This past May I finished my first school year as a teacher. It was a year filled with countless ups and downs, tons of stress, endless meetings, late nights, and unfortunately lots of soda. I am convinced that I have become Coca Cola’s number one customer. With all of that being said, it was arguably the best year of my life. It can be yours also!
Let me clarify something. There are a lot of naysayers and cynics in schools but nothing compares to the feeling of having 25 kids in my classroom listening attentively. The sense of a living a life well lived and of having a life purpose is indescribable. You can arrive at this conclusion no matter how trying your schedule is. For you to make it not only through your first year happily but through all the other major ups and downs of your career requires that you do.
You have to connect in your core with the belief that our profession’s greatest gift is the very role we play in helping fill young minds with useful knowledge. Information that they can hopefully use for years to come in providing their families resources and in many instances making life on earth easier for countless people. This faith has to be in your core to help replenish your vision when the going gets tough.
I’m going to share with you six important things that end of the year Mr. Shorunke would’ve said to the second day of school Mr. Shorunke.
First Thing I Would Say: Classroom Management is EVERYTHING!
If there is anything you need to have in order before your students enter your class on the first day of school it is classroom management. Classroom management will determine the very nature of your classroom environment throughout the school year. No matter how much effort you put into designing your classroom, fun activities, or in-class discipline, if your classroom management is not intact, you are going to be in for a difficult year.
Second Thing I Would Say: You Are a Mentor Of Students…BE VISIBLE!
I work in a Title1 school and I have a lot of low-income students. You probably know a lot of the things students that come from those backgrounds have to deal with. One of the most important things our students have to deal with is not having both parents at home.
I noticed that a lot of students had different views of what I as a man was supposed to do in public or at home. A lot of their flawed or limited interpretations of manhood are caused by a shortage of suitable mentors at home or in their community. You can help in a very simple way.
To relate more to my kids I would go to the local Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, or a park that I would overhear them talking about. I would even just drive around the different neighborhoods, to get a sense of the places that students would traverse as they journey back and forth between home and school. I would pay particularly close attention to things such as wild dogs or places that lacked sidewalks. These were simple topics to breach with students. That’s a rough stretch over by so and so street, tons of cars and no sidewalk!
You would not believe how many times I randomly crossed paths with our students’ and their parents! How awesome do you think it was that my students saw their teacher outside of the classroom! The next day I would bring it up, or students would come and talk to me about how cool it was seeing their teacher at the grocery store! (btw I understand the “creeper” mentality that consumes our culture nowadays, I tend to not care about that, as I am only interested in the well-being of my students. I also carry my school I.D. around lol)
Third Thing I Would Say Is: KEEP YOUR COOL!
The majority of my students live in low-income areas, their environment is different than that of other neighborhoods. Yelling was something that my students were fairly immune to; they were already used to it. I found myself yelling quite a bit, primarily because I did not do my best in regards to the first bullet (classroom management).
I noticed, however, that when I would stay silent and count down from 10 the students knew automatically that they were doing something wrong. This became a game changer, especially when students had me up to here (you know what I mean).
Fourth Thing I Would Say Is: Be As Honest As Possible With Your Students.
When I was open with my students and would tell them how disappointed I was that they were not meeting my expectations it gave them a chance to internalize my disappointment, and let them know that I was trying to help them, not hurt or bore them.
Fifth Thing I Would Say Is: Don’t Reinvent The Wheel, Upgrade It!
“Don’t reinvent the wheel” is something that we have all heard since the day that we chose to become teachers. Although this adage is wise, I believe that every classroom is not the same. Especially when we take into consideration: the growing dynamics of culture; concerns with differentiated instruction and curriculum; constructing proactive behavior management.
Experimentation is necessary to find new and creative ways to reach the ENTIRE class, not 85% not 98% but 100%. The goal of any teacher should be to reach ALL of their students using a myriad of strategies. Don’t be afraid to take a lesson and turn it upside down on its head. An important rule to remember is this: The first year of teaching is where you learn everything not to do. So go ahead, do that thing you keep thinking about but you’re not sure of… you’re going to make mistakes, at least you tried (shrug emoji).
Sixth Thing I Would Say Is: Be impeccable With Your Word.
This is one of the four “agreements” in one of my favorite books, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. Simply put, if you say you’re going to do something, you better do it. A lot of my students were used to being promised one thing and not getting it. The more I said I was going to do something either good or bad, the more my students respected me. Your students are no different!
Seventh Thing I Would Say Is: Be Consistent!
This may be the hardest for a first-year teacher to follow. Being consistent is so hard when that one student who never talks is talking while you are, but you say, “It’s ok, he/she never talks anyways” opposed to the All American First Team troublemaker whom you snap at whenever they sneeze because you’re so used to their bad behavior! Trust me, your students see both scenarios and both students are now seen differently by the class. Being consistent will help you have a disciplined plan of how every day will go, and most importantly will let every student feel equal in your classroom.
Closing Thoughts
Please and I repeat “please”…take care of yourself. I don’t care what you have to do, breathing exercises, yoga, meal prep, manicures, pedicures, Smoothie King, acupuncture, massages, chiropractors, detoxes, etc. teaching is a calling, it is also taxing on your body, mind, and spirit. Make sure you take care of yourself first!
Take a day off, that’s right, I said it, those papers will grade themselves when they are ready! You come first! Always remember that. A wise teacher once told me, “Don’t let this job take over you, because as soon as your gone, they’ll bring another one right in.”
If you have more experience or better ideas, DO NOT keep those gems to yourself!! Please share so we can implement them in our classrooms! Be blessed!
