Kansas State University

Lori Goodson, Editor

Like us on Facebook!
Follow us on Twitter! 

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 especially interesting time–not just for your career, but also as we continue to navigate COVID-19 issues in the classroom. 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 these concerns keep you from doing what you love–and what you’ve trained for over the past several years.

For many of you, 2021-22 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 might be beginning your second 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 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: Meredith Casey

Location: Auburn-Washburn USD 437, Topeka, KS

Class/content area taught: Music/Band/REACH Program

(Editor’s note: Meredith actually began her teaching career this summer, when she taught a virtual music class for middle schoolers as part of the inaugural summer for the KSU College of Education Virtual STEAM Academy.)

What are you most excited about with your new career? Finally getting to light fires in students’ lives through music. Sharing my knowledge and love of music is one of the most rewarding things in my life. The fires are going to burn extra bright this year since we didn’t have much band at all for the past year and a half!

What you enjoy most about teaching: Living my nerdiest dream of playing my instruments every day and creating more musicians who have a love for life-long music making!

What are some specific things you believe KSU especially helped prepare you for your new career? I had numerous field experiences with teaching public school kids and fellow peers in K-State music ensembles. I put into practice the strategies we were learning in class daily and helped get over some of the awkward first year teacher moments before I even got a job. My professors, especially Dr. Payne and Dr. Gurgel, made me work hard every semester so I would have plenty of resources to use right away in my first year. All those stressful curriculum projects are really paying off right now!

Suggestions/encouragement for new teachers: Work ahead, set a solid organization system (like Google Drive), and stay connected with your K-State classmates. You will have an overwhelming amount of work to prepare for your first year, so it is best to take it in small chunks each day instead of procrastination. I organize all curriculum, lesson plans, and materials into a Google Drive folder system so I can access my stuff from anywhere. My K-State teacher friends have been lifesavers for bouncing ideas around, borrowing resources, and assisting with teaching. Build a circle of teacher friends you can rely on!

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? Fortunately, my district seems to have dropped most of the COVID restrictions for the upcoming school year. However, things like Zoom meetings, germ disinfectants, and virtual teaching are not going anywhere. Virtual meetings have made staff interactions much more convenient, healthy habits keep me ready to teach every day, and a few virtual lessons help reach all of my students in our community. Although 1.5 years of virtual band has enormously damaged our enrollment and musical skills, we are pushing forward to reload the band program now that the whole country is on a level playing field musically.

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.”

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 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.

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! We’d love to hear from you!

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!

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.

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!