Table of Contents
Jossey-Bass Teacher
Title page
Copyright page
About the Author
Dedication
Acknowledgments
About This Survival Guide
PART I: Assume Your Professional Responsibilities
SECTION ONE: Know What It Means to Be a Twenty-First-Century Educator
The Challenges of Our Changing Profession
You Can Manage Your Professional Challenges Successfully
Professionalism: The Powerful Force Underlying Everything We Do
Your Professional Responsibilities
Developing a Reflective Practice
Learning from Role Models and Mentors
Seeking Feedback on Your Professional Performance
Using the Evaluation Process to Improve Your Teaching Skills
Maintaining Sustained Professional Growth
Learning to Manage Your Stress
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION TWO: Develop the Practical Skills You'll Need to Manage a Classroom
Arrange Your Own Work Area
Become an Efficient Teacher
General Tips for Managing School Papers
How to Organize and Manage Student Information
How to Grade Papers Quickly
Tips for Managing Electronic Files
Tips for Managing E-Mail
How to Maintain Your Class Web Page
How to Save Paper
Optimize Your Use of the Photocopier
Prepare Your Classroom for Students
How to Protect School Resources
How to Request Repairs
Classroom Safety Issues
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION THREE: Collaborate with Others in Your School and Community
Your School Community: A Network of Teams
Communities of Practice
Where Do You Fit in as a New Teacher?
Building Trust: The Importance of a Reputation for Integrity
Strategies for Effective Collaboration
Social Media Guidelines
The Importance of Perfect Attendance
The Support Staff
The Chain of Command
Collaborate Successfully with Administrators
Working Well with Parents and Guardians
What Parents and Guardians Expect from You
Prevent Miscommunication with a Transparent Classroom
The Importance of Keeping Contact Records
Be Positive with Parents and Guardians
Take Care to Interact Professionally
Class Newsletters
Conduct Successful Conferences with Parents and Guardians
Best Practices Checklist
PART II: Establish a Learning Community
SECTION FOUR: Begin a Successful School Term
The First Day Is Important
Overcome Those First-Day Jitters
What to Do on the First Day: Your Priorities
First-Day-of-School Welcome Packet
Activities for the First Day
Student Information Records
Learn Your Students’ Names Quickly
How to Get to Know Your Students
Create a Positive Group Identity
What You Can Expect During the First Week
Mistakes to Avoid at the Start of School
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION FIVE: Develop Positive Classroom Relationships
Develop a Positive Relationship with Students
Help Students Learn to Relate Well to Each Other
Best Practices Checklist
PART III: Promote Student Achievement
SECTION SIX: Control Class Time
You Control the Time Your Students Have with You
How Teachers Waste Time
Principles of Effective Classroom Time Management
Raise Your Students’ Awareness of Class Time
How to Handle Interruptions
Pacing Instruction
The First Ten Minutes of Class
Productive Transitions
How to Handle Requests to Leave the Classroom
The Last Ten Minutes of Class
How to Use Any Time Left at the End of Class
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION SEVEN: Manage Your Classroom
A Well-Managed Classroom
How to Focus Your Class on Good Behavior
The Importance of Clear Expectations
Procedures, Policies, Rules: When to Apply Each One
Policies You Will Need to Develop
Establish Procedures
Suggestions for Establishing Three Necessary Procedures
Teach and Enforce School Rules
Creating Classroom Rules
Teaching Classroom Rules
Enforcing Classroom Rules
Enlisting Student Support for Class Rules
Positive or Negative Consequences?
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION EIGHT: Motivate Students to Succeed
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Be Positive If You Want Positive Results
Lay a Solid Foundation
Motivate Your Students with a Variety of Methods
Extrinsic Motivation
Make Sure Intrinsic Motivation Is a Classroom Constant
Make Success Attainable
Teach Your Students to Follow Directions
Purposeful Learning
Take a Goal-Oriented Approach to Learning
Make Success Visible
Teach Students to Track Their Own Mastery of Material
How to Survive the Homework Debate
Best Practices Checklist
PART IV: Design and Deliver Effective Instruction
SECTION NINE: Choose Appropriate Instructional Strategies and Resources
Take Advantage of the Advances in Educational Research
Why Small, Strategic Steps Are the Keys to Success
Overview of Just a Few of the Instructional Options Teachers Have
Classroom Technology Resources to Aid Your Instructional Practices
Useful Web Sites for Educators
“There's an App for That!”
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION TEN: Design Effective Instruction
The Benefits of Careful Planning
Backward Design: Think Big, but Start Small
Cover the Curriculum or Teach Your Students?
How Prepared Should You Be?
Common Planning Problems
How to Find the Time to Plan
Your State's Standards
The Common Core State Standards Initiative
Assess Your Students’ Prior Knowledge
How to Begin Planning Instruction
What to Include in Your Plans
Successful Learning for Nontraditional Schedules
How to Adjust a Lesson
Always Have a Backup Plan
Free Online Resources for Lesson Plans
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION ELEVEN: Deliver Engaging Instruction
Guidelines for Improving Your Classroom Charisma
Pitfalls That Plague Too Many Teachers
Improve Your Oral Presentations
How to Make a Point Students Will Remember
How to Help Students Stay on Track During a Lecture
Conduct Class Discussions That Engage Every Student
The Power of Play: Using Toys to Capture Attention
Games Your Students Will Enjoy
Use Graphic Organizers to Engage Students
Two Simple Techniques: Learning Cubes and Colored Dot Labels
Providing Models, Examples, and Samples
How to Make Seatwork Appealing
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION TWELVE: Meet the Needs of All of Your Students
Differentiated Instruction to Support All Learners
Students Who May Need Special Care
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION THIRTEEN: Assess Your Students' Progress
Data-Driven Instruction: Summative and Formative Assessments
How to Use Formative Assessments
The Two Most Common Written Assessments: Tests and Quizzes
Create Useful Objective Questions
How to Grade Objective Questions Quickly
Conduct Rules for Quizzes and Tests
What to Do If Many of Your Students Fail a Test or Quiz
Types of Authentic Assessments
Keeping Track of Grades
How to Personalize a Grade Report
What You Should Do When Students Challenge Grades
What to Do When You Suspect a Student of Cheating
How to Manage Cyber Cheating
Extra Credit Dilemmas and Solutions
Success with Standardized Tests
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION FOURTEEN: Level the Playing Field by Covering Basic Skills
Media Literacy Skills
Listening Skills
Speaking Skills
Writing Skills
Vocabulary Acquisition Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Reading Skills
Best Practices Checklist
PART V: Maintain an Orderly Environment
SECTION FIFTEEN: Prevent Discipline Problems
Punishment Is Not the Way to Prevent Problems
Self-Discipline Is the Key
Be Aware of the Causes of Most Discipline Problems
Easily Avoidable Mistakes Many Teachers Make
Your Role in Preventing Discipline Problems
Be Positive: Nothing Creates Success Like Success
Become a Consistent Teacher
Become a Fair Teacher
Withitness: One of the Most Valuable Prevention Techniques
A Crucial Step in Preventing Discipline Problems: Monitoring
How Students Can Get Help Quickly
Earn Your Students’ Respect
An Unexpected Tip: Be a Good Listener
Early Intervention Strategies
When You Should Act
Harness the Power of Positive Peer Pressure
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION SIXTEEN: Manage Discipline Problems
Myths About Discipline
Control Your Anxiety with Proactive Strategies
Behaviors You Should Not Accept
What Do Your Supervisors Expect from You?
Respond Instead of Just Reacting
How to Avoid a Lawsuit: A Teacher's Legal Responsibilities
Due Process Procedures
Cultivate Grace Under Pressure
Great Advice: Don't Take It Personally
You May Be the Troublemaker
Think Before You Act
Don't Give Up on Your Difficult Students
How to Deal with a Difficult Class
How to Cope with a Student's Chronic Misbehavior
How to Hold Successful Conferences with Students Who Have Misbehaved
Put Detentions to Good Use
Manage Referrals to an Administrator with Confidence
Handling Four Common Types of Student Misbehavior
Best Practices Checklist
SECTION SEVENTEEN: Learn to Solve Classroom Problems
Questions to Consider When You Are Trying to Solve Classroom Problems
Take a Problem-Solving Approach
Problems Associated with Individual Students
Problems Associated with Enforcing School Policies or Rules
Problems Associated with Behavior During Instruction
Problems Associated with Students’ Relationship with Their Teacher
Best Practices Checklist
A Final Word
How to Use the DVD
System Requirements
Using the DVD with Windows
In Case of Trouble
Index
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Jossey-Bass Teacher
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THIRD EDITION
About the Author
Julia G. Thompson received her BA in English from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg. She has been a teacher in the public schools of Virginia, Arizona, and North Carolina for more than thirty-five years. Thompson has taught a variety of courses, including freshman composition at Virginia Tech, English in all of the secondary grades, mining, geography, reading, home economics, math, civics, Arizona history, physical education, special education, graduation equivalency preparation, and employment skills. Her students have been diverse in ethnicity as well as in age, ranging from seventh graders to adults. Thompson currently teaches in Fairfax County, Virginia, where she is an active speaker and consultant. Author of Discipline Survival Guide for the Secondary Teacher, The First-Year Teacher's Checklist, and The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide Professional Development Training Kit, Thompson also provides advice on a variety of subjects through her Web site, www.juliagthompson.com; on her blog, http://juliagthompson.blogspot.com; and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TeacherAdvice.
For Phil, with gratitude, love, and admiration
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to my editor, Marjorie McAneny, for her encouragement, patience, and perceptive insights during the preparation of this book.
Thank you to the faculty, staff, and students of Windsor High School in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, for their continuing encouragement—something every teacher needs.
Special thanks to the following thoughtful teachers who offered their wise counsel, and who could remember what it's like to be a first-year teacher:
Thanks, too, to these insightful novice teachers who took the time to share what it's like to be a first-year teacher in the twenty-first century:
About This Survival Guide
This is the book that I needed as a first-year teacher. I knew a great deal about the content I was expected to teach, but I did not know very much at all about the children who would be occupying the desks in my new classroom. I did not know how to set up a grade book or administer a test or grade papers. I did not know what to do when a student talked back, told me a lie, or stopped paying attention to my carefully planned lesson. Worst of all, I did not even know where to begin to look for the answers that I needed then.
If you are like me, there is a great deal about our profession that intrigues you. You may feel uncertain at times about what to do, but you also feel pretty terrific when things go as planned. It's a great feeling to look around your classroom and realize that everyone is learning.
You know what you and your students are supposed to achieve, but you are not always sure how to proceed. Some days increase your confidence in your teaching skills, whereas others test your dedication.
Almost everyone begins a teaching career with the same emotions. Many veteran teachers also suffered through the tough days when they didn't know what to do and gloried in the days when they were able to engage every student in the magic of learning. The daily barrage of pressures on first-year teachers can be so exhausting and defeating that some eventually choose another career that is not as difficult but also not nearly as rewarding.
However, the first years of your teaching career can be immensely satisfying ones. Every day is a new opportunity to make a difference in a child's life. Your first years as a teacher can be years of dynamic professional growth and personal fulfillment as you achieve your own dreams while helping your students achieve theirs.
Helping you enjoy success in the first years of your career is the goal of The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide. The suggestions and strategies in these pages can help you develop into a skillful classroom teacher who remains enthusiastic about the possibilities in every student. For instance, in this book you'll find
This award-winning book gives beginning educators everything they need to survive and thrive in the classroom. The third edition covers new material, including
The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide was written to help K–12 teachers meet the challenges that each school day brings. In these pages, you will find the answers to the most common how-to questions that many first-year teachers have:
| Section One | How can I become a successful educator in the twenty-first century? |
| Section Two | How can I fulfill the practical responsibilities inherent in my new profession? |
| Section Three | How can I develop successful collaborative relationships with my colleagues and with the families of my students? |
| Section Four | How can I organize my time, tasks, and classroom to begin a successful school term? |
| Section Five | How can I foster positive classroom relationships with my students as well as help them learn to relate well to each other? |
| Section Six | How can I use class time so that my students are on task from the start to the finish of class? |
| Section Seven | How can I establish a well-managed classroom? |
| Section Eight | How can I motivate my students to succeed? |
| Section Nine | How can I choose the best instructional options and equipment available to me? |
| Section Ten | How can I design lessons that will meet the needs of my students? |
| Section Eleven | How can I deliver instruction that will fully engage my students in learning? |
| Section Twelve | How can I meet the needs of all of my students through differentiated instruction? |
| Section Thirteen | How can I assess my students' progress throughout the school year? |
| Section Fourteen | How can I make sure that my students have acquired the appropriate basic skills that they need to be successful in my class? |
| Section Fifteen | How can I prevent discipline problems from disrupting the positive learning environment that I want to establish? |
| Section Sixteen | How can I successfully manage discipline problems once they occur? |
| Section Seventeen | How can I successfully manage the common problems that can happen in any classroom? |
The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide is meant to be a working resource, full of classroom-tested knowledge for you. What is the most effective way to use this book? The answers to this question are as varied as the teachers who use it.
However you choose to use this book (and the bonus material), it was designed to be an interactive experience. Use a pencil to fill in the assessments, set your goals, and scribble notes as you read each section. Highlight. Underline. Annotate information about the links and resources. Dog-ear the pages. Print out the worksheets on the DVD. Place bookmarks in the sections that appeal to you. As you go through the process of learning the intricacies of your new profession, refer to this book when you need assistance with the daily problems that can rob even the most stalwart educator of confidence.
The ultimate goal of the information in these pages is to help you become the self-assured and knowledgeable educator that you dreamed of being when you chose your new career. From the first day of school to the last day, you can be one of the greatest assets that our world can have—an effective teacher.
With patience and practice, you can realize your professional dreams. Millions of others have done it; you can, too. Your first years as a teacher can set you squarely on the path to achieving the satisfaction that only a career in education can bring.
Best wishes for a gratifying and enjoyable first year!
Julia G. Thompson
Note
*As a classroom teacher, you will find that some of your students will live with one or more biological or adoptive parents, whereas others will live with one or more guardians. Throughout this book, you will find the use of “parents or guardians” or “parents and guardians” to indicate this relationship.
PART I
Assume Your Professional Responsibilities
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SECTION ONE
Know What It Means to Be a Twenty-First-Century Educator
More than three million dedicated professionals. That's how many teachers will report to work on the first day of school this year in the United States. More than three million of us will unite in a profoundly significant undertaking—the education of a nation.
As a new teacher, you will contribute your unique insights, energy, skills, and knowledge to the efforts of your three million–plus colleagues. Understandably, there is no one profile that could define the American teacher. Our differences span not just geography and educational experiences but also age groups, lifestyles, ethnicities, and cultures.
Although each classroom is as unique as the teacher who leads it, we American educators at work in the twenty-first century do share some remarkable similarities. One of the most significant is that we share an idealistic sense of purpose. We know that what we do is important because we make a difference in the lives of our students. In fact, we are committed to the success of all learners in our classes. This common purpose is perhaps the single most important tie that binds us to each other, to our profession, and to our students.
Another similarity that we share is one that is very different from the experiences of teachers in the past. No longer do we have to make decisions that affect the welfare of an entire classroom without being able to talk them over with other educators. Instead, as a new teacher, you will find yourself involved with collaborative groups that will allow you to grow professionally as you solve problems in your classroom and in your school. Effective teamwork skills that make it easier to work productively with colleagues play a more important role than ever before in the lives of today's educators.
As teachers in the twenty-first century, we also have access to an ever-growing amount of information derived from academic research conducted to determine the factors that influence how students learn. We can use such information to design differentiated instruction that will appeal to the learning needs of all students. Tailoring lessons to match individual learning style preferences and needs is easier than ever.
Another defining trait of today's teachers is that they routinely use self-reflection to improve their teaching expertise. Although self-reflection has long been a key component of effective teaching, this practice plays a particularly large role for twenty-first-century teachers. Taking time to methodically reflect on the various aspects of their professional responsibilities and on their own effectiveness is one of the most important methods that teachers today can use to refine their skills and add to their knowledge.
Teachers in the twenty-first century also rely on technology to enhance their instructional practices. Although recognizing that nothing can replace the importance of a strong classroom leader, modern teachers know that integrating appropriate technology resources allows students to perform at their best and to participate competitively in today's global classrooms. We also use the technology resources available to us to network with other educators, research material for instruction, connect our students to students in faraway classrooms, access lesson plans, and offer engaging instruction.
Finally, to be a successful teacher in the twenty-first century means to be forward thinking. Whereas other professions tend to focus on events in the present or even in the past, we teachers know that what we do today in our classrooms affects the future. Whereas other adults may look at our students and just see young faces or childish behavior, we teachers see the future in our classes. Even though we may spend our days working in the here and now, our hearts are with our students in the future.
As a teacher, you will never be rich, even if your district has the good sense to pay you well. You will be rewarded repeatedly, however, because you will help students achieve their dreams, and, in doing so, you will achieve your own.
Welcome to your new profession.
As a new teacher, you are entering the field of education at one of the most challenging times in history. New mandates, high expectations, low pay, diverse populations, overcrowded classes … it's not easy being a teacher. It is no secret that education has become one of the most intensely scrutinized professions in the world. Sometimes it seems as if everyone has an opinion about what is wrong with schools and how we should go about fixing them.
Because schools are designed to serve the various global, national, and local cultures that bond us all, they reflect the problems and demands of our daily lives. Such momentous issues as budget woes, rising illiteracy rates, and student discipline problems are just some of the many ever-changing challenges with which today's school personnel must contend. Some of these challenges may be easier to manage than others, but all of them will have an impact on your professional life.
In these challenging times, you will have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of your students. Although it is exciting to think of the powerful influence you can have on your students, it is just as unnerving to accept the responsibilities that accompany that importance. Countless studies indicate that teachers are the most significant factor in any student's schooling. Although you may be tempted to think peer pressure or a student's home environment have more influence than you do, keep in mind that it is teachers who inspire students to believe they can achieve their goals and dreams, who teach students to read, to write, and to think. We show students how to be good citizens, how to become lifelong learners, and how to believe in themselves.
It's important to realize that despite the many challenges in every classroom, good teachers manage to turn those challenges into positive opportunities for growth. As a new teacher, you will be able to add your skills and your knowledge to the efforts of the dedicated community of educators who will be working with you to solve these momentous issues.
Given the purpose of your work and the diverse personalities, needs, and backgrounds of your students, problems are inevitable. Some will be simple to resolve, others will take longer, and still others may not have workable solutions. If you are like most new teachers, you may already be concerned about how well you will manage these problems. Will you be able to keep them small and manageable, or will they morph into insomnia-inducing stress?
On the days when your life as a teacher seems beset with serious problems, take comfort in knowing that you are not alone. All teachers experience professional challenges. First-year teachers, experienced teachers, teachers at every grade level and every ability level have to cope with various types of problems, no matter how ideal their school situation.
Anytime you feel overwhelmed, remember that all teachers have had to deal with what you are going through. In fact, here are some of the most common challenges that all teachers experience:
If some of these problems seem all too familiar, take heart. Remember that the sure sign of a great teacher is not the absence of problems, but the ability to generate and implement innovative and effective solutions to an array of classroom challenges. So critical is this ability, in fact, that the last section of this book, Section Seventeen, is devoted to helping you solve some of the most common problems you will have to face as a new teacher. With a positive attitude, a professional approach, a bit of creativity, and plenty of practice, you will soon be able to solve the problems that you will encounter at school.
Although many educators use the term professionalism when referring to excellent teaching practices, reaching a common consensus about the definition of the term is not as easy. We tend to recognize it when we see it in action, but may not be able to articulate exactly what it means. Simply put, though, professionalism means being the very best teacher that you can be every day. When you choose to conduct yourself in a professional manner, you send the message that you are in control of your classroom and yourself.
It is not always easy to be an educator, especially when you are just starting out, but resolving to be guided by the principles of professionalism is a sound decision with far-reaching effects. By behaving in a professional manner, you will earn the respect of your students, their families, and your colleagues. You will be able to enjoy your school days instead of struggling with the unpleasant consequences brought about by poor decisions.
If you want to be highly regarded as an educator, keep in mind that such regard does not come about by accident. Choosing to act in a professional manner is a deliberate decision made by every excellent teacher. You, too, can begin your new occupation in a positive way by allowing your career decisions to be guided by the three most basic principles of professionalism:
Principle One: Commit yourself to maintaining high standards of professional performance. When you make the decision to set and achieve high standards of professional performance, you will find yourself working to develop the persona of a competent professional educator. You will hone your skills and increase your base of knowledge about pedagogy as well as about the subject or subjects you teach. You will also find that high standards of professional performance mean that you will learn to work successfully as part of a collaborative team dedicated to the welfare of all students in your care.
Principle Two: Commit yourself to establishing a productive, positive classroom environment. A productive, positive classroom environment is crucial to the success of your students. In this type of classroom, you will establish vital and appropriate connections with and among your students so that the emotional climate of the class is one that is centered on learning and not on strife. You will also find that using proactive classroom management strategies to encourage self-discipline is key to the long-term success of your students.
Principle Three: Commit yourself to actively promoting student achievement and learning. When you focus on actively promoting student achievement and learning, you will use class time and space to create a productive, student-centered environment. You will be able to take a prescriptive approach to differentiating instruction—whereby you create individualized instruction for your students after determining their strengths and weaknesses as learners—because your decisions will be informed by data. You will design and deliver appropriate, dynamic instruction designed to meet the needs of all learners in your class.