Sunday, June 11, 2006

Five Pieces of Advice

During the last two years, I have had the opportunity to learn many things. So many people will talk about rules, procedures lesson planning and such things, but my advice is much more practical. There are dozens of things that I could share, but here are five:

1. Leave it all at the bottom step. There will be many days when you will be frustrated, overworked, unprepared and generally exhausted. The day’s problems will seem so overwhelming that you can’t let them go. Whatever you do, don’t take it home with you. When you leave work, leave all your problems and worries there. Don’t concern yourself with what the crazy principal did or what the disrespectful student said today. Tomorrow will be a better day and there will be new things to worry about. Go home and relax. Read a book, watch CSI, knit, or anything that relaxes or calms you. Call your best friend and talk about the weather or spend time with your husband/fiancĂ©/child. Whatever you do be sure that it is something relaxing and fun.

2. Become a pack rat. When you enter your school, you will probably have nothing. You may have to generate your own worksheets and tests or a veteran teacher may feel sorry for you and give you things you can use. Keep everything. Find some way to organize the worksheets, put your lesson plans in a binder in order, put all the workbooks on a shelf. If you move take everything. If you change schools take everything. At some point, you will need those resources.

3. Have fun. Teaching is a wonderful experience. Learn to have fun while you are teaching. It will become infectious and your students will begin to have fun. The more fun your students are having the more they will participate and the less behavior problems you will have. By the way, lectures are not fun. They are necessary, but keep them short and sweet.

4. Participate in extracurricular activities. I’ve learned more about teaching, leadership and dealing with students from coaching than from any class or day in the classroom. It gives you the opportunity to let your hair down and it does the same for your students. They are much more at ease and are extremely receptive. You may think that you don’t have time, but make time. This will be the best experience of your teaching career.

5. Fall in love. Love your students despite what they do. Love your administrators despite what they say. Love your fellow teacher despite how they act. Without love there is no enjoyment.

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