Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

please???? lol

Can any/all of you give advice to those of us who are facing our first full time year?

I have done numerous leaves and a lot of subbing, but I know it will be much different.

I will be in Queens, if that makes a difference at all, and would love your words of wisdom!!!

TIA

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

Be consistent. When you make any rule or policy, be consistent with all of the kids. If you are not the kids, parents, and administration will come back at you. Also, have a letter with policies (grading, homework, lateness, detention, etc.) typed out and have the students and the parents sign it. If you do this and they have a question later on you can show them they were aware of you policies.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

Be ORGANIZED and always try to stay at least a week ahead of yourself. If you are organized, you will make your life much easier your 2nd year bc then you have everything.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

My biggest mistake my first year was not being firm. I always felt "bad" for the student so I would take their excuses for no homework and bad behavior. Also, communicate with the parents good/bad.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

I absolutely agree with pp. The two most important things are to be consisitent and organized. Have your policies in place from day 1. Make sure that both parents and students know what they are and lay out your expectations. Definitely follow through.If you are going to give consequences for missd hw/behavior, make sure you actually give them and that it is the same everytime.

As for organization, I have monday-friday folders and I put the work for the week in each one. That way I don't have to rush to make copies or if I'm out the work is ready.

Message edited 7/25/2007 11:01:02 AM.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

I recommend reading The First Days of School by Harry Wong--I think that he has great ideas--I actually read it every summer before I go back.

As for advice,just make sure u follow a routine and that you are always prepared.Also make sure you have a behavior mod program in mind before starting. GOOD LUCK!!!

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

I totally agree witih the pp...

*Be organized, whatever your system might be. This goes for lessons, materials. copies, etc.

*Be consistent. Establish the rules and consquences early on and stick to them

*Keep lines of communication open, both with fellow teachers and parents.

*Ask for help if you need it! Don't be afraid to bounce ideas off of other teachers.

*Have fun! The first year is always a stressful and crazy one, but you'll LOVE it!

Message edited 7/25/2007 11:52:56 AM.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

Document everything! Keep good records. I keep copies of all notes I send home, all notes parents send me, and I write down whenever I call a parent. You never know what will happen with some parents, and the better records you have, the better off you will be in case anything comes up.
Good luck!

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

Definitely agree with all of the above posts. i try to plan a week in advance, that vaires of course.

Also, see if you can meet with some teachers on your grade level. ask if you can go through their files for owrksheets, resources, etc. SAVE everything... (I put everything in binders by subject area, then divided by concept/skill.) you will accumulate things and keeep filing them away and pretty soon you will have everything you need.

honestly, the teachers in my building were my biggest support. i was lucky... i got matierals, resources, etc.
know that you're not alone... UTILIZE the professionals in your building... like the social worker, pychologist, etc. don't try to handle everything yourself... you'll only be frsutrated and overwhelmed.

Also be prepared ot be tired and stressed. the first year is hard regardless if you've had experience in other situations. you're managing your own class, new curriculum, new school dynamcis, new colleagues, etc. hang in there and it will all work out.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

I will also add, being firm and being harsh are two different things. If there's one mistake I've seen many new teachers make it's trying to be *too* hard on the kids in an effort to establish good discipline. This usually fails and the kids really resent these teachers and ultimately (high schoolers, this is) don't take the teacher seriously.

I also agree with the previous posters who said that consistency is key--true, true, true!

Also realize that you will probably want to quit at some point or at the least you'll pray for June, but keep going--teaching is THE BEST JOB EVER!!

I'm going to miss it in September...sigh

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

Thank you so much !!!

It is all wonderful advice. I think I am going to print these posts and keep them in my desk at school


It is still so strange for me to say *my desk*!!!

I am so thrilled to be given this opportunity. I am also very happy that I am getting my foot in the door with NYC Dept of Ed. From what I understand, the professional development can NOT be beat. I think I am going to learn so much this year!

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

Message edited 7/25/2007 10:27:42 PM.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

Thanks again.

I have the First Days of School but I am not thrilled with it. (I know I am strange) I just feel it is so elementary education focused. I will pick it up and re-read it, it can't hurt. Maybe I just didn't like it when I "had" to read it for a class with an annoying professor he was the worst and might have swayed by views on the book. I just had hard feelings toward that entire class.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

One of my colleagues makes students do "homework excuses" slips. If they forget to do their homework, they fill out their name, the assignment, and why they did not do their homework. If the parent or student try to tell you that they did the assignment, you can show them exactly what the student wrote.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

The advice everyone is giving is great. Be firm and consistent, but know it's okay to laugh with them.

Let the ones who are always good know how much you appreciate that. I hate when the bad ones who are good once in a while get so much praise for being good just once when the ones who are ALWAYS good are expected to be so. Let them know you notice the good they do too.

Always be prepared. I too have a tickler file, but it's for the month. So I have a file crate with 32 folders. Each folder has a number, ie. 8 which would be for the 8th day of the month. All copies go in the file and it's great knwing that I have what I need.

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

Keep documents of everything. (letters sent home, phone calls, etc.)
Set the rules from the first day.
Be organized!!!
I think everyone else pretty much said it all. Good Luck!

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

It is so very important to keep a log of all phone calls, parent notes, contacts etc.....That book should be up to date and it even helps to have a page or two for each child.

You can only CYA when you have the documentation! I keep all cell phone bills so that I can also prove that I called and left a message. I have known many teachers who did not CYA and have lost many a battle with the parents and administration!

Re: Okay veterans, time to break out your best advice

~Stay organized : I have plastic drawers and file folders and such to keep everything together and out of sight. I have to have a neat and organized classroom

~ I have an expandable file. I label each section for one of my students and every note, bus pass, excuse, etc I get from them goes right into the folder. This helps me especially when I need to gather items for a disciplinary or spec ed meeting

~ copy hw/extra classwork in advance. I go in to school extra early 1 day a week to hog the copiers and copy piles of math, grammar, and sci/ss hw. When Im in a pinch or need an emergency sub day I grab a few copies and just give them to the sub

~ Reward good behavior 1st and you will eliminate most bad behavior. I used a raffle reward system. Every time I see my students do something nice, polite, etc I give them a raffle ticket. On fri they put their names on the back and I pull out 5 names (for M-Fri) and they go to my prize box which I fill with games, coloring books, toys, accessories etc from the $ store. Its a more meaningful prize and it teachers the other students to be happy for the winners, knowing next time it might be them. The better they are the better the chance of winning.