Sun, Oct. 2, 2005
I felt inclined to write this post after my last one about a week ago, because I wanted to give a full, well-rounded portrait of what my first year has been like so far. So often, when writings are reactionary (which seems to be the entire backbone of the blog genre), readers are left on their own to connect the dots…”So, yeah, she feels that her work is NEVER valued and teaching is ALWAYS wearing her down…”
I in no way feel that now or in an ironic way, I never felt that way even as I was writing that last journal entry that I posted here. I shared some thoughts that have been swirling in my mind for years now – even before I was a fulltime, classroom teacher.
I want to just underscore here that what seems to be the absolute foundation of a not-so-traumatic first year teaching assignment is a consistent and experienced support team. I feel fortunate that I have one at my school. The other week, my principal called my classroom right before homeroom and asked me what period I had free. She wanted me to come to her office so we could “discuss how to put together a support system for you this year.”
I didn’t know quite what that meant. I was glad that I would be getting a “support system,” mind you, but was still a bit unsure of what that would call for from me and whoever else was involved. Basically, this wise woman, who had spent her first year of teaching “crying every damn day,” had assigned the two principals-in-training in our school to me. Since both their backgrounds were in English, she thought they should meet with me every Friday and help me with planning the next week. She insisted that I observe the 7th grade English teacher’s classroom and “steal whatever ideas you see working.” To make this observation challenge easier, the aspiring principals gladly offered to cover my class while I sat in on another’s to ensure that my prep period was actually spent prepping.
I have already met with my support team once and thanks to them I know EXACTLY what I will be doing until November. I will have them in the class when I begin the students on a persuasive essay. The high school English teachers have offered to help me grade these first set of essays as I freely admitted in our first full staff meeting that I feel rather inadequate at assessing writing since what makes writing “good” seems to be highly subjective.
Starting out a new profession is difficult no matter what the field. It is especially diffucult in a profession like k -12 education, where teachers seem to work in complete isolation more often than not. I heard this all the time in my teacher-ed program, but I would still encourage any new teacher who is reading these words to do it, anyway: FIND A SUPPORT SYSTEM. While we all aren’t fortunate enough to have an administration that builds this support into the school culture, it will only help you if you go that extra mile to find it yourself. I can not tell you how much less my heart raced this weekend as I was writing my lesson plans for this week simply because I had the input of two women who had a combined ten years of experience teaching.
5 Comments:
1 WebMachiavelli
· Oct 4, 2005 at 3:50 am
I’m curious how much in class instruction are you given during your education?
2 ASYB
· Oct 4, 2005 at 11:48 am
You are certainly right that support is the key. I have a question. As you work with the more experienced teachers do you have the feeling that at some point in time (or perhaps this has already happened)the “mentoring” will change from “getting you started and comfortable” to more of a “can we do it better?” exercise. In other words, is this a molding you into how we do it here or a let’s find a place to start kind of thing?
3 Edwize Admin
· Oct 4, 2005 at 3:12 pm
Comments in this thread, not dealing with the specific post were deleted, and will be deleted. This is a post from a new teacher talking about her experiences teaching in NYC.
4 Ms. M
· Oct 4, 2005 at 4:30 pm
That’s amazing that you are being given so much support. At my school administrators, coaches, etc. are always walking into classrooms handing teachers paper with lists of things that need to be implemented but they never say how to do it. They only thing they say is when it needs to be done by. Luckily I teach ESL so no one tells me what I need to be doing–because no one knows.
It would be so nice to have that support of other teachers helping with the long term planning. The other TFA teachers at my school and I feel pretty good about planning lessons but it’s the long term planning that we are struggling with. Especially when there isn’t a specific curriculum in place
5 NYC Educator
· Oct 4, 2005 at 4:33 pm
“Luckily I teach ESL so no one tells me what I need to be doing–because no one knows.”
That’s funny, but true. I tell everyone who’s contemplating teaching to teach ESL. There’s nothing better and that, ironically, is one reason. The better reason, though, is the great kids you get to meet.