If you are thinking of a career in teaching, you should not hesitate to pursue it. Especially if you truly love to learn. Teachers get the chance to delve deeply into subjects and learn new information as they go, to impart their experience and knowledge. Even many celebrities have done teaching in their lives, i.e., the best-selling series writer J.K. Rowling was a teacher once (Carter, 2020).
Beginner classroom instructors have a lot to offer schools of all levels. They frequently bring innovation, vigor, and fresh approaches to using technology. Having said that, it’s possible for new teachers to feel anxious and confused as they take charge of their new classroom.
There are six tips for new teachers, which were shared by experienced teachers based on experiences and lessons they had learned during their teaching career as they came to the end of their first year.
1. Schedule conversations:
Schedule a conversational period with your students. Learning about them and forming genuine connections with them will enhance the academics, student behavior, and general caliber of classroom experiences.
However, don’t confine the conversations to the lecture hall. You can bond with students in the cafeteria, playground, or hallway. Relationships and interactions between students and teachers occur in complex social systems known as classrooms (Pianta, Hamre, and Allen, 2012).
Often, when students’ issues don’t get addressed, they get discouraged. If they are assigned an essay they didn’t understand, and if the teacher doesn’t clear their issue, they might buy essays because that will be an easy way out for them.
Talk about things other than school, but aim your conversations with a purpose. You’ll be astounded at how much about your students you discover from their stories and laughter. You’ll be brought back to your original reasons for wanting to become a teacher by their smiles, kinship, and humor.
2. Quickly and wisely address behavior issues:
If there is a rival between you and a student or two students, resolve it as soon as possible. Bad feelings can quickly turn from molehills to mountains, whether they are yours or the students’.
You and the student should move away from the other students, perhaps just in the classroom doorway, to handle those conflicts wisely. If can wait until after instruction to avoid disrupting the lesson. Ask simple questions like, “How may I assist you?” Don’t make any accusations against the kid. Even if you are currently feeling otherwise, act as if you care.
The student usually disarms because she might be anticipating an aggressive and confrontational response from you. Students could be frightened of asking you questions regarding assignments they don’t understand. This could lead them towards online academic services like “Write My Essay for Me UK” so they wouldn’t have to worry about their grades.
Always adopt a positive attitude when dealing with poor behavior during instruction. Instead of asking, “Why are you off task and talking,” try saying, “It looks like you have a question.”
Make plans for students to meet with you during lunch, after school, or before class when they are fighting. As you serve as a mediator, use neutral language to assist the parties in reaching a nonviolent resolution or, at the very least, a truce.
3. Plan activities:
New teachers must deal with a deluge of deadlines and due dates. Keeping up with everything can be difficult. Try to follow the “touch it only once” principle. Take the chance to finish the task if someone comes to your door asking for a signature or money for a staff party.
This principle also applies to grading assignments. Give students purposeful tasks to complete, then quickly grade them. Because a pile of papers is the last thing, a dedicated teacher wants to see when the final bell rings.
Use hand signals and other nonverbal cues: An excellent way to calm the class and focus their attention on you is to hold one hand in the air while making eye contact with them. Although it takes some time for students to adjust to this routine, it is very effective. Encourage them to raise their hands as well until everyone has done so. Then speak while lowering yours.
One tried-and-true method for getting students’ attention is briefly turning the lights on and off. You might also do this regularly to remind them they have three minutes left to complete an assignment, clean up, etc.
When working with little students, try to clap hands three times while instructing the kids to clap back twice as quickly. This playful and engaging way to grab their interest and command full attention.
4. You should never undervalue the value of an exit pass:
A class exit pass enables you to quickly assess mastery at the end of the lesson. You have the chance to get suggestions and feedback from the students during the exit pass to aid in lesson planning for the following day.
Always have a compelling, well-designed lesson. The most significant advice is this one. You’ve probably heard that “they will if you don’t prepare a strategy for them.” Always plan too much. Running short on a lesson is preferable to running out of time.
5. Quickly make friends:
Competent teachers make friends with the secretaries and custodians at their school right away, but they don’t stop there. Spread out. Demonstrate your appreciation for the effort and relationships of administrators, lead teachers, parents, assistants, and volunteers. A simple expression of appreciation, such as a kind word, high five, note, email, or small gift, can go a long way.
6. Become familiar with data:
Although educators often associate the word “data” with testing, it actually means much more. Become a proper authority on the information presented in your class. Make your own “data dig” and investigate student attendance, report card grades, quarterly evaluations, and discipline referrals.
Conclusion:
Know that a classroom is a place to set goals and create successes for you and your students, so have confidence in who you are. Accept the ideas and advice of your coworkers, but feel free to celebrate your uniqueness as a teacher, try new things, and create a welcoming environment in your classroom. You’ll eventually make the new kids on the block feel welcome!
References:
Carter. DP. 2020. 10 Famous people who used to be teachers! Online available at < https://www.dissertationproposal.co.uk/list/10-famous-people-who-used-to-be-teachers/> [Accessed date: 07-08-2022]
Pianta, R.C., Hamre, B.K. and Allen, J.P., 2012. Teacher-student relationships and engagement: Conceptualizing, measuring, and improving the capacity of classroom interactions. In Handbook of research on student engagement (pp. 365-386). Springer, Boston, MA. [Accessed date: 07-08-2022].
