Lori Goodson, Editor
Mary Hammel, Technical Editor
Category: August 2018
Welcome to the 2018-19 School Year
Welcome to your new school year! This is an amazing time, and we are excited to continue with you on this journey!
For many of you, 2018-19 is your first school year as a teacher, and that makes this August just a little more significant than all those others that have come before it. For others, you’re beginning your second or third or fourth year with your own classroom—wanting to build upon what you accomplished last year…and maybe avoid a few of those bumps you experienced. How do I know about the bumps? Well, we’re a little hesitant to admit to it, but we’ve all been there. Every teacher experiences those through the year.
Kansas State University’s College of Education is here to help. This newsletter is designed to give you specific and practical tips to help you successfully navigate through your early years of teaching. Look for topics that address the various issues as the school year moves along—from setting up your classroom to preparing for conferences with parents to wrapping up the room for the summer. Likewise, we’re hoping to remind you early-career teachers of a few things and provide some new ideas, as well, to help you continue to be successful. (OK, so my first year of teaching, I dismissed a class at the 5-minute warning bell and had to round them all back up! It happens!)
We’ll also include some information about new programs we’re putting into place—just for new teachers. Dean Debbie Mercer has made it a priority to help you out as much as possible, so look for several opportunities where we can lend our support. Hopefully, some of you took advantage of the EdFest that Drs. Suzanne Porath and Tonnie Martinez led in June; if not, be looking for similar opportunities in the future! And if you’re not seeing what you need, just email me…lagoodson@k-state.edu…and we’ll do our very best to address your specific concerns and questions. Even if you don’t have questions or concerns, I’d love to hear from you!
We hope you’ll enjoy our ideas and suggestions and keep in touch with us as you move through lesson plans, lunch counts, and assessments. It’s our way of reminding you that you’re not alone…and that the COE is here to support you in any way possible.
Whether it’s your first year or beyond, you’ve begun an amazing journey. The great thing about teaching is that every August your journey begins again, only you’ll have more practical wisdom to make it even more successful! Thanks for letting us be a part of it! Stay purple!
In the Classroom: Justin Haun
Name: Justin Haun
School district: Clark County School District
City/State: Las Vegas, NV
Class/content area taught: Sixth-grade math
What are you most excited about as you begin the third year in your new career? This is my first year teaching at a middle school so I am excited about learning about my awkward and uncomfortable hormones with feet (a.k.a my students).
What do you enjoy most about teaching? Seeing students fall in love with learning is the most rewarding part of teaching for me. Every year I have students who come into my classroom making comments about how they dislike math. Being able to show them why they should love math and them believing in me is something that money just can’t buy.
In what ways has your school/district supported you? I have worked for two pretty amazing schools in Clark County School District. Both have provided me with mentors to help me out in my first years of teaching. Whenever I had questions or did not know the protocol I was able to rely on my mentor or grade-level team to guide me in the direction I needed to go.
What are some specific things you believe KSU especially helped prepare you for your new career? The education program at KSU is out-of-this-world. I am so fortunate to have earned my degree from KSU. I have learned from some of the best teachers in the education field. I feel like every class had a purpose and was meaningful, whether it be Dr. (Vicki) Sherbert’s class over creating meaningful assessments, Mrs. (Trina) Harlow’s class on integrating the arts, Mrs. (Kaylee) Myers’ class on classroom management, and most importantly all of our experiences out in the classroom. Being able to go into schools and see other teachers’ classrooms classroom. Being able to go into schools and see other teachers’ classrooms and watch how they run their day was pivotal to my success in the classroom now.
Are there specifics about your background that make teaching the perfect fit for you? Growing up I had no idea I wanted to be a teacher. I did not come from a family of teachers either. My passion for education and desire to be a teacher came from my high school agriculture teacher, Mrs. Linnebur. She was so passionate about her job and really made a difference in the lives of her students. She invested so much in me and made such a huge impact in my life that I knew I wanted to do that for others as well.
Suggestions/encouragement for new teachers: I think the most important thing to do is always remember why you wanted to be a teacher in the first place. Being a teacher will push you and make you work harder than you ever thought you could. You will have days where you are changing the world and you will have days where you are just barely getting by. Your wallet will most likely be empty, but your heart will always be full. It’s important to remember that you are not on this adventure alone and that you will get through it.
Make sure to go to your school’s happy hour or social events! You have the opportunity to get to know the people you do not directly work with at your school on a daily basis. Some of those people have become more than coworkers and have become family because of those events outside of school.
We asked some of your favorite faculty members what their favorite things about starting a new school year are. Here are a few of their responses:
What an exciting time! Next month, we’ll offer you some more tips for being successful. Plus we’ll feature more of your COE colleagues out in the classroom. Be sure to read next month’s newsletter for:
Click to go to the online form!
