- [image]Understand where they're coming from. There are reasons a 20-year veteran teacher may have gotten cynical.

- [image]If the person starts to depress you, smile, nod, and find a reason to leave the room.

How to Make Sure This Isn't Your Reputation - [image]Be careful whom you talk to after a bad day.

- [image]Watch what you discuss in front of students. Any students.

- [image]Understand that complaining only helps in moderation. If you are constantly complaining and never quite get it out of your system, you are probably dragging yourself down without realizing it.

- [image]Find a hobby that doesn't involve talking about your job or, better yet, that takes your mind off it completely.

- [image]If other people smile, nod, and leave the room when you start a sentence with "These kids ... ," you may want to lighten up a little bit.

Coworkers Who Don't Do Their Jobs and Make Yours HarderPart of our job as teachers is to set an example for students, so it's frustrating to see incompetent, lazy, and dishonest people infiltrating the school system. Even worse, some have found a permanent home in your school at the expense of hardworking teachers and all students."I sometimes get annoyed at teachers who come in my cla.s.s and talk endlessly when I'm trying to plan. Then I get angry when the same teachers want me to give them work for the students because they didn't prepare. I believe in sharing but not pulling someone else's weight." same teachers want me to give them work for the students because they didn't prepare. I believe in sharing but not pulling someone else's weight.""The school's reading specialist came to help get my third-graders ready for the state test. This woman was a veteran teacher with several degrees under her belt, but she told my cla.s.s the proper p.r.o.nunciation of the word mammal mammal was was man-uh-mal. man-uh-mal. I almost died. The woman was old enough to be my mother, and I felt uncomfortable telling her how to p.r.o.nounce I almost died. The woman was old enough to be my mother, and I felt uncomfortable telling her how to p.r.o.nounce mammal. mammal. However, I couldn't let my students grow up thinking the word rhymed with However, I couldn't let my students grow up thinking the word rhymed with animal. animal. I decided to do a lesson on syllables the next day, and make sure we clapped out I decided to do a lesson on syllables the next day, and make sure we clapped out mam-mal mam-mal along with other vocabulary words. Thankfully, all my students learned the proper p.r.o.nunciation!" along with other vocabulary words. Thankfully, all my students learned the proper p.r.o.nunciation!""The counselor at our school took on every responsibility that would add to her paycheck, including the special ed and ESL departments. Then she took extra-long lunch breaks and got manicures during school hours. Meanwhile, the kids' needs were ignored. Their folders were filled with forged signatures. Students waited years for special services or sat in ESL cla.s.ses even though they spoke perfect English. This woman was the princ.i.p.al's best friend. Teachers had to explain delays to angry parents without getting her in trouble."How to Deal with Teachers or Faculty Who Don't Do Their Jobs - [image]Pick your battles. If no one is in danger, you probably don't want to take on this case your first year. Your princ.i.p.al may have been trying to get rid of this person for years. Or your princ.i.p.al may be related to this person. Leave time for the facts to come out before facing off with a lazy coworker.

- [image]If you are asked to cover for someone else's irresponsibility in a way that weighs on your conscience or gets you in trouble, refuse. This person will surely be out of sight when it's time to answer questions.

How to Make Sure This Isn't Your Your Reputation Reputation - [image]Return favors and borrowed supplies as soon as possible.

- [image]Get teaching advice from people you trust not to repeat your concerns. If you get the feeling your questions are being used against you, confide in a teacher who doesn't work with you.

- [image]Limit your comments on what you are "not legally required to do." Unions have fought hard to keep teachers from being abused, but most of us still work harder than we have to. After a few months of teaching, you shouldn't be talking about contract loopholes that allow you to pull less than your weight.

Other Teachers Who Won't Give You a Chance Because of Something You Can't Control, Who Have No Social Skills, or Who Are Just Rude, Mean-Spirited, Nasty, Horrendous People Who Don't Make the Earth a Better Place"I was hired to teach an honors cla.s.s another teacher wanted. Even though it obviously wasn't my decision, she took it out on me in little ways the entire year, gave me silent treatment, and talked about me behind my back. She got married that year and invited every teacher in my department except me. She even pa.s.sed out some of the invitations in front of my face." behind my back. She got married that year and invited every teacher in my department except me. She even pa.s.sed out some of the invitations in front of my face.""I had an overflow cla.s.s of kids who had been kicked out of other schools, or whose parents had forgotten to sign them up on time. Almost all of them were behavior problems. My coworkers knew I was having a rough year and most were helpful and encouraging, but one day I was called for a conference and the media specialist had to cover my cla.s.s. The kids were behaving when she walked in, but when I started to tell her what she could do if there was a problem, she cut me off. She said, 'Don't worry. They won't give me any problems.' Then she turned to the kids and yelled, 'I am not not your regular teacher and I am your regular teacher and I am not not white. You will not run me around like you do her.' Besides being unnecessarily racist, this turned out not to be much of a discipline plan. When I came back an hour later she had already sent two of the kids to the office. She said, 'These kids are white. You will not run me around like you do her.' Besides being unnecessarily racist, this turned out not to be much of a discipline plan. When I came back an hour later she had already sent two of the kids to the office. She said, 'These kids are bad!'" bad!'"How to Deal with Horrendous b.i.t.c.hes and Unapologetic a.s.sholes - [image]Don't let the actions of a few outspoken, ignorant people keep you from getting to know your other coworkers. The more allies you have, the less one person's att.i.tude matters.

- [image]Be patient. The more chaotic your school, the more likely it is to be a revolving door for well-intentioned teachers. Try not to take it personally if some coworkers treat you like you won't be around next year. They will take you more seriously once you've proved your staying power, and you will have seen enough teachers quit to understand their att.i.tude.

- [image]When deciding how to handle difficult coworkers, consider your own personality and your relationship with the person in question. In some cases standing up for yourself prevents people from bullying you in the future. Other times it's better to let an incident slide than take on a new enemy. This is a call you need to make for yourself.

How to Make Sure This Isn't Your Your Reputation Reputation - [image]Don't worry too much. If you've read this far you're probably not at risk.

A Note About Mentor TeachersMany contributors to this book cited mentors as their lifelines. Mentor teachers get small stipends for taking beginners under their wings, but the majority of them chose the responsibility because they remember the trials they faced as rookies and want good teachers at their schools. Mentors can give some of those tips you didn't learn in education cla.s.ses. They are usually happy to help.In unlucky cases, your princ.i.p.al has different things in mind when picking your mentor than you would. If your mentor got the position by being the princ.i.p.al's best friend, next in line, or next door to your cla.s.sroom, you may end up with someone whose main job is to report your mistakes. If this is the case, it's time to start looking for an unofficial mentor generous enough to answer your questions for free.If you were lucky enough, like I was (thanks, Mrs. Orr), to be a.s.signed an outstanding teacher who is also a wonderful mentor, be thankful. Still, keep the following tips in mind: - [image]Your mentor teacher probably gets paid to be a mentor. It is okay to expect her to act like one. Don't be shy about asking job-related questions. is okay to expect her to act like one. Don't be shy about asking job-related questions.

- [image]Your mentor teacher doesn't get paid much much to be a mentor to be a mentor. She has as many papers to grade and lessons to plan as you do. Don't use up her energy and goodwill by expecting her to do your job.

- [image]Keep your opinions about your princ.i.p.al and coworkers to yourself. Your mentor has been a.s.signed to help you, but she's known these people for years and needs to work with them for years to come.

- [image]If you don't think your mentor is a great teacher, keep an open mind. Your first impression may be wrong, and even if it's right you can learn a few things.

- [image]You may not teach the same subject, grade, or skill level as your mentor. If this person can't provide all the answers you need, reach out to other coworkers in your department.

- [image]Get to know as many teachers as you can and be open to their advice. Sometimes your greatest mentor is not the one a.s.signed by your princ.i.p.al.

13.

Please Report to the Princ.i.p.al's OfficeYour administration is like a bra: if it provides the support you need, you look better and feel better. If it fits poorly, it gets in your way and can even become painful. According to the Southern Regional Educational Board, over 30 percent of new teachers who quit blame lack of support or respect from administrators. We signed on to deal with children, not princ.i.p.als who act like children. Teaching your princ.i.p.al was someone else's job.Sometimes it's hard to picture administrators as former teachers, especially when they give confusing explanations, abuse the PA system, or send out memos filled with errors. There may even be times when the announcements you hear at faculty meetings are so silly or hypocritical you want to laugh until tears come out of your eyes. You want to raise your hand and point out the ridiculousness that must be so obvious to everyone in the room you don't understand why no one else is mentioning it ....Don't. One of the most common mistakes new teachers make is crossing their princ.i.p.al's radar too early, too often, and for the wrong reasons. In college, students are encouraged to speak up and work to change what is wrong with the world. Public school systems, on the other hand, are bureaucracies-large, slow, inflexible, and partly focused on keeping people in their jobs until they retire. Bad princ.i.p.als don't improve because a teacher questions their common sense during a faculty meeting. In fact, rookies who confront administrators in public call their own common sense into question. The advice you hear about students needing to save face applies to most people. It definitely applies to your boss.As a new teacher, you haven't yet gained the credibility to point out other people's shortcomings. You may even make a few mistakes yourself this year and need some goodwill from administrators. In most cases it is in your best interest to keep comments about your princ.i.p.al's competence, personality, and hairstyle to yourself.It's not always easy.Things Administrators Do That Drive Teachers CrazyAct Hypocritically"An a.s.sistant princ.i.p.al asked me to smoke pot with him at my first faculty holiday party. From that time until I left the school, I found it very difficult to work with him. I was so disappointed in this person who should have been a role model. Years later, I taught his niece at another school. He made a point to see me and ask me not to mention the incident to her.""At the beginning of the year, an older kid who was not enrolled in the school came into my freshman cla.s.s regularly. He turned off the lights, wrote curse words on the blackboard, and once dumped my trash can onto the floor. No one knew who this kid was. I pressed the emergency b.u.t.ton whenever he came in, but never received an answer, and there was no security guard a.s.signed to my hallway. My a.s.sistant princ.i.p.al never answered any of the referrals I wrote about the situation. Several months later, the same a.s.sistant princ.i.p.al walked past my cla.s.sroom during a group activity. He noticed it was noisy and began asking me regularly whether I was okay and if I had problems controlling my cla.s.s."Ignore School Discipline"Our a.s.sistant princ.i.p.al talks to behavior problems for one minute and returns them to the cla.s.sroom immediately. Sometimes they come back laughing. It's infuriating.""Our princ.i.p.al wanted to keep attendance numbers high, so she often reversed our a.s.sistant princ.i.p.al's decisions to suspend kids. In one case, a third-grader punched a pregnant teacher in the stomach and was back at school the following day. The princ.i.p.al got a $5,000 bonus at the end of the year for improving our attendance numbers."Play Favorites"We had a princ.i.p.al who would undermine Teachers' authority and criticize them behind their backs to other teachers. In one incident, a parent made a needless, insulting comment about a teacher and she agreed.""Our princ.i.p.al hired a bunch of her friends to work at the school. Some were good teachers, but others were ridiculous hiring decisions by any standard. To make things worse, she never observed any of these people. She also let them adjust their cla.s.s lists and move their worst students to other teachers."Waste Teachers' Time"My old princ.i.p.al had meetings every single morning. Some of the meetings had no agenda, and he would just talk until the bell rang. It was like he was afraid of what we would do if he left us alone in our cla.s.srooms during our free time.""We had this one guy who thought it was a good idea to get on the intercom at the beginning of every period and tell students which cla.s.s they were supposed to be in. Then he would wait until a few minutes after the bell, when we were already teaching and interrupt to give kids what he thought was an encouraging pep talk. He would sometimes use the last ten minutes of cla.s.s to continue these speeches. For years, he spent about 20 minutes of each day on the intercom. The saddest part was no one listened. Acoustics in the school were so bad the messages were garbled anyway."Notice Only the Bad Things"Our school had lots of students who loved soccer and weren't involved in other activities. I asked if I could start a soccer team. My princ.i.p.al told me to write a proposal then lost three copies of it in three weeks. Her disorganization combined with her need to control everything made every step harder than it needed to be. By the time I brought her the paperwork, forms, and letters I had typed, it was clear I'd put in many hours outside of school. I'm not sure what I expected from her at that point, but I think I was hoping for some encouragement. Instead, she skimmed all six papers, found a typo in one of them, and said, 'You're going to fix this before you make copies, right?'""I had a deal with one of my hyperactive students: if he behaved well in the morning he got to sit on his desk during story time. My princ.i.p.al pa.s.sed by the room and saw this. She came in to yell at the student. Then she gave me this look like I couldn't control my cla.s.s, even though the kids had been silent when she walked in. At the next faculty meeting she made an announcement about cla.s.ses being out of control and 'kids climbing on the furniture.'"Ignore the Effects of Their Decisions"One administrator decided to observe me during open house my first year. Talk about nerve-racking. Another a.s.sistant princ.i.p.al made me come to his office in the middle of a midterm to talk to a parent. My cla.s.s took the whole test alone while a security officer looked in from the hallway.""A second-grader went home with a chunk of her hair cut off, and her mom called the school. Our princ.i.p.al's reaction was to get on the PA and demand that every teacher stop cla.s.s, have the kids look through their desks for scissors, and then lock up all the scissors for the rest of the year. According to the announcement, we were supposed to give back all the scissors on the last day of school. Great! Let's take a day when lots of fights start and give every child a sharp object to take home! On top of this, the announcement sounded so frantic that students started asking if someone got murdered. It turned out the girl had cut her own hair and told her mom it was another student so she wouldn't get in trouble."Bully and Hara.s.s Teachers"Our district had a hiring freeze in place, and I was on a temporary contract. My princ.i.p.al said she didn't know if she would get authorization to rehire me. I called the school every week all summer. No one would tell me anything or return my calls. Finally, less than one week before school started, I got an offer from another school. Of course I took it. My princ.i.p.al called me the next day and said, 'Congratulations, you have your job back.' When I told her I got another job she called me a 'f.u.c.king little baby' and said, 'You will will work here.' Needless to say I didn't want to work for her anyway at that point, and I went to human resources freaking out. They told me not to worry because she didn't really have the power to keep me from switching schools." work here.' Needless to say I didn't want to work for her anyway at that point, and I went to human resources freaking out. They told me not to worry because she didn't really have the power to keep me from switching schools.""Everyone at our school has at least one story about our princ.i.p.al embarra.s.sing them, yelling at them in front of students, calling them out in meetings, or making out-of-line comments. Once I went into her office to ask about some supplies I had requested several times. She interrupted me, yelled at me for a few minutes, and then waved me out of the office before I could answer. I was so furious that tears came to my eyes. Another teacher offered to watch my kids so I could run to the bathroom and cool off. She said, 'Don't worry. We've all been there.' Over time, the resentment toward our princ.i.p.al has built up and taken its toll on staff morale. We've lost several good teachers because of it."Make Important Changes at the Last Minute"Our princ.i.p.al spent thousands of dollars on a school-wide reading program. He sent us all for training, where we learned that if the program was not implemented school-wide, everyday, it would not work. We received materials so we could each do our part. At the meeting about how to implement the program, one teacher complained, and the princ.i.p.al backed down and said, 'Well, just do it in your own cla.s.ses if you think it's a good idea.' A few teachers tried to cooperate and make it work, but, like the training said, it had to be a school-wide effort. Within one week, we all gave up. All those boxes of workbooks just sat there collecting dust.""One month into the year, administrators told us our schedules might change completely-apparently we were out of compliance with some district nonsense. As if that weren't enough, they couldn't tell us for sure, so we spent two months not knowing if students would stay in our cla.s.ses. Then we came in one Monday and found out we were switching the following day. We spent the rest of the week trying to set a serious tone with the whole school in a state of confusion. New kids trickled into our cla.s.srooms while old students poked their heads in not knowing where to go."Discipline Teachers Instead of Students"One day two girls in my advanced cla.s.s were audibly arguing, for the simple fact that they didn't like each other. Making a rookie mistake, I told the girls to be quiet and save the fighting until they got out of my cla.s.sroom. Each rolled their eyes at the other but kept quiet. Immediately following dismissal the two students stepped out of the cla.s.sroom and began to fight their way down the hallway. They were taken to the vice princ.i.p.al's office and repeated my misspoken words. This particular vice princ.i.p.al was all about disciplining teachers and not students. They were her 'babies,' as she affectionately called them. The girls walked away with no punishment, which I had expected. What did surprise me was when one of the student's mothers came to my cla.s.sroom to tell me the vice princ.i.p.al had suggested she complain to the district about my incompetence. She said that I had actually encouraged the children to fight, and the parent had to stand up to her on my behalf. I learned two lessons that day: be good to your cla.s.sroom parents, and, if you don't have the princ.i.p.al's support, you definitely have to watch your back!"Some princ.i.p.als combine several of these driving-teachers-crazy actions and thereby run a school directly into the ground. They let student discipline slide while holding teachers accountable, fill files with damaging write-ups, and embarra.s.s staff in public. You can often recognize such princ.i.p.als by the high turnover rates in their schools, even compared to other schools in the same neighborhoods. Teachers have an "I don't need this s#*t" reflex. At a certain point they realize, "Hey. I'm a professional. I can retire/transfer/change careers and not put up with this anymore," and they do. The princ.i.p.al stays, along with a few supporters and committed veterans. Most of the teachers who leave are replaced by rookies, who then start their careers in a pit of low morale and dysfunction. As usual, those who suffer most are the kids.In Defense of All Princ.i.p.als-Even YoursRunning a school is hard, and princ.i.p.als face their own challenges in the school system's chain of command. They deliver bad news to their bosses, relay district decisions to employees, and field complaints at both ends. They are also the most visible targets when school problems gain public attention. Yes, wonderful princ.i.p.als have turned schools around, and we all sometimes wish we worked for Joe Clark from Lean On Me Lean On Me. At the same time, no one knows better than we do how frustrating it is to be compared to the movie version of our job. It is unfair to a.s.sume all problems begin and end with your front office. You have no idea what your princ.i.p.al thinks of his his boss. boss.Dos and Don'ts for When You Really Need to Speak UpKnocking on the princ.i.p.al's door can be unpleasant, but sometimes it needs to be done. Walk in with the following tips in mind, and you are much more likely to walk out happy.Dos - [image]Do pay attention to how outspoken coworkers are treated. Consider how you will respond if you receive the same treatment.

- [image]Do choose your timing carefully. The first days of school or right before standardized tests are generally stressful for princ.i.p.als as well as teachers.

- [image]Do work on one issue at a time. Pick your highest priority and try to focus your princ.i.p.al's attention on that.

- [image]Do suggest a plan of action. Administrators are often asked to fix things not under their control. They won't respond well if you dump problems on their desks without first thinking of possible solutions.

- [image]Do offer to do most of the work. When someone wants you to buy a car or gym membership, they bring you completed paperwork so all you have to do is sign. Keep this model in mind when you want your princ.i.p.al to sign off on a field trip. If you get the answer you want, plan to make phone calls and collect permission slips yourself.

- [image]Do keep administrative involvement to a minimum. There's a limit to how often you should cross administrators' radar, so consider your scorecard. Did your princ.i.p.al have to calm down angry parents last week? Have you just requested a schedule change or ordered expensive supplies? Have you been writing a lot of referrals? If so, give it some time. Large numbers of requests combined with negative experiences make you a high-maintenance teacher.

- [image]Do keep records. If the discussion is about something that affects your career, write down the dates you talked to your princ.i.p.al and what you discussed.

Don'ts - [image]Don't question your princ.i.p.al's competence. As a new teacher, you have yet to establish proof of your own competence.

- [image]Don't lose your temper. Stay calm and professional no matter what the princ.i.p.al says or does.

- [image]Don't try to change your princ.i.p.al's personality, motivation, or IQ. If talking to your boss reminds you of a Dilbert Dilbert cartoon, try not to let your feelings show. It won't help anyway and could hurt your career. cartoon, try not to let your feelings show. It won't help anyway and could hurt your career.

- [image]Don't embarra.s.s your princ.i.p.al (or yourself). Airing private complaints in front of a crowd is never professional.

What Your Princ.i.p.al Really Wants from YouWhat most princ.i.p.als want from teachers is simple, and matches what any boss wants from employees: - [image]Do your job.

- [image]Do your job well.

- [image]Do your job as independently and with as little drama as possible.

- [image]Make yourself, your students, the school, and, yes, your princ.i.p.al look as good as possible.

The good news is that no matter what you think of your boss, experienced teachers agree that when you close the cla.s.sroom door, your students are in your world. They work for you. You work for them.Memoby Erica EldenAttention all teachers:Please cancel all teaching or learning you had planned for today We need some data.Administer these diagnostic tests.Ensure all students take them seriously.Ignore all comments of "We have to read all four all four pages!?" pages!?"Do not allow talking, cheating, or sleeping.You say you already know your kids can't read this?You say you know it will make them feel bored, frustrated, Like school is a waste of their time?Oh ... well we need proof of their failure for our database.Diagnostic tests must be graded by Friday.Attached is one diagnostic test.Please photocopy.

14.

Stressin'

About LessonsLet's a.s.sume that you already know how to write a five-step lesson plan and that you spend plenty of hours at home doing just that. In fact, let's a.s.sume you even go a little overboard, typing two-page scripts with detailed instructions for incorporating higher-order thinking skills. Unfortunately, even when you've worked hard on your lesson plans, you sometimes learn the hard way that life has a lesson planned for you."I tried to draw the state of Florida on the board and my eighth-graders kept laughing. When I stepped back I saw why-the drawing looked like a four-foot p.e.n.i.s. Oops.""One of my students did not have a pen on the first day. When I told him I didn't loan out pens, he cut his finger and wrote in blood on the paper. I didn't realize until he was done with his work.""My school switched to block scheduling and I was underprepared for the extra time in each period. The first day of school I completed my lesson halfway through a 100-minute block. I tried to keep talking so the kids wouldn't notice, but talking for 50 minutes straight is hard! I ended up giving free time on the first day of school.""One of my 11th-graders asked if he could show something to the cla.s.s. This kid didn't partic.i.p.ate much, so I was very encouraging. I thought he was coming out of his sh.e.l.l. He proceeded to open his backpack and pull out a huge snake he had 'rescued' while air boating.""I had attended a workshop and learned a trick for teaching vocabulary-a word map shaped like a teddy bear. The idea was to put the word on the bear's head, the definition on the stomach, et cetera. Kids were supposed to make one word bear each day and study them during their free time. I couldn't wait to share this idea with my third-graders. What I didn't realize was that (a) a teddy bear is a hard thing for eight-year-olds to draw, and (b) third-graders are way way more interested in drawing a good teddy bear than creating a useful word map. The point of the activity was completely lost. Also, what took ten minutes in the workshop took over an hour in my cla.s.s. I figured it would go faster the second day, but somehow it took even longer. There was no third day." more interested in drawing a good teddy bear than creating a useful word map. The point of the activity was completely lost. Also, what took ten minutes in the workshop took over an hour in my cla.s.s. I figured it would go faster the second day, but somehow it took even longer. There was no third day."Common Lesson RoadblocksWe all know it's important to come to school with our lesson plans prepared-especially for a beginning teacher. However, sometimes people who mean to raise the bar and emphasize hard work forget to mention lessons that look great on paper can still play out horribly in the cla.s.sroom. The following are some of the more common reasons good lessons go bad: 1. Kids don't have the background knowledge you thought they did. You introduce your Black History Month essay topic: "Has Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream for America come true?" You get nothing but blank stares. You ask what the kids know about Dr. King and the answers include "He was president" and "He freed the slaves." The good news is you know what you'll be teaching today. The bad news is everything else.

2. A "teachable moment" gets you off track and off schedule. Some of your best lessons will come from moments that let you push aside your plans and discuss something that fascinates students. Use these moments to your advantage. Just be careful not to turn every teachable moment into a "teachable day" or a "let-me-tell-you-my-life-story" moment. When the kids start looking bored, the moment has probably pa.s.sed. Keep in mind that teachable moments still involve topics that don't reveal too much of your personal life. Questions such as "How was your weekend?" are not not questions that lead to teachable moments. Also keep in mind that much depends on context. Questions such as "Is oral s.e.x really s.e.x?" may lead to a valuable teachable moment if you are teaching health or human anatomy, but probably not if you are teaching advanced calculus. questions that lead to teachable moments. Also keep in mind that much depends on context. Questions such as "Is oral s.e.x really s.e.x?" may lead to a valuable teachable moment if you are teaching health or human anatomy, but probably not if you are teaching advanced calculus.

3. Your kids already did your fraction-pizza lesson with their last teacher. It seemed original while you were cutting out circles of colored foam, gluing them together, tracking down enough scissors for 27 tiny hands, and writing directions on the board in advance. Then your little angels come in and say, "Man, we're doing fraction pizzas again again?" Guess what, kids? This is review!

4. You explained the directions, but the kids have no idea what you're talking about. Over time, you will learn to give clearer directions and break tasks into the appropriate number of smaller steps. The first time you run into this problem, though, you have two choices: backtrack and walk students through every step, or simplify the a.s.signment. If you backtrack, you'll probably spend longer on the activity than you planned. Simplifying cuts your losses, but the kids may not get everything you wanted out of the activity. Either way, you get a lesson in thinking on your feet. Hey, at least someone's learning.

5. The projector breaks, the copies aren't made, or you can't find the workbooks. It's always a good idea to double-check your materials and have extra supplies on hand, but no one needs to tell you that right now. The good news is there are often ways to work around missing materials, even if it means dictating questions while students write them down. Think one-room schoolhouse. If that doesn't work, use tomorrow's plans or switch to a review activity.

6. You realize your lesson is going to end early. One of the worst feelings as a new teacher is when a lesson ends earlier than expected. You see the kids finishing their a.s.signment. You look at the clock. There are 30 minutes of cla.s.s left, which in no-lesson-plan time is like a week and a half. You start hoping there's an announcement, a fire drill, a real fire-anything to keep you from having to answer the dreaded question, "So what are we doing next?"

So What Are Are We Doing Next? We Doing Next?Let me be the first to say that none of the following suggestions replaces real teaching. Think of them as emergency subst.i.tute plans for yourself. Their purpose is to provide productive crowd control in an emergency, or keep leftover minutes from turning into a management nightmare.

- [image]Make extra copies of activities kids can do on their own. Keep these in a place where students can find them if they finish early.

- [image]If you teach in a self-contained cla.s.sroom, have students keep "I'm Done" folders in their desks. These can contain fun activities or reinforcement work. Over time you can even customize them to students' interests and levels.

- [image]If you have easy access to a DVD player, start a collection of school-appropriate movies related to your subject.

- [image]Keep a stack of workbooks to hand out for extra practice.

- [image]If students keep journals, give them a "Things to Write About When I'm Stuck" paper, or make up a topic based on your most recent activity.

- [image]Come up with a few generic a.s.signments that can apply to any topic: write a summary, draw a diagram, write and answer ten teacher-style questions, and so on. Keep extra copies of directions so you can reapply the idea without re-explaining.

Educational Activities You Can Do with No PreparationOccasionally you need to fill 10 to 20 minutes of cla.s.s time with no materials or time to prepare. These activities aren't necessarily silent, but they can be adapted for most age groups and subjects, and they keep kids' attention. They can also be incorporated into future lesson plans if students enjoy them. This is a starter list. You will add to it on your own as you gain experience.

- [image]Story chains: Have each student take out notebook paper and begin writing a story. After a few minutes, tell kids to stop and pa.s.s their papers to the person behind them. Keep the chain going for as many rounds as necessary. Then return the stories to the original authors. If there is still time left, ask for volunteers to read. Have each student take out notebook paper and begin writing a story. After a few minutes, tell kids to stop and pa.s.s their papers to the person behind them. Keep the chain going for as many rounds as necessary. Then return the stories to the original authors. If there is still time left, ask for volunteers to read.

- [image]Mental math: You talk. Kids do the problems in their heads: "Two ... times four ... plus six. Raise your hand silently if you think you know the answer ... Okay, what is it?" Everyone can answer at the same time, so the whole cla.s.s gets to partic.i.p.ate. The trick is to give problems that are challenging but still simple enough for kids to do in their heads. You talk. Kids do the problems in their heads: "Two ... times four ... plus six. Raise your hand silently if you think you know the answer ... Okay, what is it?" Everyone can answer at the same time, so the whole cla.s.s gets to partic.i.p.ate. The trick is to give problems that are challenging but still simple enough for kids to do in their heads.

- [image]Alphabetical categories: Have students write down each letter of the alphabet on a sheet of paper. Then give them a category that relates to your subject: authors, countries, elements, and so on. Ask them to come up with a related word for each letter. The first one to finish wins, but the real winner is you, because kids will be concentrating at their desks instead of throwing paper. Have students write down each letter of the alphabet on a sheet of paper. Then give them a category that relates to your subject: authors, countries, elements, and so on. Ask them to come up with a related word for each letter. The first one to finish wins, but the real winner is you, because kids will be concentrating at their desks instead of throwing paper.

- [image]Four-square review: Ask students to fold their paper into four sections then give one mini-a.s.signment for each square: draw a picture of a new concept, list synonyms for a word, list the achievements of an historical figure, and so on. Folding paper distracts kids from the fact that you just gave them four a.s.signments. Ask students to fold their paper into four sections then give one mini-a.s.signment for each square: draw a picture of a new concept, list synonyms for a word, list the achievements of an historical figure, and so on. Folding paper distracts kids from the fact that you just gave them four a.s.signments.

Planning for a Subst.i.tuteIf no one has told you how to plan for a subst.i.tute, the day after your first absence can be an unpleasant wake-up call. The rule to remember is this: No one will do your job, your way, in your absence. Most subs won't teach a lesson for you even if you leave a fabulous, clearly written plan, so don't use up a great lesson on a day you won't be there to teach it.It's up to you to let kids know what you expect from them when you're out. Threaten, promise, or plan a quiz for the day you return to encourage good work and behavior. If possible, ask the teacher next door to check in. Expect to get somewhere between 25 and 75 percent of what you asked for. Come back ready to deal with students who gave the subs problems.While subst.i.tutes won't always be as responsible as you want them to be, it's still up to you to do the right thing. Do not not leave anyone in your room with no clue who your students are or what to do with them. If you do this, good subst.i.tutes who know their rights will refuse to come back to your cla.s.s. The ideal sub plan involves quiet work kids can do without much help. It uses materials that are easy to find or laid out in advance, and backup work in case kids finish early. If you want this stranger to keep your cla.s.s calm, cool, and collected, give him or her the tools to do so. leave anyone in your room with no clue who your students are or what to do with them. If you do this, good subst.i.tutes who know their rights will refuse to come back to your cla.s.s. The ideal sub plan involves quiet work kids can do without much help. It uses materials that are easy to find or laid out in advance, and backup work in case kids finish early. If you want this stranger to keep your cla.s.s calm, cool, and collected, give him or her the tools to do so.Most schools require teachers to make emergency subst.i.tute folders and leave them with the princ.i.p.al's secretary. Even if it's not required, it's a good idea to prepare a folder with the following things inside: - [image]A cla.s.s list for each cla.s.s you teach.

- [image]Any relevant seating charts.

- [image]Information on how to take attendance.

- [image]Extra copies of school discipline forms.

- [image]Three simple lesson plans with backup activities and directions for finding materials.

- [image]The names and locations of other adults who can answer questions.

15.

Observation InformationHow to Stay Ready for CompanyMany veteran teachers will tell you the best way to prepare for an observation is to "always teach like you are going to be observed." This sound bite seems like fabulous advice until you start teaching 35 hours a week. The truth is, even the best teachers have moments when they are glad no one's in the room taking notes. However, there are some basic things you can do to stay ready for company: 1. Teach kids how you want them to act when other adults are in the room. The first time a visitor comes, kids will realize you don't want to reprimand them in front of company. Thus, they may behave like fools. Remain calm until the visitor leaves then double the ordinary punishment for acting crazy. Be sure to choose a whole-cla.s.s punishment that makes everyone unhappy. If the cla.s.s behaved well, compliment and reward them. Your goal, in the beginning of the year, is to leave kids with a sense that when an outside person is in the room, you are still watching them. Reinforce this every time a visitor walks in by addressing the cla.s.s's behavior as soon as the door closes.

2. Have paperwork on hand. Be prepared to show a grade book, lesson plans, and selected student folders at any time to anyone who asks. Not only does this make you look organized, it also eliminates the chance for students to get rowdy while you dig through file drawers. If someone asks you for one of these things and it's not available, offer to bring it to your post-observation conference.

3. Don't stop teaching when someone walks in. Yes, it's hard to act natural while someone stares at you and writes on a clipboard. Your visitor already knows this. Say h.e.l.lo. If it feels right, introduce the visitor and ask the kids to greet him or her. Act confident that you are qualified and prepared. Then do what you came to do: teach.

4. Explain the activity if necessary. If an observer comes in at a moment that looks bad out of context, start talking. Don't wait for the observer to ask why a movie is playing, the kids are yelling, or you're sitting in front of the computer. Administrators will often give you the benefit of the doubt if you have an explanation-unless they come in another day to find a movie playing, kids yelling, and you sitting in front of the computer.

5. Don't ask your princ.i.p.al for feedback. Some teachers complain they have never been observed for more than five minutes and would like some feedback. Stop saying this. In fact, stop thinking this. If your princ.i.p.al comes in for an observation and then leaves in five minutes, it means he or she is busy and has seen enough to decide you are doing your job. Be happy, be quiet, and, if you still want detailed feedback, ask someone who isn't your boss.

How to Prepare for the Dog-and-Pony ShowObservations of experienced teachers are usually short and informal. Many longtime teachers know their princ.i.p.als personally or have been at the school longer than administrators. If the princ.i.p.al sees that students are working and the teacher appears to be teaching, he or she nods and walks out. After enough years the princ.i.p.al may just walk past the door to make sure no smoke is coming out.First-year observations are more formal. You also have a lot more riding on these observations than the average experienced (read "already-certified-and-guaranteed-a-job-for-next-year") teacher. During formal observations, it is hard not to go into sweaty-palms-try-not-to-drop-things-hope-your-kids-act-like-they-learned-something-this-year-and-the-kid-in-the-corner-stays-in-his-seat-with-his-big-mouth-shut mode. Princ.i.p.als and supervisors come to your room expecting a five-step lesson plan. They want to see that students are being accurately a.s.sessed and have mastered what you are teaching. These people know that you know you are being observed and expect to see your best work, which brings us to what my mentor teacher used to call the dog-and-pony show. Of course, you should always teach to the best of your ability. But when you know company is coming, you can line up the dogs and ponies in advance.For formal observations, administrators generally use a checklist from the school district. They evaluate you according to "professional performance domains," which are explained for your convenience in a printer-friendly 180-page doc.u.ment available on the district website. Of course you will want to read this page-turner cover-to-cover to fully appreciate why the form says "Clarifies pedagogical content and expected cognitive performance on learning tasks" instead of "Gives clear directions." In case you haven't had time to review the standards, make it as easy as possible for observers to give you a high score in the following categories.Lesson Planning - [image]Write objectives and homework on the board in advance.

- [image]Make sure that your lesson plan is professional-looking and activities match objectives.

- [image]Use a solid lesson that is impressive but not out of character. The last thing you want is a room full of confused students saying, "Hey, what do we do with all this science equipment?"

Cla.s.sroom Management - [image]On observation day, warn students there will be someone watching the cla.s.s. You can let them know you're being evaluated, but only if you are sure they will pull together to help you. If you have doubts, say the person is coming to evaluate them them, or to compare their cla.s.s to other cla.s.ses.

- [image]Have materials ready to distribute quickly and quietly.

- [image]If there are routines or activities you'd like to show off, work them into your lesson. Don't be afraid to remind students of proper procedures in front of the observer if you think it's necessary.

- [image]Avoid rowdy or hands-on activities your kids haven't done before. Trust me. Your cla.s.s's first debate or first experience with glitter should be a private affair.

Relationship with Students - [image]Give positive reinforcement and congratulate students on partic.i.p.ation. Don't act fake. Just be encouraging.

- [image]Call on as many different students as possible. If you have a system for picking kids randomly, use it-but be ready to bend the rules if only one student knows the answer.

Teaching Style - [image]Speak with authority and loudly enough to be heard.

- [image]Show you know your subject matter.

- [image]Make directions as clear as possible. Repeat and rephrase if necessary.

- [image]Be clear about why students need to know what you're teaching. Explain how it relates to past lessons and real life.

- [image]Help confused students, but don't spend too much time at one desk.

Higher-Order Thinking - [image]Ask questions that require more than a one-word answer. Observers want to see that you are not sticking to yes-or-no questions, or just telling kids the answer and saying "Right?"

- [image]Make questions as deep and thought-provoking as you can without confusing the kids. If you ask a question and your cla.s.s turns into the Blank-Stare Olympics, "randomly" call on a student likely to know the answer. Some teachers even admit to planting answers or reviewing material the day before. Remember, performing under pressure is hard for students, too.

a.s.sessment - [image]Be sure to mention your grading criteria for the activity, which should also be in your lesson plans.

- [image]Walk around the room. Stop at desks to answer questions and check progress. This should improve student behavior and give you something to do with all that nervous energy.

One Last NoteDon't start your observation-day lesson until your observer walks in. He or she may not show up on time-or at all. While teachers must prepare for scheduled observations, administrators sometimes miss them to handle unscheduled emergencies. It is a horrible feeling to start your dog-and-pony show on time and keep looking at the door, only to have someone walk in just as you finish and have nothing impressive planned. Observers usually want to see a lesson from start to finish, so there's nothing wrong with working on something else until they arrive. When the person walks in, calmly end your other activity and start the show.Worst Observation StoriesIf your observation doesn't go well, remember you're not the only one:"An administrator said I didn't know my subject area. Two years later the same administrator asked me to teach advanced placement cla.s.ses.""My school had two reading coaches who visited my cla.s.s almost every day. They would ask me to stop cla.s.s or question me in front of students, and I felt the situation was bordering on hara.s.sment. I asked my mentor teacher for help. She said, 'These people are teachers just like you. Don't act like they're your bosses.' Then she told me to find work for them to do instead of bending over backward to be nice. The next time they came to my room I asked them-politely of course-to dig through their files and make me a copy of some old test scores. I said I needed them for a review activity. Then, every time they came to check my progress, I said, 'Yes, I'm doing fine. Did you get a chance to get those test scores?' I was a little less polite about it each time. Eventually both coaches stopped coming by completely. They never did get me the test scores, but that was okay. I didn't really need them in the first place.""I was tardy on the day of one observation. I had been out sick the week before, so the cla.s.s was a mess. It wasn't pretty.""This lady from downtown came to my cla.s.s with a checklist and tried to catch me up on all these petty details. She wrote it 'concerned' her that my students weren't grouped by ability. I wanted to say, 'Look, lady, I group my students by violent tendencies first, then by how much they talk. If I don't take care of those things, their ability won't matter much.' Instead, I just said, 'Thank you for your feedback,' and reminded myself that no one would ever look at that form again.""Our school was on a list of low-performing schools, so we were under the microscope quite a bit. Sometimes it got ridiculous. There was one day I had six visitors at once in a cla.s.s of 19 kids. This lady we called 'The Snoopervisor' came first to warn me district people were on their way. She wanted to show off for them, so she stayed and pretended to help my students. Then a counselor brought in a university researcher, and they stood in the back of the room and whispered. Finally, two district people came in. They walked down the rows of first-graders with their giant shoulder bags, asking kids questions and looking through files for 'evidence of implementation.' My princ.i.p.al walked in a few minutes later to see why so many other people were in the room. Each observer rattled off his or her own version of, 'Don't mind me. Just keep doing what you're doing.' I tried to teach my lesson like everything was normal, but it was getting harder. Then the door opened again and it was another district person, stopping by to talk to one of his coworkers. This was my breaking point. I told the kids to put down their pencils and fold their arms on their desks. Then I turned to the adults and said, 'Y'all need to go.' I thought I was going to get in trouble for this, but no one said anything about it. In fact, I was observed much less often in the future."