Preparation is Essential for SuccessPreparation is Essential for Success Familiarize yourself with your school’s curriculum Consider how you might use your life experiences as
powerful lessons with your students Get to know your grade-level/departmental colleagues Subscribe to a professional journal to remain abreast of
current issues (Teaching K-8, Curriculum and Teaching) Explore educational websites and attend professional
conferences Purchase plenty of comfortable shoes as your will
spend more time on your feet than ever before
Develop a Class SyllabusDevelop a Class Syllabus A course syllabus accomplishes the following tasks:
- provides evidence of responsible preparation- reduces during the year work by over 50%- communicates expectations to students and parents - places responsibility for success onto the learner
A course syllabus accomplishes the following tasks:
- establishes course goals
- previews class content
- sequences instruction
- identifies performance objectives
- provides a “contract” with learners
- motivates students
- promotes self-monitoring
- articulates prior knowledge needed
- institutes an evaluation system
- serves as first wave of communication
Learn Student Names Quickly Familiarize yourself with names PRIOR to the first day
(read the class roster several time and only focus on last names first)
Use student expectation/information surveys that require names
(study faces and look at corresponding names as students complete the task)
Create any variation of a seating chart help with name recall Ask students to introduce themselves in class (on first day)
Read expectation sheets on first night and make associations between names and interests (cover names and see if you can remember them based on the provided information)
Immediately before the second class, review the seating chart
Maintain Cultural Sync with Students
Get to know your students and the homes from which they come
Understand and appreciate student interests (music, food, traditions)
Ascertain their cultural scripts and best means of
communication with them and their families
Explore literature written by Lisa Delpit, Asa Hilliard, James
Irvine, and Allan Johnson
Familiarize yourself with their neighborhoods, friends, and other
culturally indicative representations
Establish Positive Parental RapportEstablish Positive Parental Rapport
Ensure first contact is positive in nature Maintain open lines of communication
- inform parents of class news and events
- create a class newsletter and/or webpage
- personally invite parents to conferences
Invite parents to experience your teaching Send graded papers/projects home promptly Keep precise records to share with parents
Classroom ManagementClassroom Management Get to know your students, academically and culturally Establish and post classroom norms and expectations Observe consistency in your teaching Know your subject matter well and plan
thoughtful lessons Develop authentic relationships with your students Provide prompt feedback and positive reinforcement before,
during, and after all delivered lessons Respect the rights of all children in your classroom Differentiate instruction so that all students may achieve
Meaningful Lesson PlansMeaningful Lesson Plans
Consider unit lesson design as opposed to daily plans
Read Understanding by Design (McTighe & Wiggins, 2005)
Take note of the “backward design” process
Begin planning with results in mind and devise tasks to facilitate student attainment of those goals
Unit plans promote contextualization as opposed to isolation
Allows students and teacher to begin with the end in mind
Makes activities applicable to students lives
Be Prepared for EvaluationsBe Prepared for Evaluations Accentuate your classroom’s climate by displaying children’s
work and encouraging student engagement Expose students to a wide range of collaborative educational
activities as learning is a highly social activity Start lessons promptly and transition smoothly Employ high level questioning skills to encourage
higher order thinking skills Model, guide, and reinforce all activities for your students Align all lessons with district benchmarks and state standards Always provide closure at the conclusion of all lessons
Motivating StudentsMotivating Students
Create a business-like, yet welcoming environment
Praise your students’ successes
Use incentives – internal and external – to drive learning
Understand your students individual needs
Strong organizational skills on your behalf can prompt student response to teaching
Assist students in establishing goals for themselves
Provide authentic feedback in response to student progress
Avoid First Year BurnoutAvoid First Year Burnout
Keep yourself surrounded by positive energy people Pace yourself!!! Remember, the school year is a
marathon, not a sprint Continue pursuing your out-of-work hobbies and interests Rest, exercise, and maintain a healthy diet Keep yourself and your workspace (in school and at
home) well organized Move beyond the bad days and reward yourself for the
good ones