What's your advice for a new teacher?

I'm currently studying to be a teacher. I will be graduating in 2 years, and I am already trying to save up all the ideas I can get. I'm taking a secondary Ed major, and my subjects are History and Business. However, I'd like ideas in every realm. Just wondering what some of you veteran teachers would say to a new one.What's your advice for a new teacher?
You are very smart to start collecting ideas early. Although I am an elementary teacher, I have taught every level from K to graduate school.





You have to know your subject, but you also need to know what your state expects of students at different levels, e.g. 9th grade, 11th grade. Your state performance standards are listed on your state department website. You will teach them many more things that these, but these are basic. Talk to your fellow teachers when you get a job and find out which are the most important and which are hardest to teach. You don't want to waste your time on a simple concept that most of the students may already know.





Good teachers are firm but friendly. That is, they have a business like attitude toward getting the job done, but they express it in a friendly way. Kids in high school get blamed for being ';awful, bratty, mean'; etc, but maybe that's because teachers before expected them to be ';awful or mean';. Have high expectations of everyone and expect everyone to learn.





Now everyone won't learn at the same level. Some will master most of the material, some will master some of it and some will struggle. If a student is struggling have a personal conference and try to find out if that student needs extra help. I had a high school student once who drove a school bus, worked after school and then fell asleep in my class! No wonder. He had an overload. You can be understanding and try to work out a way that student can keep up.





I have an acronym for teaching. Teachers wear many HATS. H stands for ';healing';. Kids need understanding. They come out of all kinds of situatios. Try to get to know them by having them write about themselves. Plan activities in which you learn more about the students. I had my college students make a one page ad that describes them. They were clever, and it broke the tension the first day of class.





Get to know their names and call them correctly. I took pics of all my students and had the students write their basic info on the back. That way I learned my students quickly.





A - stands for ';art';. Teaching is an art. There are certain things we do that should bring good results, but not always. We have to shape the students with our many interactions with them. This is where the art comes in.





One way to show your artistic touch is to plan activities where students don't just sit and listen to a lecture. Have them work in pairs to solve a problem and brainstorm reasons for a event. When you feel comfortable with pairs, put them in groups of 4-5. Read about cooperative learning. It has a certain structure that keeps it organized. You don't want any free for alls in your class.





Third T means technician. The teachers has to know how to put meaningful lesson plans together, how to present content in interesting ways, how to plan tests that really measure what kids know.





You need to wear all these HATS. Healer, Artist, technician. Students will respect you for being organized yet not overbearing and inflexible, kind but not overly so, and you've got to know your stuff.





You are off to a good start. Use the Internet to find teaching materials. For example if your class is American history, google lesson plans in American history;.





Good luck. Teaching is a wonderful way to spend your life. You will need to be strong and smart, but I think you already are!What's your advice for a new teacher?
To be a good teacher, you need to be energetic, but strict and you need to incorporate fun things in learning. Set standards for your students and never ever back down to a student. Any kid will like a teacher that is funny and energetic and a little bit strange and will learn more because of it. The worst teacher that anyone could ever be is strict, and all they ever do is learn by the book or the teacher handing out assignments. It is okay to give as much homework as you want, but don't overload students. I have a teacher that is like the way I was describing in the beginning and at the very beginning of school, before it started, everybody transferred into her class and we had 47 people in her class at the beginning of the year. (By the way she is an English teacher) I'm sure if you can do some of the things that I told you about you will be a great teacher even if you're new.
In all things remember -- and do not let your students forget -- that you are in control. If this sounds like a control freak, it isn't. Students need and want more structure than they are willing to admit and many will want to challenge your position of authority. DO NOT RELINQUISH IT! If there is a discipline problem, right or wrong, you are in control. If a student asks you a question that you don't know the answer to, say ';I don't know the answer to that'; You can also turn this into a teachable moment and ask ';Do you know the answer?'; Students will respect you for exercising control; they do not need another friend. They need someone to say ';Quieten down; the bell has rung.'; and if this doesn't work, then ';I said everyone quieten down and get to your seats. we have important work to do and the bell has rung.'; and if this doesn't work, then ';SHUT UP!'; usually does. Remember something that is very important to keeping control -- you are smarter than them. I don't go around saying this until there is a ';situation';


-- ';Listen, your first mistake was thinking you were smarter than the teacher. It hasn't been that long since I was skipping classes so I know all the places to look. I have a HS diploma, a 4 year degree, and a Master's degree. At this rate, you're not going to get a HS diploma!';


Some may resent you for exercising your control, but you've earned it. And as soon as a gunman goes crazy in school and you tell them to get down, be quiet, turn the lights off, and help them through the situation, they'll realize why it's important for you to be in control even when the situation is not so nearly-fatal.
I'm a student so I may be able to tell you something.


Be Prepared! Especially if you are taking high school classes. They are a bit.. rowdy. Make sure you make learning fun and don't spend the whole lesson shouting.


Seating orders bite. If one person is being disruptive move them aside and talk to them.


That's stuff that would make a pretty awesome teacher.


Hope this healps in some way.


Good luck and have fun!
DOn't be too controling or the students won't respect you, but don't give in to anythign they want either.


Make sure you keep control at all times. If you lose it, the students lose all respect for you.


GOod Luck!
dont f*** a student and become like this generations mary kay letourneau. yeah teachers now days are doing that more often, keep your job and your sanity thats all im asking
get out quick!
Start making your visual aids NOW.





Jot down 10 of the most important things you want your students to learn in your class.
I never liked my teachers, they were really dull. Be lively and engaging... this is from a students perspective though. Best of luck.
Focus on math and it will be easier to get a job. It's not an easy field to break into.
do not teach in high school !