| Coping with tough situations as a new teacher is all par | | | | teacher and friend when the age differences is so |
| for the course, but it can certainly take its toll on how | | | | minimal, but at all times, remember who is in control. It is |
| much you will like your job from the get-go. Knowing in | | | | one thing to wish to be accepted by your students, but |
| advance what to expect would be ideal, although | | | | a whole other ballgame when your students think of |
| there are many instances that can arise in the course | | | | you as merely their buddy and not an authority figure. |
| of your educational career that you never read about | | | | In fact, becoming too close to your students because |
| in the textbooks. Making that much-discussed but | | | | of your similarities in age will be an open invitation for |
| seldom realized smooth transition from student (at a | | | | conflict and possible disrespect on your part. The main |
| university) to teacher can be challenging. Let's look at | | | | principle to remember in these situations is to keep |
| some stressful scenarios that may come about during | | | | your private life just that - private - and to remember |
| your early years of teaching and how you can cope | | | | that you are the adult, no matter how much you care |
| with them and come out smiling on the other side. | | | | for your students. The line between you is a thin one, |
| Chaos in the Classroom | | | | so don't cross it. |
| If you are the rare and lucky teacher who gets a | | | | Tests from Parents |
| classroom full of well-behaved and well-mannered | | | | New teachers are often tested by parents, especially |
| students, be amazed and consider yourself the most | | | | if they have other children in the same school and |
| fortunate teacher ever. There will always be some | | | | realize how fresh you are to the educational system. |
| bad apples in the mix that will cause you some trouble | | | | Set your expectations and make them clear. Just |
| and spread chaos. This may be especially true for first | | | | because you are new to the game doesn't mean that |
| year teachers who have not yet established a | | | | you can't play well. Your interactions with parents |
| reputation and are sometimes tested by their charges. | | | | should be calm and level-headed, friendly but always |
| The best way that you can prepare for impending | | | | firm. You will understand this concept the more that |
| chaos is to carefully plan out the beginning stage of | | | | you deal with your students' parents, and much of your |
| the difficult first year, and organize your classroom well | | | | interaction with them will come from trial and error and |
| ahead of time. Determine what you expect from your | | | | experience. Some teachers recommend that you |
| students and set this out in definite and very specific | | | | remember the old adage of not letting them see you |
| guidelines that you put in writing and distribute to your | | | | "sweat"; basically it boils down to not letting parents |
| students. And stick with it. Consistently remembering | | | | push your "buttons". |
| and enforcing your own rules is the only way that you | | | | Being a Doormat |
| will ever see order in the classroom, and although it | | | | Non-tenured does not mean doormat. While it is not |
| may seem difficult at first, you will thank yourself when | | | | true for all schools, sometimes the new "kid" on the |
| you don't have students climbing the walls and hanging | | | | block ends up being used for all they are worth. Set |
| off the ceiling. | | | | boundaries right away and don't allow yourself to |
| Friends or Students? | | | | become enslaved by other teachers or faculty |
| Many first year teachers have only been out of high | | | | because you're trying to win friends. You're working |
| school themselves for a few years, which puts them | | | | for yourself and it's not a popularity contest. Helping out |
| at a very close age to their students if they are | | | | from time to time is okay, but feel free to say "no" |
| teaching the upper grades. There is a thin line between | | | | without feeling guilty or without worry of reprisal. |