The Teacher Advocate has more than 100 searchable articles on everyday topics that will always be relevant to new and returning teachers. Here are some examples of our best to give you a hand, whether you’re new to the classroom or just starting a new year!
Lead to Teach: 4 Ways to Build a Positive Learning Environment
By Karyn Miller
“What if my students won’t listen to me? What if they won’t follow my rules?”
These and other classroom management concerns are often a source of anxiety for new teachers. Whether you are a new teacher, or someone who has been in the classroom for years, the reality is that creating an environment for learning is hard work.
Classroom management strategies, such as establishing rules and procedures or identifying appropriate consequences, are necessary for a new teacher’s toolkit. To stay focused on the ultimate prize—student success—effective teachers cannot simply be classroom managers. They must be classroom leaders who deliberately create an environment conducive to teaching and learning.
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8 Tips for Getting Along with Your Administrators
By Daniel Weintraub
Having been in the field of education in a variety of capacities since 2004, I often get asked for the most important advice I can give to new teachers. Folks often expect me to answer something akin to having strong lesson plans, good behavior management, excellent parental relations, and so on. However, for me, all of this comes secondary to the most important relationship you will have in the school, the one with the folks who set the tone for your school: administrators. This duet will make or break your experience as a teacher, but I have some tips picked up over the years to help strengthen this bond.
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Big Classroom Dreams, Small Teacher Budget: 8 Tips to Stretch Your Dollar
By Becky Clark and Lauren Hawks
Creating an inviting classroom environment can be an exciting yet stressful challenge for new teachers. Based upon our experiences as classroom teachers and teacher mentors, we have discovered eight practical suggestions for creating an inviting classroom environment on a limited budget.
New teachers understand the importance of creating a well-managed and welcoming classroom. They recognize that an effective classroom management plan is “the primary determinant of how well students will learn” (Wong et al., 2012). For new teachers, however, budgets may be thin, and they may wonder how to create an inviting classroom environment on such a limited budget. Consider the following ideas to save money while creating the classroom of your dreams.
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6 Tips for Building Relationships and Communicating with Parents
By Julia Wilkins
Whether or not you have taken a course in how to build relationships and communicate with parents, you might find yourself feeling completely unprepared. Because parental involvement in school is positively associated with student achievement, it is important to know how to build relationships with parents to facilitate their involvement. An important point to remember is that “parents” can mean grandparents, stepparents, foster parents, and more. Also, before you can effectively communicate with parents, you need to know their preferred method of communication, whether they have Internet access, and what language they primarily speak. Read on for more tips.
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7 Tips for Managing Your First-Year Workload
By Gina Blackburn
Poet Maya Angelou once said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style” (2014). As a middle or high school teacher, sticking to a simple, well-considered routine can keep you from becoming overwhelmed and over-stressed during your first year of teaching. Follow these simple tips to minimize busywork, bring balance to your life, and focus on the priorities in your work. Let’s make that first year one of thriving, not just surviving!
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And remember you can search KDP.org any time for articles and resources on any topic that’s on your own list of concerns, or just your daily to-do list!