"The first year of teaching, well, we know it can be a very challenging one. But it’s also a very rewarding one," Inside the School online seminar presenter Mary C. Clement said.
The first year of teaching can be described as trial by fire, sink-or-swim experience, where a teacher learns so much, even more than student teaching, even more than in all of those classes they took in college.
Clement said the very first thing is to over-prepare for that first day of class. Teachers only get one chance to make a first impression on the students.
"Students start evaluating you. They start deciding, is this someone that I really want for my teacher for the whole year? That’s why the importance of the first day simply cannot be overemphasized," Clement said.
Some tips to prepare for the first day of class Clement said are to count the desks, make a welcome sign for the door and locate the adult and student restrooms because many of the students just won’t know where they are or what’s going on.
“No one else may be checking on these things. You have to check them yourself and work in your room,” Clement said. “There is no such thing as being over-prepared for that first day.”
When the students do arrive on the first day of class Clement said to greet them at the door, introduce yourself, have an assignment on the board and have a way for students to find their seats.
“Be businesslike. Hi, I’m Dr. Clement. Welcome to class. Please, go in and find your seat,” Clement said. “You may have to actually walk some of them to their desk or the table where they’ll be seated. But again, think about the first few minutes of the first day.”
Clement said beginning a dialogue to get to know the students early. She recommends having their students write down information about themselves on an interest inventory.
“You [should] ask about their interests. You ask about their goals, their hobbies, and that proverbial question, what did you do over your summer vacation,” Clement said. “What’s your favorite food? What’s your favorite candy? How do you learn best?”
Classroom management is one of the most important issues for new teachers to be prepared for. Clement said that by having procedures and rules clearly defined early in the school year teachers can save time throughout the year.
“You need to make these procedures become routines. And these procedures can start from the very first day of the school year,” Clement said. “Post these procedures, and refer to them.”
When developing rules and procedures Clement said you don’t need tons of rules.
“Sit down and ask yourself, what do I expect the students to do? Your expectations will become your rules. Make your expectations known with rules that are simple, observable, and enforceable,” Clement said.
One of the major issues that new teachers will begin to deal with will be the student’s parents.
“We know that parents should be our partners in the education of a child. One of the biggest hints I can give on opening lines of communication is this one. The first communication home should be positive,” Clement said. "You can build a lot of good rapport with a student if you call the parent and say something good about them.”
Once the relationships are formed, the new teachers are familiar with the school and a teacher’s confidence is established they can concentrate on teaching strategies. New teachers are confronted with deciding if they should teach a teacher-centered or a student-centered classroom. They must also decide whether they should act deductively or inductively with students.
“The right answer is there are times to be direct and to be teacher centered,” Clement said. “There are other times we can be very student centered even with our teaching approach. Sometimes discovery learning works great. There are times to be inductive and times to be deductive in our teaching.”
Clement said the key in deciding teaching strategies and discipline techniques is knowing your students.
“Know their academic backgrounds. Know what works. Know how they like to learn,” Clement said.
Clement said new teachers will be dealing with a lot of stress their first year so it’s important to manage it correctly. New teachers should eat right, get sleep and get plenty of exercise.
“Practice positive self-help and stress management. Research suggests that well-rounded individuals who balance life and work issues are actually more productive in the workforce,” Clement said. “Identify the stress, decide what you can do about it, and do it.”
“There will be some rough days in your teaching career. There may be some rough weeks in your teaching career, or dare I say, a rough semester or two,” Clement said. “What’s important when you have a rough day or week is to stop and think about why you do what you do.”
Clement said to remember that if new teachers have a plan, constantly improve themselves and manage their stress, the second year will go better.
Mary C. Clement’s seminar Ten Things That Successful New Teachers Do can be purchased here.