unsolicited advice for first-year teachers

When I began as a new teacher, I hated the constant barrage of advice.  Most of it didn't help.  "Make sure you have the students keep binders."  Actually, I avoid binders as much as possible.  "Make sure you have a solid seating chart."  Truthfully, it's worked better for me to have no seating chart and then move certain students around who can't handle the newfound responsibility.  "Wear a shirt and tie."  Students don't care what I wear. Really.  On casual Fridays they act the same as when I dress in a suit. 

So, I'm going to add to the massive, collective, unsolicited teacher advice:

1. The staff lounge is a powerful drug.  At the right time, its Den of Cynicism can save a life.  Too much and you overdose, killing the passion and desire to teach. 

2. If possible, plan a few weeks ahead of time and do all your photocopying at the beginning of a unit.  This obviously works better for secondary education teachers. I keep file folders for each day.

3. I assign homework on Tuesday and make it due the next Tuesday.  This way students in sports, church and other activities can have extra time.  It also means less passing out and collecting of papers.

4. I try and do as much preventative discipline as possible - eye contact, space proximity, tone of voice, engaging lesson.  When a kid causes a problem, I give an in-class time-out, because I don't like sending a student the message that I need someone else to handle my discipline.  I then talk to the kid after class and almost never write a referral. 

5. I don't have a lot of rules.  But I do have a procedure chart I show the students.  We brainstorm questions, like: Can I sharpen my pencil?  Can I throw away trash?  Who can I talk to? Then, I take the questions and add it to the chart with individual, partner, small group, whole class to it.  It's worked pretty well for me so far. 

6. Take chances.  It's the only year where other teachers will expect you to make mistakes.  So do creative lessons.  Try new techniques.  It's better to fall down a bunch than to be overly cautious.  The best thing we did my first year was to create an overly ambitious class project - an online magazine.  It turned out to be pretty bad, but over the years, it's become something I am proud of. 

7. Don't pay attention in staff meetings.  Find something meaningful to do - like grading papers or writing lessons.  If you can fake that you are paying attention, the staff meeting can become an extra prep period for you. 

8. Don't try and grade everything you assign.  Instead, you're better off providing quality feedback on a few items than writing meaningless encouragement on everything. 

9. I try and send home five positive notes per week and by the end of the quarter, every parent has read something positive about their child.  It then makes discipline calls far easier. 

10. Ignore guys like me who try and give you too much advice.  Chances are, what works for them will not work for you.  Smile and nod and say, "Gee, I never thought of that." They'll feel appreciated and you can go back to doing your own thing.