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What are the top 5 things you wish you knew your first day of teaching?
As a rookie who will be making his classroom bebut next fall, I am anxious to learn anything I can before I inherit the responsibility running a classroom on my own. Any and all pointers or tips would be great!
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Non-management: use sites like Lessonsmith and the resources other teachers have developed as much as you can. You can always modify them to make them your own, but it will literally save you hours.
Over a year ago by Daniel Lopez
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1. Definitely remain calm.
2. Always be yourself. Kids can see right through someone being fake.
3. Be cognizant that teaching is a learning process. You won't know everything right away. Sometimes to reach a kid, it's about trial and error.
4. Have clear rules, but know that sometimes, students have underlying issues that may stop them from following the rules 100% of the time.
5. Be selective with your words. I don't know why and i'm not sure where this came from, but I stopped asking "why?" and now ask "how come?". Seems to get a better response.
Peace
Over a year ago by Steve Silvasy
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1. Be yourself, a lot of times when you start out teaching you have this perception of what a good teacher looks like, but if you try to be someone who you are not in front of your classroom, the kids will see right though that!
2. Give clear directions, always, about everything.
3. Never escalate situations. When a kid is freaking out, just go into your calm place and chill.
4. Reset, when you have a bad day or a bad period remember it is completely in your power to make the next one better, but if you go into it pissed off, it will for sure without a doubt be even worst.
5. Enjoy it!
Over a year ago by Lizzy Hetherington
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This is easier said than done, but STAY CALM when your students are not.
From observing adults who are incredible with kids, they all share the ability to remain relaxed, collected, and patient during even the craziest situations.
Over a year ago by Andrew Knips
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The absolute, #1 thing that took me a while into my first year to figure out:
Don't let bad days or bad periods get to you. It's incredibly easy to feel really down after a bad class, but keep your head up. As a high school teacher, you have almost 1000 periods a year- some of them won't be your best. Move on and do your best to make the next day stronger.
Over a year ago by Daniel Lopez
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1. Have a procedure for everything. Like, everything. High schoolers still need to be taught how and where to sit, to look at people that are speaking to them, and that listening means silent, not quiet.
2. When you have to discipline a student, make it about the rule/ the procedure, not you. Too often students feel like a teacher is judging them: be clear that the issue is about how we do things in class, not who they are or doing something because you say so.
3. Make jokes when you can. It's even better if they're terrible sometimes.
4. Focus on the positive. Tell kids what they have to do to get an A, not to pass. When they are breaking rules, first remind them what success/ excellence looks like, instead of telling them what not to do.
5. Smile when you see your kids at the start of class. Especially the ones that really piss you off. Everyone shows up wanting to have a good day- sometimes we just don't know how to do it right.
by Shane Donovan - Over a year ago