Hello. I am starting my student teaching semester in about a week and I will be in a first grade classroom. I just wanted to ask if anyone has any fabulous ideas to share with a new teacher. I'm very excited about this and I really love outside the box kind of ideas. Feel free to share whatever with me, i would love to hear any suggestions! thank you.
I'm also doing part of my student teaching in 1st grade. Last year, I subbed for first grade a lot and LOVED IT! I don't have any special advice, just what I've learned from subbing. 1. Be hard on your kids, but love them as much as if not more than you challenge them. 2. Laugh...a lot! First graders are pretty awesome. There were several friends of mine that seriously made me cry from laughing so hard. 3. Stay consistent with your classroom management. Not sure if this helps, but you are going to have a blast in first grade!
I don't have many suggestions other than to take it all in. Bring your camera to school and take pictures of things you want to remember etc. Keep a notebook that you can write ideas and thoughts in etc. I also agree with the above poster that you need to be firmish and don't try to be their friends. They will LOVE you anyway and need the high expectations when it comes to behavior etc. Have fun!!! First grade is great!
1. Dress professionally. Aside from the impression you give the kids, this is your chance to impress the other professionals with whom you'll be working. They may dress less professionally than you. That's OK-- they already have a job. 2. Be open to the things your cooperating teacher does-- his or her methods and routines. They may not suit you. But they're being done for a reason-- be patient and find out what that reason is. 3. Take notes! Start a notebook of ideas you want to steal. Maybe a binder, with a section on actual lesson ideas, one on projects, one on classroom managment, one on decor, and so on. 4. Take careful note of how the CT handles issues. What happens with separation anxiety? Kids who need Special Ed screening? And so on. 5. Take note of the schedule that's set up, and find out why it is as it is.
I'm a new teacher, I just did my student teaching last fall in fifth grade but I got a job in march teaching first grade. Here's some advice I can give you. 1. Walk in with an open mind 2. Take on your clinical educators ways. You can put a SMALL personal twist on it, but remember its his/her classroom and you will have the opportunity to have your own classroom one day. 3. Jump in, don't sit in the back. Help however you can. If you see your CE stapling papers, tell her you'll do it and take over. When you're prepared to work with the students tell your CE you want to takeover a lesson. If she's doing small groups ask if she wouldn't mind if you did one of the groups. Showing initiative and jumping right in is great. 4. Finally, not to scare you, if you have a problem don't be afraid to talk to your supervisor. I had an excellent experience but I know people who weren't so lucky. The longer you wait to ask for help the longer it takes to get help. 5. Oh and HAVE FUN! It was one of the best experiences I had!
Take pictures!! If you make a bulletin board, or if they students worked on a great project, you'll want that documentation. When I was job searching, I made a tri-fold brochure and used some of those pictures. Alice said this: "1. Dress professionally. Aside from the impression you give the kids, this is your chance to impress the other professionals with whom you'll be working. They may dress less professionally than you. That's OK-- they already have a job." SOOO true! The school where I student taught had a pretty relaxed dress code. My host teacher even told me that she was okay with me wearing jeans on their spirit days. (Even if I wanted to wear jeans, I wouldn't have been allowed to per my school's rules.) My husband likes to say, "Dress for the job you want-- not the job you have." I love first grade. They're my babies!
Def dress, and act, professionally. My oldest had a ST last year that did not make a good impression. She wore tight, lowe cut clothes. She acted like a child (think turning cartwheels and doing toe touches)on playground duty while two kids got hurt. She also made it clear she only went to college to have something to do since her husband had "plenty of money". she had no control of the classroom and when her coop. teacher tried to help her with some tips, she acted like she was not interested. My youngest is in 1st here in GA and is meeting their ST for the first time this week. You aren't headed to Canton are you?
Thank you everyone for the advice, i really appreciate it. and to Mommyserenity - I will be in marietta.
