Your first year of teaching has been memorable–in ways no one expected. It’s one that you’ll be talking about for years to come, as COVID-19 continued to force districts to rethink their learning environment.
During your first year of teaching, face masks became a fashion statement. Social distancing dominated your classroom seating chart. Asynchronous and synchronous became two of our key vocabulary words.
It was a challenging time, but you did it! You are finishing the year strong–EdCat strong–and you AND your students will be better because of it. You’ve proven to your students that they matter, and you’ll do whatever it takes to help them succeed.
We can’t tell you enough how proud we are of how you’ve handled this one-of-a-kind school year. And we’re so excited your students and the community can count on you during these unusual times.
You are about to say goodbye to your first class. You can’t decide if you want to cry…or smile. That’s OK – it’s probably going to be a little of both.
It’s different at the various grade levels. Some teachers may see their first class leaving the building for another school; some may see their first class graduating from the school district and moving on to other stages of their lives.
Whatever the situation, you’ll probably find that you think back to your first year for many school years to come. They will be the group that, for better and for worse, helped you complete your first year in an extremely important career.
Take a few minutes, before everyone dashes out your classroom door, to thank them. While you’ve been the teacher, they have taught you many things, as well.
Despite what some say, teachers have plenty of things to do through the summer–whether it’s teaching summer school to help students catch up on skills or student-free activities such as attending workshops or classes. Here are just a few suggestions to help you make the most of those not-so-lazy, hazy days of summer!
Be looking for ways to improve your lessons. If you’re teaching the same course next fall, spend some time flipping through your lesson plans. Hopefully, you’ve made some notes and done some reflecting on what worked and didn’t work. Where can you add a new element – a brief video or music clip? How can you enliven your lessons to get your students excited? What activities did they seem to like the most AND learn the most? Revise, revise, revise!
Look for new resources. The Internet provides an endless amount of options for you, including many that are teacher-tried and trusted. But don’t overwhelm yourself; be selective by focusing on pumping up one particular unit for next year’s class.
Team up with a colleague (as near as a friend who teaches down the hall to as far away as across the nation, thanks to the Internet). It’ll make planning and revising much more enjoyable!
Find a workshop or course to take that addresses an area in which you’d like to become a stronger teacher…classroom management, special education needs, technology, etc.
Why don’t you send us a photo of you at work in your classroom! Or, do you have a question about classroom procedures? A suggestion for a topic we should address in Before the Bell? Want to add your name to our mailing list? Or provide a different email for our list? At the very least, just email and say hi!
And thanks to all of those who have emailed! We love the updates!
Early-career teachers, feel free to jump in and offer suggestions to those who are following your career choice!
Josie Lewin and her first graders celebrate fall with pumpkins.
Name: Josie Lewin
Location: Spring Hill USD 230
Class/content area taught: First grade
What are you most excited about with your new career? I am most excited that I get to wake up each day and be excited to come to school! I love that I have my own classroom full of students that I get to teach!
What you enjoy most about teaching: What I enjoy most is building relationships with students in my classroom. I have been blessed to have been teaching 5 days a week in person since August. This has helped me really build strong relationships and understand what motivates my students.
In what ways has your school/district supported you? My district has been a wonderful support system. I was given a mentor teacher in August, and she has been a life saver! We meet multiple times a week to go over challenges that I am facing, but also talk about what is going well. I also have an instructional coach within my building who meets with me weekly. The instructional coach and I talk about ways I can improve and make sure that I am staying on top of new teacher responsibilities. I have also had her cover my class while I was able to observe other grade level teachers in my building.
Her first graders are on task for a daily lesson.
What are some specific things you believe KSU especially helped prepare you for your new career? I think that KSU did a really good job of giving me various experiences. I was able to teach so many different types of students during my time there. I also love how many opportunities I was given through the University, I was able to volunteer for many different organizations and even spend a summer teaching out of the country!
Suggestions/encouragement for new teachers: My advice would be to get involved in as many ways as you can! The more experiences you can give yourself before coming into your own classroom the better! There are going to be SO many unexpected challenges, if you can have knowledge in even just a few of them it is super helpful. I would also highly recommend being a para part time while still in school. This was one of the most helpful things I did. I was able to work with students K-6 while also gaining confidence within a school setting. I feel like that really gave me an extra boost coming into my own classroom!
Bonus question, thanks to the Pandemic: COVID-19—How has the Pandemic shaped your classroom—the environment, safety precautions, etc.? How has it affected you as a new teacher? It has definitely posed challenges for my students and me…. I think the hardest part is trying to keep 6 and 7 year olds spaced out. My students do a great job with masks, but it is so sad to think about all of the fun group activities they are missing out on. I just feel so lucky to be teaching in-person, and I now know that is something that I will never take for granted.
Here’s a fun option for your school district and for your students! Students can register to enjoy STEAM classes at home, or teachers can provide a hybrid version with our teachers leading the instruction. Either way, it’s a great summer learning opportunity!
Click on the graphic below to find out more information!
While the school calendar may be slipping away, you still have plenty to accomplish in your first year of teaching. Consider these points before you make your summer plans!
Look at your yearlong curriculum map. How much content do you still need to cover? Are you behind schedule? If so, revise your April and May lesson plans and calendars, making sure you address all of the critical content you need to cover. Prioritize! And, if you need help determining what must be covered, visit with your mentor or a colleague or administrator to get their input.
Review your gradebook. Are there any issues? Missing assignments? Do any of your students need a little more time with you (after school, at lunch, before school) to address some academic areas of concern? You still have a few weeks left in the school year to help them succeed.
In the last few weeks, do you have any “wish we had time” assignments? Something that you’d love to work into the schedule? Is there a way to fit them in?
Are there items or projects or papers that need to be sent home? Use these last few weeks of the school year to review and reorganize! You may need to create folders or envelops for each student to organize materials that need to go home.
Spend a few minutes composing some brief notes to each student’s family, addressing some of the major accomplishments their children have made through the year. It’s great to remind parents and guardians of the steps their children have taken, but it’s also good for YOU to remember those as your year comes to an end. Try to make one more personal contact with each child’s family before the end of the school year. We have a tendency to focus on the issues a student may have in class, but we need to celebrate the positives. Share, share, share!
Create an end-of-the-year to-do list for you AND your students. It might be something as simple (and extremely meaningful) as sending a note home or it might be following up on overdue library books or money for their lunch accounts.
Why don’t you send us a photo of you at work in your classroom! Or, do you have a question about classroom procedures? A suggestion for a topic we should address in Before the Bell? Want to add your name to our mailing list? Or provide a different email for our list? At the very least, just email and say hi!
Early-career teachers, feel free to jump in and offer suggestions to those who are following your career choice!
The 2020-2021 school year has been quite the challenge, and you’ve handled it. You’ve taught virtually, provided a hybrid learning option, or remained face to face and masked up.
With just a little less than two months left in the school year, many of you are about to lose the title of Rookie Teacher. However, don’t overlook those last six to eight weeks. You still need to have a strong finish!
Use weekends to recharge as you set your sights on the end of the school year. Consider these ideas to help you end your year on a high note…and make your administrator thrilled to have you return for your second year:
Take a deep breath and promise to enjoy your students. They’ve been your students for about eight months. Take a few seconds each day to simply look around the room and appreciate them.
Remind yourself of at least one moment of progress or success each student has experienced.
Take another deep breath and promise yourself to focus on the ups more than the downs of your first year of teaching. With a few weeks left, you still have time to make changes, mend fences, and make the most of their time with you!
You. Are. Awesome.
