| v> | | | | Look at the many curriculum and lesson planning ideas |
| 1. Become familiar with the school site and district | | | | that you can find by doing a search on the internet. |
| office facilities and resources. | | | | Most classrooms now have access to the web. |
| Your school site and the district office media center | | | | Teachers can now do all their research in the comfort |
| can be valuable resources to tap into. Most school site | | | | of their own classroom and can find more ideas and |
| have storage areas or closets with shared grade level | | | | plans than there is time to deliver. |
| curriculum resources and materials. The administrator | | | | 6. Take advantage of all first year teacher inservices. |
| or a veteran teacher would be the person to point you | | | | Staff development is a crucial component of No |
| in the right direction. Depending on the size of the | | | | Child Left Behind. Most districts have developed |
| school district, a district library or media center will have | | | | appropriate staff development workshops to meet the |
| materials available for checkout. Many districts have a | | | | intent of the law and to provide the details that are |
| new teacher orientation day to provide information | | | | missing from the teacher manuals. Veteran teachers |
| about materials, procedures, insurance coverage, staff | | | | who present sample lessons or time saving tips can |
| development and other key topics. | | | | be a life saver for first year teachers. |
| 2. Set the tone for the year with detailed planning for | | | | 7. Begin parent contacts from the first day of school. |
| the first day and week. | | | | Send some kind of a communication to parents the |
| Spend an extensive amount of time on planning the | | | | first day. Describe your plans and goals for the school |
| first day and week of school. Make an impression and | | | | year and solicit their help and expertise. Parents can |
| establish a positive tone for how your classroom will | | | | be presenters, volunteers, and field trip chaperones. |
| run. Describe in detail how you want your classroom | | | | They love getting involved. Start the first week by |
| procedures (homework, materials, line up, emergency, | | | | phoning each parent (do 5 a day) and introducing |
| school/classroom rules) to work. Make sure students | | | | yourself. |
| understand what your expectations are and why | | | | 8. Send a regular newsletter home |
| things need to be done in the manner that you | | | | Whether it be a weekly report or a monthly |
| describe. Particularly with the upper grades, much of | | | | newsletter, establish a vehicle for regular |
| the description and discussion can be done as a | | | | communication with parents. Parents are busy folks, |
| team-building exercise, seeking student input and | | | | too. They may also need frequent reminders about |
| comments. The primary students would also benefit | | | | upcoming events. Have students write a letter to their |
| from participation in setting up classroom expectations. | | | | parents as an end of the day activity for example. |
| Have a plan in mind before hand so that students can | | | | There is no such thing as too much communication. |
| be focused to develop something that is workable and | | | | 9. Get involved in at least one curriculum committee. |
| acceptable to you and has buy in from the students. | | | | As a first year teacher, you may say to yourself that |
| 3. Develop a detailed description for student behavior | | | | you haven’t got time to do one more thing. |
| expectations | | | | However, it is strongly advised that you begin to get |
| The most important area to emphasize to students is | | | | involved in a curriculum committee at the district level. |
| that you have high expectations for their behavior. | | | | Join a group. They are always looking for members. |
| There are many models to explore, but your own | | | | They usually meet only once a month after school. |
| personal model should blend with the school rules for | | | | You should find an area that interests you the most |
| pupil behavior. It needs to be a system that is fair and | | | | and sign up. Even if you can’t make a meeting |
| manageable. Don’t put in consequences for | | | | every month, this will help you begin to see the input |
| poor behavior that can not be followed up with action. | | | | and influence that teachers can have on curriculum |
| Talk to your colleagues or site administrator. | | | | decisions. |
| 4. Talk to your colleagues. | | | | 10 Realize that the first year is the toughest. |
| The veteran teachers at your site can be one of the | | | | As a first year teacher, there will be days and |
| most valuable contacts that a new teacher can make. | | | | sleepless nights when you will wonder if you took the |
| They want to help the new teachers. If you have | | | | correct path. If you love teaching kids, hang in there. |
| questions or problems with discipline, lesson planning, | | | | Each year will get easier because you will gain new |
| parent involvement, ask for advise or suggestions. | | | | insights and experience as each year passes. Being a |
| Don’t reinvent the wheel. Many site | | | | teacher is a tough job. Don’t try to go it alone. A |
| administrators have already selected teachers that | | | | support system made up of family and colleagues will |
| serve as informal mentors to aid the first year | | | | get you through the tough times so that you can |
| teachers. | | | | reflect back on the rewarding times and know that |
| 5. Use the internet for lesson plan ideas. | | | | you can and do make a difference. |