Joining the fun at I’m Blog Hoppin‘ with advice to New Teachers
I had a really difficult first year…I *loved* my kids and my job, but ended up being let go in the end. I look back on that year (painfully) and think I made a mistake of going into the year without a mentor (wasn’t done back then as much as now) and not realizing that I probably didn’t fit in as much as I had hoped with the other teachers..and probably came off as a “know it all”. It was a very hard thing to leave the school. I felt like a failure. But after healing, and reflecting upon the experience…I started over at a new school and have been there ever since =)
My advice for new teachers would be to ask for a mentor, make friends, but stay away from gossip…love your kids, stay organized and make lists (accept that you will forget something important at some point! =)
and shine!
Here I am my first day of student teaching (1995)…where I met Mrs Katie Perkins (my cooperating teacher) who taught me how to teach more than anyone else ever has!
Oh, and I woke up today with my throat swollen (uvula currently laying on my tongue)…
I can’t get sick. I can’t get sick. I can’t get sick.
I can’t get sick. I can’t get sick. I can’t get sick.
Hope you feel better and don't get sick! I agree with your advise, my cooperating teacher was the best teacher I've ever met (even to this day) and I often find myself asking, "What would she do".