Adjustments to the Role
When asked to compare being a methods and resource teacher with regular class teaching, most remarked that the biggest difference is that they now work more with adults, and their involvement with students is indirect. To some, this makes the job very different but others still see it as teaching but redirected to adults. Another difference that teachers identify is the much less structured work day they have as M&R teachers. Some consider the job more demanding and stressful than regular teaching. They feel a lot more pressure from a variety of people as they try to meet all their responsibilities:
My day is more varied. It’s a lot more hectic. I deal with a lot more people than I used to. I’m concerned that I’m performing up to snuff much more than in the regular classroom.
You’re much more accountable for what you’re doing. I like that. I like working under pressure, so I like the feeling of being more accountable. Nobody ever checked to see what I was doing in the regular class, at least in the first few years. I had two or three years to learn the ropes before anybody started checking, so I never really felt that pressure. In this job I’m just new at it, and I feel I’m much more accountable for what I’m doing. People are checking more often because you’re dealing with more people.
Finally, those interviewed said they see students differently as a methods and resource teacher. Instead of seeing students as a group, they see students much more as individuals. Several of the teachers said if they returned to regular class teaching they would be more sensitive to individual differences.
