Being a first year teacher can be VERY TRYING! Luckily, there are always people around you who have done it before and lived to tell about it. I offer these tips with the greatest sincerity I can muster realizing that you have no idea what you are about to encounter. 1. Create a procedure for EVERYTHING. I didn't feel like this was necessary, but I quickly realized I was WRONG. Someone told us that we only needed up to 5 rules but they didn't mention procedures. Create a procedure for transitions, entering the room, where book bags should be stored, asking for tissue, supplies, and more. It eliminates the guess work and helps acclimate the students to your classroom. It is absolutely a mistake to believe that students know how to behave in your classroom. You have to set the expectation. 2. Parent contact is key. Reach out and develop a great relationship with the parents and you'll have less headaches. I used a newsletter my first year and this year I'm using Remind 101. I also have an open door policy. Parents can stop by any time. 3. Find a life line or someone you can VENT to without judgement. It is imperative that you have an outlet and someone to listen to you whine. This person should be there to offer suggestions as well. 4. Keep a reflective journal. You need to think about what's going well and not so good with your lesson and interactions with students. Most seasoned teachers say it like this "monitor and adjust." Trust me, those journals will be a source of laughter and relief once you look back at them. 5. CLASSROOM Management is a bigger KEY!! Read and ask questions about the best tactics for classroom management. The important thing to remember is just because it works next door doesn't mean it will work for you. You have to find the best strategy for you. I greet the students at the door and set the expectation. I also have a set of procedures that the students hold each other accountable for. Remember to teach with hope because all students have the capacity to learn.
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Last Thursday, roughly 50 students from Allendale Fairfax Middle School visited the Statehouse and Museum in our capital, Columbia SC. The students were excited about the visit. The tour, although short lived, was informative and the legislature was humming with activity. I would have loved to have seen the legislators in action making laws, but they were speaking about a colleague that was deceased. The architecture was gorgeous. We also visited the museum, but it didn't have enough time to enjoy the full effect. I think I'll return on a weekend. Pictures speak louder than I ever could so enjoy these: As a teacher, it is our job to make sure we make accommodations for all students. I didn't have students who needed audio testing before this year and I struggled to find a solution. Well, I found one that I believe works perfectly. It's called Audio Exam. It's available on the app store on iTunes. The teacher has to pay 9.99 for the teacher's app but the student app is free. You can upload your written test and then you record yourself reading each test question. The app generates a broadcast code and the teacher selects the timeframe for the test to be public. The students use a code to download the test on their app. They have to log in using their first and last name. It works so seamlessly and I haven't had an issue yet. I just hope it continues to fill my needs. Here is the website if you'd like to check it out for your classroom: http://audioexamcreator.comaudioexamcreator.com Last week, I tried a new approach to writing in my classroom. I used sentence stems to assist the kids in writing to learn in social studies. We took notes, broke the notes down into causes and effects of the Yamassee War and we constructed three paragraphs. The students felt overwhelmed when I told them that we would be writing the short essay in class. You should have heard the moans and groans.. uhhhhh!!!!
Well, we accomplished our mission and the students were like "that was easy!" I think that the more we do those types of exercises in class, the more comfortable the students will be with writing on the spot. I'm going to incorporate journals in their Class Notebook on One Note as well as some other writing exercises such as word bank writing and RAFT. We do it now, but it will be so much easier if we practice on a consistent basis. The best part is, they are learning as they write. For the past two weeks, I've been experimenting with blended learning and stations in my classroom. I created content videos for the class and the students seems to be responding positively to the opportunity to work at their own pace. A few of the students said that they like the fact that they don't have to wait for others to finish taking notes. I paired the video with a Graphic organizer for the students so they know what information they have to capture. I'm going to continue with this and eventually I hope to go full fledge into blended learning. Here are a few shots from our efforts. |
AuthorBianca Woodard is a social studies teacher at Midland Valley High School. She's an Apple Distinguished Educator (2017) and a Microsoft Certified Trainer. Archives
April 2019
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