Advice for Student Teachers
We've all had feelings of anxiety as student teachers. A barrage of thoughts and concerns flow through our minds regarding the subject. I thought I’d make a helpful list of tips for future student teachers to check out! Feel free to comment below to give new teachers advice on gaining the most out of their first teaching experiences.
Ask Away
Most of us are ambiverts, as such we tend to keep our questions to ourselves. Perhaps you don’t want to be a bother or look foolish, but as the great Carl Sagan said “There are naive questions, tedious questions, ill-phrased questions, questions put after inadequate self-criticism. But every question is a cry to understand the world. There is no such thing as a dumb question.”
You’ve been thrust into a new and unique situation with a learning curve. Some situations can be figured out but others are difficult to understand. Classroom management, grading of assignments and technology are some of the topics that all new teachers should ask their associate teachers about. Feel free to ask your associate teacher about how they deal with the various unique “teacher situations” like bathroom breaks or grading.
You may feel like you’re taking up your associate teacher's precious time but from my experience most veteran teachers love to share their knowledge in the field. It sometimes helps to keep a list of questions to ask or perhaps ask multiple teachers various questions so the onus isn’t on just on person.
“There are naive questions, tedious questions, ill-phrased questions, questions put after inadequate self-criticism. But every question is a cry to understand the world. There is no such thing as a dumb question.”
Be a Watcher
In order to learn the difference between good teaching and “the other kind,” observe as many educators as you can. Education programs in Canada require that you complete a certain number of practicums but the more observation time you can get, the better. One way to gain more time include observing someone else’s class. Doing this allows you to learn new and varied instructional techniques, classroom management tactics, presentation strategies and more!
Observation time does not have to be solely in your content area and grade level, it helps to learn from educators in other areas where you may find unique strategies they use. Feel free to watch/assist a teacher with coaching or a club. The more you are exposed to varying educational strategies, the more you have in your own personal arsenal.
As previously stated, asking colleagues questions helps as it can allow you to segue into asking for observational time. Most teachers are happy to help you grow as an educator!
Dress Professionally
The best tip I can offer here is: if you have any doubts about something you’re thinking of wearing, don’t wear it!
Do some research about your school’s dress code. For the most part, dress professionally and conservatively. An educator is being watched and judged by everyone (parents, students, administration) while on the job. Additionally, as a young teacher (mid-twenties), I realized that I needed to differentiate how I look from my students (high school). The phrase “dress for the job you want” truly applies as an educator.
A great source of inspiration for dressing professionally is the blog Corporette or Men Style Fashion, they have a variety of ideas and wardrobe combinations that you can take advantage of as a burgeoning young professional. Alternatively, Pinterest has a large selection of photos that offer great ideas and tips; these can be found by searching “career wardrobes” or “teacher fashion”
You Are Your Biggest Critic
“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes”
Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Obviously, use your professional judgement to decide what is appropriate but if you want to try a new teaching technique or idea, go for it! It’s understandable to attempt to impress your associate teacher, the administration, parents and students but one of the best ways to do that is to stand out. Soooo take some risks and try various teaching techniques! Personify a growth mindset! Step out of your comfort zone and be willing to fail in order to learn from new opportunities. Your associate teacher is there to observe you and offer you advice! There are a lot of eyes watching you, you may feel like if you make a mistake you’ll have lost their faith in your ability but don’t worry, you’re just a novice and no one expects you to be perfect! Everyone makes mistakes, from the rookies to the seasoned professional. It’s okay to be wrong once in a while. In the words of Oscar Wilde, “experience is simply the name we give our mistakes,” so go ahead and gain some experience.
Sanitize Your Social Media Accounts
As an educator you and your actions should be beyond reproach. As such, make sure you clean out your social media accounts till they’re sterile. Remember to delete any controversial posts, untag yourself from any questionable photos and unlike pages that could cause parents, students or administration from making critical presumptions of you. Don’t forget to change your settings from public to private to prevent those in your community from finding, following, tagging, tweeting, dm’ing, snapping, etc, you. Essentially, do your best to remove objectionable items that could cause an administrator to think twice about hiring you. Although you will enjoy a semblance of privacy, you are going to be an educator and as such a public servant; therefore your internet presence should be professional.
Some Obvious Tips That Need To Be Said
Learn Your Students Names Quickly
This is a small tip that may seem obvious but trust me, it means a lot to the students that you know their names.
Arrive On Time
Apparently this is something that associate teachers have had issues in the past. This is an obvious tip but should not be overlooked. You’re a role model for the students in your class, as such they look up to you, so set a good example. If you are late, don’t walk into class with a cup of coffee; that’s a really bad look (A professor told my class this story and later during my practicum I experienced it first hand when a fellow student teacher walked in late to class, the look on everyones’ faces was priceless. So, I suppose this happens more than one would think…) .
Turn Your Cellphone Off/Put It On Silent
Phones have a habit of ringing at the most inopportune of moments, for instance when you’re teaching the class or helping a student. You can’t stop someone from calling you but you can ensure the whole class doesn’t hear the call. Do yourself a favour, put your phone on silent.
Keep A Record
Over the course of your placement and career, you will create or play a role in some pretty unique things. As such, keep a record of your accomplishments! This record can be created through pictures to letters and everything in-between. Examples of things you should keep a record of include: assisting on field trips, assisting another teacher’s class, introducing new technology into the classroom and more! Nearly everything you do can be incorporated on your résumé and display your versatility.
Build Relationships
Relationships are key in most areas of our lives, this includes in teaching. Develop connections with your students, parents and fellow teachers; it tends to make things easier.
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