10 Things I Wish I Knew As A First Year Teacher
Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at 01:12PM
This is in response to (a very flattering) request by Joel on his So You Want to Teach blog. He's asking for a list the 10 Things I Wish I Knew As a First Year Teacher.
Man, that was over 30 years ago now. I started as a high school English, speech and drama teacher in a small school district in Iowa in 1976. I was also the yearbook, newspaper, class play and speech contest adviser. My first year's salary was $7,800. We lived in a house that I would not put a dog in today. And I was a terrible teacher.
If I knew then what I know now...
1. 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. It comes with the job.
2. Admit ignorance or uncertainty. The best questions to discuss in class are the ones for which you really don't have a good answer.
3. Let the kids teach each other. Your goal should be for your students to do more and more and for you to do less and less.
4. Don't play gotcha on tests. Let kids know exactly what you expect them to know and be able to do. That way you are an ally in their success, not the enemy.
5. Some administrators are incompetent. Be subversive when it helps kids. Make at least one really good friend on the teaching staff with whom to commiserate.
6. The majority of parent complaints will come from extra curricular decisions. Give the school board member's kid the lead in the play. It's not a hill worth dying on.
7. You'll never be able to live on a single teaching salary. Get used to a second job and/or a summer job. Or marry for money.
8. If at first you don't succeed, try a different age group to teach. I didn't like teaching high school students. I loved teaching middle schoolers. I like teaching adults even better. I found elementary children fun, but sort of annoying. Sorry.
9. Lighten up on yourself. Teaching is a hell of lot harder than it looks. Practice will make you better, but never perfect.
10. Some kids will do well because of you; some will do well despite you. You won't reach every kid, but there will always be some kids who will benefit from knowing you. Have faith that you are doing good in the world.
I still get the urge to place a full-page ad in the town paper where I first taught, apologizing to everyone who may have had me as a teacher for the two years I was employed there.
I still might.
My first year school picture. Oh, as a teacher, not a kindergartner.
Reader Comments (16)
What a coincidence. I started teaching in '76 as well. I wish I had a digital picture of myself to show off my my six inch wide houndstooth wool tie and tan corduroy sport jacket.
I like your whole list, particularly #3:Let the kids teach each other.
As an English teacher I devalued the lecture approach and devised ways of getting students emotionally and intellectually charged in interacting with each other on productive pursuits.
I am another who started teaching in the early 70's as a resource room teacher and then into technology and the library. I am now back in the high school where I started and kids are amazed that I used to have hair and lots of it. I would add two things to the list.
• Try to have some fun while teaching. That will help to keep the kids and you engaged and make for a more enjoyable career.
• Know when it is time to change. If you find "that person with whom to commiserate" and they are tired of listening to you, then get the hint. Change what you are doing or change where you are doing it.
I LOVED working with middle school students, enjoyed high school students (especially ones I had had in m.s.), and avoided elementary experiences at all costs...elementary SCARES me!!
#10 is the important for me...went thru a period when we were suppose to be all things to ALL kids...it is just plain not possible...so you latch on tight to the ones you can and go full throttle....knowing the others have someone else in their lives.
And those special, necessary 30-yr. friendships I have are priceless!
I'd add one thing:
Always try to be a learner.
( I see too many teachers who have forgotten we're to be learners - learn from the kids, learn from your mistakes, learn from your colleagues - pick some areas you feel are weak and go online and learn something about them!)
You are a brave man to post that picture...
Great list! One day in the not so distant future I hope to be able to check at least half of them off -
Dig the mutton chops, Doug!
(Great post.)
Hi Paul,
Check with your first school. I bet there is a yearbook in archive that has your picture in it!
Doug
Thanks, Rick. Great additions to the list.
I suppose we all need the knack of knowing when to change. Other can see it in us easily enough!
Doug
Hi Tim,
Yup. The teachers who consider themselves co-learners will be the ones who thrive.
Great addition,
Doug
Hi Kenn,
I just said that I wished that I KNEW these things - not that I could DO them!
Doug
Thanks, Chris. The 70s were hard on many of us fashion-wise. Had you been born yet, I am sure you'd have been trendy as well ;-)
Great talk from Philly Ignite. Thanks for speaking for many of us!
Doug
Ok, I had an advantage. I had run a Children's Art Museum and worked very closely with teachers. Also I come from a family of teachers. So I had a good deal of advice. I do wish I had figured out that
1. My principal was a bigot and an elitist. Because she saw me as upper class - I was allowed to do things with my class that other teachers got in trouble for. This hurt my professional relationships.
2. That my team leader was as crazy as a loon.
3. That being a screaming teacher in contagious and you need to watch yourself if you work with one especially when she is as crazy as a loon.
4. Stay away from the gossips they will twist your words to cause problems. Don't say anything that might be used if they are anywhere around.
I was a 5th grade teacher. Our kids were having a problem with a fraction concept. I went to the 4th grade state curriculum and realized that an early concept our kids needed wasn't taught in 4th grade - but our awful math book assumed it was. I showed this to my team mates and suggested we get with 4th grade the next day and see if we could borrow materials from the 4th grade kits to teach the concept. By the next morning a war between the 4th and 5th grade had errupted with all the 4th grade teacher furious. They had been told we were saying they weren't teaching fractions right.
I plowed ahead totally ignoring the angry looks. I showed them the state curriculum and the math book and how they didn't match up. I praise how much the students had retained. Then I asked if they had any materials in the 4th grade kits that might help us bridge the gap (all of us were 2nd year teacher so very little in our own supplies). The situation was defused. The gossip was no longer trusted by any of the teachers and basically frozen out. To this day that group of 4th and 5th grade teachers are a team that works closely together to insure the student learn.
Excellent list, Doug, and I love the chops, too.
If you've never played with http://yearbookyourself.com/ you might get a kick out of the trip down memory lane. Here's a shot of me during your first year of teaching. :)
Hi Kimberly,
Sounds like your first year was the acid test! I hope your subsequent years have been less, uh, eventful.
Thanks for post,
Doug
Hi Darren,
I am guessing that most of us, young (like you) and old (like me), will all get the chance to be somewhat embarrassed the 20-30 year old fashions from our past. But I do think the 70s was more extreme than most. I'd sure like to be that young again!
Love the yearbookyourself, but I still have actual yearbook pictures that look pretty much like yours!
All the best,
Doug
I love your list and agree with many. I didn't begin teaching until the mid 80s and I had some pretty big hair back then! This is my first year as a librarian. Many items on the list still apply, however there must me more for a first year librarian! Like the best way to repair the book that is most desired by the masses or how to learn the ends and outs of the automation system! Always enjoy your blog.
That pic is a riot. Thanks for sharing the list. i'll pass it on to our new teachers. I hope in my case they might disagree with number five.
Charlie
I have to comment on 5. After retiring as an administrator, I would also include teachers in there as well. Too many teachers 'bully' kids and forget what they are supposed to do. They were never mentored by an administrator! or other teachers. #3 is great; according to Ted Sizer, the guru of the Coalition of Essential Schools, good teachers are coaches and the students are workers. More classrooms should be arranged in just that fashion.
Hi Charlie,
Thanks for the comment. I was a fashion statement back in the day, huh?
Yeah, number 5 should have included both administrators and teachers, but since I have now gone over to the dark side, I felt I could only grouch about administrators. Oh, and I’ve worked for and with far more GOOD principals and superintendents than I have poor ones. No complaints from anyone in your district so far.
All the best,
Doug
Hi Mike,
You are absolutely right that #5 should have included teachers.
Thanks for the reminder.
All the best,
Doug
This was horrible. I disagree with a lot of what you said. Way to put down the teaching profession.
Hi SL,
No put down of the teaching profession was meant - only a self-criticism of me as a teacher. Sorry you read it the wrong way.
All the best,
Doug