and your students?
Success for my students is measured by how much they enjoy school and enjoy learning. Of course I want to see growth, but I want them to have fun and be able to find value in what we're learning about. I think that's important.
I also want them to know that I care about them. Last week we learned the word "valuable,” and I told them they are all valuable and precious to me.
What goals have you set for yourself for your first year of teaching?
My goals are for my students to enjoy learning and for my students to be well prepared for first grade. I want to learn as much as possible from my teammates. I would also love to be able to move my initial license to a professional license.
What tools have you learned work best in your classroom?
Consistency and mutual respect, for sure. I’ve found that letting my students have input on what we do in class, and learning to pivot and be flexible from that, has contributed to my students’ success. Working closely with my teammates and others in the school has helped. I’m also constantly reflecting on what did and didn’t work, and changing what needs to be changed in order to be more successful in the future.
What advice do you have for other first-year teachers?
Be willing to take advice and input, and reach out if you need help. Don't be afraid to borrow ideas, resources, routines, strategies and more from co-workers. Never forget to have fun!
Remember that we are teaching kids, and this is not only their learning, but also their childhood and memories. This is not only my classroom; it's my students' classroom as well. That thought helps me to stay grounded during some of the more challenging moments or times when maybe plans went off the rails in the classroom.
Finally, plans will go off the rails; unplanned interruptions will happen… roll with it anyway!