12 Tips for a Successful First Year

Dear New Teacher,

Summer is coming to an end, and soon you will be walking into your first classroom. You are probably excited, nervous, and maybe a little naive about the year ahead. Try not to worry. I have been in your spot twice in my 21 years of teaching. The first time I was 23 years old, fresh out of college, and starting a job as a high school English teacher. That year was my hardest year of teaching thus far, but I also made great friends and great memories. My first year in the classroom taught me so much about the teaching profession, kids, and myself.

If you’re searching for something to pack in your bag for some lunchtime or after-school inspiration, check out these must-reads! Whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or just a lover of good books, these texts will engage you and help you power through the school year:

August, I swear, is the shortest month of the year. The 1st rolls around, and all of the sudden it hits me that I have 22 days left to get my classroom, curriculum, children, and myself ready for the new school year. Adding to the mayhem of this year, my beloved husband, who spends most of his time as a stay-at-home papa, is gallivanting off with the Marine Corps for two and a half weeks, right as the school year is set to begin.

I thought it might prove useful to you all to share some of my personal strategies and tips for getting ready for the new school year. I have had the good fortune to learn some things from some amazing teachers and moms – advice on how to stay balanced and establish smart routines in my home and classroom. These strategies help me to stay sane during the start of the school year, and I want to share 10 of my favorites with you:

School district budgets get tighter every year, leaving teachers with minimal finances for classroom supplies and for replacing old, outdated learning materials. And you know all too well what it costs to make sure your students have what they need to learn – budget or no budget!

It’s still summer, and we hope you’re taking time to relax and recharge your batteries. But if there’s a little voice in your head reminding you that another school year lies ahead – and you’ve promised yourself that you’ll be more prepared this time around – we can help you get a handle on things with this helpful checklist. It covers the pertinent categories: students, parents, curriculum, technology, organization, classroom management, and self-care, plus miscellaneous. With the checklist in hand, you can silence that nagging little voice and get back to the important work of summer: relaxation, with a bit of time spent reading, learning, and growing as a professional! 

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot.” ‒ Michael Altshuler

 Over the past 10 years in the world of education, life has not become simpler. We have increasing stacks of student data, growing lists of apps and tech ideas, a wall full of Pinterest pins, and parents and students with individual and widely varying needs. And as the end of the school year grows closer, we are even busier!

It can be overwhelming, but we’re here to offer some support. Take a look at these 11 time savers, which may help you simplify your day and free up time for other activities:
 

The school year is winding down and final grades are being entered. Field day is right around the corner, and students are starting to get more restless than usual. For teachers, this is a hard time of the year. Any teacher worth her salt wants to maximize learning for every minute of every day. At the same time, there is a limit to how much can actually be assessed accurately during these final few days.

To lend a helping hand, over the few weeks we’ll be featuring ideas and planning tips for making the end of the year fun, memorable, and engaging for students. Today let’s discuss problem-based learning (PBL), a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem. Via the PBL format, students absorb both thinking strategies and domain knowledge.

Teachers—One of Our Most Powerful Tools in Education

The year is 1996. Alanis Morissette croons about how life can be ironic, young people are shaking their hips and hands to the Macarena, the Nintendo 64 has just been released, and Tom Cruise is dominating the box office with Jerry McGuire and Mission: Impossible. While we can certainly look back on these trends and trivia about the times, it’s hard to say that any of these things had any major cultural significance.

1996 also saw the publication of a key article developed by the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future. The report, titled What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future, pointed out something that common sense would dictate to most anyone, yet still seems strangely elusive: the single most important factor in the effectiveness of a child’s education is the teacher. While this was not a new notion, this report, based on hundreds of studies, initiated a growing movement to identify, train, and retain good teachers.

Real teachers give you tips and tricks to be ready to go on the first day of school.

If you are an educator, you’re no doubt familiar with the feeling of anxiety that hits when summer starts to wane – that feeling that time is running short for setting up your classroom, making up class lists and schedules, getting copying done, placing orders, etc. A myriad tasks lie ahead of you, and the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll have all your ducks in a row. But where do you start?