Tips for New TeachersTips for New Teachers

Presentation by April Hansen Presentation by April Hansen

Beeler Elementary School Beeler Elementary School

Set up your classroom with Set up your classroom with the curriculum in mindthe curriculum in mind

Be sure to have access to Be sure to have access to frequently used curriculum frequently used curriculum materials such as math materials such as math manipulatives and science kitsmanipulatives and science kits

Use a mailbox to keep Use a mailbox to keep frequently used papers handyfrequently used papers handy

Label everything so that it’s easy Label everything so that it’s easy for you and your students to findfor you and your students to find

Color code books by genre and sort Color code books by genre and sort them into baskets. This keeps your them into baskets. This keeps your library organized and helps children library organized and helps children to separate genres. to separate genres.

Label manipulatives, science Label manipulatives, science materials, and papers in mailboxes materials, and papers in mailboxes so that students can have so that students can have responsibility for finding them and responsibility for finding them and putting them away properly. putting them away properly.

Ask your students for helpAsk your students for help

Students are often happy to organize Students are often happy to organize the classroom and set up for the classroom and set up for lessons. lessons.

This teaches students responsibility This teaches students responsibility and lightens your load.and lightens your load.

Be sure to ask for help during Be sure to ask for help during appropriate times such as when appropriate times such as when students are unpacking in the students are unpacking in the morning or during dismissal time- morning or during dismissal time- never during lessons. never during lessons.

Work Closely With Your Mentor

• It is essential to have someone help you understand curriculum.

• A good mentor will help you understand the culture and procedures of your school.

• Take initiative and ask for help when you need it! Learn to be okay with asking for help.

Get to know the culture of your school

• Many schools have different cultures depending on the average age of the staff, the principal, and many other factors.

• Every school has its own procedures. Ex. In our school, we have a parent who

laminates posters for teachers; it is in this manner that we conserve laminating film. Teachers never have to laminate at all!

On the first day of school set a positive, but firm, tone with your students

• From the beginning, you need to be friendly and respectful to students, but set high expectations.

• Be wary of your inclination to be a friend to students- down the road, you may need to give consequences that will not be respected because of your relationship.

Prepare community-building activities and lessons for the first couple days

• Take the opportunity to help your kids get to know each other and build strong social skills

• Activities such as Morning Meeting and its components will help to teach kids to treat each other with respect while having fun!

Dress for respect

• When you want to be treated by others as a professional, remember to dress professionally

• Students will respect you more if you dress professionally

Team up with a colleagueTeam up with a colleague

• Form a planning team that meets once a week. Form a planning team that meets once a week. • Divide the subjects up between you- the person Divide the subjects up between you- the person

who takes each subject can become the who takes each subject can become the “expert”. “expert”.

• The expert should research and plan each The expert should research and plan each subject and during your planning time, receive subject and during your planning time, receive input and feedback as to how the plans should input and feedback as to how the plans should change or be organized. change or be organized.

• Furthermore, the expert should make copies for Furthermore, the expert should make copies for all members of the planning team once the final all members of the planning team once the final lessons have been organized. lessons have been organized.

Learn to predict how a lesson will Learn to predict how a lesson will go in your particular age group to go in your particular age group to

avoid pitfallsavoid pitfalls• When you teach, pay attention to your When you teach, pay attention to your

students’ nonverbal cues. students’ nonverbal cues. • When students look bored or confused, your When students look bored or confused, your

technique may not be working and you may technique may not be working and you may need to address the topic in a different need to address the topic in a different manner. manner.

• For example, if you give 5For example, if you give 5thth graders a set of graders a set of oral directions and they are not able to oral directions and they are not able to follow them, consider chunking directions follow them, consider chunking directions or providing a written copy of the directions or providing a written copy of the directions when presenting a multiple-step task. when presenting a multiple-step task.