Surviving the First Year

The third marking period of my first official school year is over, and we are looking at some two months until SUMMER! It is a thrilling thought to be sure! On that first day of school seven months, I wasn't totally sure that I was ever going to make it here.

Five brand new classes - four unique history classes and one Bible class. Fifty-some unique students with a dozen repeats. A homeroom, several various responsibilities including study halls, and basically what turns into mountains of work in a Christian school. Mondays are by far the hardest days. Not only are you as the teacher trying to get back into the groove after the weekend (and wake up, because you stayed up too late Sunday night getting ready for classes), you are trying to rope the students back into the school routine. It is also my morning meeting, lunch duty, and study hall day. Can you say "no bathroom breaks"? Tuesdays are similar, so by Wednesday afternoon I am literally crawling to my 6th period class.

But before you say "No rest for the weary," never fear... I have come up with a number of things that help me get through these super-busy times and maintain my sanity.

Something that I have concluded is that those lovely and largely helpful teacher blogs really are not helpful for your first year. I want to give you just a few tips that might be helpful, from one first year teacher to another.

Have the students grade minor assignments. I have my students trade papers and grade homework and quizzes together in class. I know that some people have a strict policy against this for fear of cheating and such, but I double-check all of the work. My double-checking does so much faster than personally reading and understanding every single answer. I am still able to catch incorrect answers that were unintentionally missed or quizzes that were clearly sabotaged. Hours saved: incalculable :)

Plan a single copying day. Instead of running to the copier nine-hundred thousand times, pick one afternoon and lay claim to the copier.

Write the test key first. I write a number of my own tests, quizzes, and worksheets. I discovered that it is so much easier to write the test key first, then copy it to create the assignment. Too many times in a pinch have I rushed to create an assignment, only to remember when I went to grade the assignment that I didn't have the key. Do yourself a favor - just write the key first. Save yourself the frustration late.

Be firm, then kind. Yes, you want the students to like you, but not at the expense of your authority. You have to discipline the students at those moments when it is necessary and appropriate. They will respect you because you have done the right thing. But one thing I have learned to do is seek out the student that I just firmly corrected or disciplined or issued demerits to and connect with them. Several times I have let them know that I appreciated their good attitude, their respect, or just simply asked about their life. There was this one day I had disciplined a particular student for the third day in a row for the same thing. I was beyond frustrated. The first two days I had tried to make personal contact with this student, but just missed them in timing. By the third day this student was fairly certain I hated them (which was entirely not true!). When I ran to the gymnasium where students congregate to load onto the bus, I found this particular student and started talking to them and asking about their life. At that moment, I discovered they had been going through a family trial and started a new activity that was incredibly challenging. I never would have known that if I hadn't reached out to that student. The next day the student mentioned in front of a group of friends how thankful they were for me because I really cared about them personally, not just as a student. I never intended to get those kind of results, but I really do care about my students as people, and I do want them to know.

Don't feel guilty because it's your first year. You can't do everything. This first year of teaching is time-consuming. Don't feel terrible if you have to cancel plans or back out of a commitment because you have to prep for school. It's first year and it can be overwhelming if you try to maintain your previously accustomed social life. It's not that you should abandon everything, just don't be afraid to admit you have a lot going on. It's a phase. It will pass.

Teaching is a joy and a lot of hard work. Especially during the first year! But if you plan accordingly and cut yourself some slack, you will survive and have fun.