A Day in the Life of Mrs. Fitzgerald
I asked Mrs. Fitzgerald about her daily routine during the school year, and here’s what she shared:
Morning Routine
“My alarm goes off at 6:15 a.m., and I might snooze a couple of times. Then I get up, make coffee, pack my lunch, and get ready for school. I leave at 7:30 a.m. and drink a shake for breakfast on the way. I drop off my son, Cole, at the Washington Park District for his before-school care. Then I head over to EMS and arrive a little before 8 a.m.
Once I get to school, I check my email and prepare for the day, then attend morning announcements. During first hour, I have prep while my students are at PE. I usually talk to the other 6th grade teachers, then go to my classroom to grade papers, post on Canvas, check emails, make lesson plans, write on my board, and handle any other tasks like meetings, parent communication, or teacher training.”
During the School Day
“Throughout the day, I teach and complete my responsibilities. At the end of the day, after students leave, I often talk to other teachers and finish up my work. I usually leave around 4 p.m. and head home to see my family and take a walk.”
Evening Routine
“After my walk, I pick up my son Landon from golf practice and come home to make dinner. The whole family eats together, except my daughter, who goes to ISU and lives in Normal. After dinner, I read with Cole—he’s in first grade and reads aloud to me. Then I clean up the kitchen, do laundry, and handle other household tasks like watering plants, opening mail, and checking email.
If baseball or football is on, we might have the game on in the background, and I’ll watch a little if there’s not too much else to do. On Thursdays, I make sure my fantasy football roster is set before the games start, and I check it every day through Monday to track my team. Sometimes we have extra activities, like small group for church on Wednesday, golf matches for my son, other sporting events for nieces or nephews, doctor appointments, haircuts, or other errands.”
Nighttime Routine
“Usually around 9 p.m., I start getting ready for bed. I read in bed until I’m tired and can’t keep my eyes open. Then I sleep, and the next day it all starts over again!”
