[etni] [FWD: tips for new teachers]
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- To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 01:08:01 -0700
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: tips for new teachers
From: "Debora Bess Siegel" <deborass@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
I wanted to thank everyone who has sent us a tip-- they are great. I
have cut and pasted what we have colelcted so far so everyone can read
them-- and also to make sure I have credited the correct people.
ENJOY!!
ASSORTED TIPS
- Photo-copy at least two days in advance; never wait to the last
minute! The machine can break down, or a page can be copied wrongly.
- Check all photo copies. Make sure the right pages have been copied
and that nothing has been cut off.
- Whenever possible, photo-copy on both sides of the page in order to
save paper.
- Reading comprehension texts should not have reading comprehension
questions on the reverse side as it is difficult for students to keep
turning the page over.
- Do not photo-copy a lot; the school administration will be displeased
and may prevent you from photo-copying altogether.
- Find out who the person is who does the photocopying and brings the
OHP to your classroom. Sexual preference permitting, marry him/her.
(Courtesy of Barry, ETNI)
- Read your teacher union ?Yoman? from cover to cover so that you know
all your rights.
- When you receive your first pay slip, sit down with an experienced
teacher and/or accountant and make sure everything is in order. Ask
questions until the whole slip is clear to you.
- Having a "big sister" to talk to, commiserate with and to say hello to
in the halls or on the phone is a great help.
When I first began teaching in Israel so many years ago, I was always
the only English teacher in the school for many years. As a result of
that, there were perks that I missed out on simply because no one
told
me and because I didn't know the right questions to ask! (Courtesy of
Esther Shenker)
- Make sure to join one of the teachers unions?! You never know when
you'll need them. Also important that teachers know they are expected
to
follow union policy once they become members. .Whether they agree
with
it or not, or face penalties. AND Sign up with ETNI! another "obvious"
suggestion! (Courtesy of From Laurie Ornstein)
- Color code your classes. For example, I use: red for 12th grade, green
for 11th grade, blue for 10th grade, yellow for 9th grade. I organize
everything according to that: a colored bag for each class in which I
keep a notebook of the same color (with the lesson plans). In my
attendance book I use colored sticker to denote where each class
begins,
I color in the time schedule accordingly and have stickers to match,
as
well as clear folders of different sizes and types for holding
homework,
tests, etc. This way, when I am in a hurry, I just grab that colored
bag and run! It is SO easy to find what I want that I cannot imagine
ever having managed without it! I will be forever grateful to
Lucille!
Courtesy of ~Adele Raemer (who learned the technique from a colleague
from Yad Mordechai ? Lucille)
- Make your own filing system and keep a copy of each worksheet you
use/make up. Make sure you file as the year progresses! Most of us
don't and are left with a huge pile at the end of the year. (Courtesy
of
Jackie Keller)
- Keep a file at home for each class, adding exam copies and the date
given. This way when you have the same age group next year you will
know which exams have been used. Add in copies of quizzes, projects
etc. Doing this will save hours of preparation work in the future.
Keep other files of work-pages you prepare for grammar, unseens,
literature, poetry etc. Mark each file clearly with its category.
Again, saves hours of work in the future. I also add things I've
been
given at ETNI lectures etc. (Courtesy of Patricia Reifen )
- Books are heavy and can easily cause back problems. Therefore, do not
carry around a lot of books. Use a trolley or get an extra set so
that
one can stay at home.
- You will never have everything on your to do list crossed off! So, the
key is to prioritize, do what you absolutely need to each day, and a
little extra if you have time, and call it good.
- Don't spend every weekend and evening doing school stuff. Set aside
time each week to do some of the things that you truly enjoy. I
guarantee that if you put yourself first by making some time for
yourself, you'll be a better teacher! You'll be refreshed and
energized.
- Have fun, use your sense of humor, be confident in yourself and your
abilities, it's okay to make mistakes- they are valuable learning
experiences, show enthusiasm for what you are teaching. and finally,
enjoy your class- there is something to love in even the most
difficult
child.
- Be flexible!!!!! Schedules and lesson plans are a must, but be ready
to switch things around at the last minute
because of an unannounced assembly or fire drill, or other unexpected
event.
- Always have in your filing cabinet three or four filler activities all
ready copied for the class- this has been a lifesaver for me whenever
one of those unexpected events occurred. That way you're not
scrambling
around thinking, "now what am I going to do with them?!"
- Carry around a three pocketed pencil case with everything you need in
it - coloured pens, pencils, erasers, pencil, sharpener, stick -tack /
blu tac, scissors, a stapler, tape, staples, a glue stick, a permanent
marker, a chalk holder with chalk in it, a white out stick, a small
ruler etc. I call my pencil case my office. If you use white boards
in
school you can put your white board markers there, too. I prefer to
use
a separate, small cloth bag with a zipper (the jeans pencil case) for
my
white board markers. I keep a rag in a plastic zip bag to erase the
board. I throw the rag in the wash once a week and use a different
rag
the following week. There are these felt-like square rags that are
great. White board erasers and sponges just collect the dirt and
eventually start smearing it back on the board. (Courtesy of Michele
Ben)
- Before you decide to show a movie to your class, make sure you know
the school's policy on movies (they may want to censor it first).The
day
before you intend to show the movie, make sure all the video equipment
is working and that no other teacher has ordered the equipment for the
same hours you need it. Lastly, make sure that you run the video
cassette exactly to the point where you want the movie to start (so you
don't waste time fast forwarding). Finally, make sure you have at least
one student who is a whiz at electronics if something goes wrong.
(Courtesy of Chana Hirsch)
- Get a list of all the English words that make kids giggle, such as
'nod', 'fleets', 'Zionist' , 'grapes', 'beach' and 'sheet.' In
January,
1983, a new immigrant teacher at High veGay School in the North gave
the
following sentence as a dictation: "The captain waited for a nod from
the Admiral before ordering the Zionist fleets to approach the
beach."
At this point, the ground opened up and the teacher was never seen
again. (Courtesy of Barry)
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