Annie Reynolds
Elementary School Teacher
Irvine Unified School District
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Always loved school and my teachers and knew I wanted to be a teacher from a young age.
Volunteered in elementary school classrooms during high school.
Majored in Sociology and Education at Boulder.
Continued volunteering in classrooms throughout college.
Graduated from college and student taught in a third grade classroom in Denver.
Was offered a teaching position in first grade in Denver.
Moved back to California after teaching for 2 years in Denver.
Substitute taught for 2 years before being hired in Irvine, where I have been for the past 8 years.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Elementary School Teacher
I am a first grade teacher.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Technology
Teaching / Mentoring
Day to Day
I arrive at school by 8:00 and take care of any last minute details before the bell rings at 8:30. I teach until 9:45 when we have a 20 minute snack break. The kids come back and we continue with our day until 11:45 when they are released for a 45 minute lunch. I eat lunch during this time but I am also responding to e-mails, making copies and getting work done. The students have one more recess in the afternoon and they leave at 3:00. My day usually ends after another hour or 2!
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
The first step would be to get out there and volunteer your time in a classroom. Most schools welcome volunteers and elementary classrooms can always use the extra set of hands! I contacted some of my former teachers and asked if I could volunteer in their classrooms because I was interested in going into education. I was welcomed back into my former classrooms and working with young students solidified my desire to become a teacher.
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"Since I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and I took all the steps to make that happen, I was never told by anyone that I couldn't do it. As an experienced teacher today though, I feel like there is always something more for me to be doing or learning. For example, technology has become a major part of education and I often feel like I am not doing enough even though I try the newest trends and attend professional technology workshops. It seems there is always someone who is doing more!"
