So what DO teachers do exactly (besides teach)???

Here's what I did today that did not involve any "direct teaching time" (in no particular order whatsoever, except the order by which the tasks come to my mind):

• Put together next week's spelling list,
• Wrote the whole of next week's lesson plans for all subjects,
• Encouraged and praised my kids for having learned and matured since they first started Grade 3 (yeah, one of those pep-talk-sermons),
• Printed, cut, signed about 20 some certificates for class awards,
• Talked to 2 of my students about their behaviours,
• Banned 2 kids from the reading corner for fighting with the pillows,
• Updated the Powerpoint slideshow of the class awards,
• Got the class to clean and pack up the class neatly,
• Locked up all textbooks and other items liable to get vandalized by the weekend class,
• Got a new timetable,
• Got confused by the new timetable,
• Worked on the class newsletter (which is pretty much done except for a final check),
• Figured out how to integrate some extra composition worksheets into my Language Arts classes next week,
• Updated the school blog,
• Updated the online classroom,
• Chose the Student of the Week for next week,
• Chose and posted the Big Word of the Week for next week onto the online classroom (complete with online dictionary link and 3 examples of how to use the word),
• Marked journals,
• Ran a Whizz Kids game,
• Supervised class meditation,
• Gave and received a few hugs,
• Taught the kids about how to cheer a friend up,
  
• Ate half a lunch,
  
• In the counselling department, I also:
• Designed, printed and cut appointment cards,
• Supervised my intern,
• Met with a teacher to talk about when to set appointments for student observations and one-on-one counselling time,
• Checked on the progress of the Counselling Room (which should be open for walk-ins next week),

Those are just the ones that come to mind right now.
At least I didn't have to deal directly with any parents today - it can sometimes be quite tiring.

All I can say is.... it's been quite a day!