Years ago, new teachers could walk into a school building and begin teaching on the first day of school without any assistance or introduction. All that has changed!
With the ever changing requirements for teaching and the increasing demands for teachers to include a variety of teaching styles and methods, you now need to know your school and your co-workers before that first day. It is, therefore, vital for you new teachers to get there NOW and begin networking.
So, who do you need to know?
1. Find your MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR. This person will be your best friend if you have incorporated technology into your lessons (YES- There should be technology in your lessons!). The building tech person will have your gradebook access information, your access to the projectors, dvd players, mobile labs, etc. They will also be the one you call for HELP when you are in the middle of a lesson and the whole system goes down. It happens!
2. Meet your SECRETARY/BOOKKEEPER/RECEPTIONIST. You may have the idea that this person is not important in your life, but that is a very bad assumption. They are your lifeline to resources, classroom materials, club schedules, and parents! Your office staff will help you when no one else is available and they will always be there with a kind smile to help you get through the toughest of days.
3. Beg for time with your ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS or CURRICULUM FACILITATORS. These roles are sometimes new in the buildings these days, but they are vital and often overwhelming (my husband is an assistant principal and is always running!). In the old days, the principal took care of everything between the Central Office and the classroom teachers. Now, the principals pass those obligations down to their assistants. So for curriculum or discipline questions, these are your “go to” people. Make them your friends and allies!
4. Know and love your CUSTODIANS. If you’ve ever watched The Breakfast Club, you know that the custodians are the eyes and ears of the building. They know everything. More importantly, they take care of your classroom. I very much appreciate my custodians and the work they do. It is an incredible job, and I try to do all I can to make sure they are not stressed with extra messes and mishaps. One simple practice – make sure your last class picks up anything from the floor and deposits it in the trash can on the way out the door. Simple, but significant!
5. Collaborate with your COUNTERPARTS. Find the other teachers in the building that teach the same students. Work together to create interdisciplinary lessons and talk with one another to share effective strategies in classroom management for your “challenging” students. More importantly, these teachers will know and understand your specific stresses like no other in the building. Be each others’ sounding board for ideas, and share each others’ stresses to make your year go by without a serious catch!
Finally, find other NEW TEACHERS. If your school does not have a new teacher co-hort or mentoring program, create your own. You need to work with one another and share the stress of being a newbie! But don’t be the downer in the group. Just remember – your first year is temporary. Next year, it will be your second, and by then, you will be an old pro!