Common Sense Tips for Beginning Teachers

New teachers in a district often feel like they are on the outside looking in, during their first few days of school. This article will give some helpful suggestions for getting off to a good start.

Payroll and Paperwork
Fill out all papers in advance. This includes emergency action forms, w-2's, insurance forms and retirement forms. All schools are different when it comes to retirements. Always try to take advantage of what is offered. Do your best to get all paperwork wrapped up before the first day of students.

Classroom Organization
Set up your students desks, so that you can easily see them. Use a seating chart. Do not let friends sit together. They will distract each other. Try to place weaker skilled students with stronger ones. I once had a teacher that would place two seats side by side. This helped weaker students to excel. Students that can't see or hear go in the front row. Trouble makers go in the front and close to the teachers desk. If you have rules to follow, post them for all to see. You can not ever be too organized.

Motivational
Anything that can motivate a student, needs to be in full view all the time. Use your bulletin board both inside and outside your room. Use the front of your desk, doors, cabinets and even book shelves. You can place posters, graphs, slogans and anything else that will be a positive influence up to be seen.

Hall Passes
All schools are different in how to handle hallway passes. Here is a suggestion. Use a large pass like a large wooden R, for restroom. This identifies the student and where they are headed. Do not let students roam the halls for any reason.

Communication
Communicate with parents, administrators and other teachers. Even if a parent won't respond, send out a letter of progress from time to time. This covers your bases. Don't give letters to students and expect parents to get them. Communication is vital to a students progress in all areas. Parents need to know.

Janitors and Others
Your best friend in school is the janitor. Treat them special and they will bend over backwards for you. The same with secretaries and cooks. Janitors will keep your room clean, move furniture for you and even get things you didn't even know the school had. Use older teachers. They have fought the battles long before you arrived. They are full of helpful advice. Young teachers need a teacher.

No
This will be your favorite word the first few months. Do not be afraid to use it. You can always loosen up but, it can be hard to tighten up.

When in doubt, "ASK"
If you don't know your limitations, ask your principal. Never assume that everything is okay. Make sure that you can do something without getting in trouble.

Leave it at the Door
This is very controversial about what I am going to discuss now. When you leave your room for the day, leave your concerns inside the classroom. Never take your problems home to your family. You can still take home papers to grade and lesson plans to work on. But, leave everything else there. How a student reacts one day might not be the same the next. If you don't take care of your own mental condition, you will do more damage to your students. In the classroom, each day is different. A good teacher takes care of themselves first.

There is no finer profession, than teaching. Even though education is under the microscope today by society, it is still the best job in the world.