The Single Most Important Advice Anyone Can Give To A First Year Teacher
Posted Sunday, September 21st, 2008 by JoelView blog reactions
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When I first started out teaching, I wanted to desperately for the kids to like me. To this end, I ended up letting my classes get out of control. A handful of things contributed to this:
- Concerning myself with every matter that was brought to my attention
- Allowing kids to mesbehave
- Trying to get the kids to like me
- Yelling at kids
- Arguing with them
So I learned how to get control. If this sounds like something you might have trouble with, I encourage you to check out these articles in this order:
- You Better Smile Before Christmas!
- How Do I Keep My Students Quiet?
- Arguing Is Normal, isn’t It?
- 5 Surefire Tips For Handling Misbehavior
- Make Love not War - How to Control an Unruly Class
- What My Classroom Is Really Like
- Classroom Management: The Key To Your Success
- Are Classroom Rules Needed?
- Habit 2: Classroom Procedures
- Calling Home
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- Earn a degree in elementary education from an accredited school online.
Comments
pat writes:
Thank you for sharing these! These are things that every first year teacher needs to know.
Author Comment
Joel writes:
@pat - I hope they turn out being as helpful as I believe they will be. Thanks for your comments!
Waski_the_Squirrel writes:
You’re bringing back terrible memories of my first year teaching. The worst mistake I made was to argue with students. It took me most of that year to realize that I could never win the argument!
It’s a little harsh, but the best advice I ever got that year was, “Never argue with a pig. You just get dirty and the pig enjoys it.”
Sarah writes:
I am on the verge of quitting my job, but my district holds me for 60 days. I teaching in the inner-city, quite challenging. I am very frustrated, very alone, and disconnected from myself. Please help… Plus, I am a first year teacher…HELP!
Author Comment
Joel writes:
@Waski_the_Squirrel - I like that advice about the pig. Thanks for making me smile!
Author Comment
Joel writes:
@Sarah - I hope you can check out Confessions from the Couch and get some support there! Also, read and see if that helps you some. There seems to be a bit of a resurgance in the comments over there now that I look at it…