Kansas State University

Lori Goodson, Editor
Mary Hammel, Technical Editor

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Name: Morgan Killmar

Location: State of Hawaii Department of Education; West Hawaii Complex, Kealakekua, Hawaii

Class/content area taught: 7th grade Health/Healthy Living

What are you most excited about with your new career? I was excited to get “classroom” teaching experience since my main experiences had been in Physical Education so that classroom is a little different. I was also excited to get to work with students of a lot of different backgrounds.

What you enjoy most about teaching: Getting to know the students and finding ways to excite them about learning. I also love teaching students about things that truly affect every aspect of their life, whether or not they grasp it at this age I hope they understand how important these things I’m teaching them are.

In what ways has your school/district supported you? I had weekly meetings with a new teacher mentor. It honestly felt as if there was no support from administration. I had to figure a lot of things out on my own, it was hard to ask questions being a new teacher and not knowing who to ask or feeling nervous/uncomfortable asking. The new teacher mentor was great but it was kind of difficult because I was just given generic answers to questions or concerns, not subject specific. I still felt I had to figure most things out on my own.

What are some specific things you believe KSU especially helped prepare you for your new career? I felt ready and prepared to teach Physical Education and Health. I was comfortable with the subject matter and how to format lessons effectively.

I wish in the general education classes they covered more about the actual process of interviewing and getting a teaching job. This proved to be very difficult for me and I felt unprepared. It was like I knew how I should do the job, just not how to actually get it. Even when I accepted the job, I had no idea about how to read or look over a contract, I had no idea how to understand the health insurance options, I really felt very lost.

Are there specifics about your background that make teaching the perfect fit for you? My grandmother was a teacher, but that didn’t really affect my decision. I love kids and I love teaching them things and having fun with them. Education is very serious and important but I think also kids don’t need to have so much pressure on them because I think that turns them away from education when they should be drawn to it. I want them to want to learn so I try to show them how I want to learn with them.

Suggestions/encouragement for new teachers: DO NOT be afraid to ask questions, I kind of am so it would definitely help make things easier if you felt comfortable asking questions.

Don’t feel pressured to change how you would do or teach something just because it hasn’t been done that way or someone else didn’t find success with it, DO YOU!

Do not let administration or other teachers mistreat or disrespect you. Stand your ground, just because you are young or a new teacher doesn’t mean you don’t deserve the same respect and appreciation. We are the future of education.

If you have an idea, SAY IT! Your ideas are new and fresh, others are reused or overdone, kids need new ideas.

Be respectful to everyone on campus, other teachers, administration, custodial crew, etc. A school is a team, while a team may have leaders, everyone is important to the success of that team so everyone should be equally respected.

It has been hard this year because I feel like people are less social, less likely to gather in rooms or for lunch or things like that but I would encourage you to talk to people at work, try to make friends, it would make things a lot easier.

Other thoughts? Get your PRAXIS done ASAP. In Hawaii you have to teach using a provisional license for 3 years before you get your full license, no one told me this so since testing centers in Kansas were closed because of COVID I only had a one-year non-renewable license in Kansas which only transferred as an Emergency Hire Permit here in Hawaii, meaning this whole year of teaching was NOT going towards my required provisional teaching time. I would just say no matter where you are planning to teach, Kansas or elsewhere, just try to figure out the licensing as soon as possible. They told me here even if I took my Praxis and got my provisional license I would be paid the same as with my Emergency Hire Permit, this was not correct. Once I finished both of my Praxis and transferred from Emergency Hire to having my provisional license my pay raised. This was very frustrating to me. Obviously I could have tried harder to find out if that was correct or not myself but again, I am a brand new teacher in general and in this state so I had no idea where to start looking for information like that or who to attempt to contact. That’s another thing, DO NOT be afraid to ask about money, this is a job… you get paid… so ask about it. Ask what the pay is, what benefits there are, ask about sick leave, etc. Anything you want to know before accepting the job ask, because otherwise no one will tell you.

Don’t be afraid to move! Coming from someone who was born and raised in Kansas and lived there til I was nearly 23, don’t be afraid to move. Just because something feels safe or comfortable doesn’t mean it is what is best for you and your life. This is your first real chance in life to make decisions that serve you and only you, so do what makes you happy! Your family will survive if you move away from them and you will too. (And if staying in Kansas is what makes you happy do that.)

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? For the first 3 quarters of the year we were completely online. Monday/Thursday in the mornings on Google Meets was 1st-3rd period, Tuesday/Friday was 4th-6th period and Wednesdays are meeting days. Advisory meetings, team meetings, elective team meetings, full faculty meetings, new teacher meetings, etc. 4th quarter we have the same online schedule in the morning but A-Ka Last Names come to campus Monday and Tuesday, Ke-Z Last Names come to campus Thursday and Friday. After lunch there are 40-minute “unplugged” classes in the afternoon with the same periods they met with in the morning.

I think this year made it very very hard to stay motivated and positive as a new teacher. There were very low days, just a boring or sad feeling like this isn’t what I wanted to do or this isn’t what I signed up for. Overall it has been hard, there have been small moments that make me feel like I’m doing a good job but I would say it is very hard to not see people face to face, not make those actual human connections or just not feeling like the kids care at all. I am hopeful for the next school year and hopeful I can get another job and get the chance to start over. I have loved my experience out here and have learned a lot about life, teaching and just myself.

There’s still time to sign up for this 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! Sign up soon!

Click on the graphic below to find out more information!

We found some of your former Curriculum and Instruction professors and asked them, “As a classroom teacher, what’s your favorite memory from your first year of teaching?” And here are some of their responses.

Dr. Todd Goodson (Secondary English, Speech/Theatre, Journalism) — “My first year was at a very small country school with grades 7-12. The first week I was there, the superintendent came in carrying a Missouri driver’s manual. He explained that I would need to drive the district’s small bus to take students to speech contests, and to do that, I would need a special license. He told me to read through the manual a little bit, and he would come back and watch my classes for me that afternoon while I went to the county seat to take the exam. I’m not sure what would be more intimidating for a new teacher—having the superintendent as a substitute during the first month of teaching, trying to quickly read a book and take a test over it and thinking about how embarrassing it would be to fail, or the sudden discovery the job also included driving buses loaded with students. As it turned out, the test part was a non-issue. I already had a Missouri Chauffeur’s License! Driving high school students to contests never stopped being terrifying.”

Dr. Lori Levin (Literacy) — “I did a Flat Stanley project based on the Flat Stanley books, and my kids sent little flat paper versions of themselves to friends and family around the country and asked for photos or artifacts of the flat child out and about in the community so we could learn about new places. When an envelope would come back to school in the mail, it was the most exciting thing to see what was inside. Teachers still do Flat Stanley units today – it never gets old!”

Dr. Brad Burenheide (Secondary Social Studies) — “Being told I was being brought back for year 2!”

Cyndi Kuhn (Technology) — “OH my, when I think about my first year of teaching, I kinda hope no one remembers my name, I think I might have been the only one learning that year. But boy did I learn a ton.”  

Dr. Sherri Martinie (Secondary Math) — “I remember doing a lot of great projects, including skits and songs. It was a ton of work, but so much fun!”

Kaylee Myers (Elementary Education) — “How much I learned and grew from my kindergartners. Everyday they had something clever or cute that one of them told me. I should’ve written all of those down then!”

Dr. Tom Vontz (Secondary Social Studies) — “Watching students turn in their final exam on the last day of the semester. The final exam was one essay question, yet most of the students used the entire 90 minutes to write out their answer. I was proud of what we accomplished and how much they had learned – not just about history, but about hard work, study skills, organization of ideas, historical thinking, and a host of other things.”

Dr. Vicki Sherbert (Secondary English/Language Arts, Speech/Theatre, Journalism) — “During Parent/Teacher Conferences in October, a parent told me that her daughter loved my class. She said that she and her husband were always excited when their children were placed in a first-year teacher’s classroom because what new teachers may lack in experience, they make up for with fresh ideas and enthusiasm. Her words encouraged and gave me confidence.”

Dr. Tonnie Martinez (Secondary English/Language Arts) — “I was 21 and they were 18—I dressed like an old woman and stayed behind my podium.”

Dr. Phillip Payne (Music Education) — “I would say the resilience of my band as we returned home from Indianapolis after 1/3 of the band got food poisoning. This tested a lot of what I had learned in school. Seeing the connection between parents, community, and administration was invaluable and really allowed me to see the profession from beyond the walls of my classroom.”

You. Are. Awesome.

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.

Thanks for being exceptional EdCats!

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.

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!