1. Listen and visit with your students. This may be a couple seconds in the hallway before school or listening to them talk during group work. You can gain incredible insight into where the students are in extracurricular activities, their comprehension of your subject or home life. Having this information can help you be a better teacher. If possible, incorporate their activities into your lessons.
2. Take your curriculum seriously, but not yourself. It's your job to teach the curriculum; no doubt about that. Quickest way to find yourself job hunting is to give free days over and over. But you don't have to be Mr. or Ms. Perfect. So you misspelled a word on a test, you tripped over your shoes, you mispronounced a word; big deal. It can become a big deal if you don't just laugh it off. Kids need adult role models. If you model someone easy going enough to realize you're not perfect, they can do the same. Let's face it, no one is perfect. And if you try to be, students will try to find fault in you. In my years as a teacher, I've had the experience of having the lock on the bathroom door break trapping me inside, fallen off a skateboard in front of the class, and numerous other incidents that escape my memory. Laughing and shrugging my shoulders is all I can do.
3. Be flexible. And I mean it. I know you put plenty of time in planning great lessons. You expect them all to go just like you envisioned in your mind. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. It may be an unexpected phone call, or the kids didn't understand the directions or maybe just a fire drill. Don't worry about it. There have been times I expected to do something only to realize the students weren't ready or the supplies weren't there. Being flexible means you can easily move into a back up plan when things don't work out. Do I like to make great plans only to see them crumble? No! But it's much easier to toss the plans aside and take control over what you can, than fret about it. This is a hard, but necessary lesson.
4. Be prepared. This tip embodies all the components of teaching. Make sure you have the materials before you decide to make a neat project. As you are writing your lessons, keep materials in mind. If you are relying on the internet, have a backup plan, in case it's down. I've had more than one lesson malfunction due to lack of internet service. If you are showing a video, check to see if it can be downloaded. You will be able to use it again next year if you like it. And while I'm on the subject, preview your videos. I know, it's time consuming, but you may find something inappropriate or possibly realize the subject matter was different than you thought. And don't forget to prepare your students for all kinds of evacuations and lock downs. It might mean life or death someday.
5. Use your resources. There are a lot of resources available to teachers, but none more valuable that your co-workers. So start to reach out to your fellow teachers. You can ask about students and how to deal with them. You should seek out those veteran teachers. Fortunately for me, those veteran teachers were generous with their knowledge. I learned it's not just me working and struggling. It's all of us and we are in this together. My teaching is reflected in all the teachers who have passed along a nugget of wisdom in my direction. It may have been something simple about what they do with a kid or tips to deal with parents. But I'm forever grateful to those teachers who are willing to share their vast experiences with me.
6. Tomorrow is another day. And it's great if it's a Saturday. Just joking, folks. But seriously, my first two years teaching were brutal. I changed schools after my first year. And the first year at a new school is trying, to say the least. I've heard some students actually brag that they ran off a new teacher in the building. Hey, I teach junior high, what else can they brag about? Ha, joking again, or am I? During that first year in a new school I'd come home exhausted and complaining about everything. Why me? I'll even admit that I sought out employment elsewhere. Thankfully, it wasn't the plan for me. I had both my sons in my 8th grade science classroom and I'm glad. They graduated from my district and I'm grateful. I found my place. Don't judge a district on your first or second year. Get settled, get established. Realize teachers and administrators will come and go. But students need stability. I feel like I've provided that as I see some of the same parents over and over at conferences. It's a comfort. At the same time, I never know what tomorrow will bring and that's exciting.
Let me know what you think of my tips by posting a comment. I'd love to hear more tips from you.
No comments:
Post a Comment