Navigating the Classroom with Confidence, Professionalism, and Self-Awareness

This New Teacher's Companion is a valuable resource for any teacher be it new or old, who wants the classroom to be a rich and rewarding place for teachers and students alike.

Teacher Companion Handbook: AY - 24-25

This handbook outlines essential policies, procedures, and expectations for educators. It is a quick reference tool for teachers, providing crucial information on various aspects of their roles within the educational institution. It is designed to provide clarity and support as you navigate your roles within our community.

Research confirms that the teacher makes the greatest difference in the learning success of students, so it's important that new teachers get off to a strong start. Teaching is a physically and emotionally demanding career, but here is some practical advice and memorable anecdotes that will help you as teachers to prepare for and enjoy your work-even on the most difficult days. 

This New Teacher's Companion is a valuable resource for any teacher be it new or old, who wants the classroom to be a rich and rewarding place for teachers and students alike.

Professionalism:

• Always do what you believe to be best for your students. They should always be your number one priority. Think, how does this benefit my students? If that question is difficult to answer, you may want to reconsider.

• Focus on establishing meaningful, cooperative relationships. Building strong relationships with your students, peers, administrators, and parents will ultimately make your job easier.

• Respect the decisions of your Head of School and understand that they have many responsibilities. Teachers must have a great working relationship with their administrator but respect the fact that their time is valuable.

• Be professional in dress, manner, and attitude from the first minute that you are present in the classroom

• Never bring your personal problems or issues into the classroom. Leave them at home. Your students should never know when something at home is bothering you.

• Be open and willing to learn at all times. Teaching is a journey that will provide many opportunities to learn. You should strive to improve your teaching each and every day, even when you've been in the classroom for years.

• Always be fair and consistent. Your students are always watching to make sure you are doing this. You will undermine your own authority if they believe you are playing favorites.

• Parents are the cornerstone of a great education, and as such, teachers must do their part to engage even the most reluctant parents in the learning process. Provide plenty of opportunities for parents to become involved and encourage them to do so.

• A teacher must never put herself or himself in a compromising situation. Teachers must always be aware of their situation and never allow themselves to be vulnerable. They must maintain self-control at all times, protecting themselves and their reputation.

• Take the time to get to know your students. Find out what they like to do and include their interests in your lessons. Establish a rapport and connection with them, and you will find that engaging them in your lessons becomes easier.

• Establish rules, expectations, and procedures beginning on the first day of school. Hold your students accountable for their actions. You do not have to be a dictator, but you do need to be firm, fair, and consistent. Keep in mind that you are not there to be their friend. Your students need to know that you are in always in charge.

• Always be willing to listen to others, including your students, and take their feedback into account. You can learn the most when you are willing to take the time to hear what others are saying. Be open-minded and willing to take their advice.

• Own your mistakes. Teachers are not perfect, and it doesn't help your students to pretend that you are. Instead, set the example by owning your mistakes and showing your students that mistakes can lead to learning opportunities.

• Work cooperatively with other teachers. Always be willing to take another teacher’s advice. Likewise, share your best practices with other teachers.

• Always be willing to adapt and change. Teaching is always changing. There is always something newer and better to try. Try to embrace change instead of resisting it.

• Teachers must be flexible. Some of the best moments in teaching are born out of spontaneity. Take advantage of those teachable moments. Be willing to change your plans when another opportunity presents itself.

• Never purposely embarrass or put down a student in front of their peers. If you need to discipline or correct a student, do so privately in the confines of the hallway or after class. As a teacher, you need your students to trust and respect you. Give your students a reason to do this.

• Go the extra mile when you can. A lot of teachers volunteer their time for things like tutoring struggling students or sponsor a group or activity. These small actions mean a lot to your students.

• Never fall behind in grading and recording. It can be an overwhelming and almost impossible endeavor to try and catch up. Instead, set a goal to grade and return every paper within a two- to three- day period. This not only makes your job easier but also provides students with more relevant and timely feedback.

• Always be aware of and adhere to the HR policies and procedures. If you are not sure about something, it is better to ask your Head of School and be sure than it is to make a costly mistake. As a teacher, you are responsible for ensuring that your students are following them as well.

• Be your students’ biggest cheerleader. Never tell them that they cannot do something. Help them accomplish their goals by setting them on the correct path and nudging them in the right direction when they go astray.

• Protect your students at all cost. Always be aware of your surroundings and ensure that your students are safe and secure at all times. Practice safety procedures within your classroom at all times and never allow students to engage in reckless behavior

• Always be prepared! Preparation may not necessarily guarantee success, but the lack of preparation will almost certainly ensure failure. Teachers must put in the necessary time to create meaningful lessons that engage students.Do not wait until the last minute to devise unit or lesson plans. Take time to research your ideas before you try them out.

• Have extra activities for students to do in that "left over" time at the end of the hour and don't expect every class to react the same to various activities and discussions

• Have fun! If you enjoy your work, your students will notice and they will have a more enjoyable experience as well.

Be Prepared

• Be sure to practice with the technology before the start of school.  Check log-in and passwords for communication software such as e-mail. Know what platforms your school uses daily, such as the grading platform PowerSchool. 

• Find out which software licenses are available to you (Google Suite, etc.) so that you can begin to set up your digital use on these programs.

• Do not wait until the last minute to devise unit or lesson plans. Take time to research your ideas before you try them out.

• Have daily lesson plans well prepared.

• Always plan more for each class period than you think you can accomplish.

• Have extra activities for students to do in that "left over" time at the end of the hour.

• Don't expect every class to react the same to various activities and discussions.

• Always have examples ready that are relevant to the students' lives.

• Know how to use equipment such as the data projector and television. Nothing is more embarrassing than ruining such a machine in front of thirty-five pairs of eyes.

• Be self-confident. Be able to explain the importance of your curriculum or why the student received the grade he or she did.

• Know where the fire exits are located. Be familiar with disaster procedures. Be prepared!

Be Organized

• It is important to feel prepared as well as look prepared.

• Thoroughly prepare lecture notes, mini-lessons, questions for discussion, and class activities each day.

• If you expect your students to have all of their materials, then you should have yours, too.

• Clearly state objectives and exactly what you expect on assignments -- students need a picture sometimes.

• The students always want to know what is due and when. Write assignments on the board daily and verbally remind them of due dates.

• Give students plenty of advance warning regarding assignment due dates, and give students a copy of the syllabus early in the semester. It is also a good idea to mail a copy of the syllabus home to students' parents.

• Set grading criteria for letter grades on all tests and essays before giving them to the students.

• Never fall behind in grading and recording. It can be an overwhelming and almost impossible endeavor to try and catch up. Instead, set a goal to grade and return every paper within a two- to three- day period. This not only makes your job easier but also provides students with more relevant and timely feedback.

• When grading students' writing assignments, give them a cover sheet with a checklist. Check any mechanical or organizational mistakes the students make on the checklist. This way, the students know exactly why they received the grade they did.

• To save time and prevent confusion, before handing back student papers and tests, categorize them by seating arrangement or alphabetize them.

• In order to avoid the "who-needs-what-paper" dilemma because he or she was absent, keep a file. If a student is absent, put the student's name on the top of the handout, and keep it for when the student returns.

• Have students take responsibility for their absent peers. They can collect handouts and assignments and put them in a folder designed for that purpose.

• Acquire a school calendar so that you'll know when students have days off and when other important activities are scheduled.

• Keep a schedule of each class in a plastic cover. If you give a student permission to leave for the library, restroom, or somewhere else, use a dry erase marker to indicate on the plastic cover where the student has gone.

• Keep manuals in one place.

• Keep your desk and files organized.

• Keep two folders for student work for each period you teach, one for papers you have graded and one for papers you haven't graded yet. This is especially helpful if your students are turning in a lot of papers each week.

• Be sure to have a record of your micro lesson plans.

• A good way to organize the material you collect is to keep binders for each teaching unit.

• Try to keep track of the books you loan out. Using note cards for each book, write the names of the students who check out your books, and keep a book file.

Be Patient

• Give students enough thinking time.

• Don't tell your students the answer simply because a few seconds have passed in silence. Wait longer, minutes even, before restating the question, but don't answer it yourself.

• If students don't respond to a question right away, or if they express confusion, ask lead-in questions.

• Remember that students will be absent, so don't get too frustrated when having to reschedule assignments and activities.

• Realize and accept that not all students will remain at the same level academically.

• Listen attentively to students' problems.

Be a Real Person, and Honor Each Student as a Real Person

• Treat your students with respect at all times. Never embarrass a student or make a student feel bad about himself or herself.

• Never use sarcasm toward your students.

• Be firm, but be flexible, when it's needed.

• Don't dislike any student -- dislike behaviors or attitudes.

• Make an effort to include all students.

• Keep prejudice out of the classroom.

• Encourage leadership and confidence in all students.

• Encourage students to dream.

• Recognize students who do outstanding work as well as those who need to improve.

• Always let students know when they have done a good job.

• Don't be an enforcer or know-it-all. Let the students see the real you.

• Do not pretend to be all-knowing -- we all learn together.

• If you make a mistake, don't give up. Keep trying until you get it right. It is OK for a student to see a teacher mess up -- this makes teachers seem more like real people..

• Know students as well as you can. Know their strengths and weaknesses.

• Know the students' names. This will help establish a good rapport with them.

• Be a good listener.

• Let students know that if they have a problem, they can share it in confidence with you.

• Let your students know that you enjoy your job and that you want to be with them.

Be Sensible with Discipline

• Establish firm ground rules regarding class conduct on the first day of class and stick to those rules. Having a mutually agreed “Social contract” out at the beginning of the school year is essential for new teachers.

• Always make clear to students what you expect and follow through.

• Know the school's discipline policy and adhere to it.

• Always document discipline problems, especially recurring ones. You may need this documentation when talking to parents or Head of School.

• Don't be afraid to talk to fellow teachers about problems you are having or to the school counselors -- that's what they are there for.

• Be sure to let parents know early if there is a problem.

• Don't let problems occur more than three times without doing something about them. If necessary, take students out into the hall and discuss problems there or ask the student to stay after school to work out problems.

• Avoid confrontations in the classroom at all costs!

• Do not argue with a student during class. Discuss the problem one-on-one after class.

• Have solid rules and procedures for discipline. Do not send every discipline problem to the School Leadership because it will show that you cannot handle your class. Keep the discipline and the students inside of the classroom.

• Do not be too strict in class. Do not yell,hit or reprimand students each time they talk out of turn or break the silence. Give students some freedom.

• In disciplining, don't approach students from an adversarial standpoint. Let them know that the rules are designed to provide guidance so that everyone has the opportunity to achieve without any interference from others.

• Let students know that you have confidence in them, and that you have set high expectations for their achievement. Affirm positive behavior and achievement.

• Be consistent in the way you deal with students; don't offer special treatment or excessive punishment to anyone, ever.

• Respond fairly and wisely.

• Give the students the benefit of the doubt.

• If a student is acting up, try standing near the student and make clear eye contact with him or her.  

• Walk around or circulate in the class. Move about through their desks and make your presence known.  This increases attention.

• Do not judge your students by your own personal standards.

• Make the rules and repercussions reasonable.

• Be authoritative, not authoritarian.

• Set the tone for the day if you go on a field trip.  Discreetly let students know that you are still the authority, even though you are in a different environment from that of the school.

• "Never let them see you sweat." If they know they can walk all over you, they will. (crying isn’t a good idea either…)

Be Aware of Your Own Needs

• Find time outside of school to decompress. Every teacher should have some sort of hobby or interest that can help them escape the daily grind of school. 

• Give yourself relaxation or "self" time every day after a hectic day at work, even if it is only thirty minutes.

• Take time out to deal with stress when it does happen.

• When you take on more activities than you can handle,learn to prioritise and don’t hesitate to ask for help!

• Try to get enough sleep and exercise.

• Inform your significant others that you will be busy.

• Read and write for yourself

• Strive for excellence, not perfection.

• Reflect, reflect, reflect… and modify following reflection