Update #1 - August 23, 2021
It's going to be a great year!
We hope that you were as energized as we were after orientation last week! This update contains information to follow up on the topics from orientation and look forward to the coming weeks.
With all the resources available to you, the amount of information can seem overwhelming at times. We are all here to help answer questions and support. Your mentors, your peers, school leaders, and supervisors - along with the new teacher induction team - are united in our support for you.
New Teacher Seminars
New Teacher Seminars will take place on the first Wednesday of each month beginning on Wednesday, September 1, 2021.
This first seminar will be virtual beginning at 5:00 PM. The agenda, details, and links will be published through the New Teacher Seminar page on the SMCPS Induction Site. The information will be updated and finalized by Monday, August 30, 2021.
Google Calendar invitations will be sent out this week to secure the dates in your school calendar.
FAQ: Will in-person seminars also be available to attend virtually? No, the in-person seminars are not available for participants to log in remotely.
New Teacher Schoology Course
In addition to the SMCPS Induction Site, the New Teacher Support Schoology Course will be available to access resources throughout the school year. To assist new teachers with tracking their participation, the "grade book" will indicate the completed required elements of the induction program.
Each month, New Teacher Seminars will be followed up with a discussion within Schoology.
If you have not already joined the course, please use the code below.
Join this course
C96W-PMTC-7KMV3
Orientation Follow-Up
Resources: Presentations and resources shared at the Early Bird Sessions and during Days 1 & 3 of orientation can be found in the folder located at the bottom of the New Teacher Orientation page.
Adding The Force to Your Social Media: Thanks to April Ryan, there are several options for social media frames with the SMCPS Induction them. The frames are located in this Google Folder.
Reflection: Be sure to join the New Teacher Support Schoology Course and add to the reflective discussion by September 1, 2021.
Looking Forward: Have an idea or request for a session at the next New Teacher Seminar? Contact Heather Husk at hlhusk@smcps.org
Articles of Interest
Classroom Management: How Novice and Expert Teachers Approach Classroom Management Differently by Youki Terada, Edutopia
Connections: Icebreakers for Middle and High School Students That Really Work, We Are Teachers
Connections: Designing Team-Building Activities to Help Students Reconnect in the Classroom by Joe Shim, Edutopia
Self-Care: 5 Steps to Get Rid of Back to School Anxiety by National Education Association
The Signal
Have you seen the Signal? The Signal is the bi-weekly newsletter from SMCPS for all staff. It includes important information for all staff, and has a few professional articles for your reading as well. Take a look - www.smcps.org/signal.
