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<h2>In this series, Dr Sarah Aiono shares diary-style snapshots of a teacher’s day, offering a raw and real look at both the rewards and challenges they face.</h2>
<p>By stepping into their shoes, I aim to highlight the incredible impact teachers have on students’ lives and foster a deeper appreciation for their essential, yet often under-recognised, work.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/latest-print-issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Read the latest print edition of <em>School News</em> online HERE.</b></a></p>
<h3 class="header-anchor-post"><strong>A Day in the Life of a Teacher in a Collaborative Teaching Space with New Entrants</strong></h3>
<p><strong>6:20 AM</strong><br />
The day starts early. I wake up, shower, and get ready for the busy day ahead.</p>
<p><strong>6:50 AM</strong><br />
I get the two teenagers out of bed, prepare breakfast, and while they’re eating, I clean the kitchen, hang the washing, and put on another load of laundry. It’s a rush, but I manage to keep things moving.</p>
<p><strong>7:40 AM</strong><br />
After breakfast, it’s time to drop the kids off at their schools. Once they’re settled, I can focus on getting to my own classroom.</p>
<p><strong>7:55 AM</strong><br />
I leave for school and arrive at 8:10 AM, just enough time to get a few things ready.</p>
<p><strong>8:10 &#8211; 8:35 AM</strong><br />
As I walk into the classroom, it’s all about setting the stage. I arrange the table tops, organize small world play areas, and make sure everything is ready for the children’s arrival. I greet the children and their whānau (families) as they come in, help with hanging bags, and, if needed, prepare breakfast for those who haven’t had any. It’s a balancing act between managing behavior, supervising the children, and prepping any last-minute materials like homework, activities, and photocopying.</p>
<p><strong>8:55 AM</strong><br />
The bell rings, signaling the start of the day. I gather the children on the mat with one teacher while my co-teacher manages some of the inevitable morning challenges. There are four children who refuse to join the mat and are instead roaming the room, playing and making noise. One child has already destroyed the table top setups, and two more are missing outside. On top of that, we often have a few children crying—some from a fall, some from arguments at home, some because they haven’t had enough food, and others who are unwell but have still been sent to school. It’s a lot to juggle, especially with parents wanting updates on their child’s clothing, needing clarification about incidents, or just asking general questions. Then there are the late arrivals, which continue to trickle in until about 10 AM. Some of the latecomers arrive in a heightened, dysregulated state, which often disrupts the other children too.</p>
<p><strong>9:00 AM</strong><br />
We begin the day with karakia (prayer) and hīmene (hymn), followed by roll call, where we incorporate numeracy by counting the children present, writing numbers, and doing quick addition and subtraction exercises. We also take time for Whakahihiko, a moment for sharing feelings and emotions, and do some yoga—these are all must-dos at our kura (school). It’s a challenge to manage the constant disruptions as children poke each other, causing tears, raised voices, movement, and sometimes even hitting.</p>
<p><strong>9:30 AM</strong><br />
It’s time for the children to move to play activities. I start a Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA) lesson with a group on the mat, teaching Taumata knowledge for about 40 minutes. Admin tasks, like finding book bags and gathering children, take an extra 10 minutes—following instructions can be difficult for some. Meanwhile, my co-teacher is managing the play activities, which include supporting three children with diagnosed Global Developmental Delay and two others who are suspected of having it. Over 50% of the children don’t have basic cutting or drawing skills, so they need a lot of hands-on support. My co-teacher also spends 20 minutes applying eczema cream to two children, keeps track of three children who constantly leave the room, and watches two children known for running out of school. It’s exhausting.</p>
<p>While this is going on, I’m also writing posts on HERO (our student management system), preparing breakfast for latecomers or hungry children, cutting fruit, and sanitizing hands for a brain break. Once everyone is settled, one of us reads a story, rhyme, or song on the mat, and then we release the children for morning tea. But even during morning tea, we’re often interrupted by behavior issues or children needing help—sometimes we’re still trying to catch a &#8216;runner.&#8217;</p>
<p><strong>11:20 AM</strong><br />
After the break, we return to class, though some children need to be found first. While one of us gathers them, I settle the others by reading a BSLA picture book and leading a 15-minute activity. Then it’s straight into group work again. My co-teacher starts a Developing Mathematical Inquiry Communities (DMIC) activity and takes groups for 15-20 minutes each. If done properly, this activity could take the rest of the day, but we have to keep moving.</p>
<p><strong>12:20 PM</strong><br />
Next up is lunch. Organizing the food is a bit of a task, as it often involves cleaning up spills, helping children open their packets, and making sure everyone is supervised to avoid choking hazards.</p>
<p><strong>12:35 PM</strong><br />
We dismiss the children for their lunch break. I’m on duty three times a week, and there’s always another teacher available to deal with any playground issues that come up.</p>
<p><strong>1:15 PM</strong><br />
After lunch, we gather the children back inside and help them pack their bags, which takes 15-20 minutes. At this point in the day, most of the children are tired and emotional, with many of them not having slept well the night before. Realistically, they’re playing more than focusing, but we try to get through finishing reading and math groups. Sometimes we include a cutting or making activity during this time. It’s also the period where we try to fit in inquiry, physical education (PE), art, science, te reo, and assembly (twice a week), kapa haka, and Pasifika sessions (each once a week). It’s a lot to cram in, and often a few of the children fall asleep. Parents begin collecting their children from 2:15 PM, which interrupts any lesson but at least reduces the number of children in the room.</p>
<p><strong>2:45 PM</strong><br />
The final bell rings, and we wait with the children until their parents or siblings arrive. Often, parents are running late, but we wait it out.</p>
<p><strong>3:00 &#8211; 5:00 PM</strong><br />
After school, the meetings begin. On Mondays, it’s the staff meeting, on Tuesdays it’s the syndicate meeting, and on Fridays, there are kindy visits in the mornings. Extra kapa haka practices are scheduled in Term 4, and extra Pasifika practices take place in Term 3.</p>
<p><strong>After-School Activities</strong><br />
Once the meetings are over, it’s time to plan and prep for the next day. I clean up the mess left behind, write behavior notes, document learning stories, and meet with management about any issues or next steps. There’s also the paperwork—writing English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) forms, meeting with the Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO), psychologist, and Learning Support Services (LLS) about Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Then there’s the task of making and gathering resources to cater to the learners’ needs. Curriculum responsibilities, like ordering and maintaining art supplies, ordering buses, and completing Risk Assessment Management (RAM) forms for school trips, take up additional time. I also attend Mentor Teacher Meetings to support a Provisionally Certificated Teacher (PCT).</p>
<p><strong>Notes</strong><br />
A typical day includes about three intercom interruptions and at least one visit from the SENCO, psychologist, Resource Teacher for Learning and Behavior (RTLB), or Ministry of Education (MOE) representative. There are also four observations per term for DMIC, two play observations per term, and BSLA observations and assessments, which take about 30 minutes per child during teaching time. Documentation like Mahere reo for appraisals and learning karakia for daily recitations is ongoing.</p>
<p>Throughout the day, I assist with toileting three children, apply eczema cream to two, locate glasses for one child, support 3-4 children with speech activities, manage behaviors that often involve being hit or kicked, and clean up destroyed resources about three times a day. One child is funded under the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS), and I’ve completed an application for another. There are also Pediatric referrals for three children suspected of having ADHD, autism, or fetal alcohol syndrome.</p>
<p><strong>Life After School</strong><br />
When I finally leave school, I head home to cook dinner, do the dishes, help my own children with their homework, and drive them to and from sports three times a week. If there are school shows or performances to attend, I drive my child, who is a leader at their school, to and from their activities. Once back home, I bring in the washing, hang new loads, fold laundry, vacuum the living area, and feed the dogs. Occasionally, I attend a professional development session or talk, which can keep me busy until at least 9 PM.</p>
<p>In the past, I’ve also had to care for a sick or dying parent, handle doctor visits, and deal with health scares of my own. And even after all that, I’m still answering emails, creating emails, planning lessons, reflecting on the day, filling out booking sheets, and doing general school prep. Sometimes there’s a BSLA Zoom update too.</p>
<p>A special thank you goes to the incredible teachers who generously shared their stories for this series. These are all real accounts from real educators, whose experiences have been thoughtfully adjusted to protect the privacy of both the teachers and their communities. Their openness provides us with a genuine window into the daily realities of teaching, and we are deeply grateful for their willingness to contribute.</p>
<p>By sharing their personal insights, these teachers help us understand both the triumphs and challenges they navigate every day. We hope this series not only informs but also deepens our collective appreciation for the vital role they play in shaping the future of Aotearoa New Zealand.</p>
<h4>This article has been republished with both the author and subject’s permission from Dr Sarah Aiono’s blog “Curiosity Creator.” Read the <a href="https://curiositycreator.substack.com/p/behind-the-classroom-door-a-day-in-d2d?utm_source=publication-search" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original post here</a>.</h4>
<h4>Dr Sarah Aiono is an education advocate and consultant. She is a member of the Aotearoa Educators Collective.</h4>

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