5 Questions with Teacher Christina Calve

Patch caught up with Christina Calve, a third-grade teacher at Symmes Elementary and asked some questions.

Patch:  How long have you been teaching?

Calve:  This is my sixth year teaching.

Patch:  What was the worst grade you ever received when you were in school?

Calve:  I've actually received all A's, even through my grad school program.  I did receive a D on a math test once.

Patch:  What is the thing you enjoy most about teaching?

Calve:  You can really see the growth in knowledge over a small amount of time.  You also get to 'dress up' and no one thinks you are crazy. Last week was our 100th day of school, so I dressed up as a 100-year-old lady.

Patch:  Do you think it's harder to be a teacher today than in the past?

Calve:  Though I have not been teaching that long, it seems to me that is is harder to be a teacher today than in the past. There are many more requirements and a focus on data collecting, meeting greater expectations, delivering interventions, doing more with less, etc..., all of which helps to better meet the needs of the student, yet are far from the construction -aper projects and popsicle crafts that I remember bringing home in elementary school.

Patch:  What is your biggest challenge as a teacher?

Calve:  My greatest challenge as a teacher is time. There just are not enough hours in a day to meet 90 minutes of this subject, 60 minutes of this subject, 30 minutes of teacher-directed PE, three 20-minute reading groups, not to mention balancing time after school for grading, planning and keeping families up to date with what is going on in the classroom.