Greetings! I'm a high school math teacher going into my 3rd year of teaching. Unfortunately, Hurricane Irene has led to my school being closed this week. So with the extra time on my hands, I've decided to share some advice/reflections, based on my (limited) experiences so far. You can't really learn and internalize these ideas when you're in college... in fact, I still feel clueless in many respects. Everyone does.
Get to school early in the morning.
Many great men and women have written about the benefits of rising before the sun. "The early bird catches the worm" and all that stuff. I'm only 23 so I can still sleep until lunchtime, unlike many of my elderly colleagues. But try to get into the habit of waking up early. You'll have a chance to clear the cobwebs before the kids start showing up - and they show up awfully early - and a few minutes of quiet and calm while alone in the classroom is a peaceful, gentle way to start the madness each day.
Stay after school and get your work done whenever possible.
You're always going to take work home with you, because you're always going to be reflecting on what happened that day while simultaneously preparing for tomorrow. But if you're able to stay for an extra 30-60 minutes and make copies or grade papers, you're doing yourself a huge favor. You want to go home with the closest thing to a clear head that any teacher is capable of having.
Teenagers want to be treated fairly above nearly anything else.
This doesn't require a lot of explanation. I'm gearing this comment toward my fellow high school teachers. It almost doesn't matter what you say or do, or what your rules are. As long as you are consistent and predictable, the kids can live with it. Also, when they know roughly what to expect each day, your classroom eventually starts to feel like a "safe" environment. This is necessary before learning can occur.
Stay away from faculty cliques and/or pissing matches.
Some faculties that have been working together for a while can split into two or more factions. In a particularly hostile situation, like the one I experienced last year, both factions will try to "recruit" the new teacher. Yes, office politics thrives in many schools; sometimes the disagreement revolves around philosophical differences and sometimes it's about jockeying for union leadership positions. Whatever it is, avoid it. These grudge matches can poison your work environment if you let them. Look for the good in everybody (despite what you're told about them) and stay on good terms with everyone.
Become a member of the community.
Be seen at your students' athletic and debate team events. It earns you a LOT of points.
Spend the time (and yes, the money) to decorate your classroom.
Put your own spin on your classroom... if you're lucky enough to get your own room. It's a pain in the neck and everything, but in the long run it will contribute to your overall happiness.
Return paperwork and phone calls immediately.
You will have parents calling and leaving messages with the receptionist. Your mailbox will be loaded with paperwork that needs to be filled out for the Guidance Office or the Special Education department. Attend to these requests in a timely and professional manner because one of your colleagues needs that paper in order to do his or her job. If you put them off and make a mental note to do it later, you will surely forget and end up looking like an asshole. Even if you ARE an asshole, I doubt this is how you wanted everyone to find out.
Kids want to know who their teacher is. Don't be afraid to share a little bit.
They don't have to know every detail of my life. They're not going to be texting me and they're not going to be my friend on Facebook. But I try to answer most questions honestly and appropriately. I think it's good for them to know that I'm a semi-normal 23 year old guy outside of school. At the same time...
You are not their friend.
This is a tough one, because you naturally want to be well-liked. You certainly should be outgoing and warm and friendly with your students. But they should not see their teacher as their buddy or pal. If this is the case, then when you inevitably have to give them a poor grade or refer them for disciplinary reasons, the student will view your actions as a betrayal. This is dangerous territory because you risk losing his or her respect, which could seriously hinder your ability to reach them pedagogically. The good news is that it's totally avoidable if you use common sense and approach every interaction with your students on a strictly professional level.
Dress appropriately.
For some of the at-risk students that I've had in the last two years, I realize there's a chance that I could be someone's only positive young male role model. Therefore, I feel a responsibility to model good behavior... including how to dress and conduct myself in a workplace.
Acknowledge when your students do things right.
While you must have a sixth sense for cell phones, cheating, and vandalism, it's just as important that you "catch" your students doing a good job. Call home and let someone know what a great job that kid has been doing lately - he or she asked good questions, paid attention, and participated in the lesson. This phone conversation might be the best news that his or her parent/guardian has ever gotten from a teacher. It does a WORLD of good for their morale and is sure to leave you smiling :)
Make sure your students know that you're not wasting their time.
Have a short term (1-2 days) and a long term plan for your class, and make students aware of it. Part of this plan should be specific, measurable learning and performance objectives. Have all your materials prepared before class starts and be in the room, ready to go, when the bell rings. All of this shows respect for your students - it communicates (non-verbally, like so many of your communications to students) that you value every minute that you spend with them, and don't want any of it to go to waste.
Be gentle with yourself.
Everyone screws up. Learn from it and move on.
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I'm sure I'll think of things later, but I'm publishing the diary now. Thank you for reading!