Brookes classroom hindsight.pdf

CLASSROOM HINDSIGHT

What 19 Education Experts Wish They’d Known Their First Year on the Job

Paula Kluth, Ph.D.

This is easy because I think about this question a lot. The thing I wish I had known is that the memories do fade. On the first day of school, my colleague told me, ‘You should keep a journal so you don’t forget anything!’ We were starting “a new inclusive schooling journey in the district and she could see that there would be many remarkable moments in our future. I kept a journal for about two days before abandoning it and now I would give anything to have a written log of those days. I say this not only because it could help with my work today, but because I know it would have helped me to become a more reflective teacher and, perhaps, a more thoughtful one. This is one reason why I journal, write, and blog today. I now see the relationship between reflection and growth. It is so important for every teacher to have at least one tool for looking back and making sense of their work; that might mean scheduling regular coffee chats with a colleague, getting involved with a professional learning community, or starting a blog. Pick something that is right for you, but do something to keep you moving forward as you look back.

Katrina Arndt, Ph.D.

Dear first year teacher: congratulations! To prepare for the joys and challenges ahead, get to know the teachers in your building, especially the veteran colleagues who share your teaching philosophy: there is no better resource for day-to-day advice.

Patrick Schwarz, Ph.D.

I wish I would have known in my first year of teaching that I did not have to please everyone! When one operates always on behalf of kids by making them the center of the educational universe, the dream, vision, recommendation, action, and next step become crystal clear. Amen.

Joseph A. Dimino, Ph.D.

Teach vocabulary and comprehension as explicitly as you teach phonics. My pre-service training stressed teaching phonics explicitly. However, teaching vocabulary and comprehension using models with think-alouds and scaffolded instruction was not addressed. I suspect the reason is that the research we have now regarding the effectiveness of explicit instruction in those areas was not available over four decades ago.

Julie Causton, Ph.D.

Talk less, facilitate more. The students should be working at least as hard as you are! They learn best when the classroom is self-directed, relaxed, and engaging, not teacher-directed. Also, hook them with outrageously fun lesson introductions! Get them prepared and primed to dive into the content alongside you.

Lori Howard, Ph.D.

Take risks and try new ways of doing things. Mistakes will happen. Sleep = fewer mistakes. More sleep = better teaching.

Loui Lord Nelson, Ph.D.

Two words: receive and discuss. I would sign up to receive the free digital newsletter and posts that come from the top special and general education professional associations, but I wouldn’t stop there. I would also sign up for the “free digital newsletters and posts for advocacy organizations with tips on how to partner effectively with families and community partners. Finally, I would network with other educators to create my own think-tank to discuss inclusive practices, partnerships, and promising plans. There are plenty of naysayers; surround yourself with the thinkers, doers, and go-getters.

Elizabeth A. Potts, Ph.D.

Find your own mentor who teaches a curriculum that overlaps with your students’ needs. It’s not cheating to share resources, it’s smart. Also, invest in clothes with pockets. Pockets are invaluable.

Marcia K. Henry, Ph.D.

I wish that I’d had a deeper understanding of the many different learning styles that children can bring to the classroom. I had finished my teacher training in a very traditional college, one that espoused a one-size-fits-all approach to classroom management and pedagogy. It took only a few days in my first teaching position to realize how ill-prepared I was for the incredible range of interests, learning styles, emotional/physical/social needs that the students brought to each class. I quickly learned that adjusting the pace of learning, and assessing the daily needs of the individual and the class, were essential skills that I needed to develop to support my students. I also realized that my role included being part social worker, part counselor, a mentor, a friend, and a teacher. It was a blend that took some time to get used to.

Michael F. Giangreco, Ph.D.

You don’t need to know all the answers. Investigating students’ questions along with them can be both stimulating and informative. And students love it when the teacher says ‘Let’s figure this out together’.

Nancy Dyson, Ph.D.

Your students are individuals with individual ways of thinking. Encourage them to explain their thinking and do your best to be patient to understand them. Use this knowledge to direct your instruction and your students will thank you! Students of all ages appreciate it when they know that their teacher respects their thinking and is making an effort to understand them rather than just insisting on the teacher’s way of thinking.

Judith R. Birsh, Ed.D.

I surely wish I had known about the structure of the English language and how to teach reading in a systematic, skill development sequence. I would have been a better teacher if I had known how to group children according to their needs. By being familiar with multisensory techniques, I would have been able to reach all those who learn differently and would have had a good time doing it. Being aware of ongoing assessment would have given me clues about progress and how to plan the week’s lessons.

Whitney H. Rapp, Ph.D.

Something will happen every single school day that challenges you and makes you think on your feet. A lesson will not go as planned, something will spill, students will act up, a parent will question you. If you expect this, it will not throw you when it happens. Remember, it’s supposed to happen this way. If it were easy, it would be boring. Plan for as much as you can, and when it happens, embrace it as an opportunity to overcome a challenge and become a better teacher.

Deb Leach, Ph.D.

During my first years in the classroom, I wish I would have known that there is a huge difference between parenting and teaching. I didn’t truly understand this until I became a parent myself. My role as a teacher should be to support parents in meeting their priorities for their children, not get them to support me in fulfilling my teaching demands.

Susan E. Craig, Ph.D.

Children do well when they can. The question to ask when faced with problem behavior is not “why did you do that?” but rather “what happened to you that makes you act this way?” If you do it well, teaching is a physically and emotionally exhausting job. Take care of yourself. Remember to put your own oxygen mask on first before trying to help others.

Lynn Cannon, M.Ed.

Celebrate the successes and not the things you wish you could change or do differently. There will always be times when a lesson or an interaction does not play out the way you would have hoped. Learn from it, make plans to attack it differently in the future, and move on! Spend your time and energy focusing on what went well—these moments will always outweigh the challenges.

Linda H. Mason, Ph.D.

It would have been most helpful for me to understand that teaching is simply a learning progression—in other words, I did not need to ‘know it all!’ My teaching then, as it is today, is always reflective of my openness to explore new ideas and knowledge.

Rachel Janney, Ph.D.

You became an educator for the right reasons: to help, to teach, to advocate for, and to serve children and youth with disabilities. No matter what challenges you encounter—prejudice against your students, the irrational workings of the public education system—remember to keep your eyes on the prize.