It feels like yesterday that I was starting my first year of teaching. AHH, the level of enthusiasm I had! But none the less what I remember more was the pure terror of teaching young minds. The constant questioning of, am I doing this right? Are they learning? OMG, I am going to be evaluated by my principal?
The first year as a new teacher is a roller coaster ride of learning and growing as a professional but also faking it till you make it! Such a genius moto TBH.
Once I got the job, I hit the ground running, setting up my classroom decor to be the Picture-Perfect Pinterest Classroom. I got all the things, cute borders, fadeless butcher paper and posters, Teachers Pay Teachers was the ultimate gold mine, utilized all those FREE items! Holla! I tried to get matching furniture (to the best ability cuz ya know, BROKE and limited free things in the school) I spent hours painting bookshelves and scouring the local Good Will for cheap books for my library. I was in meetings learning the curriculum, well lack thereof my first year but that’s another story for another time, and planning with my grade level team around content and standards needing to be hit by certain points within the year. Just the typical summer of a teacher, right?
Luckily, I had the most amazing student teaching experience. My mentor teacher was a significant influence on the teacher I had/did grow to be. She was fierce, loving and downright amazing. She taught me so much about teaching that wasn’t even about the content but about how you treat, set up and will be how students optimize their learning. Going in I thought, “I am smart, got good grades and am a pretty decent student. So, how HARD could teaching be?” Well, let me tell you, HARD and nothing like I ever expected. But with her guidance and support, I was as ready as I could be for my first year of teaching.
The weeks before school were spent lesson planning and learning. But most importantly, remembering the two significant things:
Systems and Management.
Weird right. If you are teaching, you’ll know that without these two things learning won’t happen. You’ll be spending your days trying to get your students to listen, not shout over each other, staying in their seat when you are teaching or even how to talk to each other, etc. etc.
As a teacher, especially a new teacher, we are told to focus on curriculum and student learning. I felt so pressured to make sure my students were learning, and that pressure always seemed to take away from systems and management. I would find myself struggling, looking at veteran teachers like “what are you doing differently than me?” or “Maybe I am not made for this job?”. When I would discuss with my colleagues, the same topics would come up, management and systems. They are the first to go because of the “I’ve taught it already, and they should know” mentality.
The dreaded mentality that in my 5th year of teaching and being a behavior specialist, I LOATHE.
Here I am writing to new teachers, and veteran teachers, that it is SO IMPORTANT to continue teaching systems and management as much as the content because it will help make your job, that is already hard, just a little bit easier.
Whether you are reading this mid-year, the beginning of the year or even near the end of the year, it is always a good time to stop and look at your classroom systems and management. Ask yourself; do my students know how the classroom operates the way I invasion it? Am I acknowledging students more than I redirecting them? Are students engaged in my lessons? If yes, share your secrets in the comments. If you answered no to any of the questions, take a look at your systems and management. How are students being acknowledged, do they know how to access help from you? Is there a system for student talk? Don’t know where to start, be on the lookout for my two posts on; 5 Tips to set up systems in your classroom or Create Your Classroom Management Positively
You can always add systems or management in if you don’t have them, reteach them if you do or adjust them if they are not working! The best part of teaching is that it is always evolving and changing. Giving us the opportunity to continue to learn more about each student and groups of students we teach and the best practices to do so.
I hope that in reading you’ve learned the two, in my opinion, the most essential concepts new teachers should focus on! I also hope it gives you the encouragement or starting point to becoming the best teacher you can be.
Don’t forget if you have any systems or management ideas share them in the comments below!
Honestly Elise
