I am so excited to be working with Teach for America Interns in the Aldine ISD area. Although I have not yet met them face to face. The email dialogue informs me of the caliber of individuals that I have the privilege and pleasure of working along side this year as they sharpen their teaching practices and more importantly begin making differences in the lives of the children with whom they interact. Found this article in a Houston publication, Changes, August 2009 magazine and enjoyed the message so much and thought it should be shared. Enjoy! Article by Heather Mclean Wiederhoeft
“Experience – or lack thereof – often is the stumbling block for people as they try to obtain a new job, start a business or simply follow a dream. For Wendy Koop, a complete lack of experience in teaching and in running an organization didn’t stop her from tackling the immense problem of placing educated, motivated new teachers in low-income communities. With her new degree from Princeton University and her undergraduate thesis in hand in 1989, Koop created Teach For America.
During its first year of operation in 1990, Teach For America’s “corps” consisted of 500 young women and men teaching in six, low-income communities. Nineteen years later, Teach For America received a record setting 35,000 applications and accepted 4,100 new grads to their ranks for the required two-year commitment. At more than 130 colleges and universities, more than five percent of the senior class applied for Teach For America. In Texas, eight percent of recent graduates from Rice University applied to the Teach For America corps and 71 graduates from the University of Texas at Austin have been selected by Teach For America, ranking UT second in the nation’s top 20 large-sized colleges and universities contributing grads to the 2009 corps.
The difference that Teach For America corps members are making is amazing. The greater Houston area will be home to 250 new Teach America teachers this fall, making this the largest incoming corps in region’s history and bringing the total of Teach For America educators in Houston to 450.
Research has shown that Teach For America is having a positive impact on low-income students. “The most rigorous research to date finds that Teach For America corps members produce student learning gains as large or larger than other novice or experienced teachers in the same schools,” said Michael J. Podgursky, professor of economics at the University of Missouri-Columbia
“In addition, a growing number of these academically talented Teach for America recruits have moved into educational leadership positions in public schools. Teach For America thus brings high-quality human capital to public K-12 education that would otherwise not have entered the field.”
0f the more than 14,000 Teach For America alumni, some 380 now serve as school principals or superintendents and more than 20 are elected officials. ~
At the May 2007 Mount Holyoke College commencement ceremony, Koop shared her thoughts on the value of inexperience with the soon-to-be graduates. These words of wisdom not only are of value to new graduate but to anyone with the vision to make a change and who is hesitant because of the inexperience factor:
“First, about an asset that you uniquely hold at this particular juncture in your lives. There’s something about the fresh perspective, the naivete, the limitless energy that comes along with inexperience that enables recent graduates to solve problems that many more experienced people have given up on… My very greatest asset in reaching this point was that I simply did not understand what was impossible… The world needs you before you accept the status quo, before you are plagued by the know1edge of what is impossible. I hope you will put your inexperience to good use. Ask your naive questions. Set your audacious goals.”
Panel Discussion Questions
(Responses from ACT Houston 1st Year Teachers Named “Rookies-of the Year” on their campuses)
1. What was the most challenging aspect of your first year of teaching?
Classroom management, reaching students through curriculum, the chaos that goes along with the first of school; online textbook.
2. What part of our Preparation Institute helped you the most in your internship year?
Mini-teaches, role-playing, discussions,suggestions on setting up procedures.
3.In what “specific ways” was your Field Supervisor most supportive?
He/she took a personal interest in me, always communicating, supportive, accessible, gave constructive advice for improvement through observations/evaluations, made IDS meetings fun, a “big part” of my success
4. What advice would you give to an Intern for their first week of school?
Be organized before first day, be prepared, have everything in place so can enjoy teaching, don’t be afraid to ask for help, meet key people in school, get to know students individually, develop relationships with parents, go in week before to set up classroom
5.What advice/tips/strategies and support did your Field Supervisor provide during your first semester?
Build relationships is key, always ask higher-level thinking questions (tape Bloom’s Taxonomy on desk), suggestions for technology
6. Did you face any challenges in regard to classroom management? If so, please explain.
Recognize when students are not engaged, needed more experience with concept of co-teaching, updating parents of changes, need to let students know they are OK, developed action form instead of discipline slips for documentation purposes and have available for parents to see at conferences.
7. What strategies/ideas from your IDS Meetings did you implement with your students that were effective in helping you build rapport with them?
Whole IDS on Building Relationships was helpful, icebreakers.
8. How did you balance/manage your time with all the requirements of ACT Houston and school?
Learn to multi-task, use planner, make everything relevant instead of busy work, seek support when needed, complete school work at school, allowing family time.
8.What advice would you give to another Intern in working with parents?
Always start with a positive note, documentation is key, phone calls, partnerships—how can “we” help your son/daughter be successful?
9.What was your greatest challenge in regard to district curriculum?
Not having time in class to finish lesson in 50 minutes, being overwhelmed with all that is required.
10.What did your Field Supervisor do to build relationships with you and the rest of your group?
He/she was good about taking time to listen to our concerns, he/she cared about us, worked with us to make us successful, always available, assuring, l liked how we started our meetings with sharing, very patient.
11.Do you have any advice to our Field Supervisors that may help when working with mentors?
They are often too busy (lead teachers or dept heads), some didn’t know to what extent they were to help, mine was calm/responsible for leading me, should have only one intern to mentor, time was precious with them
12. Is there any help that you wish you would have been provided before you started teaching? If so, what?
Assign an intern from previous year that we could touch base for assurances that we will be OK!
“Teachers believe they have a gift for giving:
it drives them with the same irrepressible drive that drives
others to create a work of art or a market or a building.” A. Bartlett Giamatti
Harry Wong’s says there are seven things students want to know on the first day that we as teachers must be able to answer. First impressions are important—so start with a good one!
Am I in the right room?
• Have your name and the subject you teach on the door
• Be at the door to smile and greet students as they enter the room
• Start talk with—”Hi, I ‘m Ms Jones and this is Art Class.”
Where Am I supposed to sit?
• Have assigned seats the first day. Assign seats by giving students a number as they enter the room that matches a desk number.
• Assigned seating saves time and trouble and includes everyone.
What are the RULES of the classroom?
• Let them know early what your expectations are.
• Speak with colleagues if you are having trouble determining a set of rules.
• Five positively stated rules that can be viewed from all parts of the room.
What will I be doing this year?
• Give them the big picture of the class.
• Tell them about content and the processes.
• Let them see your enthusiasm for the subject and teaching.
How will I be graded?
• Let them know how they will be successful
• Let them see that you are fair and consistent
• Show them everyone has the opportunity to succeed
Who is this teacher as a person?
• Tell them about your goals for them
• Without giving your personal details, introduce yourself to them
• Students will get a picture of you by how you act, by what you say, and how you look. It will be a lasting impression.
• Even if you are only three years older than they are, let them see you are the ADULT in charge.
Will the teacher treat me like a human being?
• Let them see from the beginning that you are a person of integrity.
• Show them and assure them it will be safe to learn in your room
• Let them know you have high expectations for everyone
First Day Goals:
Remember you cannot do everything the first day—some things will wait a couple days.Three important things should happen.
- Get to know your students
- Let students know you and your expectations
- Organize and manage first day issues
Teacher: The child’s third parent. Hyman Maxwell Berston
Recommended Reading:
- The First Days of School, Harry T. Wong and Elizabeth Wong
Here are suggestions for the three things to have ready for your FIRST DAY of school.
The Teacher:
• Be rested, nourished and relaxed and ready. Get 7-8 hours of sleep. Your brain will thank you.
• Eat breakfast and drink plenty of water during the day. It ‘ll keep you from being so exhausted and dehydrated.
• Dress for Success (adult and professional)—when you look good you feel more confident and will act accordingly.
The Plans:
• Have your lesson plans for the first week outlined and the first day detailed.
• I used to list each thing that had to be done on the first day.
• Call roll, mark grade book for absences, add homeroom section,create seating chart, etc.
• Write it out: don’t leave it to memory or try to wing it.
• Have a management plan ready to share with goals, rules and procedures.
• Time spent teaching procedures in the beginning will result in time saved during the rest of the year.
The Room:
• Everything does not have to be done the first day or have to be perfect, and at least have what you need for the first few days ready.
• Remember the words—safe, effective, and efficient. You can decorate later.
All new teachers are nervous as that FIRST DAY of school approaches. Even veteran teachers like myself with over three decades of experience feel a bit of anxiety as the new school year begins. You ‘re not alone, Here are ten basic principles from a great book which offers many other suggestions which can guide you to a successful first-day and first-year experience.
1. Be over prepared
• Arrive early. Check out your room to feel comfortable in it.
• Make sure your name is on the board along with your daily schedule. Place a welcome sign on the door. Make sure all desks are arranged to your satisfaction, all instructional materials are ready and bulletin boards are fresh with summarized plans for easy reference.
2. Use speaker notes. One thing is certain, you‘ll forget something so jot things down on INDEX cards for easy reference. Write a summary of the outline of activities on the board as another cuing device. This serves as a reminder for you as well as notifies your students that you are well organized and have given a great deal of thought to this first day. (Message sent: Teacher has it all together)
3. Motivate:
• Provide a variety of highly motivating experiences.
• Keep the pace moving,over plan so you never drag out something to fill the time.
• Be creative with a subject specific warm up activity relevant to the coursework.
Students were asked to “brainstorm“ concerns about school. Some of the concerns mentioned included; a mean teacher, getting lost, gangs, too much homework, getting on the wrong bus. Students recorded their lists and on the second day, we had a reality check to see what actually occurred. The students are then asked to turn their two lists into an essay. This process serves two purposes: it alleviates anxieties and puts them to ease and secondly provides an initial writing sample from each student. (Message sent: School will be exciting)
4. Establish Routines and Schedules
Begin to establish routines on the first day. Routines save you time, ensure a smooth, functioning structure and security. Introduce some routines on the first day and others can be introduced later in the week. Routines are roll call, late arrival, warm up activities, distribution of materials, etc.
5. Establish Classroom Rules:
No matter what level of students you teach or what subject matter, you will need to establish the rules of the classroom that first day. Begin to implement strategies that create a positive system of mutual respect, responsibility and dignity. Do not allow any infractions to slide the first day. Many eyes are watching, Being consistent from day one is essential. (Message sent: School is organized)
6. Orient Students to School/ Classroom
Make sure your students have a campus map and go over it. Make sure you discuss the set up of the room and how it is set up for learning. (Message sent: I belong and am comfortable)
7. Preview the Curriculum
Preview some of the topics students will cover and introduce them to the textbooks that first day. Hand out textbooks and take a brief survey of the table of contents. Construct a bulletin board that highlights the year’s or semester’s topics. Present the BIG PICTURE and connect the content with the student’s experience. Think of the first day as a splashy advertisement of the course content and what it can do for them later in life. (Message sent: I will gain mastery of new subjects.)
8. Let Students Choose and Decide
Share responsibility for decision making from the onset. Let student know they will be encouraged to make choices and participate in classroom processes. Participatory experiences that first day might include choosing seats, writing classroom rules, and other stuff. Ask students what interest them about the topic or unit. Let them know they will have choices on projects both in terms of content and presentation modes. (Message sent: I am part of a community of learners)
9. Include a Literacy Experience
Demonstrate the value you place on literacy by incorporating some reading related or writing activity into your plans no matter what subject matter or grade level you teach.(Message sent: Reading and writing are key to learning)
10. Acknowledge Every Student
Let each student know with a verbal or non verbal response from you that he or she is welcome, valued, and special. It can start with a greeting at the door. A high school government teacher I read about gives his students and index card and has them write,
”I ___________(name) am beyond a shadow of a doubt, COOL!” The teacher signs the cards and laminates them. He tells them to keep it with them at all times, and randomly throughout the year, he/she gives extra credit if they have them with them. Student kept these cards for years. (Message sent: I am unique and special)
11. Review and Assign Easy Work
Prepare work for the first day that is slightly below the anticipated level of the class. Why? Everyone should go home that very first day feeling successful, believing they have accomplished something.
(Message sent: I can succeed.)
The teacher sets the tone for the first day. The students should experience a routine sequence of activities from the onset. Speak with teachers at your grade level to survey them about what they actually do step by step on the first day.Take careful notes. Secondary typical first day schedule follows.
- Welcome: Greet your students at the door and direct them to their seats. Have your name on the board and perhaps a welcome sign on the door. Have students fold index cards and make nameplates. . Small versions of digital pictures can be pasted on seating chart you develop to remember who’s who. Mini agenda of the class session should be on the board.
- Administrative Tasks: Take attendance. Check the pronunciation of the names and ask if they have a nickname or shortened name preference. Make tentative seating chart.
- Introductions: Tell the students something about yourself and how you got interested in teaching this particular subject area. Include schooling background and your approach to teaching.
- Expectations: Discuss your expectations and class rules. These should conform to the school and district rules and be posted for all to see from all parts of the room. Five positively stated rules are a good start. Let the students know that mistakes are permitted in the class and there is only one pass for each rule broken. Discuss consequences for failure to follow the rules. Discuss your policy for late work, make up work, absences, etc.
- Routines: Let students know what they need to bring to class each day, how you will take attendance, how to set up notebooks, homework policies, procedures for sharpening pencils, bathroom pass policy, throwing things in the wastebasket, raising hands, and what will happen each class period.
- Preview Curriculum: Tell students what they will be able to do and give an overview of content they will master during the semester. Let them know what big projects are coming up, how grades are determined, Display sample projects from last year to set the standard high. Many teachers provide a syllabus similar to the ones you had in college. Syllabi make assignments clear, discuss assessment and grading policies, set due dates, detail penalties for late work, tardies, and absences: spell out rules, list needed supplies, and explain procedures for make up work—all in one place.
- Short Activity: Fit in a short activity related to your subject. Enforce all rules you have just set down regarding hand raising, calling out, listening. Possibilities include:
• A jazzy science experiment
• A math puzzler or shortcut they don’t know about
• See Apply it ( below) for an example of a mystery game.
- Apply it! This is a short, generic inquiry activity that can be applied to any subject area that first day. Hide an item related to your subject matter in a mystery box. Students are only allowed to ask yes/no questions about the item.( Is it alive? Is it made of metal? It is found in the house?) Before the item can be revealed:
- Everyone must get a turn
- Only yes/no questions are allowed.
- Teacher will not answer the same question twice.
- Each student gets to write down his or her answer on a post-it.
- Prizes can be awarded
- Wrap-Up: Set a timer to let you know the period is coming to an end. Have closure by asking students to gather up the materials, clean up, and wait for your signal to leave. Remind them of what to bring to class the next day and give a short homework assignment. Review all rules and procedures every day the first week to reinforce them and orient any new students. Copies of the rules may be signed and dated by the students and filed.
Remember that it is possible that many of the students are nervous too. Be fair and consistent and as you proceed into the new school year adjust and adapt as necessary. “ To teach is to learn.”
Recommended Reading:
1. Teacher’s Guide to Success by Ellen Kronowitz, (Excerpt from pgs, 33-44 )
Starting A New School Year
Posted on: August 8, 2009
Starting a new school year can be challenging to say the very least, especially if you are a new teacher. The tasks of setting up a classroom, establishing policies, planning a behavior management system, preparing how to cover your curricula and all the endless amount of tasks that have to be done before your students arrive can be overwhelming.
Starting a new school year for the very first time can be fraught with challenges. I always reflected upon the previous year to see what worked and what didn’t. If however you are a new teacher, you have to apply what you think will be needed and adjust accordingly. What will be the biggest challenges and how can I prepare to better meet those challenges? A new school year is always a time of change. As a teacher, you will never have a group of students who are the same. They all come to us with a different dynamic, different personalities and abilities. It is our job as teachers to meet these changes and challenges head-on with confidence and firm resolve.
“ A good teacher knows what the students need, before the students even know they need it.” This kind of knowing comes with experience. Yet as a new teacher, these experiences have yet to happen. Heather Skipworth Craven’s suggestions are to try some of the following to help with challenges and changes:
1. Organization is the key to alleviating stress! The more you can be organized in your preparation, the easier it will be to get started.
Hang your classroom rules and policies, have them large enough to be read from all parts of the room.
2. Ask for help. Veteran teachers and mentor teachers can be above all the best resource you’ll ever have.
Find out where all the resource centers ( library, audio equipment, special forms, etc).are located in your school.
3. Make sure that your classroom layout, procedures and discipline systems are a good fit for your teaching style and personality. In other words, don’t set up too rigid of a behavior system, if by nature you are more laid back and flexible.
Most importantly—be fair and consistent.
4. Make a plan for accomplishing tasks. Set realistic goals for yourself. Plan to finish one to two tasks from start to finish each day. Plan things so you can see your accomplishments. This can be extremely motivating.
5. Do an honest evaluation of what worked the previous year and what didn’t. Make changes accordingly. If you are a new teacher, list the things that you think will be challenges for you and plan and adjust accordingly.
6. Relax! Even if you don’t have every single thing in place for the first day, it’s OK. Go easy on yourself and above all, enjoy your students, your classroom and teaching!
Remember, that the most important thing about facing the challenges and changes of starting a new school year is to have confidence and a positive attitude. It is important to realize that students don’t care as much about what you know, they want to know that you care. Armed with those tools and ideas, will ensure your success and the success of your students.
Hello 2009-2010 Teachers!
Posted on: August 7, 2009
Welcome to Teach & Talk, our blog established as a place to connect and communicate.
Choosing a life in teaching can be both rewarding and challenging. It is my responsibility and privilege to assist you in this first year of teaching. It is your responsibility to stay in communication with me regardless of what is happening in your day to day teaching experiences. I had the honor of spending over 34 years in the classroom. I loved it and intend that you will too. We will share both successes and challenges that you experience.
Note: You must first sign up as a USER in order to be able to create a post or a comment. You may post here publicly or privately by clicking on the Visibility Edit button on the right side of this box. You may post to
- ask me questions,
- make requests,
- schedule a meeting, or
- ask me to do an observation.
We will see each other frequently as I VISIT your schools to watch you work your magic in the classroom with your students. I look forward to our shared time. There are requirements in the program that will be covered in a combination of emails , face-to-face meetings, and posts to this blog. The more we can communicate electronically, the easier it will be for all of us to stay informed of what is needed, missing, and expected. It is important that you understand that it is my strong intention to make your life easier and not add any additional burdens to your already busy teaching schedule. Some of the requirements include;
- Atendance to regularly scheduled meetings that require your signature to document your participation. If however, you already have a meeting scheduled as a group with your Teach for America/Project Invest/BTIM coordinator then if at all possible I will attend that meeting adding short and brief announcements and content at the conclusion of that meeting.
- Classroom observations are required and are my way of watching you to notice your growth and progress. If you ‘re having problems then I will collaborate with you and your mentor and administrator in finding solutions.
- Paperwork is required from you submitted in both a regular and a timely manner. This will be documented in an Excel spreadsheet so that you can see where you are in your progress toward the completion of the programs’ requirements.
- Mentors will be assigned to you on your campus. These teachers are experienced, informed and can assist you in the particulars of your campus, USE them to your benefit and ask them lots of questions. They were chosen to help you in this transitional first year of teaching. You will need to inform me by email who that mentor is along with all of their contact information. There is additional paperwork ( a MENTOR application FORM and Mentor Planning Logs in your ACT Houston notebooks) that you both will be required to complete and submit to me.
- Memorable Moments will be submitted at each meeting or electronic submissions by email are suggested a day or two before the meeting. These short paragraphs document a special teaching moment.
- ACT ( Alternative Certification of Texas) Houston requires the successful completion of exams, please visit the site to find locations and dates of those exams.SIGN up NOW if you have not already successfully taken and passed the exams. Review sessions are available at the ACT Houston office, announcements will be broadcasts when those review sessions are available.
- Your first assignment is to send me ASAP all of your personal contact information. This is needed to set up my driving and observation schedules. I will visit each of you during the first two weeks of school. Send this by email to: jm5@mac.com
Information needed includes:
(Copy and paste the information below into an email-then complete and send to me)
- Name, School address, School Phone number ( front office) and classroom phone ( if you have one), your HOME and CELL Phone number,
- Class room # and if you have several classrooms note each one
- Your email: ( best one to be in communication with you). Check emails morning, noon and night. I almost always announce my driving schedule prior to heading out in the mornings.
- Principal’s name and Phone number and email
- Mentor’s name and Phone number and email
- Bell schedule @ your school indicating what you teach each period, Your OFF period, Lunch Period and any special duties.
- ALWAYS CALL ME at HOME and on my CELL to leave a message, if you are going to be OUT of SCHOOL for the day. Home: 281-494-2678 Cell: 713-299-8493
- Name of Teach for America, District Coordinator,Phone # and email, dates/times of any scheduled upcoming meetings ( if you know)
Thanks in advance for your timely submission of all required paperwork. I look forward to a productive and exciting school year working with each of you. If you have any questions or considerations, please do not hesitate to ask.
Best Regards & All My Best!
Joan Maresh Hansen
Joan M. Hansen's Teach & Talk 