I thought this could wait, but it look like some schools are already back. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FIRST YEAR! You can do it! You will definitely learn a lot, and you will probably cry a lot. Don't forget that you are there for the kids above anything else. ENDURE IT AND ENJOY IT...your first year only happens once!
Thanks Smurfette! The kids start on Wednesday for me and it is my first year teaching. I'm hoping I have enough time over the next two days to get the room ready.
This will be my 2nd year teaching. I enjoyed my 1st year. Good luck!!! BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Some advice (how I survived): -Ignore ALL Negative Nancies -Don't internalize ANYTHING! You are 1 person. You cannot change the world. There will be admins who will belittle you. There will be parents who are ridiculous. -Speak up! This is probably the best thing I did during my 1st year of teaching. -Set a time that you will leave each day. I leave at 4:00. If I stay later then I will go crazy. -Write down all of the things that go really well. Whatever you do, NEVER show your students any of your weaknesses, unless, of course, you have a chocolate weakness...LOL
Take time for yourself too. Exercise, go to the track and walk three miles or do some yoga. Maintain a healty personal life. Find something to laugh about every day and be sure you smile a lot.
THANKS everybody. I am getting ready to star math and lang. arts academies along with new teacher orientation and stuff. Teachers start back on the 23rd and the kids on the 30th. THANK YOU for the encouragement and advice.
-Wear comfortable shoes that first week, and build a professional wardrobe from those comfortable shoes. - Open a LOT of conversations in the faculty room with a smile, a handshake, and a "Hi, I'm ____. I don't think we've met yet!" - If it has to do with the Xerox, ASK first!!!! Anyone would MUCH, MUCH rather explain than have the machine go down. Do NOT replace toner unless you have been authorized to do so!! - That first day: as long as your kids get to the bathroom when needed, have lunch, and get on the right bus going home, it's been a success. EVERYTHING else can be fixed tomorrow!!! - Keep a neutral sweater in your classroom for those times you're coming down sick or when the weather takes a turn for the worse. -Expect a lot of yourself-- don't use the "but this is my first year" line to explain things you know you should have done better. But, by the same token, know that some things about teaching-- many things-- take several years to develop. -Have fun with this. You've waited a long time to do it, so don't be afraid to stop and smell the roses from time to time.
Be sure to introduce yourself to the secretaries and custodians--ask what you can/should be doing to make their lives easier. Ask lots and lots of questions--write them down as you think of them and work through your list. Laugh with your students every day.
And remember, there are some very experienced teachers here at A to Z so if something does not go how you wanted it to let us know what happened and we can come up with several ways to fix any problem.
