I have been getting a lot of future new teachers frequenting my blog and leaving me very kind comments letting me know they are looking for inspiration for dressing like a teacher -- which is exactly what I did when I started teaching! I went looking for advice -- both those for teaching style inside the classroom and sartorially.
Know what I found? Not much.
The bigger bloggers wear such beautiful clothes and provide wonderful inspiration--but realistically, I had no one (or blog) to turn to for professional style advice (or at least that fit my school's dress code and my wallet!). That's why I started Between the Lines. I wanted to tap into that community--to get feedback and ideas from other teachers in terms of style, while also getting and giving advice about our profession.
I have been so giddy and excited that so many teachers have been seeking me out--so I want to actively try to help them as much as I can. I have been doing more regular posts relating to teaching and style together. I have been trying to think back to what I was searching for in a blog -- and I'm doing it!
This one, however, is purely for the new teachers! This is my second year teaching, and I have already learned so much. In the spirit of Ten Things Tuesday, I came up with a list of ten things I wish people told me before I started teaching:
1. Classroom management happens naturally. Believe it or not, the students aren't going to just walk all over you from the start. Seriously. Lay down a few rules at the beginning of the year, be consistent, and the rest will fall into place. Most of the students will naturally respect you and listen to you just because you're a teacher. One trick that I have found useful in classroom management is letting the students know that they are wasting their time. I don't yell. I don't scream. I don't need a noise-maker to get their attention. I stand in the front of class with a serious look on my face and my hands on my hips. I calmly inform them that they are responsible for all of the material--and they are wasting their own time with their behavior. That works better than leveraging, threatening, or even using positive reinforcement.
2. You don't have to stand in front and talk teach every day. In fact, the students learn more and respond to you better if you don't! When I first started doing more collaborative work, I worried that I would be perceived as the lazy teacher, but it actually takes a little more work to set up research stations and activities than it does to just stand in front of them with a Powerpoint.
3. Teachers should make the students find their own answers. My biggest shock when I first started teaching was that I did not anticipate as many questions. I underestimated the amount of instruction my students needed for direction--so I was honestly a little frustrated the first few weeks of my first year. I very quickly learned to shoot the questions back to the student. I ask them what they think--or I ask them how they could find the answer. My school is all about 21st Century learning -- and this means creating independent learners. Don't just hand the students the information when they ask for it! It's too easy just to answer them, but you have to train yourself to think quickly enough to know how to redirect them.
4. It's okay to use the internet for resources. I have turned to the interweb many times to find ideas, worksheets, or even a basic structure for my lesson plans. There are all kinds of websites out there--but I would highly recommend browsing wikispaces. Other teachers often post their schedules, homework, and sometimes more detailed assignments on their sites.
5. Be organized on the front end. I have so many "systems" of organization this year -- homework folders, a trashcan on the opposite side of the room from my desk -- things I didn't think about until I started school. I honestly didn't have much time to think about all of these things--my school didn't hire me until a month before school started (another piece of advice--don't freak about this...easier said than done, I know), so my biggest priority was creating my curriculum! I wish, however, that I had more time to set things up. Think about those small things as much as possible. It's okay to be flexible with your curriculum and lesson plans in the meantime!
6. Some lessons will flop. Sometimes, the students will just stare at you blankly. Some might fall asleep (I have yet to encounter this). It's okay if what you are teaching isn't interesting to everyone--and some days, an entire class period, two class periods, or -heaven forbid-all the students might not get it. Just keep chanting tomorrow is a new day. You can pick up the pieces the next day (or, as skilled teachers call it -- make the connections later).
#6 Part Two: Your first period class is your guinea pig class. Basically, don't expect to get it 100% right the first time you teach it. I know several friends who became so discouraged after only one class. You will tweak it, improve it, and perfect it as the day (and year!) goes on.
7. It's okay to deviate. I have some OCD issues and I am okay with admitting it. I panic whenever an assignment takes extra time or cuts into the next day's work. Learn from my misgivings and take advice from Douglas Adams - DON'T PANIC. Just work with it. Don't rush the students--especially if they're involved in what you're teaching! Don't look at teaching solely in terms of logistics or teaching the test.
IT'S OKAY TO ENJOY YOUR JOB!
8. Teachers get food. All. The. Time. It seems like there's a never-ending supply of food, sweets, drinks, and all other forms of thigh-size-increasers. Actually, I do believe someone did warn me about this before I started teaching--but I didn't believe him. I'm here to tell you: BELIEVE IT.
9. Keep up with your results. I'm not saying try to track everything--but think of a system to do so. I cannot stress organization organization organization enough. Keep track of your thoughts on how a lesson went. Write down what you can do better--what went well, what went wrong. Focus on constant improvement.
10. It's so worth it. Every exhausting day. Every frustration. Every time you write a kid up for eating paste. I think my job is the absolute best job for me--and all of the bad days are worth it.
#10 part 2: The parents are not awful. Parent conferences are not hard. You will find the words to let the parents know that Johnny was eating paste and snorting glitter in the back of the room (no experience with the latter). The parents - for the most part - are amazing, helpful, and advocates for the best interest of your student. If you truly have that last part down yourself, parents are easy and pleasant to deal with.
If you're planning to be a new teacher soon -- or even in the future, what kind of advice are you looking for? Any specific topic, question, or concern? What do you want to see on this blog?
I am not a veteran teacher (yet!) -- but I think I have an advantage as a younger teacher with a different insight!
Leave me a comment or shoot me a quick email! I'd love to hear from you--and build an awesome teacher community!
XO,
W
PS: There are a lot of teaching bloggers out there! Here's a link to the Top 100 Teaching Blogs -- go check them out!
Know what I found? Not much.
The bigger bloggers wear such beautiful clothes and provide wonderful inspiration--but realistically, I had no one (or blog) to turn to for professional style advice (or at least that fit my school's dress code and my wallet!). That's why I started Between the Lines. I wanted to tap into that community--to get feedback and ideas from other teachers in terms of style, while also getting and giving advice about our profession.
I have been so giddy and excited that so many teachers have been seeking me out--so I want to actively try to help them as much as I can. I have been doing more regular posts relating to teaching and style together. I have been trying to think back to what I was searching for in a blog -- and I'm doing it!
This one, however, is purely for the new teachers! This is my second year teaching, and I have already learned so much. In the spirit of Ten Things Tuesday, I came up with a list of ten things I wish people told me before I started teaching:
1. Classroom management happens naturally. Believe it or not, the students aren't going to just walk all over you from the start. Seriously. Lay down a few rules at the beginning of the year, be consistent, and the rest will fall into place. Most of the students will naturally respect you and listen to you just because you're a teacher. One trick that I have found useful in classroom management is letting the students know that they are wasting their time. I don't yell. I don't scream. I don't need a noise-maker to get their attention. I stand in the front of class with a serious look on my face and my hands on my hips. I calmly inform them that they are responsible for all of the material--and they are wasting their own time with their behavior. That works better than leveraging, threatening, or even using positive reinforcement.
2. You don't have to stand in front and talk teach every day. In fact, the students learn more and respond to you better if you don't! When I first started doing more collaborative work, I worried that I would be perceived as the lazy teacher, but it actually takes a little more work to set up research stations and activities than it does to just stand in front of them with a Powerpoint.
3. Teachers should make the students find their own answers. My biggest shock when I first started teaching was that I did not anticipate as many questions. I underestimated the amount of instruction my students needed for direction--so I was honestly a little frustrated the first few weeks of my first year. I very quickly learned to shoot the questions back to the student. I ask them what they think--or I ask them how they could find the answer. My school is all about 21st Century learning -- and this means creating independent learners. Don't just hand the students the information when they ask for it! It's too easy just to answer them, but you have to train yourself to think quickly enough to know how to redirect them.
4. It's okay to use the internet for resources. I have turned to the interweb many times to find ideas, worksheets, or even a basic structure for my lesson plans. There are all kinds of websites out there--but I would highly recommend browsing wikispaces. Other teachers often post their schedules, homework, and sometimes more detailed assignments on their sites.
5. Be organized on the front end. I have so many "systems" of organization this year -- homework folders, a trashcan on the opposite side of the room from my desk -- things I didn't think about until I started school. I honestly didn't have much time to think about all of these things--my school didn't hire me until a month before school started (another piece of advice--don't freak about this...easier said than done, I know), so my biggest priority was creating my curriculum! I wish, however, that I had more time to set things up. Think about those small things as much as possible. It's okay to be flexible with your curriculum and lesson plans in the meantime!
6. Some lessons will flop. Sometimes, the students will just stare at you blankly. Some might fall asleep (I have yet to encounter this). It's okay if what you are teaching isn't interesting to everyone--and some days, an entire class period, two class periods, or -heaven forbid-all the students might not get it. Just keep chanting tomorrow is a new day. You can pick up the pieces the next day (or, as skilled teachers call it -- make the connections later).
#6 Part Two: Your first period class is your guinea pig class. Basically, don't expect to get it 100% right the first time you teach it. I know several friends who became so discouraged after only one class. You will tweak it, improve it, and perfect it as the day (and year!) goes on.
7. It's okay to deviate. I have some OCD issues and I am okay with admitting it. I panic whenever an assignment takes extra time or cuts into the next day's work. Learn from my misgivings and take advice from Douglas Adams - DON'T PANIC. Just work with it. Don't rush the students--especially if they're involved in what you're teaching! Don't look at teaching solely in terms of logistics or teaching the test.
IT'S OKAY TO ENJOY YOUR JOB!
8. Teachers get food. All. The. Time. It seems like there's a never-ending supply of food, sweets, drinks, and all other forms of thigh-size-increasers. Actually, I do believe someone did warn me about this before I started teaching--but I didn't believe him. I'm here to tell you: BELIEVE IT.
9. Keep up with your results. I'm not saying try to track everything--but think of a system to do so. I cannot stress organization organization organization enough. Keep track of your thoughts on how a lesson went. Write down what you can do better--what went well, what went wrong. Focus on constant improvement.
10. It's so worth it. Every exhausting day. Every frustration. Every time you write a kid up for eating paste. I think my job is the absolute best job for me--and all of the bad days are worth it.
#10 part 2: The parents are not awful. Parent conferences are not hard. You will find the words to let the parents know that Johnny was eating paste and snorting glitter in the back of the room (no experience with the latter). The parents - for the most part - are amazing, helpful, and advocates for the best interest of your student. If you truly have that last part down yourself, parents are easy and pleasant to deal with.
If you're planning to be a new teacher soon -- or even in the future, what kind of advice are you looking for? Any specific topic, question, or concern? What do you want to see on this blog?
I am not a veteran teacher (yet!) -- but I think I have an advantage as a younger teacher with a different insight!
Leave me a comment or shoot me a quick email! I'd love to hear from you--and build an awesome teacher community!
XO,
W
PS: There are a lot of teaching bloggers out there! Here's a link to the Top 100 Teaching Blogs -- go check them out!
19 comments:
Great advice! I know a few new teachers who will benefit greatly from this!
As a veteran teacher, I love your style and your advice--especially number 10! A colleague and I blog our outfits at regularpeopleweartheirclothes.tumblr.com, though I think our school might have a more casual dress code than yours. :) Heather
Absolutely love this little write - up and especially the last bit ... it is so much worth it ..
Warmest regards,
Ruby
This was so helpful! Thank you so much!!
If everything goes according to plan, I will be interning in an elementary school in the fall and by fall 2013 I'll be running the classroom myself student teaching!
All I really need now is experience and most of the lessons I'm going to be learning will be through trial and error.. I guess what I mean is I have no suggestions, your blog is inspiring and helpful just the way it is!
I'm going to make my own blog here about my own experiences/outfits, but I want to wait until I get accepted to grad school/the internship first!
But thanks so much for being so open to ideas, and for helping out! I guess that's just natural of teachers! :) haha
- Nicole
As (another) future teacher, I'm at the stage in the educational process where people are trying to dissuade me from becoming a teacher, so anyone who's actually encouraging about it is such a welcome relief! And since you always seem to enjoy yourself even on the craziest days, that's enough for me :)
If you truly love it, don't let anyone dissuade you! I'm not going to lie--sometimes it can be pretty tough and stressful, but if you love teaching, you can definitely do it! :)
W
I'm so glad you found it useful!
Student teaching is probably more stressful than actually having your own classroom--so definitely keep that in mind! It's such an awkward time, as well--it's someone else's classroom and you're being tossed into the mix with little time for adaptation on your part, the students' part and the teacher's!
Teachers are pretty awesome--if I do say so! :)
I completely agree! Thank you, Ruby!
I'm so glad you shared your link! I'll be checking it out soon! I always love meeting other teachers--and I really enjoy teaching blogs! :)
W
I'm so glad you're able to pass this on! :)
W
Great tips! I've been teaching for two years now and I learn something new and helpful everyday! Even weeks (like this one!) where I am totally exhausted, I still love this profession.
hey W. omg i love all this great tips im in my Jr. year of colle im planning on majoring in el teaching and some of my "friends" are always telling me that teaching its a carrer that its not well-pay and that its too stressful but i just love or i feel motivated to become a teacher after a stressful day at college my only thing that keeps me going on its thinking the fact that im becoming a teacher and i just think you are a great teacher and a great person :)
Hi! I found your blog this evening after googling "teacher style blog"! Turns out you are exactly what I was looking for! I am just finishing up my undergrad, and will enter student teaching/credential program in California in August. To say I am nervous is absurd--I am downright petrified! But, thank you. This was helpful and insightful. I'm going to start following your blog regularly, because I have got to start paying attention to what other teachers do! Keep writing, and I'll keep reading!
Oh, and love the style posts. Seriously. Adorable.
Yayy!! So excited I found your blog! I'm a junior elementary ed major and am loving all of these tips - not to mention your wardrobe! So cute! I'm going to check out the teaching blog links right now. Thanks so much!
I'm so glad you found me, too! I love meeting other teachers through my blog!
Good luck with your studies--let me know if you have any questions or need any assistance! :)
W
I'm so glad you found me! You are too sweet!
It's okay to be nervous--I think everyone is! Don't be petrified! You will do fantastically. I know you think you have a lot to remember while you're teaching (pedagogy, lesson plans, staying on task, etc), but it will flow so naturally once you start! :)
Let me know if you have any questions! Feel free to email me!
W
Whitney, thank you so much for sharing these tips. They certainly make me feel better about starting my first year! I would love to know some of the specific little details you wish you had considered concerning the organizational details you mentioned in number 5. Also, how do you manage balancing your blog on top of your school work? I worry that I won't be able to keep up while figuring out my first year and living on my own for the first time!
Thanks for your help!
I have just discovered your blog and LOVED reading this post! School starts next week and I got hired last week (right...) for a 1 semester position. I am trying not to freak out but this information definitely made me feel less confused! Thanks so much!
Best of luck with your new position! Congratulations!!! :)
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