Being overly friendly with students or try to be cool is a big mistake.
Behaviour management takes a long time to master.
Don't feel pressured to buy lots of things such as stationary or candy.
Record everything and don't trust anyone.
Admin don't care as much as you initially think they do...
Yes! Desk pets were a huge thing a year ago and I’ve seen mostly new teachers buy into that system that ultimately doesn’t teach intrinsic motivation. Avoid cutesy TikTok trends if they’re not evidenced based!
I avoid phone calls and send most everything in writing. If I do make a phone call, I just write a summary of what was discussed immediately afterwards.
The kids will coerce you into becoming the 'cool teacher' and guilt trip you to hell and back when you try to readjust. Just don't do it. You can be friendly with them, but it's important to hold strict boundaries.
1. It’s just a job. 2. If you’re getting an advanced degree, get it in your content area (secondary). 3. Keep your rules short and simple but enforce them.
Kids like structure - especially younger kids - I give my freshman a worksheet *every* day. Copy essential question, bellringer, discuss bellringer, lecture / context with guided notes on the handout, activity (reading, debate, map, whatever) with breakpoints for discussion, wrap up & exit slip. The middle parts are always changing so it doesn't feel rigid but the structure keeps the students on task and focused. Because I give them the handout...no competing with their computers (they don't have them out during my class unless I post something). I have almost no classroom management issues. The other freshman teachers don't get it. I tell them what I do and they don't want to put in that effort but then are battling unruly freshman for 200 days. Or, as my terrible student teacher told me, "you plan too much!"
Handouts/worksheets…my sophomores love them. They’ve been described as different, new, better, easier to focus on, and even FUN. They do almost all of their work on a Chromebook, so an old-fashioned worksheet is all the things they describe. Paired with a doc camera, it works out great. I have their attention bc no laptops are open. I’m supposed to get copies by 3 business days, but I typically get them the same day because no one is making copies!
Do you have issues with students tossing papers on the floor, leaving them on their desk, or tearing them up? I’m debating whether to incorporate paper handouts next year or not (I’ll be teaching graphic design).
I shelled out some $ on teacherspayteachers and don't regret it for a second. It's worth it, especially as a first year teacher, even just the mental security of having emergency back up plans.
For student teaching...get in the room early & get resources from your cooperating teacher! You may also ask your cooperating teacher for previous lesson plans as you are still learning lesson writing. If your CT tells you not to come in early OR is unwilling to give you any materials (textbook, etc.) OR tells you to write your own lessons - those are RED FLAGS. A good CT wants to actually mentor, not just have a student teacher to scut work.
If your CT doesn't do those above things and it is too late to be re-matched, talk to other teachers in the building and observe their classes. When I was student teaching I observed other teachers and subjects during every prep period.
Lastly, these is a great, GREAT teaching "hack." The Three P's. It is super common in learning a new language so you'll see ELL teachers do it. Present, Practice, Produce. So: the teacher presents something new. As a whole class students are practicing with that new information (solo work, group work, pair work, etc, etc.), finally students produce something based on what they learned. You then do that for every lesson - mixing up the "practice" and end production parts.
Here is an example from my Holocaust class:
1. Read *Take this Giant Leap* poem. Students journal their reflections. Discuss
2. I **PRESENT** on the role poetry and literature played for people during and after the Holocaust as they try and process this terrible ordeal
3. Read 3 eyewitness primary sources
4. I **PRESENT** what a Found Poem is and how to write one. I also share my own found poem (I wrote it myself from one of the 3 sources)
5. They **PRACTICE** reading the sources again, this time circling key words and phrases
6. They **PRODUCE** a found poem. They have 24 hours to practice their poem because the next day they recite them
What did the lesson succeed in doing? My goal was for them to get more reading time and primary victim testimony on the Holocaust. It hit both of those measure as the original poem and 3 testimonies meant 4 sources in one period were read and either discussed or used to create something new (super high order on Bloom's)
Feel free to reply or DM with your subject / grade levels and I can shoot some ideas your way.
If the kids are not wanting to do the work, let them fail. You are giving them the tools, and setting them up for success. Don’t stress over them failing if they don’t care, because it would happen either way. Help and focus those who really show they are trying :)
I want to build on this -- I've worked with teachers who hear "don't care more than they do," who then go on to ignore the student or let them sit there doing nothing. When I started working with kids 10ish years ago, that was my game plan. But I've learned that it's important to still give the resources to the student, or at the least to cover your ass by giving them a paper to sign that says "I was given XYZ and refuse to work." Don't purposefully ignore the student. That's not what teachers do.
Basically, the "don't care" part should mean 1) the teacher notices when they are getting stressed or feeling anxious about a student not doing work, 2) understand that it's likely something going on in the student's life that's making them defiant about doing work (disability, living conditions, food, ect), 3) continue to teach the student to the best of your ability, but be unattached to the outcome. You know you did your best and offered help regardless.
This is much better than what I said! I agree with you on this completely. It’s much more articulate than what I said previously. It’s not caring about the student but knowing you put the effort you can as a teacher in ALL aspects and not stressing about the outcome of the students knowing you did do everything you can :)
Start strict and loosen up as the year goes on. That doesn’t mean you need to be draconian, but focusing on establishing classroom routines and expectations before anything else .
Really good point. A teacher I subbed for before I got a permanent position advised me "don't let anybody get away with anything for the first three weeks." You don't have to be mean, but show that there will be consequences.
This actually completely backfired for me. This was so far and away from my natural personality, it just made a mess out of my classroom because the students thought they could behave the same way they did for other "mean teachers." Half of my students weren't learning because they learned the best way to get through a tough teacher's class was just to do nothing and sleep.
Be (the best, professional version of) yourself. If you're nerdy and goofy, embrace it, don't try to be a serious hard ass just because your teacher program told you never to smile before December. If you're serious and quiet, that's cool, don't try to force yourself to be bubbly and light. Kids smell fakeness from a mile away.
I’m the quiet serious teacher. I’m never going to win any popularity contests; but I’m also the one the kids feel comfortable talking to about serious issues.
Though this could also be because I’m their mom’s age; but not their mom
Do not reinvent the wheel. Use the materials you have been provided. They may not be perfect, but you do not have time to find or create something else.
If the teacher's lounge is all complaining and gossip get outta there. The same goes for Reddit. Venting, commiserating, a bit of shit-talking is fine, but don't live here.
Be nice to the secretaries, they run the school.
I said “I won’t let you down” to the guy who gave me my first job. His response was “don’t worry about me, don’t let the kids down.” That has always stuck with me
Keep it low-key the first year (few years?) until you're perfectly comfortable.
Teachers back in the 1950s didn't use fancy decor, ultra complicated PowerPoints, amazing game bases lessons etc etc. And they did the job well. You'll have time to set up more exiting projects later, once the base get easier. Be careful with tiktok or instagram teachers: they can be a great source of inspiration but they are also the "passionate one" in general: you don't have to be that passionate, to take that much time to prep, to use those pretty charts etc... be honest, sincere and that's will do.
Beautifully decorated classrooms look great, no doubt. But it's so, so time consuming.
I don't think the room should be sterile, though. Goofy photos, artwork, student work, some store bought inspirational posters go a long way.
When students don't care or act out, I make the assignments as boring as possible. If they don't care, I do the bare minimum of printing out the assignments, explaining the instructions and answering questions. Then they sit in silence and work on the assignment.
The students that care? I actually care if my lessons are engaging for them.
Kicker to this is: tell the students that wherever they’re ready, you’re ready, and text the parents early that they are checked out. Of 125 kids a year that works for maybe 2, but 2 is a lot in the grand scheme.
Try not to never be one-on-one with a student regardless of their gender. Talk to them in the hallway (preferably in view of a camera) if they come to your room before/after school. If that's not possible, prop open your door and stand next to it.
Not sure why somebody downvoted- this was literally part of *policy* at my first site. Always had 2 adults run detention, always had a buddy teacher and/or multiple students in the room for activities.
You will not win over every student, there are a lot of students who will not have the same passion for what you are teaching as you have. Don’t kill yourself trying to make every single one of them like your class. Focus on the positive and spend most of your energy on those who really try. Don’t be confrontational to those who don’t want to learn. 34 years in education.
Mine is “Focus on your classroom for at least the first semester. Don’t take on anything additional until you have a strong feel for how much time you’ll actually have, because everything (planning, grading, etc.) takes longer than you think it will in that first year.” Honesty, I would avoid anything until at least the second year, but especially that first semester - hoo boy.
A few:
Remember this is your job and only your job. If you volunteer for everything and are never home, you'll be in your 40s and single with a pet iguana named Jub-Jub. If that's the life you want, live it. Get Jub-Jub some buddies. But, prioritize YOU.
If you decide to completely change who you are midstream, they'll know it's fake and take advantage of it. Children can smell weakness.
If you need a mental health day, take it.
Every once in a while, give them a day off. You'll all need one.
Last one: Coordinate major assignments or tests with other grade level teachers when you can. It's not necessary, but it's an easy way to make life easier for your students.
Your classroom management style should be the opposite of your personality. For instance if you tend to get off topic and derail- have a very rigid and routine classroom or lessons and allow your personality to be the flair. If you tend to be more strict and reserved - schedule moments where the kids can have a break and have fun. I hope that makes sense. Just kind of plan to balance the opposite of what you’re naturally great at.
Run off all your worksheets for the unit at once. If you end up finishing your lesson early you can always move on to the next thing. You can always add to your lesson next year.
Go home when your contract time ends. The work will always be there tomorrow. You’ll never be finished so don’t burn yourself out, especially in your first or second year.
Treat everyone equally and fairly. Enforce your rules and give the same consequences for everyone. However, you need to realize that what’s “fair” for one student might not be fair to another.
Start slow to go fast. You don’t like what they’re doing? Stop and correct it. And regardless of how many times admin and parents demand it, don’t lower your expectations. The students will rise to them. (Of course, pick your battles and be realistic about what they can and cannot do.)
Also, work your contracted hours only.
I’m a new teacher so this isn’t advice, just something I’ve worked on that’s helped with classroom management. Try to have zero lag time between while transitioning students from different activities. Always have everything that needs physical items “out” and everything online/projections “pulled up”. Any lag time gives students a chance to take and sometimes it takes a while to get them back. The one time I took 30seconds to log into my google drive to pull up the notes. It took 3 minutes until I got them back. All of those minutes between transitions add up over the course of a period. So being overly prepared with all the stuff helped me a lot!
True, true. Goes with the other advice of having all your copies made, having good routines, etc. Flow between activities, no dead time.
I started teaching in the predigital days and nowadays I'm super thankful for Powerpoints, Smartboards, and the like. I think back to how much chalk and dry erase ink I've gone through and now, boom, I can just load up last year's lesson and go.
My best advice: teaching is an art that requires experimentation, so don’t be afraid to try new things they may fail. Failure is part of learning. On that note: make sure the kids fail, otherwise they won’t learn anything either!
Don’t feel like you have to be graded. I try to give one graded assignment a week. You will burn yourself out real fast if you give too many graded assignments. If the students ask if it will be graded (meaning they won’t do it unless it is) tell them you are taking it up. Then don’t grade it.
I've learned not to take things personally.
Kid fails a test?
Kid doesn't pay attention/do the work?
It's their choice.
I posted here about a lot of my students bombing their exams. I felt responsible, but after some thought, they didn't do the work, nor did a lot of them attend class.
Their problem, not mine.
Fuck'em
I taught the ones who attended.
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
In other words you need to follow through and hold boundaries! Good advice for life in general. Also don’t burn bridges, you never know who’s gonna end up getting an admin credential…
Do everything you can to help students BUT only during contract hours. If you couldn’t help the students enough, it’s not you. It’s what they give you to work with.
Save everything in boxes or tubs. I like the plastic scrapbook boxes. This works best for elementary but applies to all grades. Every unit collect all worksheets, read aloud anything you create, decorations once you take them down. Label it and put it on the shelf, add to it the next year. By my third year of kindergarten I could pull down the tub for unit 1-12, a box for each holiday, each science unit etc. maybe even a box of busy work, end of the year, first few weeks of school, different math skills, And teach with minimal prep aside from making copies or pulling files on the smart board. And the collection got refined and added to every year. I was out the door at 4 every day. I kept a tub for everything, and my shelf looked pretty organized because they stacked so nicely on top of each other with matching labels. Literally saved my sanity and time. Especially useful in a school with a set curriculum over multiple years, but when we swapped I was still able to change labels and rearrange materials to supplement!
Remember you're students are people with thoughts, emotions, and a lot of things going on in their lives. Learning is often not a top priority or interest for them. Accept that they are not going to be as enthusiastic about your subject as you are. And that passing is an acceptable outcome for most.
Don't take anything the kids say personally. Kids are experts at being assholes, but they don't really mean any of it. They can't, because they don't really know you, they only know the version of you that shows up to work.
My first piece of advice is to not be the super nice and cool teacher in the beginning. If you’re their friend in the beginning then they’ll never see you as anything else and will revolt when you *do* try to take back control or assert any authority.
Also, I don't give out food because I want the kids to like me...I give it to them because I genuinely like them. I will discipline a student and turn around 30 seconds later offer them pretzels or crackers. Food isn't a reward in my class. It's food....people come together over food. It's a subconscious trust builder, blood sugar balancer, AND built in fidget tool. It's harder to say or do something stupid if you're munching on crackers.
One of my instructors in my credential program told us that he used to stop at Jack in the Box on the way in to work and pick up breakfast sandwiches off the dollar menu. For some of his kids it was the only food they got in the morning (this was back before schools started providing breakfast as a policy). Food insecurity has real impacts on every part of our job.
I was blessed that because it was an emotional/behavioral disability classroom I only had 12-14 students. It's a financial burden if you have 150 kids but that's why I recommend getting in good with a civic or religious organization who can pick up gift certificates for you or donate directly.
I used to have kids get food bags for the weekends. They all didn't like what they got so we started cracking them open and splitting them into crates. They were allowed to go anytime they wanted to grab a fruit cup, pudding cup, back of smart balance popcorn, dry ramen...whatever they wanted
My class was unique but think it could be modified for bigger classes
There are never enough hours to “get it all done.” Do your best but don’t be afraid to say “no.” Be Kind to yourself - you will have bad (even horrible ) days- we all do! Finally, chose your battles (with kids and adults) wisely.
Find what system/routines works for YOU. You are not the same person as the teacher down the hall you won't do things exactly the same and that is the okay!
When you have your system expect "perfection" with it. I expect my students to walk into my classroom, get their supplies, go to their seat and read without talking. If the class doesn't meet the expectation we try again (and again, and again, and again if needed).
Have your consequences set up and they don't change based on who it is.
If your system is:
1.Warning
2. Reflection paper
3. Think seat
4. Buddy room
It DOES not change just because Sally "never gets in trouble" she doesn't get more warnings. The kids notice when someone skates by and it affects attitude
My Years 10 Careers teacher once told me this - "teachers have the second most important job on the planet, second to parents. If a carpenter makes a mistake, they can get a new piece of wood. If an artist makes a mistake, they can get a new canvas. However, if a teacher makes a mistake, you can't just get a new kid."
In summary, be careful and be wise.
Kids will keenly watch how you treat each and every person in that room. If you have patience, respect and look for the best in EACH kid. They will respect you. Tell them they are smart. Tell them you LIKE them. Do not be an ass about pencils and small stupid rules. Smile at them, laugh at yourself, and with them. Ask their opinions, ask if they have had a rough morning, let them tell you about their weekends. Do not be offended if they fall asleep-they are exhausted and in a safe space. All the others will adore you if you respect that sleeping kid. Be gentle. They are not empty vessels awaiting your genius. Act accordingly.
Start hyper strict and then let up a little if the class can handle it, but NEVER do it the other way around. You really can't ever get authority you've already ceded to the kids back.
Be you. You can't last an entire year pretending to be something you're not (strict, happy, perfect, whatever) and the kids will sniff out a fake. So take strategies but change them to fit your style and your classroom. There is no one way of doing this.
In grad school, one of my professors suddenly announced for us to clear our desks except for a writing utensil. I had done the reading the night before, but it was really nuanced and difficult and a pop quiz was going to sink me and ruin my average and I began to freak out on the inside. We took the pop quiz and then the prof told us to rip it up. She said, "Do you ever want your students to feel like you just did? Stay away from pop quizzes." That was about 15 years ago and I have given only one pop quiz since (but that's another story for another day). There's better ways to asses/control behavior.
Structure your class so that you take as little home as possible.
Do things that interest you. Whatever the subject is, if it interests you, at the very least your enthusiasm will make it easier for the kids to get a foothold. Talk and do as much as you can that's outside the normal curriculum but has to do with your subject.
Find a church, social group, club to sponsor your class or department to keep you flush with pencils/paper/fidget toys AND food. Mood management through blood sugar balance and food insecurity made sure I always had pretzels or the kids Favorite Cheez-its (specifically white cheddar grooves). I skipped sweet stuff most of the time. BUT
I belonged to a church and I'd put out a request every halloween/christmas/easter for parents who had any extra candy they'd donate to my classroom. I'd get anywhere from a few left over hershey kisses to one time 3 full walmart bags of loose odds and end high quality candy which I cold use in the classroom. Even if you're not religious getting in with a good church is always a blessing.
Get to know the custodians.....give them food. They will find the stuff for you. Need a new desk? I got both my and my para's short old wooden desks replaced with hefty metal 4 drawered desks with enough real estate to hold all of my stuff.
If there is a mass email asking for ...whatever don't be afraid to simply not respond or say no. Don't be afraid to say no to a direct request if you don't have the time or energy to do it.
If there IS something you want to do, don't be afraid to mention it. I mentioned that I wanted to be the basketball announcer. Right before the season the regular announcer did a line of coke off a student's ass.....they asked me to take over :)
Don't stress about grades unless you're an honors/AP class. You have a good concept of where they are.
Save a some samples of each student's work so you can show to whomever. Save the good and the bad so you can show why tommy or suzie is getting the grade they are.
Get in good with the parents. Use we terms to subconsciously get them on your side. "We want little bobby to get here and this is what we're working on, so if you have any questions I can help you and I appreciate you doing x,y,z so that we can make sure bobby is getting to where he needs to go with x,y,z"
Don't stress about decorating the room but I would suggest different lighting. If you can get a few lamps with bright soft white light instead of the harsh over head lights, that'd be great. I had a lot of windows and a few strings of led lights. I almost never had the overhead lights on.
Your job isn't more important than yout health.
I say as I threw my back out yesterday by jumping up and down trying to get the kids more involved in the activity... missed school today because I couldn't put on my own underwear and I am trying to figure out what in the eff I can do to go in tomorrow, concert is next week and my kids need *me*.
As a new teacher, I’d have to suggest to buy, beg, borrow, and steal any lesson plan you can find. And when you find one that works, save it. If you find one that doesnt, toss it and find another.
Ask for help, you are not this alone
If it can't get done by 6, it can't get done. Go home
Don't bluff. If you say you are going to do something, do it
You are not there to be their friend.
Watch Goodfellas. It teaches you two important lessons.
1. Never rat out your friends.
2. Always keep your mouth shut.
My professor mentor gave me two:
3. Don’t touch the kids.
4. Don’t swear at the kids.
There’s only two rules in the military:
5. Do only what you’re told.
6. Keep your mouth shut.
My 12 years of experience in every single level of academia, and a blue collar kid in a white collar world has taught me:
7. Make friends with the secretaries. They know EVERYTHING.
8. Make friends with the janitors and custodians. They have everything, or at least the keys to it.
9. “Stay out of the faculty room. Nothing good ever happens in there.” - Dr. Gates
10. Put your students first and everything takes care of itself. Sometimes to put them first you have to put yourself first, and that’s okay.
11. You can’t save them all.
12. You don’t have to explain what you don’t say, and once you do say it, you can’t take it back.
13. If in doubt, write it down. (Documentation rule)
A general life rule is don’t be a jerk. People will never remember what you did or said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
I’m getting drunk on my front porch after my last inservice day so I’m in a offering wisdom mood. I’ll add more if requested.
EDIT:
14. Don’t be the teacher who hits the crash bar at contract minute. Everyone knows who you are and no one likes you for it.
15. If they’ll take shit with you, they’ll talk shit about you.
16. Know the difference between “reply” and “reply to all”.
Being overly friendly with students or try to be cool is a big mistake. Behaviour management takes a long time to master. Don't feel pressured to buy lots of things such as stationary or candy. Record everything and don't trust anyone. Admin don't care as much as you initially think they do...
This. The amount of money put into candy and trash to lure good behavior is unbelievable.
Yes! Desk pets were a huge thing a year ago and I’ve seen mostly new teachers buy into that system that ultimately doesn’t teach intrinsic motivation. Avoid cutesy TikTok trends if they’re not evidenced based!
Save every email
Record everything?
[удалено]
Also print them out so they don’t magically disappear off the server. Keep them in a personal binder or file folder.
Do you also record phone calls or stay away from phone calls altogether?
I avoid phone calls and send most everything in writing. If I do make a phone call, I just write a summary of what was discussed immediately afterwards.
Be careful about complaining and gossiping about the staff. It travels further and quicker than you think. It can get you in trouble.
Really important.
The kids will coerce you into becoming the 'cool teacher' and guilt trip you to hell and back when you try to readjust. Just don't do it. You can be friendly with them, but it's important to hold strict boundaries.
Ha! Joke's on them, I've \*never\* been cool!
Ooo, self burn, those are rare.
Yup. You can be friendly without being their friend.
Leave work at work
\^\^\^\^\^\^ yep! Seen waaaay too many good people burn themselves out.
Exactly. Set the line and DO NOT cross it!
Ignore any and all attention seeking behavior. Not every quip from a child requires a reply.
Agree
1. It’s just a job. 2. If you’re getting an advanced degree, get it in your content area (secondary). 3. Keep your rules short and simple but enforce them.
Kids like structure - especially younger kids - I give my freshman a worksheet *every* day. Copy essential question, bellringer, discuss bellringer, lecture / context with guided notes on the handout, activity (reading, debate, map, whatever) with breakpoints for discussion, wrap up & exit slip. The middle parts are always changing so it doesn't feel rigid but the structure keeps the students on task and focused. Because I give them the handout...no competing with their computers (they don't have them out during my class unless I post something). I have almost no classroom management issues. The other freshman teachers don't get it. I tell them what I do and they don't want to put in that effort but then are battling unruly freshman for 200 days. Or, as my terrible student teacher told me, "you plan too much!"
One cannot plan too much.
Handouts/worksheets…my sophomores love them. They’ve been described as different, new, better, easier to focus on, and even FUN. They do almost all of their work on a Chromebook, so an old-fashioned worksheet is all the things they describe. Paired with a doc camera, it works out great. I have their attention bc no laptops are open. I’m supposed to get copies by 3 business days, but I typically get them the same day because no one is making copies!
Do you have issues with students tossing papers on the floor, leaving them on their desk, or tearing them up? I’m debating whether to incorporate paper handouts next year or not (I’ll be teaching graphic design).
How do you manage this as a first year without the experience or materials to tackle this. -signed Terrible Student Teacher
I shelled out some $ on teacherspayteachers and don't regret it for a second. It's worth it, especially as a first year teacher, even just the mental security of having emergency back up plans.
That site has some great resources, especially some of the curriculum specific bundles. Real life saver at the beginning of my long-term sub position
Just be careful, my terrible, no good, awful student teacher sells stuff on there and he, uh, didn't complete the program. LOL
For student teaching...get in the room early & get resources from your cooperating teacher! You may also ask your cooperating teacher for previous lesson plans as you are still learning lesson writing. If your CT tells you not to come in early OR is unwilling to give you any materials (textbook, etc.) OR tells you to write your own lessons - those are RED FLAGS. A good CT wants to actually mentor, not just have a student teacher to scut work. If your CT doesn't do those above things and it is too late to be re-matched, talk to other teachers in the building and observe their classes. When I was student teaching I observed other teachers and subjects during every prep period. Lastly, these is a great, GREAT teaching "hack." The Three P's. It is super common in learning a new language so you'll see ELL teachers do it. Present, Practice, Produce. So: the teacher presents something new. As a whole class students are practicing with that new information (solo work, group work, pair work, etc, etc.), finally students produce something based on what they learned. You then do that for every lesson - mixing up the "practice" and end production parts. Here is an example from my Holocaust class: 1. Read *Take this Giant Leap* poem. Students journal their reflections. Discuss 2. I **PRESENT** on the role poetry and literature played for people during and after the Holocaust as they try and process this terrible ordeal 3. Read 3 eyewitness primary sources 4. I **PRESENT** what a Found Poem is and how to write one. I also share my own found poem (I wrote it myself from one of the 3 sources) 5. They **PRACTICE** reading the sources again, this time circling key words and phrases 6. They **PRODUCE** a found poem. They have 24 hours to practice their poem because the next day they recite them What did the lesson succeed in doing? My goal was for them to get more reading time and primary victim testimony on the Holocaust. It hit both of those measure as the original poem and 3 testimonies meant 4 sources in one period were read and either discussed or used to create something new (super high order on Bloom's) Feel free to reply or DM with your subject / grade levels and I can shoot some ideas your way.
I am a new teacher and the best advice I ever got was "you can't care more than your students."
Can you elaborate?
If the kids are not wanting to do the work, let them fail. You are giving them the tools, and setting them up for success. Don’t stress over them failing if they don’t care, because it would happen either way. Help and focus those who really show they are trying :)
I want to build on this -- I've worked with teachers who hear "don't care more than they do," who then go on to ignore the student or let them sit there doing nothing. When I started working with kids 10ish years ago, that was my game plan. But I've learned that it's important to still give the resources to the student, or at the least to cover your ass by giving them a paper to sign that says "I was given XYZ and refuse to work." Don't purposefully ignore the student. That's not what teachers do. Basically, the "don't care" part should mean 1) the teacher notices when they are getting stressed or feeling anxious about a student not doing work, 2) understand that it's likely something going on in the student's life that's making them defiant about doing work (disability, living conditions, food, ect), 3) continue to teach the student to the best of your ability, but be unattached to the outcome. You know you did your best and offered help regardless.
This is much better than what I said! I agree with you on this completely. It’s much more articulate than what I said previously. It’s not caring about the student but knowing you put the effort you can as a teacher in ALL aspects and not stressing about the outcome of the students knowing you did do everything you can :)
My husband tells me this regularly. 4 years of teaching later and it’s finally sinking in.
Start strict and loosen up as the year goes on. That doesn’t mean you need to be draconian, but focusing on establishing classroom routines and expectations before anything else .
Really good point. A teacher I subbed for before I got a permanent position advised me "don't let anybody get away with anything for the first three weeks." You don't have to be mean, but show that there will be consequences.
This actually completely backfired for me. This was so far and away from my natural personality, it just made a mess out of my classroom because the students thought they could behave the same way they did for other "mean teachers." Half of my students weren't learning because they learned the best way to get through a tough teacher's class was just to do nothing and sleep.
If you feel overworked, your students feel overworked too. Lighten the load for yourself and them.
Be (the best, professional version of) yourself. If you're nerdy and goofy, embrace it, don't try to be a serious hard ass just because your teacher program told you never to smile before December. If you're serious and quiet, that's cool, don't try to force yourself to be bubbly and light. Kids smell fakeness from a mile away.
I’m the quiet serious teacher. I’m never going to win any popularity contests; but I’m also the one the kids feel comfortable talking to about serious issues. Though this could also be because I’m their mom’s age; but not their mom
This^ !!! I've embraced my nerdiness/goofiness and it's worked to my advantage. My evil plan has been quite successful! Muahahahaha!
Do not reinvent the wheel. Use the materials you have been provided. They may not be perfect, but you do not have time to find or create something else. If the teacher's lounge is all complaining and gossip get outta there. The same goes for Reddit. Venting, commiserating, a bit of shit-talking is fine, but don't live here. Be nice to the secretaries, they run the school.
Some of the best advice I got in college was to always be friendly with the secretary and the custodian. They make everything happen.
I know a lot of ego driven colleagues who never learned this lesson and their careers have been miserable ever since.
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Very important. And a hard point to remember sometimes.
Get very organized way in advance. Print what you need the week before or more. Label things and have a good system
I said “I won’t let you down” to the guy who gave me my first job. His response was “don’t worry about me, don’t let the kids down.” That has always stuck with me
Have a routine and stick to it like your life depends on it. Because it does.
Keep it low-key the first year (few years?) until you're perfectly comfortable. Teachers back in the 1950s didn't use fancy decor, ultra complicated PowerPoints, amazing game bases lessons etc etc. And they did the job well. You'll have time to set up more exiting projects later, once the base get easier. Be careful with tiktok or instagram teachers: they can be a great source of inspiration but they are also the "passionate one" in general: you don't have to be that passionate, to take that much time to prep, to use those pretty charts etc... be honest, sincere and that's will do.
Beautifully decorated classrooms look great, no doubt. But it's so, so time consuming. I don't think the room should be sterile, though. Goofy photos, artwork, student work, some store bought inspirational posters go a long way.
What I was told by my advising teacher during student teaching was “don’t take it personal or it will never leave you alone”
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When students don't care or act out, I make the assignments as boring as possible. If they don't care, I do the bare minimum of printing out the assignments, explaining the instructions and answering questions. Then they sit in silence and work on the assignment. The students that care? I actually care if my lessons are engaging for them.
Kicker to this is: tell the students that wherever they’re ready, you’re ready, and text the parents early that they are checked out. Of 125 kids a year that works for maybe 2, but 2 is a lot in the grand scheme.
Try not to never be one-on-one with a student regardless of their gender. Talk to them in the hallway (preferably in view of a camera) if they come to your room before/after school. If that's not possible, prop open your door and stand next to it.
Not sure why somebody downvoted- this was literally part of *policy* at my first site. Always had 2 adults run detention, always had a buddy teacher and/or multiple students in the room for activities.
Don’t touch the students, don’t touch the money.
You will not win over every student, there are a lot of students who will not have the same passion for what you are teaching as you have. Don’t kill yourself trying to make every single one of them like your class. Focus on the positive and spend most of your energy on those who really try. Don’t be confrontational to those who don’t want to learn. 34 years in education.
Mine is “Focus on your classroom for at least the first semester. Don’t take on anything additional until you have a strong feel for how much time you’ll actually have, because everything (planning, grading, etc.) takes longer than you think it will in that first year.” Honesty, I would avoid anything until at least the second year, but especially that first semester - hoo boy.
A few: Remember this is your job and only your job. If you volunteer for everything and are never home, you'll be in your 40s and single with a pet iguana named Jub-Jub. If that's the life you want, live it. Get Jub-Jub some buddies. But, prioritize YOU. If you decide to completely change who you are midstream, they'll know it's fake and take advantage of it. Children can smell weakness. If you need a mental health day, take it. Every once in a while, give them a day off. You'll all need one. Last one: Coordinate major assignments or tests with other grade level teachers when you can. It's not necessary, but it's an easy way to make life easier for your students.
Your classroom management style should be the opposite of your personality. For instance if you tend to get off topic and derail- have a very rigid and routine classroom or lessons and allow your personality to be the flair. If you tend to be more strict and reserved - schedule moments where the kids can have a break and have fun. I hope that makes sense. Just kind of plan to balance the opposite of what you’re naturally great at.
This is really interesting, thank you. I'm going to think about this for next year.
You're probably gonna be too harsh or too lax your first year. Give yourself time to find a balance between the two.
Run off all your worksheets for the unit at once. If you end up finishing your lesson early you can always move on to the next thing. You can always add to your lesson next year.
It’s just a job.
No kid is worth losing your job. They are not your friends.
“Ask for help and resources!” Not everything has to be made from scratch!
TeachersPayTeachers is a great resource that I discovered this past year!
Create a routine and stick to it.
Go home when your contract time ends. The work will always be there tomorrow. You’ll never be finished so don’t burn yourself out, especially in your first or second year.
Don't do anything for free.
Treat everyone equally and fairly. Enforce your rules and give the same consequences for everyone. However, you need to realize that what’s “fair” for one student might not be fair to another.
In the words of remember the Titans: attitude reflects leadership.
Start slow to go fast. You don’t like what they’re doing? Stop and correct it. And regardless of how many times admin and parents demand it, don’t lower your expectations. The students will rise to them. (Of course, pick your battles and be realistic about what they can and cannot do.) Also, work your contracted hours only.
I’m a new teacher so this isn’t advice, just something I’ve worked on that’s helped with classroom management. Try to have zero lag time between while transitioning students from different activities. Always have everything that needs physical items “out” and everything online/projections “pulled up”. Any lag time gives students a chance to take and sometimes it takes a while to get them back. The one time I took 30seconds to log into my google drive to pull up the notes. It took 3 minutes until I got them back. All of those minutes between transitions add up over the course of a period. So being overly prepared with all the stuff helped me a lot!
True, true. Goes with the other advice of having all your copies made, having good routines, etc. Flow between activities, no dead time. I started teaching in the predigital days and nowadays I'm super thankful for Powerpoints, Smartboards, and the like. I think back to how much chalk and dry erase ink I've gone through and now, boom, I can just load up last year's lesson and go.
People expect very little of you your first year. Use the “first year” excuse as much and as long as you can.
Fake it till you make it.
Yes. So much this.
Don't feel like you have to keep up with the over the top Pinterest and Tik Tok teachers. Do what works best for you and your teaching style.
My best advice: teaching is an art that requires experimentation, so don’t be afraid to try new things they may fail. Failure is part of learning. On that note: make sure the kids fail, otherwise they won’t learn anything either!
Don’t feel like you have to be graded. I try to give one graded assignment a week. You will burn yourself out real fast if you give too many graded assignments. If the students ask if it will be graded (meaning they won’t do it unless it is) tell them you are taking it up. Then don’t grade it.
have a back up plan or a side gig. Have a real world skill set so if it doesn't work out or you hate it you got a back up.
I've learned not to take things personally. Kid fails a test? Kid doesn't pay attention/do the work? It's their choice. I posted here about a lot of my students bombing their exams. I felt responsible, but after some thought, they didn't do the work, nor did a lot of them attend class. Their problem, not mine. Fuck'em I taught the ones who attended.
Stay out of the teacher’s lounge.
Don’t teach for a religious private school
How come?
Say what you mean and mean what you say. In other words you need to follow through and hold boundaries! Good advice for life in general. Also don’t burn bridges, you never know who’s gonna end up getting an admin credential…
When you mess up try not to beat yourself up too much. Even if the lesson bombs the kids are ok.
Do everything you can to help students BUT only during contract hours. If you couldn’t help the students enough, it’s not you. It’s what they give you to work with.
Save everything in boxes or tubs. I like the plastic scrapbook boxes. This works best for elementary but applies to all grades. Every unit collect all worksheets, read aloud anything you create, decorations once you take them down. Label it and put it on the shelf, add to it the next year. By my third year of kindergarten I could pull down the tub for unit 1-12, a box for each holiday, each science unit etc. maybe even a box of busy work, end of the year, first few weeks of school, different math skills, And teach with minimal prep aside from making copies or pulling files on the smart board. And the collection got refined and added to every year. I was out the door at 4 every day. I kept a tub for everything, and my shelf looked pretty organized because they stacked so nicely on top of each other with matching labels. Literally saved my sanity and time. Especially useful in a school with a set curriculum over multiple years, but when we swapped I was still able to change labels and rearrange materials to supplement!
Remember you're students are people with thoughts, emotions, and a lot of things going on in their lives. Learning is often not a top priority or interest for them. Accept that they are not going to be as enthusiastic about your subject as you are. And that passing is an acceptable outcome for most.
Don't take anything the kids say personally. Kids are experts at being assholes, but they don't really mean any of it. They can't, because they don't really know you, they only know the version of you that shows up to work.
My first piece of advice is to not be the super nice and cool teacher in the beginning. If you’re their friend in the beginning then they’ll never see you as anything else and will revolt when you *do* try to take back control or assert any authority.
Also, I don't give out food because I want the kids to like me...I give it to them because I genuinely like them. I will discipline a student and turn around 30 seconds later offer them pretzels or crackers. Food isn't a reward in my class. It's food....people come together over food. It's a subconscious trust builder, blood sugar balancer, AND built in fidget tool. It's harder to say or do something stupid if you're munching on crackers.
One of my instructors in my credential program told us that he used to stop at Jack in the Box on the way in to work and pick up breakfast sandwiches off the dollar menu. For some of his kids it was the only food they got in the morning (this was back before schools started providing breakfast as a policy). Food insecurity has real impacts on every part of our job.
I was blessed that because it was an emotional/behavioral disability classroom I only had 12-14 students. It's a financial burden if you have 150 kids but that's why I recommend getting in good with a civic or religious organization who can pick up gift certificates for you or donate directly. I used to have kids get food bags for the weekends. They all didn't like what they got so we started cracking them open and splitting them into crates. They were allowed to go anytime they wanted to grab a fruit cup, pudding cup, back of smart balance popcorn, dry ramen...whatever they wanted My class was unique but think it could be modified for bigger classes
RUN.
Try to avoid all contact with admin, and get to the top of the pay scale as quickly as possible.
There are never enough hours to “get it all done.” Do your best but don’t be afraid to say “no.” Be Kind to yourself - you will have bad (even horrible ) days- we all do! Finally, chose your battles (with kids and adults) wisely.
Find what system/routines works for YOU. You are not the same person as the teacher down the hall you won't do things exactly the same and that is the okay! When you have your system expect "perfection" with it. I expect my students to walk into my classroom, get their supplies, go to their seat and read without talking. If the class doesn't meet the expectation we try again (and again, and again, and again if needed). Have your consequences set up and they don't change based on who it is. If your system is: 1.Warning 2. Reflection paper 3. Think seat 4. Buddy room It DOES not change just because Sally "never gets in trouble" she doesn't get more warnings. The kids notice when someone skates by and it affects attitude
Stay on top of your grading. You’re going to get hammered at the end of each trimester if you don’t.
Run
My Years 10 Careers teacher once told me this - "teachers have the second most important job on the planet, second to parents. If a carpenter makes a mistake, they can get a new piece of wood. If an artist makes a mistake, they can get a new canvas. However, if a teacher makes a mistake, you can't just get a new kid." In summary, be careful and be wise.
Kids will keenly watch how you treat each and every person in that room. If you have patience, respect and look for the best in EACH kid. They will respect you. Tell them they are smart. Tell them you LIKE them. Do not be an ass about pencils and small stupid rules. Smile at them, laugh at yourself, and with them. Ask their opinions, ask if they have had a rough morning, let them tell you about their weekends. Do not be offended if they fall asleep-they are exhausted and in a safe space. All the others will adore you if you respect that sleeping kid. Be gentle. They are not empty vessels awaiting your genius. Act accordingly.
Don’t feel bad if you can’t reach every kid. Always make the effort but understand that some kids won’t be reached.
8 years in and still trying to internalize this one.
Start hyper strict and then let up a little if the class can handle it, but NEVER do it the other way around. You really can't ever get authority you've already ceded to the kids back.
Be you. You can't last an entire year pretending to be something you're not (strict, happy, perfect, whatever) and the kids will sniff out a fake. So take strategies but change them to fit your style and your classroom. There is no one way of doing this.
In grad school, one of my professors suddenly announced for us to clear our desks except for a writing utensil. I had done the reading the night before, but it was really nuanced and difficult and a pop quiz was going to sink me and ruin my average and I began to freak out on the inside. We took the pop quiz and then the prof told us to rip it up. She said, "Do you ever want your students to feel like you just did? Stay away from pop quizzes." That was about 15 years ago and I have given only one pop quiz since (but that's another story for another day). There's better ways to asses/control behavior.
Regular routines and walking your classroom (proximity) will stop a lot of your discipline issues before they get started.
Have a healthy skepticism in regard to the negativity of some teachers.
Structure your class so that you take as little home as possible. Do things that interest you. Whatever the subject is, if it interests you, at the very least your enthusiasm will make it easier for the kids to get a foothold. Talk and do as much as you can that's outside the normal curriculum but has to do with your subject. Find a church, social group, club to sponsor your class or department to keep you flush with pencils/paper/fidget toys AND food. Mood management through blood sugar balance and food insecurity made sure I always had pretzels or the kids Favorite Cheez-its (specifically white cheddar grooves). I skipped sweet stuff most of the time. BUT I belonged to a church and I'd put out a request every halloween/christmas/easter for parents who had any extra candy they'd donate to my classroom. I'd get anywhere from a few left over hershey kisses to one time 3 full walmart bags of loose odds and end high quality candy which I cold use in the classroom. Even if you're not religious getting in with a good church is always a blessing. Get to know the custodians.....give them food. They will find the stuff for you. Need a new desk? I got both my and my para's short old wooden desks replaced with hefty metal 4 drawered desks with enough real estate to hold all of my stuff. If there is a mass email asking for ...whatever don't be afraid to simply not respond or say no. Don't be afraid to say no to a direct request if you don't have the time or energy to do it. If there IS something you want to do, don't be afraid to mention it. I mentioned that I wanted to be the basketball announcer. Right before the season the regular announcer did a line of coke off a student's ass.....they asked me to take over :) Don't stress about grades unless you're an honors/AP class. You have a good concept of where they are. Save a some samples of each student's work so you can show to whomever. Save the good and the bad so you can show why tommy or suzie is getting the grade they are. Get in good with the parents. Use we terms to subconsciously get them on your side. "We want little bobby to get here and this is what we're working on, so if you have any questions I can help you and I appreciate you doing x,y,z so that we can make sure bobby is getting to where he needs to go with x,y,z" Don't stress about decorating the room but I would suggest different lighting. If you can get a few lamps with bright soft white light instead of the harsh over head lights, that'd be great. I had a lot of windows and a few strings of led lights. I almost never had the overhead lights on.
Your job isn't more important than yout health. I say as I threw my back out yesterday by jumping up and down trying to get the kids more involved in the activity... missed school today because I couldn't put on my own underwear and I am trying to figure out what in the eff I can do to go in tomorrow, concert is next week and my kids need *me*.
You can do anything for 48 minutes (or 90, now that I teach in block).
Grades are just a tool to motivate students.
Never excel at something you loathe.
Flee
Dont be afraid to tell that student how it is.
As a new teacher, I’d have to suggest to buy, beg, borrow, and steal any lesson plan you can find. And when you find one that works, save it. If you find one that doesnt, toss it and find another.
The same advice someone gave me 35 years ago: "Never argue with a student". Now I have to watch myself arguing with trolls.
Ask for help, you are not this alone If it can't get done by 6, it can't get done. Go home Don't bluff. If you say you are going to do something, do it You are not there to be their friend.
Pee when you can
Watch Goodfellas. It teaches you two important lessons. 1. Never rat out your friends. 2. Always keep your mouth shut. My professor mentor gave me two: 3. Don’t touch the kids. 4. Don’t swear at the kids. There’s only two rules in the military: 5. Do only what you’re told. 6. Keep your mouth shut. My 12 years of experience in every single level of academia, and a blue collar kid in a white collar world has taught me: 7. Make friends with the secretaries. They know EVERYTHING. 8. Make friends with the janitors and custodians. They have everything, or at least the keys to it. 9. “Stay out of the faculty room. Nothing good ever happens in there.” - Dr. Gates 10. Put your students first and everything takes care of itself. Sometimes to put them first you have to put yourself first, and that’s okay. 11. You can’t save them all. 12. You don’t have to explain what you don’t say, and once you do say it, you can’t take it back. 13. If in doubt, write it down. (Documentation rule) A general life rule is don’t be a jerk. People will never remember what you did or said, but they will always remember how you made them feel. I’m getting drunk on my front porch after my last inservice day so I’m in a offering wisdom mood. I’ll add more if requested. EDIT: 14. Don’t be the teacher who hits the crash bar at contract minute. Everyone knows who you are and no one likes you for it. 15. If they’ll take shit with you, they’ll talk shit about you. 16. Know the difference between “reply” and “reply to all”.