Launching Your Teaching Career; The First Seven Days
Launching Your Teaching Career; The First Seven Days
You have signed the contract and been assigned to a classroom. You may even have your class roster in hand. The first year of your teaching career can be daunting. No matter how you enter the teaching profession, the traditional college-to-classroom teacher route, or as a second career teacher, you have to figure out how to get this thing started. This post has tips to launch your teaching career.
First and foremost, you belong, and you are needed. Don't fall prey to any thoughts that you don't belong. Our students need adults that WANT to teach. Psychologist Julius Segal, in looking at what helps children overcome adversity, wrote "one factor turns out to be the presence in their lives of a charismatic adult -- a person from whom they gather strength. And in a surprising number of cases, that person turns out to be a teacher." I hope you aspire to be the teacher your students need.
Now let's get this classroom ready for the students. Evaluate your classroom and determine what you need. I am referring to the first week of school. Classrooms change a lot over the first week. Students are assigned and removed, desks may need to be added or taken away, and you may need to look for appropriate furniture for your classroom. Survey what you have and make a list of any immediate needs. Many schools have supplies and furniture in closets and behind doors that no one thinks to tell the new teacher about, so make your list and then start your scavenger hunt. Ask your teammates, school leaders such as reading specialists, grade level chairpersons, team leaders, and instructional lead teachers for assistance with locating supplies.
Set two or three goals for yourself for teacher preparation days (the few days before the students arrive) and the first week of school. Life will come at you fast. Having predetermined goals may help you organize and distinguish between what might get done and what must be done. For example, covering bulletin boards with paper and putting up borders is usually enough to get started. Every bulletin board does not have to be complete. Posting learning center (areas in the classroom where students work independently to reinforce skills previously taught) labels such as “Math Center” can check the box. You can construct learning centers to meet your students' needs over the coming weeks, once you have an opportunity to meet your students and assess their instructional needs. I encourage you to spend those first few days making sure your students have appropriate seating, a place to put supplies, and you have lesson plans. As time goes on you can add to your learning environment with your students' assistance.
Another area that will need attention before your students arrive is determining classroom procedures and routines. These classroom procedures and routines do not have to be set in stone. They will probably change during the school year; however, failure to plan can have long-term effects on classroom management. One serious long-term effect is losing credibility or trust with students if a new teacher presents as unprepared. I've found it more challenging, but not impossible, to reboot a classroom than to establish structures upfront. Here are a few things to think about as you plan: How will you group students for learning: in pairs, quads, or in rows (the school may have covid spacing rules at this time)? How and where will they line up? How will your students get the needed resources such as laptop computers or textbooks? Where will you meet with instructional groups, and how will you transition from the whole group to small group instruction? Will you have a classroom rug for storytime or community meeting time? Having a plan, even if you have to change it, will help your room run smoother.
How can you control the noise around you? You will have a lot of meetings to attend over the first month of your teaching career. The beginning of the school year can be a lot like an airplane taking off. People tell you what to do in case of emergency, the plane starts moving fast, and things get noisy. For some, that noise can make it hard to think. Going with this metaphor, when you attend those beginning of the school year meetings, be present and listen to your colleagues, instructional leaders, and administrators. The information provided in these meetings will help you when you hit turbulence. During these meetings, take notes and ask questions. Identify a colleague you should speak to if you have additional questions. Keep in mind everyone is busy at the beginning of the school year. If you ask for a few minutes of designated time to ask your questions, you may find success getting critical questions answered. Coming to your meetings on time, with questions, and honoring the scheduled time are tips for getting the information you need during those busy first days.
Start looking for your marigold. Marigolds are people who will help you thrive and encourage your growth. On https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/marigolds/ Jennifer Gonzalez lays out ways to Find Your Marigold: The One Essential Rule for New Teachers “By finding the positive, supportive, energetic teachers in your school and sticking close to them, you can improve your job satisfaction more than with any other strategy. And your chances of excelling in this field will skyrocket. Just like a young seedling growing in a garden, thriving in your first year depends largely on who you plant yourself next to.” You will not find your marigold people in seven days but be on the lookout for people that help you grow.
I wish you much success in your teaching career. Know that the first week, month, and year of teaching move quickly and offer multiple opportunities for growth. Grant yourself grace. Understand that teaching does come with challenges, however, it is an awesome profession where you can positively affect the lives of many young people. You are needed and this is your opportunity to be the charismatic adult that students can come to in order to gather their own strength.
