Five Tips for New Teachers on Their First Summer Break
Dede Rittman
@dederittman
Congratulations! You made it through your very first full year of teaching and summer vacation is here! Take a deep breath, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back for such a major accomplishment, and then take some quiet time to think about the year. After teaching for 37 years, I offer you these five tips to keep you thinking about improving your classroom and teaching, even during summer break.
1. Think about your first year relationship with your students. Were you approachable, but still knew where to draw the line between teacher and student? Did you let “your kids” know that you enjoyed being their teacher? Did you show respect for them as people, and for their ideas? Did you draw everyone into classroom discussions, even the shy ones? Did you give praise when it was due? Did you show your students that you were a confident leader? As the teacher, you set the tone for your classroom every single day. Even if you are having a bad day, your students do not have to have one too. Think of your behavior and classroom tone your first year, and make a list of ways you can improve. Your list might begin with: Include everyone; lead confidently; be respectful; use humor; show students your enjoyment of teaching, etc. I promise that you will have very few discipline problems when you have a solid and mutually respectful relationship with your students.
2. Reflect upon your lesson planning. Were there some lessons that were spectacular, and others that were “ho-hum?” What made the spectacular lessons so good? Summer break is a good time to revamp some of the lessons you know you will be repeating next year, without the stress of having to have a deadline. After a few weeks away from school, your creative juices should start to flow as you improve your lessons. Know that this summer work will greatly enhance your performance next school year. (Some of my best lessons were created in the summer. No deadline/time to think equals some creative lessons.)
3. Did you want to use more technology in your lessons during your first year of teaching, but you just could not find the time to teach, correct papers, and learn new technologies, too? Summer break is a great time for you, as a teacher, to continue your passion for learning new things and sharing that learning with your students. Many community colleges and Internet sites offer classes in a variety of programs, so find a colleague and sign up for a class together. Who knows? Maybe your principal will ask you to share your new found success/lessons with technology with the rest of the staff, and you know that your students will enjoy a new method of learning with technology.
4. How was your communication with parents during your first school year? Have you thought at all about an Internet weekly paper for your classes? If you look online and set up a template this summer, it will take you only about ten minutes each week to post lesson plans, project due dates, an inspirational quote, news about upcoming school or classroom events, and a few words about the learning that is being shared in your classroom. Parents will feel that they are included in your classroom, which will result in fewer parent phone calls and complaints. Take the time to make a short handout to be sent home on the first day of school with your students, and parents and students will enjoy your classroom paper. (If you want to post photos of students, be sure to ask about administrative policy first. Also, do not post your opinion about school policies in your paper.)
5. What are you doing with social media this summer? I think creating a Twitter account for your classroom with students following each other has some real benefits. Since most middle and high school students are on social media, Twitter could be a source of inspiration, of reminders, and for both you and your students to share learning experiences in 140 or fewer characters. Tweeting throughout the summer could keep your class together as a group, and you could ask for a tweet per week to keep the group together. If you are an elementary teacher, perhaps you could create a blog site and ask students to post something they learned each week during summer vacation. Remember that because you are a teacher, you are an instructional leader, whether school is in session or not! Students will be bored after the first week or so of vacation, and social media is not very time consuming. You would be keeping your students writing throughout the summer!
In closing, enjoy the rest and refreshment of summer break, but keep in mind that each year of your career when you return to the classroom, you want to show more confidence; become a better presenter; prepare and execute exciting lessons; and help your students to love learning- year round, and for their entire lifetimes!
1. Think about your first year relationship with your students. Were you approachable, but still knew where to draw the line between teacher and student? Did you let “your kids” know that you enjoyed being their teacher? Did you show respect for them as people, and for their ideas? Did you draw everyone into classroom discussions, even the shy ones? Did you give praise when it was due? Did you show your students that you were a confident leader? As the teacher, you set the tone for your classroom every single day. Even if you are having a bad day, your students do not have to have one too. Think of your behavior and classroom tone your first year, and make a list of ways you can improve. Your list might begin with: Include everyone; lead confidently; be respectful; use humor; show students your enjoyment of teaching, etc. I promise that you will have very few discipline problems when you have a solid and mutually respectful relationship with your students.
2. Reflect upon your lesson planning. Were there some lessons that were spectacular, and others that were “ho-hum?” What made the spectacular lessons so good? Summer break is a good time to revamp some of the lessons you know you will be repeating next year, without the stress of having to have a deadline. After a few weeks away from school, your creative juices should start to flow as you improve your lessons. Know that this summer work will greatly enhance your performance next school year. (Some of my best lessons were created in the summer. No deadline/time to think equals some creative lessons.)
3. Did you want to use more technology in your lessons during your first year of teaching, but you just could not find the time to teach, correct papers, and learn new technologies, too? Summer break is a great time for you, as a teacher, to continue your passion for learning new things and sharing that learning with your students. Many community colleges and Internet sites offer classes in a variety of programs, so find a colleague and sign up for a class together. Who knows? Maybe your principal will ask you to share your new found success/lessons with technology with the rest of the staff, and you know that your students will enjoy a new method of learning with technology.
4. How was your communication with parents during your first school year? Have you thought at all about an Internet weekly paper for your classes? If you look online and set up a template this summer, it will take you only about ten minutes each week to post lesson plans, project due dates, an inspirational quote, news about upcoming school or classroom events, and a few words about the learning that is being shared in your classroom. Parents will feel that they are included in your classroom, which will result in fewer parent phone calls and complaints. Take the time to make a short handout to be sent home on the first day of school with your students, and parents and students will enjoy your classroom paper. (If you want to post photos of students, be sure to ask about administrative policy first. Also, do not post your opinion about school policies in your paper.)
5. What are you doing with social media this summer? I think creating a Twitter account for your classroom with students following each other has some real benefits. Since most middle and high school students are on social media, Twitter could be a source of inspiration, of reminders, and for both you and your students to share learning experiences in 140 or fewer characters. Tweeting throughout the summer could keep your class together as a group, and you could ask for a tweet per week to keep the group together. If you are an elementary teacher, perhaps you could create a blog site and ask students to post something they learned each week during summer vacation. Remember that because you are a teacher, you are an instructional leader, whether school is in session or not! Students will be bored after the first week or so of vacation, and social media is not very time consuming. You would be keeping your students writing throughout the summer!
In closing, enjoy the rest and refreshment of summer break, but keep in mind that each year of your career when you return to the classroom, you want to show more confidence; become a better presenter; prepare and execute exciting lessons; and help your students to love learning- year round, and for their entire lifetimes!