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131 Tips 

for New Teachers


Advice from the readers of 
Free Technology for Teachers
Communicate with parents and don't overplan.

gracelutheranschool.wordpress.com

Don’t forget to be yourself and show them your


personality.  Kids and parents see right through the dog and
pony show...so just be you take a deep breath and relax.  

No name submitted
My best advice for new teachers is to always have a backup
plan.

Twitter.com/lauratech

Be consistent, firm and fair.  When the bell rings come out
teaching!

My New Teachers page will help you:


http://cybraryman.com/newteachers.html
Ask lots of questions and make lots of mistakes. 

Riptide

If you do not know..ask!


It IS about the kids.
The parents are important.
Stay organised.
Enjoy your job, it is the best in the world.

no name submitted
Don't try to be perfect.  Remember you know more than the
students do.  Try to sit in on other teacher's classes and
see what you can learn.  Finally, you will get better.  Don't
panic. 

Robert Courtemanche - teachj.wordpress.com

Curriculum can wait.  Spend time building community and


relationships in your classroom.  Once you do that, and
establish norms and routines, you can fly through the
curriculum.
Get enough sleep!
Strive for conceptual understanding, not just coverage.  Be
subversive if you have to!
Ask your school librarian for help. That's their job!

your friendly neighborhood school librarian

Take control of your distance education and/or traditional


courses by having an intimate knowledge of your LMS. Take
responsibility, break down that LMS barrier to learning and
KNOW your LMS. Learn it, love it, use it.
Be prepared. Have a plan for discipline infractions from
DAY 1.  Follow it to the letter for the first two weeks. Kids
will get the message that you mean what you say and say
what you mean. Call parents during the first week to
introduce yourself and you will get a feel for how supportive
and responsive your parents will be.  Also, try to make time
to call for good things.  That way when a negative phone call
must be made, you already have a rapport with the parent.

Miss E
Your first year will be a throw away. Or seek help from
teachers who can teach you how to teach (and do what they
say). Your college classes were pointless when it comes to
implementation. 
Oh and you know nothing about teaching. Not one bit. Come
back to me in two-four years. Then you can be confident.

jwrussell
Create an "absent box" where you place papers for absent
students (with their name written on the top). Teach
students to visit this box immediately upon return to class.

No Name Submitted

Connect with your students, that's the most important


thing. Get to know them.
Find a mentor. Someone you can learn with/from, someone
you can talk to. 
Develop your PLN.
Know your stuff, especially if you teach teenagers. They can
spot a fake a mile away. Love what you teach. If you love
your subject area, that love will inevitably rub off on your
students.
 
http://www.nicksenger.com

My best advice: be consistent, be respectful of them (it's a


2-way street), be ready to listen when they want to talk to
you, be ready to share yourself with them, start off by
building a community where students can take risks and feel
safe, start an igoogle page set up with a google reader (or
other) and develop a PLN. Lots more but this is enough to
start!
 
Pick one content area that you want to teach exceptionally
well. Tread water with the others, do them well, but don't
try and teach them all like an expert. The next year, add
another. If you try and teach everything expertly, you'll
quickly be a candidate for burn out.
 
yourkidsteacher

Don't be afraid to ask!!! Ask anything you're unsure about


to other teachers. Asking questions IS NOT a sign of
inability or incompetence.
 
cecilialcoelho
Read Diane Ravitch's book, The Death and Life of the Great
American School System.

Art

Be humble.Take advise and listen to those that have been


there before you.Reach out to the parents and keep them
informed.  Be careful of the politics of your new school and
don't chose a side in haste.Try not to gossip. Be kind. Be
helpful. Don't take on too much. Keep a journal of each day,
note the good and the conflicts. Keep this record private in
case you need it.  Do not visit with the principal about
certain things without representation. Be positive, work
hard, and be a continuous learner.
I am going into year seven. The PLN in where it is at. Educators
new (and old) need to connect themselves. I have learned over the
past year and a half the importance of being connected through
Twitter, RSS, and reading the work of edubloggers like yourself.
In addition, write. Begin a blog yourself and write about your
thoughts, ideas, and questions. There is a tremendous community
out there ready to help and guide.

Mike Meechin, @innovateed, www.innovateedu.org

You know that look your mother could give you across a
crowded room (or from up in the church choir) that could
immediately squelch any thought of misbehavior?  Go home
and practice that in the mirror.  You'll need it, and your
voice gets so tired sometimes!
Get to know your librarian.  They have great ideas and
resources.

Jennifer Smith - readjunkee

get your sleep...a first year can be physically and mentally


draining.

Mr.G

Don't take it personal. 

No Name Sumbitted
Create a Google Doc (use Google Forms for this) survey to
learn about your students strengths, weaknesses, interests,
likes. dislikes, family, etc. This will help you to differentiate
instruction, and to get to know your kids much better!

mrmuzzdog
 
Get to know two people in your school as soon as possible:
the secretary and the custodian. These two support staff
often work behind the scenes to keep everything running
smoothly and can be your most valuable resource.
nshuman78
Now more than ever, allow yourself to learn from your
students and give them the opportunity to teach their
peers.

Helen

When you hear "this is how we do things" don't be afraid to


ask "why?"

Peter Lane, mrlane, mrlane.edublogs.org

Best tip for new teachers is to remember you are their


teacher!!! You are not a friend!
 
No name submitted
Find the best teachers in your building and respectfully
request that you sit in their classes. Take notes, ask
questions, watch their techniques. Get a feel for their
classroom culture and apply it to your own classroom
practice.
 
Don't get sucked into the myth that somehow you're a
martyr for accepting a teaching position. This isn't the
army and you weren't drafted. There will be poisonous
personalities in your building. Avoid them at all costs.

Focus on the children at all times. Always do what you feel


is best for them.
 
No Name Submitted
Classroom management should be your top priority. After
that everything else seems  easy. Students like routine and
knowing what to expect.

Ecarboni

If you are teaching at the Elementary or Middle School


level, send home a weekly communication (email, etc.) to
your students and parents.  They will love the updates and
the feeling of being connected to school.  It will also allow
you to get out important reminders and class news all in
one shot! 

mrsbadman13
Stay Calm!
Choose Your Battles!
Always Have A Backup Plan!

brynspence

Find someone in your building that you can ask for


help.  And then ask for help when you need it!  Keep in mind,
it will get better! 

Ms. Kappler

Build relationships . . . with your students, parents,


colleagues and administrators. 
Doing something for yourself every day after school that
makes you happy. Learning when to put an end to your
school day and realize you have a life outside of school.
Don't live or count down for your summers off because
having the summer off isn't the reason why you became a
teacher. Enjoy your students!

Amy Boylen

1 - Ask veteran teachers how things work at your school.


2 - Ask veteran teachers how they handle classroom
management, parents, and admin.
3 - Do not sweat the small stuff.

Mr. Thompson / New Mexico


Get to know ALL of your kids! We have a tendency to pay
the most attention to our best and worst students, leaving
the "middle" kids in the shadows. Take care to make a
connection with every student - it will definitely pay off
for you, and them!

sbell91

It's ok to NOT know every answer. (Help students see


how you find answers and solve problems.)

gardenglen
Be very, very, very patient!
Everything is changing and everybody is lost, so you need
patience to deal with your students and their parents.

Maria

Be sure to take into account your students' different


learning styles. To do so, try questionnaires for that
purpose. You'll find them on the net. Then you could plan
your lessons in a way to cater for the mosaic of learning
styles you have in the classroom.

Arbi
Think twice before being a teacher. It's very tiresome and
frustrating. It's becoming very hard to work as a teacher,
so think twice before starting!

Sandra

Always have a alternate lesson plan in mind, because what


works with one group of kids one day may not work with
another group of kids.

No Name Submitted
Give parents the following assignment @ orientation or on
the 1st day of school: "In a million words or less....describe
your child." This is a very effective way for parents to have
an opportunity to give you both the positives & negatives
about their child's personality, learning styles, ect.
Students LOVE the fact that their parents have an
assignment on the first day. Parents usually respond with a
minimum of 3 paragraphs. This assignment helped me learn
names faster, as well as gain a perspective about each child
in a short amount of time. Can work with all grade levels; I
did it at the middle school level.

headen_cj
It's okay to not know everything.  In fact, it's sometimes
better:  I've found that Socratic irony (where the teacher
professes to be [and, in some cases, actually is] ignorant)
leads to authentic and rigorous inquiry in ways that
students guessing what the teacher already knows never
could. 

mr_blackstone

Ask if you need help.  Don't be shy.  We've all been


there.  Most teachers are very helpful to new teachers...
besides we want to learn from you too!

http://kbkonnected.tumblr.com/
I have more than one tip: Be firm, fair, and consistent. Don't try
to become friends with your students. Learn about your incoming
students from their past teachers, but keep an open mind because
very year should be a fresh start. Don't hang around the
complainers and whiners. Instead, find a veteran teacher who
most closely resembles the kind of teacher you want to become
and learn from them. Get involved in your school community, but
remember to take time for yourself to avoid burn out. Spend the
first few weeks modeling and practicing your expectations and
procedures(and follow-through). It pays off in the end. Above all,
remember that you're entering one of the most challenging, yet
rewarding careers a person can have. It won't be easy, but
imagine the lives you will touch:)

Tricia @ http://differentiate-with-technology.wikispaces.com
Get organized and stay organized.  Train your students
(any age!) to put things away correctly.  This will save you
so much time! 
Set aside time at the end of each day to de-clutter your
desk and put materials in their proper place.  When you
walk in the next morning, you will be able to focus and
move forward.

No Name Submitted

Stay calm!

http://pintman.blogspot.com
Have back up work ready in case any of your lesson fail.
That way you can regroup but the students are kept busy
(I use to make vocabulary word searches, crossword
puzzles, textbook scavenger hunts, etc.)

www.sciencenotebooking.blogspot.com

Overplan.  It is better to have too much and have to leave


something for the next day then not to have enough to
keep student's engaged.  It's good classroom management
as well because if/when students are engaged in a lesson,
they can't be getting into trouble.
 
http://powerlibrarian.blogspot.com/
Cultivate a sense of humour, be kind to your students and
yourself, and make time to reflect.

Margot Lavelle

Seek answers from experienced teachers and your


administration, they are not the enemy but wish to see
every teachers succeed.  It doesn't matter what you
teach, it only matters what students learn.

gormang  usd344supt.blogspot.com
Find a friend in another teacher and share
experiences/ask for help.  But avoid the teachers' lounge -
the bitchers and moaners hang out there, and you'll get
nothing to support you there.

francesblo

Ask colleagues for advice with planning. There is a wealth


of proven ideas in all schools. You don't have to reinvent
the wheel. A sense of ownership is important but so is your
social life.
 
No Name submitted
Assign Seats.

No Name Submitted

Organization...color code everything, use one paper


calendar and one electronic calendar (phone or computer)
to keep track of deadlines and meetings, file things right
away.
 
 Rae Downen

Make friends with the custodial and secretarial staffs.


They will be very important, and vital, resources!

No Name Submitted
Be organized.  A place for everything and everything in it's
place.

No name submitted

Do not take the closest parking spots to the door.  Those


should be kept open for those teachers w/ seniority or
physical issues.

No name submitted
Take time to build community along with kicking off your
first unit of study. 

sapereaude

Make sure to have a behaviour management plan


(something that is reasonable, with natural consequences)
and be willing to follow through with it. Allowing the
students to have input into the plan will ensure their
understanding, co-operation and ownership. 

No name submitted
Make sure that the students know that you are in charge.  I
work in a big urban district, and if the students can see
that you are unsure of yourself, you will have a LONG
year.  Once you get that out of the way, things will become
a heck of a lot easier!!

Matt F.
On the first day of school, avoid going over the
syllabus.  Give your students a taste of what it will be like
to be in your class.  There will be plenty of time to review
your policies.  It's very important to set the tone from
day 1 of what your class will be like.  Since I teach
Spanish, I will converse with the students about what
they like and don't like to do.  I believe in personalizing
my class and getting to know them that first week, which
always results in better behaved students.  And, when we
do get around to the syllabus, I make them take turns
reading it to one another, rather than me reading it to
them.

catherineleon71
If you don't understand, ASK!
If you do understand,PASS IT ON!

teechabc

When students want to argue with you (and some will),


calmly tell them, "I am not going to argue with you," and
walk away.  Don't let student get you to battle.

Carol
First comes the person, then the pupil/student.

sguilana

Everything is 'urgent'.
Ask for help to identify what is actually important & just
do those things.
(courtesy of my line manager, years ago when I returned
to teaching - I still operate like this.) Thanks Dawn <3

Deb
Don't be afraid to ask questions! Your teaching peers,
understand the school system, the calendar, the grading
system, professional contact, the curriculum, classroom
management, because they have been through it before.
It's not a weakness to admit you don't know something!

http://007technotidbits.blogspot.com

Be prepared to spend more time when you integrating


technology in teaching and learning. Always have Plan B and
C; computers don't work as we want them to sometimes.
All the best!

Yoon Sook Jhee


Leave your ego at the door. I think I lost my temper at
least once a day before I somehow learned not to take
student remarks and actions personally and to actually be
more mature than the kids I taught. Man, this was really
hard. Prepare to be dissed. I comes with the job.  Nine
more here: 
http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-
blog/2008/10/8/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-
teacher.html
Arrive early and leave on time. Don't stay until it is finished. You
will work more efficiently.

Gail Braddock

Using technology at this phase of your career may seem


hopelessly overwhelming. You may ask yourself over and over,
"Where do I even start? There is so much stuff out there." The
short answer is jump on the train 'somewhere'. Get your feet
wet, get your hands dirty, and most importantly, don't be afraid
to fail. Teachers, especially those trying to integrate technology
will tell you that things don't always go as planned, so having the
humility to fail and try again are key to becoming a great
educator. Kids always appreciate teachers who admit they are
human...
Don't be afraid to try out new things such as Web 2.0
tools. Just remember that pedagogy and learning outcome
come first. It's alright if the response is poor or impact is
minimal as there is always chance to improve the teaching
and use of tools.

tucksoon

If a lesson bombs, don't self destruct.The sun WILL rise


tomorrow morning, and the birds will sing again.You will
always have another chance to make it a good lesson or
activity.

Joe
Remember MOE from the Three Stooges: Make learning
Meaningful, Organized, and Elaborated upon.

Move your feet before your mouth. So many potential


problems can be eliminated by proximity in the classroom.
 
Aretha Franklin advocates working toward RESPECT not
love from your students; find love somewhere else. 

Sara Davis, blogs.cofc.edu/adehhp


By keeping your desk free of clutter you will be reducing
the likelihood that you will catch an illness. When
students come to my desk for help they seem to always
fiddle with things on my desk and seldom do they wash
their hands after sneezing/coughing.

Scott Witkowsky
http://71sliderules.blogspot.com/
Make use of the experience of your fellow teachers - ask
for help and advice, it will make for a stronger team. They
in turn may ask you for tips and tricks that you learned at
college.
As far as the students - remember that every student has a
strength but sometimes it takes a bit of searching. Take
time to really get to know them. When you have conflict, it
is much better to talk 1-1 to the student(s) involved, rather
than a public confrontation. Good luck!

No Name Submitted
"Ask someone"  I have found many new teachers think that
they should come into it day one with all of the
answers.  Veteran teachers have seen it, heard it and done
it all.  Save yourself time and energy.  Ask one of your
peers.  They love to help, that is why they became
teachers!  

No Name Submitted
Quote from Martin Heidegger (in Being and Time): ‘Teaching is even more
difficult than learning. We know that; but we rarely think about it. And
why is teaching more difficult than learning? Not because the teacher
must have a larger store of information, and have it always ready. Teaching
is more difficult than learning because what teaching calls for is this: to
let learn. The real teacher, in fact lets nothing else be learned than—
learning. His conduct, therefore, often produces the impression that we
properly learn nothing from him, if by “learning” we now suddenly
understand merely the procurement of useful information. The teacher is
ahead of his apprentices in this alone, that he has still far more to learn
than they—he has to learn to let them learn. The teacher must be capable
of being more teachable than the apprentices. The teacher is far less
assured of his ground than those who learn are of theirs. If the relation
between the teacher and the taught is genuine, therefore, there is never a
place in it for the authority of the know-it-all or the authoritative sway of
the official’ (15). This pretty much says it all...

radney
 

Talk to a professional financial planner very early on in your


career.  Often it is cheaper to buy years of service after
your 1st year than in your last 5years.  Early investing is the
key to secure financial future, if there is such a  thing?

No Name Submitted
 

Use a countdownclock when you are planning. Set the clock


on 30 minutes for example and try to plan as good as it gets
within this time. Otherwise you will overdo the planning and
eventually become tired.

http://enperfektlektion.blogspot.com/
 

Be organized! Teach your studets to THINK!

jasonhbuck

Limit the amount of work that you take home.  I try to take
work home on 2-3 days a week and never on weekends. 

No Name Submitted
 

Remember to do it your way not the way your students want


when it truly matters! My first year the seniors wanted to
play kickball each Friday in our government class. They said
"Last year's teacher let the seniors play every Friday." I
always responded, "I'm not that teacher and in our
classroom we will do it this way, you'll be ok."

Lacey
 
Keep comfy shoes in a drawer or cabinet!  Some days
require more running than others and straps snap or laces
break. :)

No Name Submitted

take advantage of everything your librarian has to offer :-)

No Name Submitted

manage your class, everything else will follow

No Name Submitted
 

Teaching your students classroom procedures and checking


daily to make sure they are followed, makes a classroom run
smoothly all year.

Kim Munoz
http://techmunoz.edublogs.org

Don't make classroom rules you won't enforce.

Jeanette
 

Hopefully your school district will support you with an


instructional coach or mentor. If not, find yourself someone
that you believe you can learn from and ask that person if
he/she is willing to work with you. Observe that classroom
and have that teacher observe yours, then spend time in
reflection.

Tricia617
 

The best advice I ever received as a new teacher was to go


home. I loved my students and my job, but was exhausted. I
was at school 2-3 hours late every night. The lesson learned
was that going home didn't make me a bad teacher, it meant
I was taking care of myself. I hold true to that as often as
I can. 

teresabender
 

Students have a strict sense of justice.  Avoid getting


caught in this trap by being consistent!  Making a special
exception for a "good kid" seems benign in the moment but
will come back to haunt you.

senorg
Take time for yourself.  It's easy to devote every waking
minute to school your first year.  Decide on a "quitting
time" before you tackle the pile of papers, and stick to
it!  There's always tomorrow.

www.mrsbakerbsd.com

Join, develop, or create a personal learning network of


educators that are innovative, personable, and put students
first.

mrmillersblog.com
 

This might sound negative but it was the best advise I was
ever given - there is only so much time in the day - do all
you can to best of ability - but remember their is more to
life than school - and that needs time too.

mrhnz

listen to those with experience, seek their advice, decide


what works for you, Try something new, take time for
yourself, and smile.  Works wonders!

Greg
 

Integrate technology to open your classroom door to the


world.

http://jenverschoor.wordpress.com/

Read Teaching with Love and Logic. It changed my


professional life. 

No Name Submitted
Best advice for new teachers:
1. Be organized.
2. Ask for help
3. Use the curriculum as a guide, but be creative.
4. Ask for help
5. create a PLN
6. Ask for help.

More advice: http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.


com/search/label/new%20teacher%20advice
Choose quality, not quantity - or, to put it another way,
more isn't always better, sometimes it's just more.

Don't try to do everything - you'll never survive. Just


concentrate on learning one or two things really well, and
show your kids how much fun it is to learn something new.

No Name Submitted

Always take the time to clean off your desk before you
leave every afternoon. When you arrive the next morning,
your desk is free of clutter and you can begin a fresh new
day. :O)
 

Be creative, try new things, don't be afraid to fail, be as


organized as you can!

Renee DeBlock 
@rdeblock  
http://mrsdeblock.blogspot.com/

Try your best to stay organized. 

No Name Submitted
 

Be flexible! You need to adapt some to your new


environment, but always do what is in the best interest of
your students :)
 
No Name Given

Schmooze the secretaries, custodians, and librarians!

No Name Given
 

Tune into the students. They are your partners. If you earn
their trust, they will guide you, tell you when you can pick up
the pace and when you need to slow down. Empower them as
masters of their own learning journeys.

Kelly M, Windsor, ON
 

Try to leave it at school. When you go home, it shouldn't


have to follow you.

No Name Given

Don't be afraid to be yourself in the classroom. Your


students *want* to know who you are. Don't lose your
humanity in an attempt to create a mask of
"professionalism".

spirobolos
 

Realize that it takes a whole year to learn the routine and


calendar in any new job...especially teaching.  Do your best
but don't burn out the first year. 

Use your resources...watch, listen, try, fail, succeed and


learn.

If you are a mom, then you have 3 full-time jobs...Teacher,


Mother, and Mother to your husband (He is like having
another kid!)

No Name Given
 

Don't be afraid to ask for help, resources, ideas from your


colleagues; in other words, ask them for their best
(handout, activities, places to shop for posters and supplies,
teacher websites) and then make it your own.  You don't
have to invent a wheel everyday. 

Debra Breunig
 

Always have a back up lesson for any main lesson that


includes technology (or anything you have to plug in, for
that matter).

Cheryl Higginbotham

Have a sense of humor.

cjgermano
 

Do not befriend students or have perceived favourites. No


nicknames either. 

Skier 10

Start using Google Reader and subscribe to Free


Technology for Teachers!  

Katherine Maloney, 1katty, http://katherinemaloney.


blogspot.com/
 

Seek to create something that does not exist.  Don't lose


sight of why you are there...students first.  
 
No Name Given

Don't be afraid to ask for help.

peasandqs
 

Create a safe and fun learning community. Start with


introduction icebreaker activities and establishing class
norms. 

desertjul

Put your name on your stuff.


Go with the flow.
The sun doesn't shine on the same dog's ass every day.
(Meaning: you will not always be in the lime light!)

Carol L.
 

Find someone who has been in teaching for a while that is


still excited as you are about teaching. Stay away from
those who are not.

Angie

Befriend your school librarian. She/he can be an invaluable


partner in planning creative lessons, finding appropriate
resources, and introducing new technologies.

sassy_librarian
 

never loose the ability to laugh at yourself

feistylibrarian

Use the power of your LMS.  Don't buy, borrow.  Don't


search on your own, ask for help.

No Name Given
 

Communicate carefully with parents. Check your tone,


grammar, and style in any electronic messages - I've
received email from a young English teacher with the IM-
like use of "u" for "you" in an email. Think of great ways to
utilize technology in the classroom. Read blogs like this one,
connect with other teachers, use resources outside the
classroom.

No Name Given
 
Work hard, put in a lot of hours, be proactive with your
communication to parents, and ask questions.  There is no
easy way to success as a new teacher, but it will pay off in
a few years!
 
http://musiced-technology.blogspot.com/

Don't forget your bunny slippers!

SimpleK12
 

Remember the difference between being friendly and being


friends. The students want someone who is fair and
consistent. 

Also remember that there is a difference between truly


incorporating technology and just using technology.

No Name Given
 

Be honest and make sure you work harder than everyone


else around you. No one can ever fault you for this. Oh, and
keep your head just slightly below the radar!

bradmcdiarmid
For more ideas about using
technology in your classroom, please,
as more than 50,000 other teachers
do each month, visit  
Free Technology for Teachers.

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