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The First Year Teaching: Taking your first year evaluation seriously

By Matthew Lynch As a new teacher, be aware that there are evaluations by school principals or other administrators that you must endure. Such evaluations may bring about anxiety for some new teachers. The evaluators are responsible for assessing new teachers’ performance and the frequency of assessment differs not only by the district regulations, but also by individual differences in evaluators. The number of visits for evaluation range from once a year to once every month, but on average new teacher evaluations are quarterly. Rehiring, termination and even merit pay largely depend on this evaluation, so it is important for you …

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Educators: 15 ways to prioritize your health this school year

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.** A column by Manny Lamarre Dear teachers, administrators, and educators, Make your health the number one priority this school year and be unapologetic about it. The beginning of the school year is always filled with excitement, joy, and nervousness – whether you are in your first year or a seasoned professional. But distance yourself from the thought …

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The First Year Teaching: Why you need a teacher mentor

By Matthew Lynch Finding your way as a first-year teacher can feel overwhelming and even isolating at times. There is so much responsibility that lands on you all at once, and even though you’ve trained for it, some days it can be too much to handle. Just remember that you are not the first person to walk the new teacher path, and that the support you need to make it through the year, and the following ones, may be right around you. Mentor teachers can provide invaluable help to new teachers. Mentors are experienced, patient, knowledgeable veteran teachers who are …

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New Teacher Tip: Time Management – Organizing your Cabinet

There is so much paperwork that a teacher needs to do within a few weeks of starting a new school year. In fact, your cabinets may look as if though they have been hit by a tornado. Your cabinets are most likely overflowing with folders, teaching materials, handmade cards from students, wads of paper, pencils and other stationery, all of which seem to be appearing on their own. Remember that the bigger the mess, the more time it will take you to rummage through and find what you are looking for, which may cause you to lose precious minutes. Use …

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The First Year Teaching: Getting off to a good start

By Matthew Lynch Establishing a well managed classroom should be a top priority for all new teachers. Beginning a career in teaching is greatly aided if you are able to provide an environment that is conducive to learning and growth, both for yourself as a new teacher and for your new students. The following points and guidelines allow you to prepare for good classroom management throughout the year, and should be implemented in those first few days of class. Reflect on your classroom experiences often, even as often as every day in cases where you feel that greater progress could …

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New Teacher Tip: The Teacher Evaluation Process

Each school system has a process for measuring and evaluating their teachers. In most districts, all teachers are evaluated by an administrator and provided feedback at least once annually. New teachers, however, typically have more than one evaluation. This section will give you an overview of what to expect before, during, and after an evaluation, as well as how to prepare for each. Prior to an evaluation Before an evaluation, most administrators will schedule a time with you, and some of those administrators will even let you choose the class that you know will be the most likely to shine …

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The First Year Teaching: The self-discipline approach to classroom management

By Matthew Lynch As your journey as a teacher starts to finally take shape, you will find that there is no single method to use to manage a classroom effectively. As different situations arise, you will discover that different approaches need to be taken. The root of the problem should be the key factor in deciding on which approach should be utilized.  Many teachers find that self-discipline approaches work the best for their students and there are several different sub-versions that you may find work the best for your particular classroom. The self-discipline approach is based on the belief that students …

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For Pre-Service Teachers: What You Need to Know About the Praxis Exam

While on the pathway to becoming a teacher, “Praxis” is a word you’ll hear a lot. But what is it? Is it a certification? A methodology? An evaluation? What is this thing that seems to bear so much weight on your future as a teacher? “Praxis” is the shorthand for the “Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers.” These assessments come in the form of a series of tests – an unsurprising thing to find in the field of education. Whether you are considering a traditional teacher education program or an alternate-route program, it’s important to understand the Praxis series of tests. …

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Finding Support in Your First Year of Teaching

In any profession you’ll find professional groups and networks to support and encourage new professionals, as well as groups of experienced professionals seeking to advance in their profession. This 
is known in the corporate world as networking. The teaching profession has several support groups 
that provide information, consultation, and much-needed encouragement for the new teacher. Especially during your first year of teaching, it’s incredibly important to have an adequate support network. Good people to incorporate into your network include: 1. Counselors Students often have to cope with difficulties, such as death, divorce, and mental and physical abuse, which can affect …

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6 Reasons to Respect Teaching as a Profession

According to Webster’s Dictionary, a profession is defined as “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.” Ballantine and Spade list six characteristics that distinguish a profession from other occupations. These characteristics can help answer that question.