#first day teaching

[tenuredphdstudent]

Taught my first MBA class today! And I think it went alright!

[tenuredphdstudent]

Taught my first class at my new institution

At first I was...

Then I was like...

Then I taught like this...

Then afterwards I was like...

[samayla]

Got mixed feelings about today...

[artteaching]

October 6, 2015

I did it! I taught art classes today! I didn’t teach full art periods, but I did teach the students about focal points, why it’s important in art work. I also taught about the rule of thirds and how it can help them create a stronger composition. I wish I had my own class to decide on what to teach, because I felt I didn’t have as much time as I wanted to spend on this subject. I’m looking forward to someday organizing my own class!

My Co-op teacher is amazing and today she went over her year plans for her students. I’m sad I am only going to experience and teach this week with her. She’s so kind, helpful and supportive. She really knows her stuff and it’s really great to be working with her.

[writingconditions]

I was thirty minutes late, soaked, covered in mud, out of breath, and flabbergasted at the sight of all 29 of them still waiting in their seats.

Ali Simpson, MFA alumna of Stony Brook Southampton, on her first day of teaching undergraduate creative writing.

[writingconditions]

Knocked knees, nail biting, and stories oh my!

Mary Ellen Walsh, an MFA candidate at Stony Brook Southampton, on her first day of teaching undergraduate creative writing.

[giraffeteacher]

Before School Starts

**This excerpt is directly copied from a PENC booklet I was given titled New Teacher Guide. I am terrified I'll lose the copy I have of this pamphlet and really wanted to share this advice with others.**

Discuss With Your Team/Subject Group

- Location of supplies/teaching materials/curriculum guides

- Your initial letter to parents/students and what it should contain

- Assessment kits/test schedules

- A tour of the school

- Cafeteria procedures/fees

- Any questions you don't want to ask anyone else

Arranging Your Classroom

- Carefully planned classroom arrangements can prevent behavior/traffic flow problems before they occur.

- Make your classroom a place where students feel at ease. Non-threatening classrooms produce active learners.

- Placing your desk in a corner instead of front and center will convey to the students that learning is their responsibility and you are there to facilitate.

- Prepare bulletin boards with attractive wrapping paper or discontinued wallpaper that will look nice until students have generated work products and can serve as long-lasting background for displays.

- Determine whether you want furniture arranged for roundtable, lecture, or small cooperative group experiences.

- Check your room for electrical/computer/internet connections before you place your furniture.

- Make room for learning centers and traffic flow around them.

- Most fire marshals prohibit paper items hanging from the ceiling. Ask someone before you hang such items.

- Place name tags on assigned desks and consider community property work tables without assignments.

- Make daily schedule posters.

Lesson Planning

- Plan the first student day down to the minute, and plan far more than you think you will need.

- The most important lesson you will teach the first day is procedure/rules. Spending a significant amount of time going over procedures at the beginning will save time in the long run.

- Ask your mentor and/or team member to assist in the first day's plans.

- Many principals require lesson plans to be turned in once a week. Most want to see NCSCOS objectives from new teachers. Ask for a format to follow and request feedback on your first week so you can meet expectations.

- Scout out the media center for resources to compliment plans.

[bigrobsbigadventure]

First day of teaching over!

I took 3 classes of 6th grade students today in what was my first ever time up in front of students! It turned out to be not as stressful as first thought. Although I’m not resting on my laurels.

For each class I spent between 20-25 minutes on a introduction presentation which was concluded with a quiz before helping my co teacher with the remainder of the lesson based upon the key expressions.

For the most part the students were very receptive and engaged. They seemed to enjoy my presentation and I think I gained some fans with my reference to the video game ‘FIFA’ as a number of boys seemed shocked and in some sort of awe that I played it.

The hardest part for them was probably trying to pronounce my name - Mr Proudfoot! It’s not ‘Rob Teacher’ because my co teacher says that we don’t refer to teachers in that manner in the UK etc so we shouldn’t in English class.

All in all it went pretty smoothly, on to my second school tomora which I can imagine is going to be more challenging but… Onwards and upwards!!