Kansas State University

Lori Goodson, Editor
Mary Hammel, Technical Editor

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Welcome to your new school year! This is an amazing time–in a lot of different ways, and we are excited to continue with you on this journey!

We realize it’s an historic time–not just for your career, but as our schools–including KSU’s COE–navigate new rules regarding COVID-19. We know you’re implementing social distancing requirements, whether you’re teaching science, kindergarten, or marching band. It can be overwhelming, but we know you’re ready for it!

You’ve worked a long time to get to this point in your career, and you’re not going to let a pandemic keep you from doing what you love–and what you’ve trained for over the past several years.

For many of you, 2020-21 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. (And each year we work to get better. We’re still a work in progress.)

And we also want you to know we’re here for you (in a virtual sort of way)! 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 a giggling group of eighth graders 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. 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!

Name: Mary Colwell

Location:Lincoln Public Schools, Lincoln, NE

Class/content area taught: 4th Grade

What are you most excited about with your new career? I’m just excited that we are getting to start! I know everything will look pretty different, but as a first year teacher I was dreading having to start the year remotely. As of right now, my district has not postponed the start of classes at all, so we start with 100% of students in about a week! (Except for the students who chose to stay remote, I have 3 students who have chosen that so far.)

What do you enjoy most about teaching? I enjoy getting to know my students the most, their personalities, sense of humors, likes and dislikes…etc. I find it fascinating that someone so young can be so personable, because I remember exactly how I felt about some things at that age! Plus, I feel as if my students teach me just as much as I teach them, and I love that aspect of teaching.

In what ways has your school/district supported you? So far, I have been to a week’s worth of trainings that will help me be successful in my career. These trainings have included a technology orientation, a mandated reporter training, classroom management tips, and an in depth instruction on the curriculum for my grade level. Here in the next week I will be at my school learning the schedule, how the rest of the 4th grade team interacts and plans, as well as just day to day things that are done at my school.

What are some specific things you believe KSU especially helped prepare you for your new career? In my classes at K-State, collaboration and cooperation were emphasized in all of my classes, and I think that has helped me the most so far in my career. It taught me that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and you should use those to your advantage.

Are there specifics about your background that make teaching the perfect fit for you? I have a TON of teachers in my family, from grandparents, to aunts and uncles, to siblings, to my in-laws. I grew up around schools and in classrooms, and I was blessed with amazing teachers for myself growing up. I didn’t always see myself becoming a teacher, but now I could never see myself doing anything else.

Suggestions/encouragement for new teachers: The biggest piece of encouragement I can say to new teachers is that IT’S OK to feel unprepared. There will always be someone at your school or in your district that you will be able to reach out to or ask for help. As long as you are trying your best and being a positive role model for your students, you will do great!

Also, don’t make any specific plans until you have talked to your team/principal. Most likely they already have a plan in place for what you will be doing/teaching for the first week, so don’t worry about that in the very beginning!

Other thoughts? Tip: In your student teaching, get involved with your school–student council, building leadership activities, after-school programs–as much as you can. It’s important to make as many connections as possible because you never know if you may get a job there one day or if you need a reference for a different job!

Bonus question, thanks to the Pandemic: How has the Pandemic shaped your classroom—the environment, safety precautions, etc.? How has it affected you as a new teacher? Right now, Lincoln is in the Orange section of the risk dial. That means that students have the choice to come into the school or learn remotely. If they choose to come to school, masks must be worn, and social distancing must be enforced when possible. As a new teacher, it’s been hard for me to imagine what my classroom will look like during instruction. Students aren’t allowed to be in table groups, they must all be facing the same direction in the classroom. Specials (except for PE) will be held inside the gen ed classroom, and students will be eating lunch inside the classroom. Since the students will have to eat with their masks off, they will not be allowed to talk or socialize.  This will be incredibly difficult for students who are not used to this, and personally I think it will have a negative impact on the social skills of the students. As sad as it is that so many things will be so different this year, I think it’s important to try to stay positive, both for yourself and for your students. This year will be a challenge for sure but I know my district is already doing great things!

As you move through the school year, don’t miss a thing! Be a part of EdCATS!

We want to help beginning and early career teachers like you thrive in your career! Check out #WeAreEdCats for teaching tips and to stay in touch with the COE! Check out the website at coe.k-state.edu/forever-edcats.

We spend a lot of time in the COE encouraging you to create relationships in your classroom. But how do you do that when it’s a virtual classroom? Check out this link for great ideas for building a community online:

Creating Community

1. Know that you, your lessons, and your students won’t be perfect; enjoy that we’re all works in progress.
2. Keep in mind that your administrators and your colleagues want you to be successful—almost as much as YOU want to succeed.
3. Students come in all shapes and sizes, mentally and physically; enjoy their unique characteristics. The diversity will make your classroom an interesting and lively community.
4. Remind yourself that every child in your classroom is someone’s loved one…someone’s baby; respect that.
5. At some point, you WILL figure out the bell system at the school.
6. Despite its name, your plan period won’t involve too much planning; however, it’s a good opportunity to take care of other necessary tasks–such as lining up lab time or a (virtual?) visit to the library for your classes.
7. At some point, a student—even a senior in high school—may slip and call you “mom” or “dad”; that’s a term of endearment and worth a smile.
8. Keep a metal basket on your desk for materials to be graded; try to empty the basket by the end of the school day.
9. Try to get a graded assignment in the grading book during the first week of classes; it signals to parents and the students that you’re doing important things in your classroom and that learning has already started.
10. Take time to really listen to your students; many have no other place for their voices to be heard and honored.

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:

Dr. Brad Burenheide (Secondary Social Studies)—“Just an excitement as to what the new year will bring.”

Mrs. Cyndi Kuhn (Technology)—“Meeting my students, getting a new outfit to wear the first day and reconnecting with colleagues.”

Dr. Vicki Sherbert (Secondary English/Language Arts, Speech/Theatre, Journalism)—“I love sharing books that I’ve read over the summer. I love the organization of a room ready to welcome a new group of students to the family. It’s a new beginning, a fresh start, for all of us!”

Mrs. Kaylee Myers (Elementary Education)—“Organizing! Love to get supplies out, get new supplies and organize it all!”

Dr. Todd Goodson (Secondary English, Speech/Theatre, Journalism)—“There is something special about setting up a classroom to start the year. It’s a little bit like getting ready to leave for a road trip to California. I know I’m going to have lots of adventures. I hope it will be good trip, but I have no way of knowing about the all the specific things that will happen along the way—about running out of gas half way up a mountain somewhere in Nevada or about the taste of warm sourdough bread at a sidewalk café in San Francisco. As we look back on long trips and school years, some were certainly better than others, but every one has changed us. That’s what I think is special about beginning a new school year—the anticipation of the journey to come.”

Dr. Lori Levin (Literacy)—“All the new faces and the stories they bring through the door.”

What’s up?

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!

We’d love to hear from you, so please email us at lagoodson@k-state.edu.

Go, COE Cats!

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:

• Ideas on the importance of procedures and routines
• Planning for a substitute
• Getting ready for your first parent/student/teacher conferences
• A few words of advice from some of your favorite professors!