The Teachers Corner
It’s that time again. Summer is quickly coming to an end and the daily routines are back. Teaching is one of my favorite careers. It it something i’m truly passionate about simply because I am able to have an impact on my community, work with children and be as creative as I want. Me personally I don’t like routines and teaching definitely keeps you on your toes. As I enter my third year, I want to offer some tips for any new or returning teachers.
DO NOT overwork/overwhelm yourself. We all know we are already underpaid. We all want to be great, we want our students and class to be the best but you cannot overwork yourself. The education gap existed before you and you can only do your part in the allotted time to continue bridging the gap.
Be prepared to be flexible. You can plan, plan, plan but sometimes things don’t always go as planned. There can be an unexpected drill, disruptions, etc. but just always be flexible so you can regroup properly.
Don’t take work home with you. When the workday ends, that’s when it ends. Therefore, you must be as productive as you can during the workday. Use your planning period to actually plan, make copies, etc.
The key to classroom management is simply consistency. YOU set the tone for the way you want your classroom to function and you must stick to it. Kids will respect what they know. The more consistent you are, the smoother things will run. Have expectations and consequences and follow through with them.
Arguing or going back and fourth with any student takes a way from your power. Be mindful because students will do and say things to trigger you or to get you out of character. You must remain calm and follow through with your expectations and consequence matrix.
Always. Always. Always over plan. Plan for bell to bell instruction because you will always have students that finish early. If they are finished with nothing to do, they will become antsy and began to be a distraction to others. I recommend having an early finishers station or a “Tic Tac Toe” station full of assignments pertaining to the unit. The station can simply consist of busy work but it is tailored to the unit (word searches & cross words for vocabulary enhancement, writing prompts, mini projects). This is also an easy way to enhance and ensure comprehension.
Use social media and real world events to connect to students. Use trendy phrases, songs, and dances to make connections between the content and what students see each and everyday. A simple way to make learning fun.
Check to see if you are at a Title I school. Teachers who teach at a Title I school for 5 years qualify for loan forgiveness.
Stations are clutch! Once you master the flow of them, the student and class basically runs itself. To have successful stations ensure that instructions are clear and detailed. Have ALL materials that students will need; this includes copies, paper, or whatever the assignment requires. Have a timer and stick to the allotted time. Depending on your class and behaviors the students can rotate or the buckets/materials can rotate.
Be confident. I know teaching content information can be scary. “What if they ask questions I don’t know the answer to?” As a teacher you may not know everything, which is okay. Kids will believe what you tell them. If it’s something you don’t know, use that an opportunity to figure it out together. This is a great way to show students that everyone has room to grow and learn.
Build healthy relationships with your students. At the end of the day your job goes beyond just teaching information. Your students are very sensitive, highly emotionally and are always looking for someone to connect with.
Thanks for reading :)