Two Goals for Beginning Teachers and Admins with Beginning Teachers

Dear Beginning Teachers,

Congratulations on starting the next chapter in your life. I know at this point you are overwhelmed, anxious, and eager to begin teaching. I remember when I was given my own classroom to start a new journey and I started twice. First as a high school teacher, and then as an elementary teacher. I was just like you ready to start.

Like many of the infamous websites, I have a few tricks and tips up my sleeve to try and make things a bit easier for your transition to the classroom. First and foremost set two goals for yourself during the first half of the year. 

Goal 1: Practice Routines and Procedures

I can not stress this enough continually practice your routines and procedures. I know you will be tempted to dive into curriculum. Do not do this!!! Curriculum will come when routines and procedures are established. This includes laying out your expectations, enforcing them, and then routine practice. Trust me, establishing your routines and procedures will lead to Classroom Management. Also, make sure that your procedures and routines are equitable!!! 

Goal 2:  Build Relationships

I can not stress how building relationships will make or break your classroom dynamic. Goal 1 goes hand in hand with Goal 2. Build Relationships will your students. I guarantee that you will have some colleague, co-worker or someone who will say "oh I had them, they will give you holy heck all year". Ignore that colleague and start fresh. Also, make sure that your relationships are meaningful and equitable. Do not play favorites with students!!! 

These are just two goals that I would tell my student teachers each year. The rest will come as you go on. Do not do it all, this leads to burnout and apathy.

Now to the Admins with Beginning Teachers: 

Goal 1: Support Support Support

You just hired an eager-eyed fresh out of school teacher or a teacher in a dual-career program. Do me a favor and read this very carefully. Support your beginning teachers. Support your beginning teachers. Support your beginning teachers. In my dissertation study, the biggest area that beginning teachers struggled with is administrative support. I am not saying go in there and hold their hand as they teach. Instead, check in on them but do not demean them or embarrass them because they do not know everything the first year. They do not!!! I also know that some admins will just hire just to get a warm body in the room and then fire the beginning teacher. Do not be one of those admins.  

Goal 2:  Be Flexible with Evaluations

Do not give me "the state and district mandate me to do this" attitude. They are beginning teachers and need to be evaluated as such. They are drowning from the minute you hired them swimming towards the surface of the school pool. To heck with evaluations and walkthroughs as they are for veteran teachers. Develop one for beginning teachers because they are just developing their skills. I have always been one to silently rattle the cages. Change the narrative and the system.

For beginning teachers have them work on two goals and go over those goals with them. If you evaluate them and they fail miserably let them try and again and strike that evaluation from the record. THEY ARE LEARNING!!!