Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > July > 02 > Entry
First year teachers: Read This!
Teacher Ms. Cornelius, at her blog A Shrewdness of Apes, has an amazing post up giving advice to new teachers. It’s safe to say you’ll likely be taught none of these tips at your local college of education.
Here’s a taste:
Record all incidents of student discipline in a binder.
Mrs. C says:
“I once pulled this out when a parent insisted I call her from the principal’s office, and very mildly read back to her her own words which she was denying. She had been insisting that I had never contacted her about her darling’s difficulty. When she saw that I had a record of every conversation, complete with time and duration of call, she gave up.”
And she adds:
“… this also helps cover one’s posterior with one’s administrators.”
If you give out pencils, paper or textbooks, the kids will never bring their own.
Mrs. C says:
I like keeping a little box of golf pencils in my desk for those who cannot master their writing utensil management skills. Students tend not to want to borrow these more than once. You can also keep a cup of used pencils you have found in the hallway for distribution. I personally also like to have my dog or a convenient toddler to put chew marks on them so they won’t be so appealing to those who seem need some assistance from St. Anthony of Padua in this regard.
Pay careful attention to your health.
Mrs. C says:
“Offer students a couple of points of extra credit to bring in two good boxes of tissue at the start of the school year if your school does not provide the good stuff. You’ll thank me during flu season.
Have two trash cans in your room: one for student use, and one for you. You’ll see why this is health related in a second.
Have two boxes of tissue out at any one time. One box should be hidden away for you, and the used tissues go into your personal trash can, which I stash behind my desk. The other box is for the students, and should be placed away from your desk or where you stand most often in the room. The student trash can goes under this box of tissue, and away from you. You will avoid a LOT of colds this way. Trust me. With your insurance, you can’t afford that either, not to mention that it takes FOUR hours to write lesson plans for a seven hour day.”
Do you know someone studying to be a teacher or starting their first teaching job? Do them a favor. Print out Mrs. C’s complete tips and give it to them.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Teaching and Learning
Comments
By Ms Cornelius
July 7, 2006 1:37 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the very kind words, Scott! I really appreciate it!