Teaching multiple subjects, while also being an advisor/sponsor for an extracurricular activity(s) can be difficult, but there are more benefits. Mr. Mike Mertel and Mrs. Michelle Greenwood are teachers here at Rock Island High School. Mertel teaches World Studies at the 9th grade level and the Education Internship for 11th and 12th graders, and he also is an advisor for Culture Club. Greenwood teaches AP Language and Composition for 11th graders, Global Awareness, and English 12. She is also a co-sponsor of National Honor Society and the co-sponsor of Rocky’s chapter of The Gray Matters Collective.
Teaching comes with a lot of responsibilities. Greenwood and Mertel explain some of the responsibilities that come along with being a teacher. “For the classes, I have to attend extra meetings for either Transitional English or AP English. For TGMC, there are quarterly training sessions and additional meetings/events to attend in my free time,” says Greenwood. Mertel shares some of his responsibilities within his classes and clubs, stating, “Teaching, in general,- Planning, instruction, assessing, Education Internship- communicating with interns and their cooperating teachers, placing students in their placement, volunteer opportunities outside of Rocky, Future Teacher clubs at elementary schools, Culture Club- running meetings, planning for annual Culture Fest.”
Mertel and Greenwood both share some of the challenges they face, being a busy teacher and advisor. “Honestly, it can be overwhelming at different times of the year. My afternoons fill up very quickly with meetings for various responsibilities, and I have to be very intentional with using my prep periods to get planning and grading done,” says Mertel. Greenwood shares how she finds that one of her biggest challenges is with her AP Language and Composition class, stating, “Time management can be an issue, especially with my AP Language class, where students have to come in before and after school for book conferences.”
Mertel and Greenwood not only love teaching different grade levels, but they also enjoy the benefits of being able to see their students through their clubs. “I love being able to see students in different capacities, as well as share a common interest with other people. In World Studies, I get to know a wider portion of the student body, whereas in Culture Club and the Education Internship, it’s smaller groups that I get to know on a different level,” says Mertel. Similarly, Greenwood shares how being the co-sponsor for extracurricular activities has helped her to get to know more of the student body, explaining, “I love my interactions with students. Because I teach upperclassmen, I don’t usually get to know too many of the freshmen and sophomores, but working with two different extracurricular activities allows me to get to know some of the younger students, as well.”
Some of their daily duties are making sure all their classes are planned for and attended to. Putting in extra time for students, meetings, and making sure they have all the necessary supplies and materials needed. Managing all those responsibilities may be difficult, but looking at the positives that come along with them, the positives seem to overpower the challenges when teaching is your passion.
