lae.org Instructional Advocacy New Teacher Guide

Your First Day

As you actually begin the practice of teaching, you may find the following suggestions helpful:

1. Meet your students at the outside door or at the classroom doorway.
2. Establish a method for learning student’s names quickly, such as a seating chart, name tags, name games.
3. Review or develop with students the specific rules for behavior along with the rewards and consequences. Many teachers post these.
4. Share your expectations with your class.
5. Have a list of supplies you want your students to have.
6. Clarify your homework policy with your students.
7. If you give a homework assignment that first night, make it one in which students can experience success.
8. Use temporary class rosters the first week. Changes are common.
9. Realize that there will be many forms and much paperwork to do. Do not let it overwhelm you.
10. Establish a place for papers that can wait and papers that require immediate attention.
11. Plan to arrive at school early and stay late at least for the first few weeks. Teaching during this period is likely to be tiring so keep your other commitments to a minimum.
12. Recognize that you do not know everything, and you probably do not need to know everything.
13. Be willing to ask questions and be anxious to collaborate with your colleagues.
14. Pamper yourself when you get home after your first day as a teacher!

Your first quarter

Once you have survived your first day, here are suggestions as to what you should be doing and looking for throughout the first quarter.

1. Find out your school’s policy on field trips.
2. Familiarize yourself with your students’ files.
3. Familiarize yourself with grading and graduation policies, including student progress reports and report cards.
4. Know the procedure for assemblies.
5. Get to know the overall makeup of the student body. Get involved in school activities. Attend an extracurricular event.
6. Broaden your horizons...get to know people beyond your immediate environment.
7. Be sure you know the dates and procedures for parent-teacher conferences.

Your first semester

Now that you’re practically a veteran, here are a few more ideas to consider.

1. Find out procedures for school closings.
2. Get to know budgeting procedures.
3. Get to know procedures for using purchase orders.
4. Get to know procedures for film and media rental and purchases.
5. Get to know free material resources.
6. Find out your district policy regarding media contacts for school activities.
7. Find out about your district’s staff development and district inservice program.
8. Find out about LAE professional development opportunities.
9. Take time to reflect on your experience so far. Seek out other new teachers for support.