New Teachers and Mentors

 
New Teachers

Make a Practice of Reflection
(Judy Jones)

 What to Expect Your First Year of Teaching
see below, Checklist of Tips


Lots of excellent how tos presented by experienced teachers as well as chats and a new teacher helpline (click on picture for site).


Many great resources for teachers including
"Survival Kit" for new teachers and
Back-to-School Guide for Beginning Teachers

MiddleWeb's The First Days of Middle School
Help for new teachers and information on classroom management and discipline.
The Teachers' Mentor
Lots of resources and you can talk to the "mentor" too.

Daily Classroom Specials for New Teachers
Another great resource by Teacher Network.org

 
Mentor Teachers

Mentoring
Education Topics from ASCD
Edutopia Newsletter: Mentoring. Highlights as key ingredient in professional development of teachers and profiles several notable programs.
The Mentoring Leadership and Resource Network
better known as MLRN, is a grass roots effort started by a few educators and supported, in part as a network of the ASCD. Since 1991 MLRN has grown to become a international initiative.  
 The Mentor Teacher Casebook
This casebook describes the challenges, successes and failures experienced by 22 veteran teachers in their new role of providing instructional support to beginning teachers.  

 

What to Expect Your First Year of Teaching
September 1998
What to Expect Your First Year of Teaching is built on the words and recollections of award-winning, first-year teachers (see link above).
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A Checklist of Tips
Plan relentlessly: Create back-up plans and plans for teaching students of varying abilities.
Set high, consistently reinforced expectations for behavior and academic performance.
Show and require respect in the classroom at all times.
Reach out to parents and your administration, preferably early on and before a problem arises.
Consider participating in an extracurricular activity, which strengthens relationships with students and can be enjoy- able as well.
Seek mentors, team teaching assignments, and regular exchanges with fellow first-year teachers.
Be flexible and ready for surprises: For example, one teacher was assigned a classroom of students from kindergarten through fourth grade.
Work closely with counselors or other school personnel authorized to respond to children's social problems.
Take care of yourself physically and spiritually.
Love learning, love kids, and love teaching!