Teacher's Tips

Early this morning I've been reading through Melissa Kelly's exhaustive list of tips for teachers. She has lists of everything from strategies for the beginning of the year to discipline matters to tips from veteran teachers. I was a little stand-offish just based on first impressions (this is an ask.com compliation) but Ms. Kelly sure has some ideas that get the brain exercising.

Ideas I found helpful include:

*Check out the classroom equipment before school starts...you don't want to flip on the overhead only to find a burned out bulb while your students wait, and wait, and wait...
This is the kind of thing I would be inclined to overlook.

*"You talk to fast." Most of us new teachers need to slow down. I think we all try to get too much information in, we feel like we're going toooooo slow, we may be boring the students...et al et al. But in this capacity, quality over quantity!

*Become friendly with the person that arranges substitutes...I remember my father (who just recently retired after eons of teaching high school auto/construction) mentioning how he bought the secretary a gift basket at the beginning of the year to win some favor when calling in "sick." Clever.

*Kelly's entire list to make my life easier at first is invaluable. Some of her ideas may seem obvious (learning students' names quickly; have lesson plans for the first week, have an icebreaker for the first day) but many are very, very helpful (be your own best substitute: there's nothing wrong with a little seatwork once in a while).

* Kelly's main page, Teaching 101, is tabbed with topics that will continue to be helpful when it really comes time to design class rules, handling stress, etc. For now these types of readings are helping me reiforce what I already believe works while opening my mind to some new ideas. All of this will be put into practice in about two weeks, when school starts. Since leaving the school district as an employee, I've been volunteering two days a week at my neighborhood school, Fairview (a wonderful place). These ideas and tips will also help me fine tune and reshape, where necessary, my philosophy of teaching.

I think some of these lists we've examined through our class readings are the kind worth printing out. Sometimes all it takes to boost your energy or motivation is a light list of tips that refesh and remind you that you're not the only one out there. Ms. Kelly even includes a list of the top inspirational books and movies for teachers!