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Season 3, Episode 14 - Savannah Johnson and Tracey Counts
102 Plays2 years ago
Just starting out in their teaching careers, Savannah Johnson and Tracey Counts (they call themselves "Travannah") are 2nd grade teachers at Tyrone Thompson ES. They discuss being new, the challenges they face, and what they love about their school and their job. These young ladies represent a bright spot in the future of education.
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Transcript
Introduction of Podcast and Guests
00:00:09
Speaker
Welcome to the next episode of It's All About Perspective. I am, of course, your host, Robert Hinchliffe. And I have on two people today who are new teachers. So new teachers in the Clark County School District or anywhere across the country. How are you doing? That's kind of the thing that we're going to talk about.
New Teacher Experiences in Clark County
00:00:28
Speaker
We're also going to get their opinion on life, working at Tyrone Thompson, or being teachers. And so welcome to Savannah Johnson and Tracy Counts. How are you, ladies?
00:00:37
Speaker
Hi, we're good. So good. So these two teach second grade Tyrone Thompson. And they pretty much did most of their practicum at Thompson as well. And they were fabulous. So I wouldn't let them leave. And here they are. And now they've kind of become what's your what's your what's your guys's nickname for each other?
00:01:00
Speaker
So they're in rooms next to each other and they have bonded and pretty much they are together all the time. So ladies, why? Why? What caused you two to bond? Like there's probably a lot of new teachers out there who just want someone in their life, but you two obviously have just become friends. So is there any kind of story behind that?
00:01:22
Speaker
I think us going to college together and then just kind of knowing each other is like made it 10 times easier and we're the same age.
First Months' Challenges
00:01:32
Speaker
It's real fun that way. And last year, I took over maternity leaves and she was in her teaching her own class. And we would kind of like visit each other because we weren't super close and student teaching her practicum too. And we would like hang out every so often. And then we just like now we're in stuff. Yeah, you really are, which is right. I mean, it's fabulous.
00:01:55
Speaker
Your new teachers to the district. Now you are not you are not privy to the ways of other schools. I don't think unless you have friends that you talk to. But what have you both found to be the most difficult part of the job two months into your career? Kids probably just you don't know how they're going to be every day and then you have to kind of cope with it.
00:02:23
Speaker
I've found that to be the hardest thing but I think for me it's like making sure I hit everything during the day and making sure that I'm not forgetting something and then plus the messages from the parents this kid goes home with this person or send them to safety or send them on the bus and my class is split for specials and so then I have to
00:02:47
Speaker
figure that all out, but I think it's just, it's like everything, but it's honestly, I feel like we have it pretty good our first year. Yeah, we got really good classes, so I think that made things a lot easier just because the kids are all so good.
00:03:03
Speaker
Yeah, well, I mean, you did get good classes, which helps. Of course, I think every new teacher, when I was a teacher, I remember my first class and I remember one girl, she was a little rough for sure. I can remember her name to this day. So you are definitely blessed. So we'll make sure and fix that problem next year. Just to make sure that you can hone your skills a little bit. So far, what has been your favorite thing to teach?
Teaching Preferences and Influences
00:03:30
Speaker
Or what is your favorite thing to teach? And why?
00:03:33
Speaker
I like math just because it's so concrete and I feel like I was good at math, so I felt like it was easier for me to teach. I think math for me, but I think coming into this year, because I did first grade last year, coming into this year,
00:03:54
Speaker
I think my favorite part after RCA is the discussions and that I have done with my class and my favorite subjects math, but I would say my reading discussions are stronger. Okay. So when you say RCA, you mean Ron Clark Academy. And one of the things I tried to do was to get you two and the other two teachers there as soon as possible so that you could see what the end goal kind of was.
00:04:19
Speaker
Tell me about your favorite thing that you got from RCA and how you have implemented that to make your room better.
00:04:28
Speaker
I would say one thing that I did was hold the kids to a very high standard and expectation and they and I have done that with my kids and with the class discussions that has led into us being able to have real discussions and talk like adults and do accountable talk and I think that was one of the big things that I took away from it and my class just ran with it now and so
00:04:55
Speaker
Yeah, and I found myself I wasn't I don't I don't care to teach reading but I've learning to love it and adding in vocab and learning from like Corey Collins and that kind of thing and doing the hand motions so that they actually remember what the word actually means. I think that has helped a lot.
00:05:14
Speaker
Was the most powerful thing just seen it in action? Yes. 100%. So one of the things that we try to do, you'll see coming up is we're trying to get two teachers to record the lesson from start to finish so that you have a model or an example to watch and think, oh, that's great, or that's
Handling Observations and Classroom Dynamics
00:05:35
Speaker
not great. So when are one of you two going to get recorded for the staff?
00:05:40
Speaker
I mean, I'll do it if it's, eventually I would like to. I think it'd be cool. I just get nervous. Yeah, I get so nervous. Well, I mean, but that's part of being, you know, but then also like you poor innocent newbies at the beginning of the year when my boss is on campus and we walk into your room and that's like the first time anybody's been in your room, that's probably a little nerve wracking.
00:06:06
Speaker
Yeah. Deer and headlights for sure. But once you guys were in there for a little bit, it was like I got used to it. It just that first initial. Yeah. I agree. What's the most, you know, for all the principals out there that may care, what's the most nerve wracking part of being observed for the first time?
00:06:25
Speaker
And how can we combat that? Because we don't want you to be nervous. I know you are. We know you are. But we want you just to do the best you can so that we can then help you. So if you think about the cycle that you had, what was the worst part? Or what advice would you give me or other principles?
00:06:46
Speaker
I think it's going to turn out how it's going to turn out. You can't plan for behaviors. You can't plan for that sort of thing. I mean, you know who your hotspots are and how to keep an eye on them. But I think the hardest part was just not knowing what would happen in your classroom.
00:07:07
Speaker
So it's the unknown for you then, Savannah. Like, oh my gosh, I might have to react to the unknown. Yeah. Like I did have a kid rolling on my floor during my observation. And I kind of, I tried to get him off the floor, but. But you didn't ignore the behavior. That's the main thing that we're looking for. You didn't just let them roll back and forth. You actually tried to address it. So that's good. All right, Trace, what's up? I think like just.
00:07:33
Speaker
I'm just a very hard person, like I'm very hard on myself. So like, when I'm I feel like I fail. And that's a me issue. But like, I think like you just like handle it very well. And you make it a conversation versus like,
00:07:52
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, there's no point like just raking you over the goals. You're not going to learn that way. But still, I remember my first observation and I wasn't near as good a teacher as you two. And it's scary for sure. So I remember feeling like that and thinking that I don't want people to feel like that. So hopefully I did a good job of that. Yeah, you did. Great. All right. So I'll be tougher next time for sure. So you know, Thompson's a unique place.
00:08:21
Speaker
It's just, it's the way we've created it. I think it was you Savannah, like your P, maybe P1, when you were, it might even be the first day I met you, you asked, how do I get a job here? I don't know if you remember that or not, but looking back, are you, what do you think about that statement? When you were like back, this is like two years ago and you walk on campus and you're like,
00:08:49
Speaker
I mean I knew that I wanted to work at a place like how this is. Just seeing how the kids are and like how I guess how nice the teachers are here. They're just very easy to get along with and it made it easier or made me want to work here.
00:09:16
Speaker
But I don't know. Just from the start, you're just like, this is where I want to be. It was a vibe. Yeah. OK, I would agree with that. Like we have a vibe, but that's a good point. All right. So then, Trace, you came a semester later. What did you think? I definitely, because I came from, for starting P2, I came from a school near UNLV. And so it was very different than what I expected.
00:09:42
Speaker
Um, but I, from like my first day, I told my parents, I was like, I'm like, I feel like I have like a family, even though it's like, just like I'm in P2. Like I feel like I have a family here. Um, and yeah, like what Savannah said, it's just like a vibe. Like it's just so happy and I'm excited. And it's fun. It's so fun. Yeah. Well, we don't want school to not be fun, but now with fun comes a lot of work though. Yeah.
00:10:11
Speaker
And you two really don't know any better, which is good. But how do you feel about the requirements? Because they really are requirements for Thompson and being a new teacher. Do you feel overwhelmed at times just with the teaching aspect, but then you throw in all the things that you have to do? And I'm sure other teachers probably feel that way as well.
00:10:37
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's easy because we don't know any different. I'm just being used to like doing these things all the time. It is fun and I think it makes me excited. So I know the kids are excited. I do get overwhelmed at times, but I think I'm just like, I get overwhelmed very easily.
00:11:00
Speaker
I mean that's good that you know that. Yeah and I think too like we know like what to expect with Rock Your School Day and like we know what to expect with like all the other house events and everything and we don't like you said like we don't know any better really and so it's just like expected so and like we love to do it. I love to we love to plan for like the fun events and
00:11:23
Speaker
It is tiring when we're doing it, but then in the end it all comes together and you see the kids having so much fun and I have so much fun doing it.
00:11:33
Speaker
Yeah, you know, one of the one of the things that I wanted to do right when we opened the school was have a lot of student teachers and you were the first the first group that really went through because then you would just know how we do things. And I think that's probably made it a lot easier on you. Do you think you could ever go to a school that did not have all the extracurricular things and be happy?
Creative Teaching Freedom
00:12:00
Speaker
I honestly, I think it would be a change. I think I could eventually, I mean, you kind of get burnt out over the years, but I think it would be a big change. I do like doing this kind of stuff, so I think that's what enticed me to come here and stay here.
00:12:22
Speaker
But yeah. And I think too, if I had the ability to do fun things like this, I think that if I had freedom like that, where if I didn't, I feel like it would be very difficult. Because I don't think you can find this everywhere. So you can kind of get stuck somewhere, I guess you could say. So you guys are raised on the philosophy that basically you have the freedom to teach your kids.
00:12:51
Speaker
And now you're basically saying that you couldn't probably work for a micromanager. Is that kind of what I'm guessing? Why not? I think it's just a big change. Well, I like having the freedom to do my own thing. I feel like it's easier for me to teach when I actually like what I'm teaching. And then I think that comes across to the kids easier.
00:13:18
Speaker
Yeah. And I think too, as long as I have the support, not necessarily micromanaged, which I would be 100% out of the support here, but I don't know about the mic. I don't know if I can do it. Well, I mean, but you have a colleague in Gloria that came from a different school. Do you talk to her about her past at all?
00:13:42
Speaker
Yeah, it's very different from what we've heard. It boggles my mind that... It almost doesn't seem true because we've never had that experience. So it's just something that's in the unknown. Yeah. So hopefully we just keep it in the unknown then. Yeah.
00:14:05
Speaker
What, you know, looking forward, October was rough month. Tomorrow is your first Halloween. So the listeners will get this on Halloween. Does Halloween scare you? I mean, you're tired. October is hard. We had conferences. We had Rock Your School Day. We had Trunk or Treat last Friday. Now you have Halloween. You're tired. You're at school. I mean, you're off duty, but you're at school still now.
00:14:34
Speaker
How are you looking forward to truck retreat or to Halloween? I mean, does any teacher look forward to Halloween? Are you two? I feel like I am. I love it. Yeah, we like doing those things. So I feel like we're so excited for tomorrow and like, I'm excited. What are you doing tomorrow?
00:14:50
Speaker
So we're dressing up as skeletons and we are going to do like different things with bones and like bone structures and that kind of thing. So you're teaching your curriculum through the day. You're not just celebrating. Isn't that a novel idea?
00:15:06
Speaker
Yes. And it's cool because even if we don't decorate everything to a full extent, if one thing's different in the classroom, the kids freak out and it's the coolest thing ever. So that's fun. Yeah. So that's one of the ideas behind room transformations is if you just make a different environment, all of a sudden the kids get engaged in learning more and then you have a better day. Go back to rock your school day.
00:15:34
Speaker
What was the best part of that day for you? I think for me, it was seeing the kids come into the hallway because we didn't necessarily see them come into the main hallway, but into our second grade hallway. They were just so amazed and so excited. I think that was super cool. When I need a smile, I'll watch the video back and they're all like,
00:15:57
Speaker
just like looking at everything and it's so cute. It's so cute. Yeah. And I like the little kickoff ceremony that we do in the morning. I think it gets the kids all pumped for the day and then we hadn't shown them our rooms yet. So it was even more exciting when they got to walk into the hallway. I think they just thought we were going crazy and the front hallway was decorated and we're having a kickoff party.
00:16:21
Speaker
I think once they got into here, it started to set in like, oh, I really go to this school and it's so cool.
00:16:28
Speaker
Awesome. How are parent-teacher conferences for new teachers?
Parent-Teacher Conferences and Communication
00:16:33
Speaker
Did you guys breeze right through them? Were you nervous? No. I was a little bit just because I was so used to doing them with Kelly, because that was my only experience with conferences. But I have great parents, so it was just very easy and quick. But now you say that.
00:16:54
Speaker
I mean, knowing you two, I think one of the keys which you two do is you communicate with the parents before conferences. So you already have the relationship with them, so then it makes things easier. Or at least I assume so. Yeah, we do. I found it to be very easy. I did all of mine on Google Me.
00:17:15
Speaker
I found it to be quicker just because some of those parents do not have to come in because you really have nothing to tell them that anything is wrong. But even the kids that I do have a little bit of trouble with, their parents are super supportive and they do want to help. I think that's a great thing about our school too is that we do have supportive parents.
00:17:40
Speaker
Yeah, for the most part, again, we're going to change that next year for you too. Just so we can give you the real experience. So let's see, November is coming up. Not a lot of things in November classroom wise other than normal teaching. And then of course, December. But when you look for December, we take MAP.
MAP Tests: Excitement and Pressure
00:18:03
Speaker
Are you nervous about taking the map? Because again, you were here last year, you went through it. When I was teaching the staff, map matters. So how much pressure are you putting on yourselves being new? And I know that you're new, but yet you're saying you have a great class. So what should, what do you expect of yourselves when it comes to map in December?
00:18:28
Speaker
I feel like I hold myself to a high standard. I think if they don't do well, I think badly of myself just because they obviously didn't understand what I was teaching if they're not doing well. I mean, you obviously have some kids that guess, but they should pick up on something throughout the whole semester. So hoping that they'll do better in some aspect.
00:18:59
Speaker
I'm actually kind of excited because I want to see how they did. Every time we take the star test, I'm so excited because I want to see how they're doing. The growth. The growth and all that. They get all excited about it too because I'll go over it with them. I'm kind of excited. Of course, I'm a little nervous because it's a lot.
00:19:20
Speaker
So what I hear you saying is that you expect all of your kids to grow, maybe not meet their goal, but you expect them to grow. Okay. If they don't, what are you going to do? Um, I think I might change how I'm doing certain things. Um, I do like for reading, I've tried different things like, cause I did start mid year last year. So it was kind of in a mix where it was like kind of,
00:19:51
Speaker
It was, I don't know, it was weird. So I didn't know where to start with reading. So I feel like trying something different this semester, I wanna see how that goes. And if it's not going well, I obviously wanna change it. So maybe that. It's a good starting point.
Special Classroom Projects
00:20:07
Speaker
Yeah. I'll definitely have a meeting with Angie. I'm gonna be like, I need all the help. Angie's reading by grade three. She helps everybody.
00:20:20
Speaker
Um, but I'm sure they will get something. And if some kids, I, which I know like some kids are may not, but I'll work more with them. And like Savannah said, I'll change. Something will be changed. What do you like to thank you forward the rest of the year? I don't know if you know, I mean, you're, I don't know if you're month by month or whatever. Is there anything that you're looking forward to as new teachers for the rest of the year? Do you have any big plans?
00:20:49
Speaker
I in January I'm gonna do so my my second grade teacher is the reason I'm a teacher and so She did something called Zooland and so we did informational writing on an animal And so I'm gonna do that in my classroom because she did that with us and that was the most memorable thing I ever had in my K through 5 experience, okay and
00:21:14
Speaker
So I am doing that with my kids and I'm so excited for it. I can't wait. Yeah. And then next month we're doing Apple Day and they're going to learn how to make applesauce. We're going to do all like Apple themed activities. Something that we learned at RCA was just like the smallest thing, like taking a balloon and having them pop it.
00:21:40
Speaker
it can be like just so fun. So we're gonna put like math problems in like red and green and yellow balloons and they can pop them and then they have to solve them with like chalk or something just to make it like super fun and educational at the same time.
00:21:56
Speaker
So just you I mean, you two obviously learned from your mentors, that you have to change it up, you can't just do the same thing over and over and over and over again. And it sounds to me like, I mean, I know this, but it sounds to the listeners like you know, how to, you know, get some engagement from students. What
Managing Engagement and Overstimulation
00:22:21
Speaker
So when you do these fun, crazy things, what are the biggest challenges that you face? I think one of them for me is the kids get very overstimulated. And so making sure that they're still staying on task and not just like, oh my gosh, going crazy. So I think that's like one of the hardest parts for me.
00:22:48
Speaker
Yeah, I do mention to my kids, I'm like, hey, this is something that we're doing for you. We don't have to have these fun days if you're not going to pay attention. And I think they do understand it. And so it makes it easier in that aspect.
00:23:10
Speaker
Yeah. Let's look bigger picture because new teachers I think have a hard time honestly seeing the big picture. When you when you look at Thompson as a whole, what do you think our greatest strength is?
00:23:32
Speaker
I mean, we have a, I feel like there's a lot of things. Um, so let's say that, let's say that, um, there's a principal out there that started a new school and you want to sell that person. The number one thing that they have to have in your opinion, being new teachers is XYZ. I think I love our house system. Okay. I think it's such a fun way to, um,
00:24:02
Speaker
get the kids involved with a different teacher. I love my little house pod that I got to meet like a couple weeks ago. And I thought it was super fun just getting to know them and like I have my mentor's daughter and so that was super fun and we got to hang out and I have a couple of her kids and I just adore them. So it's, I think that's something that I would want in a school.
00:24:30
Speaker
I have to agree, too, because it's not just like it is a whole school wide thing, but it's also fun when you can make it super competitive and in your classroom to like House against how or all they're all against each other. But and I think like with A.R. and like you can make that like a competition rocket math, any game really. And they get like she said, like you can you get to meet all kinds of kids and like
00:25:00
Speaker
We get to see kids from K to two. And they get to sit with their house on Wednesdays. And I think that's super cool because they get to sit with new kids that they normally don't get to sit with. And then the house assemblies are always so fun. And meeting like, because the siblings are obviously in the same house, but you now meet the kids that you have in like your house pod or your class. You meet their siblings.
00:25:27
Speaker
And I feel like you get to know more kids that way. And I feel like they think they're so special when they see you in the hall and they know who you are. And they come up and run and hug you. And you may not remember their name, but you were, you know, another relationship. Yes. You said the right word there at the end, relationships for sure. What is the either best or worst? You can, you can choose and you don't have to, uh, what is the best or worst piece of advice you've gotten in the past?
00:25:57
Speaker
two and a half months. I don't know. I would say, I mean, it's the normal. Or you could, you could say last year from your mentors too. Like, you know, what, what do you think about, you know, your teaching and something happens? What do you think? Oh, that was such a good piece of advice. Or I remember that. I think like my mentor, she talked about not doing like fluff activities.
Advice from Mentors
00:26:20
Speaker
Yes. Same. And just not everything doesn't have to be cute.
00:26:25
Speaker
I've totally realized that and I'm more into getting them to learn something than to just have like a cute piece of paper to take home. Yeah. Kelly told me the same exact thing. She was like, you want something that will build their knowledge versus something that's cute to hang up.
00:26:47
Speaker
And it's fun to do those things every once in a while, but like, it has to be a purpose or a learning intention. Yes. Behind everything. That's good. I'm glad that you two took that advice. Can you think, can you think of any bad advice someone in college gave you or someone gave you? Is there anything that pops in your mind?
00:27:06
Speaker
I mean, it's the normal one, don't smile till- Isn't that stupid? It's just like, and that's totally not us. We're very smiley people and lovable and just- I just can't imagine doing that.
00:27:29
Speaker
I agree. So I like to mess with you two all the time and tell you, oh, you're going to fifth grade next year. Or, oh, hey, fourth grade's Colin. Do you, does it bug you when I do that?
00:27:45
Speaker
No, because I know it's a joke. But is it? Yes, it's a joke on my end. Yeah. I mean, you promised 99.9998 that we're not going. Hey, there's nothing 100% really out there. But I mean, again, you could put it on the record. You're not going to teach second grade for 30 years. No. So what do you see yourselves doing?
00:28:14
Speaker
First of all, do you see yourself teaching for 30 years? Because I can tell you a lot of new teachers, no way. A lot of experienced teachers aren't going to make it to 30. When you look at, now you're young, anybody my age wishes that we were 20, whatever you are, 23, 24. You're both older than 22, right? Yes. Okay, yeah, good.
Future Teaching Aspirations
00:28:39
Speaker
30 years is a long way, but it goes by fast.
00:28:43
Speaker
What do you see yourself doing in the future? Do you have any future plans or you're just concentrating on second grade? When I came out of it, I knew I wanted to be a principal. So I don't know if either of you want to do this job or you have other aspirations. But when you look at the future, what do you think? Well, because for my whole life, since I was in first grade, I wanted to be a teacher. So it's kind of like, OK, I made that happen. And now it's like, I don't know.
00:29:13
Speaker
I don't see myself staying in second grade forever, but I don't see myself not being like staying in second grade for a good amount of time. It's hard when you're young to kind of look like that. Yeah. And I kind of have the same thing. Like I always wanted to be a teacher. And so I
00:29:31
Speaker
don't know where I'd want to go from here. Like this is the ultimate dream. So you guys are just happy with where you're at. Yes. Okay. Do you ever see yourselves being someone like Tracy or Angie who are those people? Yeah, I think Angie's job just, I love how she can help sprinkle a little bit everywhere.
00:29:52
Speaker
And she's always just so positive. And so whenever I'm having a bad day, I'll just kind of peek my head in her office. Yes. We love you, Ang. Yeah. OK. So last question. Imagine how fast 30 minutes goes by. What is your absolute favorite thing? You're brand new. What is your absolute favorite thing about being a teacher?
00:30:25
Speaker
I don't know if it's a good thing that where you got such a much pause time here, but I have a lot or you can name a few. It's fine. I like that. We're right next to each other. I think that's how the support system. Yeah, a huge support system. I didn't know if I would like necessarily find like a BFF like and especially right next door and
00:30:54
Speaker
definitely have that and a strong, strong support system with everyone. So that's probably number one. And I think too, like being able to work at an amazing school, and I'm not just saying that, like I genuinely mean it. It's like I feel like at home, like, because I'm not from here. So like,
00:31:14
Speaker
This is like my home and I love coming to work. Having a long weekend, of course, we all needed it, but being able, I was so excited to come back today and see the kids and then see them tomorrow on the holiday. And you always hear about people hating their jobs and not wanting to go to work the next day. I genuinely love coming to work because I'm like, oh, I get to see so and so and so and so today.
00:31:38
Speaker
So I'm sorry, I said this would be the last question, but it wasn't. So do you OK, so you love coming to school, which is great. Why why do you think people I mean, we have a few on campus that aren't happy all the time. Why do you think people get like that or what what causes that? Do you ever see yourselves getting to that point where you're like like this is unbearable sometimes? I don't want to become that way just because I think it's draining.
00:32:07
Speaker
Um, to others, not only, but like myself too. Um, I'm not a very negative person in general, so I don't see myself becoming like that, but. And like we all have our moments. Like there's been times where I just like, I'm having a real bad day and I don't want to talk to
Finding Positivity in Teaching
00:32:28
Speaker
anyone. I don't want to see anyone. I just want to do my job and go, but, um, I don't know. I think it's really important to like, I try to find like,
00:32:36
Speaker
kind of like the positives. I find like one little thing a day that if I'm having a bad day, you know what, this went really well. Let's turn this day around or just like finding those little things throughout the day to make it on a positive note versus
00:32:53
Speaker
But everyone's gonna have those days and it's just a part of life, so. And I think Angie posted about it on Instagram. They talk about like, or maybe Ashana, the glimmers. Ashana. Yeah, and so I've tried to find a glimmer every day just because I think it's important.
00:33:14
Speaker
But that's just, I think, how I am. And I find us very similar. We're the same person. Yeah. And so we kind of just, we'll talk about it at the end of the day, too. Yeah. Well, you two are a fabulous addition to Thompson. I'm glad you're there. I think everybody that just listened understands why there was no way you were going to any other school.
00:33:36
Speaker
You were going to stay at Tyrone Thompson. I appreciate you taking the time, and as you know, in the end... It's all about perspective. Very good, ladies. I'm glad you caught on to that cue. All right. I'll see you guys tomorrow. Thanks again.