The tips in this article are designed to provide a first year teacher with some confidence in the year ahead.
Will this be your first year of teaching? Don't be nervous - you must be very well qualified to have gotten this job to begin with! Here are some great ideas to make your year a bit easier:
1) First and foremost (and this sure sounds easy!) is to smile and be friendly to all of your co-workers. Although it indeed sounds quite simple, it is often difficult to be kind to everyone, as you will encounter varied personalities and temperments. You'll need all of your colleagues to help you during the year, so start the year off right and be kind to everyone.
2) Be helpful to all who ask! Move over at the copy machine if someone has a rush job - you may be in their shoes sooner than you think! Watch a class for another teacher for five minutes so that she can make an important phone call. Sure, your time is valuable, but helping others shows that you are part of the team.
3) Don't join in on the office gossip. It is unprofessional and unwise to talk about your fellow teachers, your students, their parents and anyone else whom the teachers' lounge has deemed eligible for discussion. Don't get involved in this waste of time.
4) Get to know your students well. Spend a bit of time talking with each of them individually during the first weeks of school. Ask about their likes, dislikes, family, pets, friends. Once the school year is in full swing, it is often difficult to set time aside for this kind of activity.
5) Establish a rapport with your students' parents or caregivers as soon as you can. Parents need to feel that you are approachable and caring. Make your students' parents your ally, and don't wait until a problem arises before you take the time to speak with them.
6) Be emphathetic to the busy lifestyles of today. Many parents both work full time and have scarcely enough time to talk to their child about their day at school. Bend a little if assignments are sometimes not completed if there is a reasonable explanation. Remember that your ultimate goal is to have students learn the material that you are teaching them.
7) Arrive at school early, and stay late a few days a week. Most correctly, don't rush into work in the nick of time and then rush out at the stroke of 3 o'clock. Be available to students and parents. Be known as someone who is professional and always prepared.
8) Be prepared. Have your weekly plans written out before the week begins. Have a copy of them, or your plan book, available at your desk at all times in the event that you are out sick from school.
9) Establish class rules from Day One. Get a large piece of poster board and a marking pen. On the first day of school, ask students what they would imagine some good rules for the classroom would be. Brainstorm the best rules, have students write them out, then post them for all to see. Remind students that they decided on the rules, and have a penalty in place for those who choose not to follow them.
10) Remember that teaching children is hard work, but it is also quite a bit of fun. If you are prepared, you'll be able to enjoy teaching and your students. If you must rush and play catch-up all the time, you'll spend needless time worrying. Stay current in your field by reading teaching magazines and talking with more seasoned teachers in your school.
Enjoy your first year as a teacher!
From: http://www.allsands.com/money/career/tipsteachersne_trr_gn.htm
My main question is, what is the first year of teaching really like?
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Rise in Technology
When I student taught for the 5th/6th graders, the school began a new program, that had each child rent a laptop for the year.
The parents pay one hundred dollars and the student gets a laptop and gets to use it for the rest of the year. It's a one time fee, so if the students pay the money in first grade, the student gets to use it until sixth grade.
I thought this was a good idea, but not necessary for primary grades. Why does a first grader need to get attached to a computer so early?
Anyway, one day, the teacher said the students can have a five minute break to talk to each other and move around.
Instead of actually going to each other and talking, they all get their laptops out, and chat on IChat, which is very similar to aim.
It was ridiculous and sad to see.
Sometimes it's hard to see the negatives in technology, but at that moment, I wished technology wasn't so advanced.
The parents pay one hundred dollars and the student gets a laptop and gets to use it for the rest of the year. It's a one time fee, so if the students pay the money in first grade, the student gets to use it until sixth grade.
I thought this was a good idea, but not necessary for primary grades. Why does a first grader need to get attached to a computer so early?
Anyway, one day, the teacher said the students can have a five minute break to talk to each other and move around.
Instead of actually going to each other and talking, they all get their laptops out, and chat on IChat, which is very similar to aim.
It was ridiculous and sad to see.
Sometimes it's hard to see the negatives in technology, but at that moment, I wished technology wasn't so advanced.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
What they don't Teach you...
I can honestly say, I think WIU's education program is pretty great.
They've given me a chance to observe a classroom for an entire day, observe preschool sessions, tutor k-3, then tutor 4-6th grade, and now I have a chance to student aide for a second grade classroom.
They give us plenty of experiences and opportunities to learn, however, they do not give us enough honesty.
We are writing 20-60 page lesson plans regularly, writing research papers, creating posters for different religions, reading books, creating podcasts, taking tests, taking major exams (conent area, basic skills, apt). We really do a lot, we put in so much work every week, get one credit hour, for classes that really have us meeting for 2.5 hours a week, etc...
How come these teachers aren't telling us what will realistically happen?? I see the teacher I work with every Wednesday morning, and she is a wonderful mentor, and I truly believe she has been nothing but helpful. I see her every Wednesday and she is just frazzled, she is always coming up with new lessons, ideas, activities, etc... for her students. She is searching for books for low level, average, and above average level readers, she is always working. During her breaks she is working, after school she is working, in summer she is working, she is always working.
When the kids go out to recess for ten-fifteen minutes, I always take that time and she always asks if I have any questions, and I love how she answers them, but how come our teachers aren't being so honest? They are sugar coating, avoiding, or simply too busy for these questions that don't relate to what we are learning.
I think colleges need to be more upfront about what to expect. They should definitely have a course called what to expect when you are a teacher or out in the real world ...or something!
I don't want to enter my first year of teaching being oblivious and ignorant. I don't want to assume i'll be done for the day at 3:00 pm sharp, and have three months in summer to do nothing, because that's definitely not the case at all.
So teachers out there, please talk to your students or student aides/teachers in the classroom and tell them what's really up, I can honestly say they will appreciate it.
They've given me a chance to observe a classroom for an entire day, observe preschool sessions, tutor k-3, then tutor 4-6th grade, and now I have a chance to student aide for a second grade classroom.
They give us plenty of experiences and opportunities to learn, however, they do not give us enough honesty.
We are writing 20-60 page lesson plans regularly, writing research papers, creating posters for different religions, reading books, creating podcasts, taking tests, taking major exams (conent area, basic skills, apt). We really do a lot, we put in so much work every week, get one credit hour, for classes that really have us meeting for 2.5 hours a week, etc...
How come these teachers aren't telling us what will realistically happen?? I see the teacher I work with every Wednesday morning, and she is a wonderful mentor, and I truly believe she has been nothing but helpful. I see her every Wednesday and she is just frazzled, she is always coming up with new lessons, ideas, activities, etc... for her students. She is searching for books for low level, average, and above average level readers, she is always working. During her breaks she is working, after school she is working, in summer she is working, she is always working.
When the kids go out to recess for ten-fifteen minutes, I always take that time and she always asks if I have any questions, and I love how she answers them, but how come our teachers aren't being so honest? They are sugar coating, avoiding, or simply too busy for these questions that don't relate to what we are learning.
I think colleges need to be more upfront about what to expect. They should definitely have a course called what to expect when you are a teacher or out in the real world ...or something!
I don't want to enter my first year of teaching being oblivious and ignorant. I don't want to assume i'll be done for the day at 3:00 pm sharp, and have three months in summer to do nothing, because that's definitely not the case at all.
So teachers out there, please talk to your students or student aides/teachers in the classroom and tell them what's really up, I can honestly say they will appreciate it.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The End
I was working with one of my second graders, who has poor reading skills, and she's beginning to improve and even got a 98% on her read aloud.
The main teacher in charge, asked me to work with her on reading a level 14 book. She was doing a great job, and only missed a few words.
After she finished, I asked her if she liked the book, and she said yes. Then I asked her what her favorite part of the book was, and she paused, so I asked, why did you like the book?
Her reply, "It has an end."
The main teacher in charge, asked me to work with her on reading a level 14 book. She was doing a great job, and only missed a few words.
After she finished, I asked her if she liked the book, and she said yes. Then I asked her what her favorite part of the book was, and she paused, so I asked, why did you like the book?
Her reply, "It has an end."
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Classroom Hugs
This year, it is my first time working with second graders, and I enjoy it way more than I originally thought I would.
I used to only want to teach upper elementary school, but my senior year of High School, I got placed for my education internship in a developmentally delayed early childhood classroom. My first couple of weeks there I didn't really enjoy it, but as I got to know the kids more, and spend more time with them, I began to love it. That's when I realized I don't care what grade I teach, as long as I teach.
Till then though, I have only been working with sixth graders, and now, finally, I'm working with second, and I love it.
My favorite thing about second graders is they still love teachers. I always walk in and get hugs from at least one student, and before I leave, I always have a few who try to pull me back in, or ask me questions they know the answers to, show me something, hug me, etc...
It really is a confidence booster. Obviously, my goal is not for my students to love me, it's to educate them, but it sure does feel good to be doing both.
I used to only want to teach upper elementary school, but my senior year of High School, I got placed for my education internship in a developmentally delayed early childhood classroom. My first couple of weeks there I didn't really enjoy it, but as I got to know the kids more, and spend more time with them, I began to love it. That's when I realized I don't care what grade I teach, as long as I teach.
Till then though, I have only been working with sixth graders, and now, finally, I'm working with second, and I love it.
My favorite thing about second graders is they still love teachers. I always walk in and get hugs from at least one student, and before I leave, I always have a few who try to pull me back in, or ask me questions they know the answers to, show me something, hug me, etc...
It really is a confidence booster. Obviously, my goal is not for my students to love me, it's to educate them, but it sure does feel good to be doing both.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
_______ Loves Justin...Timberlake
I student taught for 5th/6th multiage classroom my junior year of High School.
One day, we were all out on the playground, and I was just waking around, monitoring recess.
I saw the "popular" fifth grade girls sitting in a circle talking, and one of the girls looked pretty upset. I went over to her and asked her what was wrong. Then she told me to follow her, and there on the sidewalk, in sidewalk chalk was her name followed by loves Justin (Justin being another fifth grade boy). All the boys were laughing, and she was just angry and upset. Her friends were also angry and trying to figure out how they found out and what to do.
I simply said, do you have any sidewalk chalk? And she said yes, and I found the color it was written in, and added the word Timberlake.
The girls were so happy, and it was such a simple way to solve the problem.
Afterwards, I sat with them in their circles, and we laughed about the whole thing :)
One day, we were all out on the playground, and I was just waking around, monitoring recess.
I saw the "popular" fifth grade girls sitting in a circle talking, and one of the girls looked pretty upset. I went over to her and asked her what was wrong. Then she told me to follow her, and there on the sidewalk, in sidewalk chalk was her name followed by loves Justin (Justin being another fifth grade boy). All the boys were laughing, and she was just angry and upset. Her friends were also angry and trying to figure out how they found out and what to do.
I simply said, do you have any sidewalk chalk? And she said yes, and I found the color it was written in, and added the word Timberlake.
The girls were so happy, and it was such a simple way to solve the problem.
Afterwards, I sat with them in their circles, and we laughed about the whole thing :)
Monday, November 2, 2009
CPS
I live in a suburb near Chicago, and when I was a senior in high school, I got into the Golden Apple program. I won't go into too many details about the program in this entry, but one of the main benefits from Golden Apple is that you get to student aide in a classroom for three weeks in Chicago.
Golden Apple's main goal is to help create wonderful educators that can work in low needs classrooms.
I student taught at a school, that I won't say on here, but it was a rough experience. I had two years of prior experience student teaching, but that was in the suburbs. This was COMPLETELY different.
I worked with a sixth grade summer school class, and these children had to pass summer school to move on to junior high or they would have to repeat the sixth grade. It's hard working with children during the school year because they are so anxious and antsy to get out of school, so imagine working with a bunch of kids who were forced into summer school.
The first week was the hardest. The kids were rude, disrespectful, and clearly did not want to be there. They didn't like me at first and didn't really give me a chance. At first, I was shocked. I worked with sixth graders already, they were so sweet, respectful, loved school, but again, the sixth graders I worked with before were from the suburbs and came from middle class families. These students were living in poor areas and coming from mainly low-income families. Some were involved in gangs, some had no parents to go home to.
At first, I can honestly say, I did not enjoy the experience and didn't think I ever would. However, as the days went on, the students began to trust me. They weren't afraid or threatened by me, and they could tell that I genuinely cared. As the days went on I began noticing that their summer school teacher could honestly not care about them or what happens to them. She was always yelling at them, threatening them, and she never really taught. She just handed them worksheets and said get this done by eleven, and then grab this. It was pretty depressing.
Whenever they had these worksheets and busy work to do, I would always walk around and help them as best as I could.
However, that's not really the point of this blog. I'm getting off topic, which will happen with me a lot.. (i'll try to work on that).
In the Fall of 2010, I have to do my student teaching, and I will be doing it in Chicago. Whenever I tell people this, they are a little too worried and concerned.
Reactions I get are similar to, "what? aren't you scared?" "Can't someone else do it?" "Be safe!!!" Etc... I remember getting those same reactions back then as well, and I just want to scream whenever someone says something like this.
I understand the neighborhoods are not as great, the students aren't going to be as respectful, etc... I do, and yes, some schools are bad, and have issues, I get that too. But to try to discourage me from wanting to make a difference really gets to me.
I'm sorry, but i've seen and even had an experience with a CPS teacher and many aren't that great. I know, I am not a teacher yet, but it's easy to tell what teachers are great and which are well not meant to be teachers.
I wouldn't work in a CPS my first year of teaching or first years only because I wouldn't be as effective. I would love to work for a school of need, but I believe they deserve the best teachers. Many of the students come from low income families and don't have positive role models. I want to show these students that if no one at home cares, I at least do.
I believe all children deserve excellent teachers (golden apple motto), and I'm excited to work at a low income school, so please don't try to stop me.
Golden Apple's main goal is to help create wonderful educators that can work in low needs classrooms.
I student taught at a school, that I won't say on here, but it was a rough experience. I had two years of prior experience student teaching, but that was in the suburbs. This was COMPLETELY different.
I worked with a sixth grade summer school class, and these children had to pass summer school to move on to junior high or they would have to repeat the sixth grade. It's hard working with children during the school year because they are so anxious and antsy to get out of school, so imagine working with a bunch of kids who were forced into summer school.
The first week was the hardest. The kids were rude, disrespectful, and clearly did not want to be there. They didn't like me at first and didn't really give me a chance. At first, I was shocked. I worked with sixth graders already, they were so sweet, respectful, loved school, but again, the sixth graders I worked with before were from the suburbs and came from middle class families. These students were living in poor areas and coming from mainly low-income families. Some were involved in gangs, some had no parents to go home to.
At first, I can honestly say, I did not enjoy the experience and didn't think I ever would. However, as the days went on, the students began to trust me. They weren't afraid or threatened by me, and they could tell that I genuinely cared. As the days went on I began noticing that their summer school teacher could honestly not care about them or what happens to them. She was always yelling at them, threatening them, and she never really taught. She just handed them worksheets and said get this done by eleven, and then grab this. It was pretty depressing.
Whenever they had these worksheets and busy work to do, I would always walk around and help them as best as I could.
However, that's not really the point of this blog. I'm getting off topic, which will happen with me a lot.. (i'll try to work on that).
In the Fall of 2010, I have to do my student teaching, and I will be doing it in Chicago. Whenever I tell people this, they are a little too worried and concerned.
Reactions I get are similar to, "what? aren't you scared?" "Can't someone else do it?" "Be safe!!!" Etc... I remember getting those same reactions back then as well, and I just want to scream whenever someone says something like this.
I understand the neighborhoods are not as great, the students aren't going to be as respectful, etc... I do, and yes, some schools are bad, and have issues, I get that too. But to try to discourage me from wanting to make a difference really gets to me.
I'm sorry, but i've seen and even had an experience with a CPS teacher and many aren't that great. I know, I am not a teacher yet, but it's easy to tell what teachers are great and which are well not meant to be teachers.
I wouldn't work in a CPS my first year of teaching or first years only because I wouldn't be as effective. I would love to work for a school of need, but I believe they deserve the best teachers. Many of the students come from low income families and don't have positive role models. I want to show these students that if no one at home cares, I at least do.
I believe all children deserve excellent teachers (golden apple motto), and I'm excited to work at a low income school, so please don't try to stop me.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Little Battles
Currently I student aide for a second grade classroom. It's my first time working with second graders and I love it. They are a lot smarter, older, taller, and wiser than I remembered. They also have a lot more emotion than I imagined.
In grade school bullying, teasing, name calling, etc... is common. Kids feelings are hurt regularly, it's a sad statement, but a pretty true statement.
A few weeks ago, I was walking around, monitoring centers and this little boy we'll call Cam didn't have a partner. So I said okay work with Kat, her partner is absent today. Then Cam said can I work with some other student instead, and Kat began crying saying "my mom said everyone would like me."
Right away I told Cam to apologize and be Kat's partner, and to not treat other people this way and what he said and did just now, really hurt Kat's feelings. Cam instantly apologized and actually looked a bit worried and nervous. Then he proceeded to say, "i'm sorry, your baby brother was so cute when he came to visit the class last week." Instantly they made up and she forgave him and stopped crying.
After that day, I walked in a week later, and when they were to choose partners they chose each other.
I was really happy with how I handled the situation. My original thought was, oh crap, get the teacher, this little girl is crying. Instead, I handled it properly and didn't have to disturb the busy teacher in the process.
It probably won't always work out so wonderfully, but I was glad it did this time!
In grade school bullying, teasing, name calling, etc... is common. Kids feelings are hurt regularly, it's a sad statement, but a pretty true statement.
A few weeks ago, I was walking around, monitoring centers and this little boy we'll call Cam didn't have a partner. So I said okay work with Kat, her partner is absent today. Then Cam said can I work with some other student instead, and Kat began crying saying "my mom said everyone would like me."
Right away I told Cam to apologize and be Kat's partner, and to not treat other people this way and what he said and did just now, really hurt Kat's feelings. Cam instantly apologized and actually looked a bit worried and nervous. Then he proceeded to say, "i'm sorry, your baby brother was so cute when he came to visit the class last week." Instantly they made up and she forgave him and stopped crying.
After that day, I walked in a week later, and when they were to choose partners they chose each other.
I was really happy with how I handled the situation. My original thought was, oh crap, get the teacher, this little girl is crying. Instead, I handled it properly and didn't have to disturb the busy teacher in the process.
It probably won't always work out so wonderfully, but I was glad it did this time!
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