any tips for a first year teacher??

[jteach809]

Hi,

I'm currently a Masters student at Virginia Tech and am beginning the process of applying for teaching jobs (elementary ed). Talking on a discussion board is actually part of my technology portfolio, so I figured I would ask about something important...I know that I have many questions about what the first year of teaching will be like, as well as many of my fellow classmates. Are there any tips that anyone has for first year teachers? Is there really enough time to make all of your lesson plans for the year? In your experience, are other teachers willing/volunteer to give you thier lesson plans? Have you been in team teaching situations?
What about the parent/teacher relationship? Do you make yourself openly available, or do you find it easier to give out your email and certain times that parents can talk to you?

Answers to these questions and any other tipcs would be fantastic! Thank you:)

[javamomma]

My advice:
Be flexible. Your lesson plans that you worked on for hours can be thrown to the wind in an instant with unexpected programs, extra absences, or a throwing up kid.

Be flexible with the special ed teachers that need your students. They have a very difficult time scheduling all the students they need to see.

Being fair is not always treating everyone the same.

It is okay to throw some things away, you dont have to grade every single piece of paper that is turned in. (Just do it after the students leave for the day. :) )

[Helper]

Team teaching is an effective way to address any special needs that students may have.

In the first year if the teacher you are teamed with is a mentor you may feel blessed.

Lesson plans are critical and a very useful tool for you as an agenda. be flexible and don't beat yourself up over the matter of not completing the plan and continue to move forward in sequence as you desire for your students pace.

Parents should be involved in all your students education. Let them know what you expect and have them input their concerns. A parent/teacher relationship is very very important in the success of all the students.

[AAA Teacher Forum]

I'm currently a Masters student at Virginia Tech and am beginning the process of applying for teaching jobs (elementary ed). Talking on a discussion board is actually part of my technology portfolio, so I figured I would ask about something important...I know that I have many questions about what the first year of teaching will be like, as well as many of my fellow classmates. Are there any tips that anyone has for first year teachers? Is there really enough time to make all of your lesson plans for the year?

Instead of trying to get all of your lesson plans put together for the year, I would recommend making yourself a "road map." I do this by using an Excel spreadsheet that is set up for all of my subject areas and my school calendar. (Here is the URL where you can view a page of the calendar in PDF format: http://www.theteacherscorner.net/calendar.pdf) Whatever type of calendar of planning grid you use, don't forget to mark holidays and in-service days...not including those can really throw a wrench into things.

I can then plan "chunks" of instruction for each of my subjects. Depending on the curriculum your school uses, you can be as general or specific as you want in this planning. (My school uses Everyday Math, so I can be exact on my daily instruction for this.) This road map will help you stay on track during the school year. I can then create my daily lesson plans weekly and/or by my units I am teaching.

In your experience, are other teachers willing/volunteer to give you thier lesson plans? Have you been in team teaching situations?

The answer is yes and no. I've been part of some great teams...everyone is willing to share and really contribute to creating lesson plans that everyone can use. I've also been a part of teams where it's been each teacher for them self. I think you have to find the happy "middle ground" when it comes to asking others for the lesson plans. Even as a first year teacher, you need to be able to contribute to a team...don't expect that everything will be given to you. Experienced teachers are willing to help out, but it's important to remember that lesson plans take time to create and they can often become very personal items to some teachers. So just be careful and don't always be the new teacher who is taking and never giving. Even if you don't have a library of lesson plans to share, you can find other ways to contribute to your team.

What about the parent/teacher relationship? Do you make yourself openly available, or do you find it easier to give out your email and certain times that parents can talk to you?

As previously mentioned, the parent/teacher relationship is crucial!! I would recommend getting started early in the school year (even before the year starts if possible) creating a solid relationship with every parent.

Throughout the school year you need to keep the lines of communication open. From the interactions you have with parents early on in the year, you will quickly learn which ones need more frequent communication. Parents DON'T like to be surprised, so keep them informed. At the beginning of the year ask parents about their preferred form of communication (email/phone/note). This makes everyday communication much easier...for the serious matters I always use the phone.

The only time I'm really not available to parents is during the instructional time of my day. I will use before/after, planning, and lunch to either meet with parents, return phone calls and answer email. (The duties your school requires you to do can determine your availability during these times.) I always give my email address...never any personal phone numbers. I do try to encourage parents to make appointments for meetings (versus just dropping in) and I always find out what they want to meet about before we get together.

Another way to build p/t relations is to invite them into your classroom for volunteering. Not only will it help you, but research has shown that student performance increases when their parent volunteers in the classroom.

Good luck with your program and feel free to ask any additional questions you have!

Jennifer

[ELIZABETH2]

Hi,

I'm currently a Masters student at Virginia Tech and am beginning the process of applying for teaching jobs (elementary ed). Talking on a discussion board is actually part of my technology portfolio, so I figured I would ask about something important...I know that I have many questions about what the first year of teaching will be like, as well as many of my fellow classmates. Are there any tips that anyone has for first year teachers? Is there really enough time to make all of your lesson plans for the year? In your experience, are other teachers willing/volunteer to give you thier lesson plans? Have you been in team teaching situations?
What about the parent/teacher relationship? Do you make yourself openly available, or do you find it easier to give out your email and certain times that parents can talk to you?

Answers to these questions and any other tipcs would be fantastic! Thank you:)

Introduce learning centers gradually. Put out very enticing "easy" centers at first, such as puzzles, math and reading games, recorded stories at book center, open-ended art center (clay, watercolors, cut and paste) but not all at once!

Show students how to take things off shelves, work with them and put them back before you allow them to go to centers.

I grouped my students (not necessarily by ability) and sent a group of 4-5 students to a center with a defined task, such as playing a game and recording answers on a form I had made out. Every center had a recording form. This helped the students be accountable.

I also used a timer. I set it for 15 minutes. When the timer went off, students had to (1) stay at the center if they had not completed the task (2) leave and go to another center or (3) continue working at their first center if they wanted.

Early in the year, I monitored centers and played games with students. Later, I pulled groups during the first 15 minutes and worked with them on a skill - one group per day.

Send me an email at wibber@bellsouth.net and I will send you some forms and tools I created for learning centers.

Elizabeth2

[cdace]

I have found that maintaining good communication with parents is an underestimated part of the teaching process. Make good use of whatever forums (parents night, report cards, letters, etc.) your school provides for you to contact your parents. - Corey

[Mr Wonderful]

lots of cough syrup!

[SLP]

I have found that teachers complaining to administrators only makes teachers look as if they can't do their jobs well. It's taken me years to figure out that if a change needs to be made, it's the parents who need to complain. Administrators jump when parents complain. Then, you need to figure out a way to let parents in on "touchy" issues so that they will advocate for their children.

[landreth2007]

Lesson plans are great and necessary but be prepared to toss them out if they aren't working. Monitor and adjust! Keep notes of what works and what doesn't for future reference. There is never really enough time in the day to do what needs to be done so prioritize.

Most teachers are willing to share ideas and materials. Many are flattered that you ask but be sure to acknowledge their contribution when someone compliments your lesson. Don't forget that as a new teacher you come with fresh ideas and enthusiasm that some of us have may lack. Share your idea also. You have a lot to give.

I always respond to parents as quickly as possible. I give them the school number and the times I am available to conference. It helps to give my school e-mail and I can usually communicate quicker that way.

There are a lot of trials in our profession but has the possibility of being the most rewarding job in the world.

[Brandi]

Thank you for asking this question. It is something I wanted to ask and forgot about LOL:)

[Sassafras]

Hi,

I'm currently a Masters student at Virginia Tech and am beginning the process of applying for teaching jobs (elementary ed). Talking on a discussion board is actually part of my technology portfolio, so I figured I would ask about something important...I know that I have many questions about what the first year of teaching will be like, as well as many of my fellow classmates. Are there any tips that anyone has for first year teachers? Is there really enough time to make all of your lesson plans for the year? In your experience, are other teachers willing/volunteer to give you thier lesson plans? Have you been in team teaching situations?
What about the parent/teacher relationship? Do you make yourself openly available, or do you find it easier to give out your email and certain times that parents can talk to you?

Answers to these questions and any other tipcs would be fantastic! Thank you:)


My Advice:
Be flexible you never know when you'll be thrown a curve.:eek:
Don't make mountains out of mole hills.
Get to know the mountains.
Don't freak out when you find out you have to teach a subject and there is nothing in your room to use to teach it with.
Don't try to reinvent the wheel when someone else has what you need.
Ask for help.
Beg and borrow from other grade level teachers.
Share what you have with other grade level teachers.
Make sure you have a good discipline plan and be consistent.
The hour a day you get for planning will not always be YOUR time for planning. You will have grade level meetings, trainings, parent/teacher meetings, calls to parents to make and paper work to do.
Keep a positive attitude and a smile.
Develop good relationships with you co-workers.

To answer your questions: I stay after school two or three days a week to get my planning done. I don't have time to get it all done during the school day.

The other teachers at my school have all bent over backwards to help me. They e-mail me Websites and forms. If they come across something they think I could use they make copies for me. We have even met after school a few time to plan together on different subjects.

I have no team teaching experience yet.

For the most part, my parent could care less about what's going on at school but I do have four or five who do. They all have my school e-mail address and know how to contact me at school. The others do too but they have never used it. You will also learn how to track down some of those parents who never show up, expecially those who you REALLY want to talk to.:rolleyes:

[Sassafras]

Hi,

I'm currently a Masters student at Virginia Tech and am beginning the process of applying for teaching jobs (elementary ed). Talking on a discussion board is actually part of my technology portfolio, so I figured I would ask about something important...I know that I have many questions about what the first year of teaching will be like, as well as many of my fellow classmates. Are there any tips that anyone has for first year teachers? Is there really enough time to make all of your lesson plans for the year? In your experience, are other teachers willing/volunteer to give you thier lesson plans? Have you been in team teaching situations?
What about the parent/teacher relationship? Do you make yourself openly available, or do you find it easier to give out your email and certain times that parents can talk to you?

Answers to these questions and any other tipcs would be fantastic! Thank you:)


My Advice:
Be flexible you never know when you'll be thrown a curve.:eek:
Don't make mountains out of mole hills.
Get to know the mountains.
Don't freak out when you find out you have to teach a subject and there is nothing in your room to use to teach it with.
Don't try to reinvent the wheel when someone else has what you need.
Ask for help.
Beg and borrow from other grade level teachers.
Share what you have with other grade level teachers.
Make sure you have a good discipline plan and be consistent.
The hour a day you get for planning will not always be YOUR time for planning. You will have grade level meetings, trainings, parent/teacher meetings, calls to parents to make and paper work to do.
Keep a positive attitude and a smile.
Develop good relationships with you co-workers.

To answer your questions: I stay after school two or three days a week to get my planning done. I don't have time to get it all done during the school day.

The other teachers at my school have all bent over backwards to help me. They e-mail me Websites and forms. If they come across something they think I could use they make copies for me. We have even met after school a few time to plan together on different subjects.

I have no team teaching experience yet.

For the most part, my parent could care less about what's going on at school but I do have four or five who do. They all have my school e-mail address and know how to contact me at school. The others do too but they have never used it. You will also learn how to track down some of those parents who never show up, expecially those who you REALLY want to talk to.:rolleyes:

[SLP]

I have found that good working relationships with fellow teachers is helpful, but just as important is to cultivate good relationships with the school secretary and the custodial staff. Treat them well, get to know them on a personal level, give them gifts at the holidays & the end of the year. Your school life will be much more comfortable with them on your side. They are critical to the smooth running of the school. They deserve respect and thanks too.

[HavaLyon]

I am reading a book right now, "First-Year Teacher's Survival Kit" by Julia Thompson. I have found it to be really helpful, and well-worth the price I paid for it (I bought it from Abebooks, and only paid $15.50 for it, and that's including shipping! This is a 475 page book in brand-new condition!)

I am taking notes as I read. It's been very helpful so far. :)

Havs

[bcasbcjs]

so how has it been helpful?

[first_grade_teecher]

Lesson plans are key-but getting a schedule that works for you and your students is a more important part of your day. you need to take into account the things you cannot change-resouces, lunch, dismissal (those extras). remember there are certain time constraints that various districts require for curriculum. once you have worked out your schedule, you can work on a few weeks on lessons to get yourself started. you district will give you a curriculum guide-breaking down the year into when things are to be taught.
Other teachers are always a resource!
You will always remember your first class. And it will be your first class, mistakes will happen, colds will happen and you will feel lost at times. It can be overwhelming. But you and your students will learn together.

[floridagirl]

As a first year teacher, I think that organization cannot be over-emphasized. I have spent hours searching for things and going through paperwork - things that a simple filing system would have helped or even prevented. :)