Comments on: 10 Things I Wish I Knew As A First Year Teacher http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:59:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-6504 Joel Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:02:06 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-6504 Good question. You have a few options here. You could give up on them, or you could treat today as a new beginning. I would ask questions and seek out help from other teachers around you. Find one who has experience and a peaceful attitude, and make a list of questions to ask each day. Make it your personal mission to turn your teaching around in the remainder of the school year.<br><br>I had a horrible first two years. I wrote about it in <a href="http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/why-i-hated-teaching-during-my-first-two-years/" rel="nofollow">Why I Hated Teaching During My First Two Years</a> if you're interested in reading some more there. Good question. You have a few options here. You could give up on them, or you could treat today as a new beginning. I would ask questions and seek out help from other teachers around you. Find one who has experience and a peaceful attitude, and make a list of questions to ask each day. Make it your personal mission to turn your teaching around in the remainder of the school year.

I had a horrible first two years. I wrote about it in Why I Hated Teaching During My First Two Years if you're interested in reading some more there.

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]]> By: Yosef Abramovhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-6493 Yosef Abramov Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:53:05 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-6493 Look, what about the school you're teaching in. I am confused. I completely gave up on a certain class. I have not control. There are 6 kids. They are all different levels. The only thing they are equal is in talking and not doing the expected work becuase they don't want to. It is in the middle of the year so all these things about setting things up at the beginning of the year doesn't help. Look, what about the school you're teaching in. I am confused. I completely gave up on a certain class. I have not control. There are 6 kids. They are all different levels. The only thing they are equal is in talking and not doing the expected work becuase they don't want to. It is in the middle of the year so all these things about setting things up at the beginning of the year doesn't help.

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-4252 Joel Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:07:04 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-4252 Ariel: The key is to establish the classroom control. Only after that can you begin to inspire passion and all that. And even then, it has to be pretty much constant until it becomes second nature for both the kids and you. I think I'll write some more about this topic soon! Ariel: The key is to establish the classroom control. Only after that can you begin to inspire passion and all that. And even then, it has to be pretty much constant until it becomes second nature for both the kids and you. I think I’ll write some more about this topic soon!

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]]> By: Emilyhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-4136 Emily Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:32:18 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-4136 It is hard to manage your room , make it fun and interesting while keeping your authority in check. This is an area which I've struggled because love having fun with the kids. I found, especially withe older ones that if you tell stories from your personal experiences such as a band trip or something that it really opens another dimensions to them and they can see your passion and understand a little better how it can affect their lives, too. For example: my fifth grade band this year has made leaps and bounds in their journey as band students. They're sight reading well and just playing for the purpose of playing. And sometimes they get into little groups and just pick out a piece of band music and play. I hear the passion in their playing and most of them, when asked will say that because Mrs. G ,(which is what they call me) gave them the opportunity to hear her band stories and listen to her play and love it then we should too. Of course this only started happening when we left the book and worked on REAL music.Often method books don't give students that push to become passionate very often. Your passion will shine once you're in your element. you know what I mean? The students will follow suit because if they like you enough, they want to be like you. Scary, I know but it happened to me when I least expected it. It is hard to manage your room , make it fun and interesting while keeping your authority in check. This is an area which I’ve struggled because love having fun with the kids. I found, especially withe older ones that if you tell stories from your personal experiences such as a band trip or something that it really opens another dimensions to them and they can see your passion and understand a little better how it can affect their lives, too.

For example: my fifth grade band this year has made leaps and bounds in their journey as band students. They’re sight reading well and just playing for the purpose of playing. And sometimes they get into little groups and just pick out a piece of band music and play. I hear the passion in their playing and most of them, when asked will say that because Mrs. G ,(which is what they call me) gave them the opportunity to hear her band stories and listen to her play and love it then we should too. Of course this only started happening when we left the book and worked on REAL music.Often method books don’t give students that push to become passionate very often.

Your passion will shine once you’re in your element. you know what I mean? The students will follow suit because if they like you enough, they want to be like you. Scary, I know but it happened to me when I least expected it.

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]]> By: Arielhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-4089 Ariel Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:07:09 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-4089 This was such an interesting post for me, as I am a music education student! I commented on one of the other topics about classroom management, and I am wondering if anyone has anything to say about it. I am a little perplexed on how to establish authority and keep it going, while trying to accomplish everything else a music teacher wants to, like igniting passion and interest in students. Any thoughts? This was such an interesting post for me, as I am a music education student! I commented on one of the other topics about classroom management, and I am wondering if anyone has anything to say about it. I am a little perplexed on how to establish authority and keep it going, while trying to accomplish everything else a music teacher wants to, like igniting passion and interest in students. Any thoughts?

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]]> By: Frankhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-3309 Frank Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:27:43 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-3309 It certainly is great that things turned around for you, Emily. Hopefully, you keep the memories of struggling in the early going fresh in your mind and help a new teacher get through the first year. I was having just this conversation with another teacher this evening. He came to the profession by way of a former career as an IT Specialist and has been teaching for about 5 years now. He teaches 8th Grade History in a pretty rough school … okay, it’s a really rough school with a heavy outflow of students into Level 5 (institutionalized).

The biggest hurdle he had to overcome was that as a teacher he “interfaced” with actual flesh and blood Human Beings. As an IT he spent virtually all of his time talking to machines … apparently machines are less prone to hormonal swings, violent outbursts and the like :) He kept a journal for the first year and would take a few minutes before calling it a night to write down his impressions; claimed it helped him unburden himself of the emotional baggage he accumulated over the day. These days, he’s a ready and willing resource for every new teacher that comes through the door and his first year journal is regarded as a “survival manual” of sorts. I’m trying to convince him to Blog.

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]]> By: Joelhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-3307 Joel Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:34:05 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-3307 Interesting discussion. I have deleted a few comments as things have begun to get out of hand and off topic. Emily, I'm glad things are turning around for you! Hang in there and keep it up. Interesting discussion. I have deleted a few comments as things have begun to get out of hand and off topic. Emily, I’m glad things are turning around for you! Hang in there and keep it up.

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]]> By: Emilyhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-3296 Emily Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:42:41 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-3296 Something new I learned this past semester into this semester: Even if you make mistakes that may cause several students to think twice about being in band, don't give up your dream, go with the flow and meet the current group's needs. Challenge them in a way that promotes a vitality you couldn't get with a bigger group. Give the older kids a job that makes them more receptive to the whole program. For instance, I have had problems with one of my 8th grade boys. He has diagnosed ADHD and sometimes can be a hand full. This semester, I discovered he has a talent which do not posses much less can teach: percussion. After speaking with his mom, we came up with a brain storm that turned out to be exactly what he needed: an outlet and an opportunity to share what he knows with some of the beginner percussionists. He now come s in on the Wednesday after school to help train the younger ones in correct sticking and performance. He's thriving in his own band class now and not giving me any trouble whatsoever. My band program shrunk by 7 between Christmas and New Year's . I had all these plans with a new syllabus and a strict schedule. When I came to school and found out what happened, at first I was a little upset but then as the first weeks moved on, things started improving greatly for those who were left. The class is now under control and the kids are enjoying our new music especially designed for a diverse group of first and second year players. I've discovered through much trial and lots of error that giving music that's too hard will either challenge them to improve or scare the pants off of them. By giving them music that my elementary groups are learning, the kids seem to be happier even though the arrangements are REALLY easy. I have constantly remind myself of exactly who am I teaching and how long have they really been playing. Now that most of the chaos is gone in my 7th * 8th grade class, I can sit down and actually teach these children basic theory and they can actually ask questions and get real answers. It's important to find out about your students but get to know them personally so they can trust you as their teacher. It's so hard with a larger than life class whose talent is beyond measure but whose attitude could use a HUGE adjustment. My Middle school band has gone from 25 to 14 but it's a good thing for everyone, including their director. I'd much rather have asmaller group that cares than a larger one that doesn't. Something new I learned this past semester into this semester: Even if you make mistakes that may cause several students to think twice about being in band, don’t give up your dream, go with the flow and meet the current group’s needs. Challenge them in a way that promotes a vitality you couldn’t get with a bigger group. Give the older kids a job that makes them more receptive to the whole program.

For instance, I have had problems with one of my 8th grade boys. He has diagnosed ADHD and sometimes can be a hand full. This semester, I discovered he has a talent which do not posses much less can teach: percussion. After speaking with his mom, we came up with a brain storm that turned out to be exactly what he needed: an outlet and an opportunity to share what he knows with some of the beginner percussionists. He now come s in on the Wednesday after school to help train the younger ones in correct sticking and performance. He’s thriving in his own band class now and not giving me any trouble whatsoever.

My band program shrunk by 7 between Christmas and New Year’s . I had all these plans with a new syllabus and a strict schedule. When I came to school and found out what happened, at first I was a little upset but then as the first weeks moved on, things started improving greatly for those who were left. The class is now under control and the kids are enjoying our new music especially designed for a diverse group of first and second year players.

I’ve discovered through much trial and lots of error that giving music that’s too hard will either challenge them to improve or scare the pants off of them. By giving them music that my elementary groups are learning, the kids seem to be happier even though the arrangements are REALLY easy. I have constantly remind myself of exactly who am I teaching and how long have they really been playing. Now that most of the chaos is gone in my 7th * 8th grade class, I can sit down and actually teach these children basic theory and they can actually ask questions and get real answers.

It’s important to find out about your students but get to know them personally so they can trust you as their teacher. It’s so hard with a larger than life class whose talent is beyond measure but whose attitude could use a HUGE adjustment. My Middle school band has gone from 25 to 14 but it’s a good thing for everyone, including their director. I’d much rather have asmaller group that cares than a larger one that doesn’t.

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]]> By: Frankhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-3292 Frank Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:16:58 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-3292 Hello Analia: I'll visit your Blogs and put up a positive comment or two. I enjoy helping people who help other people. I just finished an ESL/ELL course in my M.A. in Education - Secondary program. Fairly complex dynamic to say the least. Hello Analia:

I’ll visit your Blogs and put up a positive comment or two. I enjoy helping people who help other people. I just finished an ESL/ELL course in my M.A. in Education – Secondary program. Fairly complex dynamic to say the least.

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]]> By: Cahojuhttp://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/#comment-3031 Cahoju Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:59:41 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=585#comment-3031 Thanks for commenting on my blog Joel! I do like your lists and all of the comments that come with them. They put it all into perspective for a new music teacher like myself. Thanks for commenting on my blog Joel! I do like your lists and all of the comments that come with them. They put it all into perspective for a new music teacher like myself.

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