• Keep reading. Books, journals, and Web sites can provide you with a wealth of information.
• Keep asking questions. Other teachers, your mentor, and your former professors are there to help you. Reach out and ask.
• Build a network. Meet with other new teachers or get together with former college friends in your major.
• Take a class or workshop. You’ll probably need to complete professional development hours anyway, so make wise choices about how you spend your learning time.
• Visit another classroom. Teachers rarely get to observe other classes after student teaching, yet this can really help. Seek time and a master teacher for ideas.

"I am moving to another state as soon as I graduate and get my certification. What do I do to get certified in another state?"

Each of the 50 states has its own teacher certification process and rules. You may want to start by going online to www.professionalteacher.net. This site gives you links to every state’s office of teacher certification and provides general information about the site. Two other helpful sites are www.teachers-teachers.com and www.aaee.org. Some career centers at colleges and universities also can answer these questions, as can your college’s certification officer.

What may be involved? Grade levels at which you can teach vary from state to state. For example, you may be able to teach sixth grade in one state with a certification in elementary education, but may need certification for middle grades in another state. That’s why it is important to check with the individual state where you will be moving. For some states, all you need to do is fill out a form and pay a fee. In others, you may need testing and/or coursework. It is always best to become fully certified in the state where you do your teacher education program, since moving before completing a degree or before student teaching will mean much more coursework on your part. Once you are fully certified in one state, it is generally easier to gain certification in another.

"I am a first-year teacher and recognize that I want to get my master’s degree. What should I consider when looking at programs?"

Consider the field in which you want to pursue your master’s degree, then shop for a program. If you are an elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher, you can consider a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, where you will learn more about teaching. A master’s degree in reading will enable you to be a reading specialist at a school, while a master’s degree in educational administration/educational leadership is the first step to becoming a curriculum director, principal, or other administrator.

When you choose a program, look at course offerings. Do they include evenings, weekends, or summers? How many students are in these programs? Will there be enough students that courses will be offered regularly? What do past graduates say about the program and its reputation? Is financial aid available through the college? Be sure to look at many factors, including location of the campus compared to your home and the school where you teach.

"Is there a “best way” to call parents?"

The answer to this question is “it all depends.” In the past, many new teachers were advised to stay in their first position for longer than a year, but times have changed. Future employers may ask what attracts you to their school, and your answer should be a positive one, such as “My long-term goal has always been to teach fifth grade, and your school has advertised a fifth-grade position.” If you are moving for personal reasons, such as the transfer of a spouse, employers cannot ask about that. You may volunteer information that you are relocating due to your spouse’s job, though. Whatever your reasons for leaving, you will always list that employer on your resume. Honesty is the best policy!

"How can I plan enough to keep students busy all day?"

It has been said that there is no such thing as overplanning. It also is true that well-planned lessons and well-managed classrooms raise student achievement. Some hints for new teachers include:

• Get the curriculum guides for your state and district, and make long-range plans.
• Visit the Web sites listed under “Links/Resources” for standards and planning.
• Plan with others who teach your grade and/or subject level.
• Keep good notes and records. It’s the only way to make the next year go more smoothly.
• Make a file of sponge activities—ones that soak up time.
• Bring in books and magazines for enrichment ideas.
• In addition to the mandated curriculum, read practical journals such as Teacher's Mailbox, Instructor, and Teaching K–8 for ideas.
• Bring in newspapers and magazines with current events for "extra's" when needed, especially for high school students.
• As you progress in teaching, you’ll soon find that filling time isn't the problem, but that having enough time is the concern.

"How do I keep up with the paperwork?"

Well, teaching does involve paperwork. Try getting students to self-file for you by having a plastic crate with folders for each student at the door or on a table near the door. As students enter, they can check their file for graded work and put completed work in it. With this method, papers are alphabetized, and that alone helps with entering grades into your computer program or grade book.

Some homework can be graded by the students themselves for self-checking, or as a springboard for discussion.

Be sure to check your own mailbox or e-mail account every day. If teachers keep up with their mail, some principals call fewer meetings!

“How can I find out more about classroom management and discipline?”

Find a good book on management, read it, and implement the ideas that sound best for your grade and subject level. See “Links/Resources” for books and Web sites to help you in your plan.

New teachers should talk with their mentors or other teachers about school-wide plans, then make their own classroom plan. Plans should be posted, sent to parents, and taught to students. Classroom plans should be shared with your principal so that he/she can be supportive. The plan should have rules, positives, and corrective actions. It is not easy to enforce rules, so make the rules humane and logical with reasonable consequences. Rewarding with tokens, candy, stickers, and other tangibles probably will cost you money, so consider free time, smiles, computer time, and other enrichment activities to motivate students.

By teaching students classroom procedures and holding students to high expectations, the need to enforce rules will be lessened; however, rules need to exist as a starting point for all students—from young children to seniors in high school.

Keep reading, asking, and discussing issues with colleagues. They have the same questions as you do.

“How do I deal with the social problems and challenges that students bring into the classroom?”

Students do not come into our classes, sit down, and say, "Please teach me today." Today's children have stress in their lives, and some children have such a busy schedule getting "enriched" in outside activities, they are exhausted by the time they arrive at school. If you teach high school students, you know they are busy leading nearly adult lives, with jobs, friends, and possibly even children of their own.

The best way to help students cope is to get to know them. Don't ask embarrassing questions, but have students complete interest inventories early in the year to tell you their likes, dislikes, hobbies, goals, and interests. Knowing their interests opens the door to building relationships, and relationships are key to helping students. Many teachers find that leading students in stress-relieving exercises or adding a few minutes to recess helps students concentrate back in the classroom.

No one expects you to be a psychologist all by yourself. Get help for students who need it from counselors, the principal, or community service organizations.

“What is the best way to communicate with parents, colleagues, and administrators?”

There is a "golden rule" to remember: Treat them the way you would like to be treated. For example, if a student fails her first test in your class, should you let the parents know? Now, ask yourself, if you were the parent, would you want to know if your child failed the first test? If your answer is "yes," then make the call! The same is true for colleagues and administrators. Let administrators know the good things that are happening in your room. Invite them to see special student work or productions. Be supportive of your colleagues and be positive, too. We all have discouraging days and need the help of our friends.

“How can I balance teaching all day and going to school myself?”

The answer to this question has two parts. First, many teachers now get full-time jobs without the benefits of first completing their teacher education and student teaching programs. They then are required to take classes over a one- to three-year period in order to become certified. In some states, fully certified teachers must complete a certain number of course hours to qualify for recertification after a probationary two- or three-year period. Either way, new teachers must participate in seminars, meet professional development requirements, and perhaps begin work on their graduate degree during their early years of teaching.
When you start a program ask:

• Are there short-term or weekend classes that will meet the requirements?
• What are the evening and summer course offerings?
• What do former participants say about this program?
• What is the cost of this program and is financial aid available?
• Will additional course work bring a pay raise or an endorsement to my teaching certificate?

And remember, there are only 24 hours in a day!

“How can mentors, teacher educators, and administrators help apprentice teachers when they feel overwhelmed by full-time responsibilities?”

Teacher educators, mentors, and administrators must offer developmentally sequenced workshops during the year that:

• Are timely and offer sufficient information.
• Are explicit and include diverse teaching models and specific examples of learning styles.
• Accommodate individual needs.

“How can apprentice teachers feel competent and accepted within their school site?”

Prepared mentors should offer context-specific information by:

• reviewing district curriculum guides and offering successful methods of delivering content;
• identifying and locating appropriate instructional resources and materials; and
• responding to emerging apprentice needs on a daily basis through a team approach.

“What should I do if I’m questioning my career choice?”

Join an apprentice teacher cohort group. This group can provide psychological support by:

• identifying common concerns and needs;
• conducting problem-solving meetings and determining appropriate solutions;
• building a sense of community within the school and across the district; and
• sharing ideas, materials, and strategies that work.

“What can schools do to make apprentice teachers feel welcome?”

Develop schools that are friendly to new teachers by providing:

• optimum teaching loads for new teachers;
• realistic class/student assignments;
• comprehensive induction programs that support new teachers; and
• time to confer with and observe other teachers under the direction of a trained mentor.

Links/Resources

Opportunities for Reflection