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[johnslat]

While this list was written for school teachers in the US, I'd say many/most of what's mentioned have a universal application for new teachers.


10 things I want all new teachers to know...
This year I am working closely with our BTAP (beginning teacher assistance program) to help plan and develop some beginning of the year trainings. For the record, our BTAP committee has been doing a wonderful job over the years, however like anything, we are always looking to improve and do it better each year.

This year we have 22 brand new never taught still don't know what I'm doing teachers in our district. Now, I'm not sure about you and your district, but from where I come from that is a lot of new teachers! Consequently, we want and NEED to have a strong new teacher program to help with this transition. As many are aware, almost 50% of new teachers exit the profession by their 5th year. This number makes me a little uncomfortable, so anything I can do to help with new teachers is the least I can do!

So here is my list of what I want all new teachers to know:

1) - It's Ok to look and feel like this (i.e. frightened). If being scared wasn't supposed to happen from time to time, then we wouldn't be human. Don't be afraid of what you don't know and aren't sure about. Take everything in stride and accept that you are going to make mistakes. The key is making sure you learn from those mistakes.

2) - Find time during your off period to go observe other classrooms in your building. Even if the content and/or age group are different, there is still a lot you can learn via simple observation. If possible, see if that teacher would be willing to sit and talk with you about what you saw in their classroom. Even better, invite them to observe your classroom and get feedback/input on what they saw in your classroom.

3) - Focus on building relationships with your students from day one. Don't worry about your content at first, you most likely just spent the last four years of your life learning about it. Spend the first few weeks learning about the lives of the students you have in front of you. The more you learn about your students the more they will learn about your content.

4) - Don't worry about discipline and punishing kids; worry about how to provide strong instruction and an engaging classroom environment. This is basically being proactive rather than reactive. A classroom that is engaging with strong instructional practices is a classroom with few discipline problems.

5) - Learn the names and show the utmost respect to every administrative assistant, custodial/maintenance and food service employee in your building. They will help you more than you could ever imagine... trust me on this.

6) - Don't be afraid to speak up and share an idea. You most likely weren't hired because you were the worst candidate, so at some point in time somebody saw something great about you. You bring a new perspective and a fresh set of lenses to the table, so be sure to share your thoughts and insights in a collaborative and collegial manner.

7) - Don't try to do everything on your own. Don't simply shut your door and teach. Work with those who have more experience and know the system. Find a few people whom you can trust, and lean on them.

- Be careful of the teacher's lounge and watch out for 'that group.' The teacher's lounge can be the type of environment that just beats you down and makes you feel like the world is a terrible place. This is not always the case, but be aware that these black holes do exist from time to time. Also, every school has 'the group.' You might not notice the group at first because they are always looking for new members (specifically new teachers). Try to avoid this group at all costs.

9) - Having fun on the weekends is all good and is frankly healthy, but be sure to keep your image clean and professional. More employees get in trouble for the silly and not so smart things they do online than for most other reasons. Be safe and have a healthy career/life balance, but don't feel the need to take a picture of every second and then share those pictures with the world.

10) - Get connected and follow the #ntchat hashtag. There is whole world full of resources and information out there, so don't feel limited to just the colleagues in your hallway, in your school and in your district. Reach out and take control of your own learning and development.

What would you add to this list?"

http://www.justintarte.com/2013/07/10-things-i-want-all-new-teachers-to.html

Regards,
John

[spiral78]

[Sashadroogie]

Nothing at all about ideological rectitude? What good is a classroom without some re-education, eh?

Other than that, seems like a good little list.

[sicklyman]

[johnslat]

Dear sicklyman,

It's not often (actually, this may be the first time) that I disagree with spiral78. but I echo the sentiments in your post. Perhaps spiral, who teaches only adults (as I do and have done for most of my 35 years), was thinking more of the "dark side" of "relationships" between adult learners and their teachers. And, of course, that does go on; in fact, we've had a number of threads about that very topic. But I know that, like you, I've developed strictly friendship relationships with some students by getting to know more about their lives and their experiences, some of which have been quite astonishing. Since I teach academic writing as part of my Transitions course, I encourage students to choose a Personal Narrative for their first attempt at essay writing. So far, I haven't had such an essay fail to move me since they come from the heart, And when studenst share a part of their lives with you, it definitely (for me, anyway) forms a bond that always makes teaching them (and learning from them) much more productive. One such personal essay topic I like to suggest is this: If you could go back in time and give advice to your younger self, what would you tell them? It's produced some amazing compositions.

As regard discipline, well, it's been my experience teaching adults that that usually isn't much of a problem. But I've taught Head Start, elementary, junior and senior high, too. And, in my experience, the advice given works better than, as a teacher, fixating on "classroom management." But it's such a nebulous area; how does one gain/earn respect and attention? At the risk of sounding "mystical," I think much, maybe all, of the answer is in the "presence" you bring to the classroom, the manner that you project. If you're confident and enjoy what you're doing, it really does communicate to the students (just as the opposite does). When you treat students with respect and fairness - even small kids - it comes back to you. Most of the teachers I've seen over the years who had "classroom management" problems either lacked confidence in their own abilities or disliked teaching to begin with.

Just my opinions - but they've worked well for me.

Regards,
John

[Sashadroogie]

If I may comment on Spiral's behalf - I think perhaps those sentiments were coloured by the fallacy of the personality teacher. I.e. the teacher who wishes to 'connect' with the learners on a personal level, mainly on account of the fact they have no real teacher skills to begin with. I think the intent is to trade on personality, but they tend to suffer a high attrition rate, in Europe at any rate, because learners are not interested in a new 'friend' or 'role model' or 'life coach' or some other tripe. They want proper lessons. Content matters.

I know, I know. This is not the same thing as what was in the original ten-point list. But I too cringed a little when I read the 'get to know your class' bit. The association with the aforementioned personality types is quite strong.

Perhaps the list could have benefitted from using the usual terminology here, i.e. rapport, rather than going on about 'building relationships' and not worrying about content.

[spiral78]

Let me clarify a bit. My students are indeed all adults, and they are not immigrants (who are perhaps more often vulnerable in a new society and eager to collect as many clues to fitting in as possible).

I have actual power over their grade point averages in a situation where it matters; in fact, some of our courses are quite high-stakes.
I've often taught in contexts where I may see the same class only a total of 4-6 times (ever). And I may have literally over 200 students in a given semester, depending where and what I am doing.

Practicalities of getting to know 100+ students in less than 12 hours aside -

if I've got power over them in terms of marks, I do have some sense that it's unethical for me to see them too much as individuals - at least not until the course is over and my power over them is ended.

It is unfair whether they've impressed me favorably or negatively; I have to do what I can to limit bias in my marking. That's a very strict criteria in my work - and, I am by no means the only teacher around in such a situation.

I think the other distinction is that I, like many others, teach content in English, rather than general English. The tasks our students must succeed at are entirely focused on in-field writing and speaking; no time or opportunity for creative writing in my contexts.

It's also about what Sasha said; European adult students (in Europe) aren't often particularly interested in socializing with a teacher (it does happen, of course, but I think likely much less than in some other cultures and contexts). My students are either upper-level university (totally have their own lives!) or professionals with families and friends and stable existences - I'm very much peripheral to their lives.

Of course, I have numerous friends whom I met as my students, and my social life is hugely enriched because of that, but in my situation (which is by no means unique) it really wouldn't be entirely ethical to allow personal connections to colour my perceptions of individual students and hence possibly affect the grades and feedback I give on their work.

Polite and respectful but focused solely on what