Making the grade: a fifth-grade teacher gives the inside scoop on life in front of the classroom.

Back to school means back to work for teachers. This September, Zebulun Dinkins begins his third year as a fifth-grade social studies teacher at Welcome Elementary School in Greenville, S.C. A 2005 graduate of Claflin University in Orangeburg, S.C., Dinkins participated in Call Me MISTER (www.callmemister.clemson.edu), a program that addresses a critical shortage of African American male teachers in South Carolina's elementary schools. The program helps young men become role models and bring a flesh approach to the classroom. Dinkins has done just that, in part, by spinning some of his class lessons into raps that he delivers to captivated students. He's also released his own educational rap CD (www.motivationaleducation.net). After a busy day in the classroom, Dinkins spoke A to Career World about the ups and downs--and surprises--that come with being a teacher.

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When did you decide you wanted to become a teacher?

In my junior year of high school, I had an art teacher, Alvin Staley, who always gave me a lot of positive feedback. I had been working on this one particular drawing for about two weeks--putting a lot of effort into it--and Mr. Staley came by one day and said, "Man, that looks great, and you've been doing a great job!" That really influenced me. I wanted to make somebody else feel the way I was feeling at that moment. That's when I decided that I wanted to be a teacher.

What was your first day of teaching like?

I was sweating bullets! [laughs] And I'll tell you, staring at that class for the first time, with all those eyes on you, knowing that this is your class--it's overwhelming. When you're a student teacher, you have a mentor teacher who you can ask for advice and who will tell you what you're doing wrong. But when you get your own classroom, all that goes away. It's all on you. The first year is the hardest year ... because everything is new--from using the copy machine to going to the lunchroom to learning how the whole school culture works. You've got to go with the flow and rely on your training. And you've got to find your niche, your pattern of how you want to do things--and that takes a long time to develop.

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What was the idea behind bringing rap music into your teaching?

A lot of students aren't moved by the textbook alone. My idea was to do something more creative, more entertaining ... I started going over the text and realized that I could really make it into music. Hip-hop music can be fun, and I knew the students would really go for it. I make sure that every song is attached to a state teaching standard, so when the standardized tests come around, [I hope] students' minds will be quick to remember what they heard in the song.

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What was the reaction of students the first time you rapped in class?

They thought it was the coolest thing they had ever seen and heard! Some started calling me "the Jay-Z of Welcome Elementary." Parents have been really good about it too. They see that I'm trying to do something that's above the normal standards of the job. And I think they acknowledge that I go that extra mile for their kids.

Do your students ever make you laugh?

Oh, yeah. They do the craziest things. This one little guy, one day he ... was mimicking the voice of another teacher. And as a teacher, you're supposed to tell him, "Now, don't do that, that's not nice," but it was just so funny because he had [the voice] down perfectly. You try to be firm, but deep down you want to laugh, and sometimes it comes out.

What's one part of your job that might surprise students?

Well, the school day ends for the kids at 2:25, but my day is just starting. Time management is the most challenging part of teaching, because you don't have enough [time]. You want to focus all your time on working with your students and assessing them, but it's hard to find adequate time to do that, because you have to go to meetings, workshops. ... At home you reflect on what you taught that day--Do I move on? Do I review?--and plan the lesson for the next day. I grade papers, call parents if there are any problems--not to mention the extra paperwork, the administrative stuff, which can drain you. It's unbelievable how many things come up that I wouldn't even have thought about before becoming a teacher.

What's one of the toughest parts of your job?

I really pull for the kids who don't get the best grades. When I'm putting in grades, and I know a kid has put forth [his or her] best effort, I might want to bump up the grade a bit, mainly to give [the kid] confidence. So those are hard decisions because I don't want to reward them unfairly. I also want to be fair to the kids who always do their work and get good grades, so it's kind of hard to balance that sometimes.

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What advice do you have for future teachers?

Be passionate. It's about being passionate about what you're doing and trying to make a difference. You've got to be really strong, especially in that first year, because it can be overwhelming. But if you focus more on the positive, then good things will come to you.

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Think you have what it takes to be a teacher?

Here are a few things you need to know.

Requirements

* A bachelor's degree and completion of an approved teacher-training program, with supervised student teaching, are necessary.

* Many states require teachers to obtain a master's degree within a specified time period--say, five years--after they begin teaching.

* Educators need a state license, usually granted by the state board of education, to teach a certain grade level, such as early childhood (pre-K through grade 3) or elementary (grades 1 through 6 or 8)

Money Matters

* The average starting salary for teachers nationwide is $31,704. **

* Salaries for teachers vary greatly from state to state--the average salary in Connecticut is 70 percent higher than that in South Dakota--or even district to district.

* Many states offer loan-forgiveness programs for students who commit to each in that state for a certain number of years.

** 2004 figures (the most recent available) from the American Federation of Teachers Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics; American Federation of Teachers

Classroom Extension

* Before reading, ask students to talk about what they know about teaching as a career. After reading the article, ask if anything surprised them about teaching. Offer your own point of view about a career in teaching.

* Review: What does Zebulun Dinkins do to make learning interesting for his students? Do you think that would work well?

* Have students write their own raps to support a current classroom lesson.

Resources

* TeachersCount www.teacherscount.org

* The National Education Association: state-by-state salary information, job outlook, and certification requirements www.nea.org/student-program/about/state.html

Ask a teacher

Directions: Read the article "Making the Grade" (page 9). Then complete the activity below.

Teaching is one of the first professions of which we become aware in our lives. You've known teachers for as long as you've been going to school. But do you know what it's really like to be a teacher?

Part 1

Below are some of the questions Career World asked Zebulun Dinkins, an elementary school teacher in South Carolina. Pose the same questions to a teacher you know.

* When did you decide you wanted to become a teacher?

* What was your first day of teaching like?

* What's one part of your job that might surprise students?

* What's one of the toughest parts of your job?

* What advice do you have for future teachers?

* Add your own question here:

Part 2

Compare your teacher's answers to the answers Dinkins gave. Compare your findings with other students' teacher interviews. What have you learned about being a teacher that you didn't know or consider before?