Helpful Hints for Beginning Teachers

1
Helpful Hints for Beginning Teachers

• Bill Walker
• Director, School of Science K-12 Outreach
• Mathematics Outreach Coordinator
• http//www.science.purdue.edu/outreach
• http//www.math.purdue.edu/outreach
• wswalker_at_purdue.edu

2
Student Teaching

• Get involved
• Faculty meetings
• Student activities
• School accreditation or other committees
• Meet as many people as possible
• Department heads
• Principals and Administrators
• It is not what you know, but who you know
• You are interviewing for your next job

3
Student Teaching

• Put in the extra effort
• Ask everyone questions
• What do you like?
• What do you hate?
• Listen, share ideas, and take experienced
  teachers advice
• Share with other student teachers

4
Interviewing

• Research the interview
• Have good questions prepared
• Ask about
• Benefits
• Relationship between administration and teacher
  association
• Job security

5
Interviewing

• Ask for and read the teacher contract
• West Lafayette vs. Benton Central
• Teacher interviews on campus
• There is significant turnover in secondary
  education
• Consider teaching Middle School
• Keep alert in August

6
First Year Teaching

• Join your local teacher association
• Be aware of your rights and procedures for
  teachers
• Become best friends with the secretaries,
  maintenance, and technology staff
• Attend workshops and professional development
  opportunities

7
First Year Teaching

• Have a plan for learning in your classroom and
  develop a discipline plan around it
• How will students learn
• Teach in a way that is comfortable for you
• 90 of your time on 10 of your students
• Follow through on rules and consequences
• If you do not intend to support a rule, throw it
  out
• Follow all school-wide rules, even if you do not
  agree

8
First Year Teaching

• Relationship with students
• I teach, you learn, any questions
• Be consistent
• Making deals and giving breaks does not help
  students learn responsibility
• Understand the needs of your students, but know
  that every student has an excuse
• I want students to like being in my class (bad
  idea)
• Dont smile until February

9
First Year Teaching

• Relationships with experienced teachers
• Listen
• Share
• Try new ideas
• Ask advice
• Dont be a know-it-all
• Some days will not go well, there is always
  tomorrow

10
Coaching

• Do not coach for the money
• You are a teacher, not a coach
• Always take care of your classroom first

11
Politics

• Pay attention to state and federal politics
• NCLB
• PL 221
• School Accreditation
• Teacher Accreditation
• Be involved in your local teacher association and
  ISTA
• Go to the state government building to lobby