If you are new to Education like me, you may be overwhelmed with all the information available to you on the internet. Whether you have recently finished your own education centered around Teaching, or if you are making a career change (hello!), you may find yourself with the lingering question of "where does a new educator start once I get the job?"
I have gathered 4 of my favorite online tools that have helped me become confident and ready for my students in the classroom. Each resource has proved to hit on an attribute most needed in helping the school year not only run smoothly, but also help it to run along side the curriculum in preparing my students for the future.
1. Setting up your Room:
When you are ready to set up your classroom for the first time, you are probably boiling over with ideas! Your goal should be to meet the needs of the teacher and meet the developmental needs of your students in your set-up (Smith 2013). This is extremely important if your are teaching primary grades where children need to be able to move around the room throughout the day. Making "areas" in your classroom will help students know the flow of your day and week and understand where to go for specific things: communication, schedule/calendar, homework, reading time, birthdays, math corner, etc. Invest in storage containers that allow you to organize each month's activities, lesson plans, and materials for easy reference. 3 Teacher Chicks is a great blog to learn how to layout your classroom in creative and efficient ways.
2. Connect with other Teachers:
One of my most favorite places to go to for inspiration has been Scholastic for Teachers. You can view blogs of teachers around the country for their perspective on what works and is not working in their classrooms. In my school, we have only one of each grade. Connecting with other First Grade teachers through their blogs has helped me gauge my own efforts in reaching my students, and help me problem solve situations I am experiencing. You can choose to "follow" specific teachers' blogs here or explore them all. I like to read what teachers are doing in their classrooms that are one grade higher and lower than my own for perspective on where my students should be.
3. Enhance the Curriculum:
Even if you are brand new to Teaching, you have heard the controversy to Common Core. At the end of the day, it is up to you to ensure your students not only are ready for their EOGs, but are also more knowledgeable about a subject...and perhaps, enlightened? The Common Core Conversation is a resource for teachers that is full of ways to build upon what you're already doing in the classroom. By simply selecting your grade and subject, you have access to a large amount of information to reach your students in new ways.
4. Make It Yours:
You have set up your classroom, connected with other teachers, and elevated your curriculum. Now it is time to add the YOU to your classroom. Pinterest is a place to visit when you are ready to add in that extra level of specialness to your classroom.Here, you can find ways of making your classroom speak and become the environment you truly envision for your students. On Pinterest, you can search for any topic (bulletin boards, classroom management ideas, lesson plan ideas, rewards, etc) and "pin" them to inspiration boards you create. You can save your idea boards and "follow" other teachers who are also registered. This is a great tool for connecting with other teachers,and getting inspired through images. It is a great way to organize your ideas in one place.
I would love to hear what resources have worked for you! What advice would you give brand new teachers?
References:
[Classroom photo]. Retrieved September 20, 2013, from: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/2013/08/setting-my-classroom-0
Hoffmann, Amy, 3 Teacher Chicks. (2013, July 21). Classroom Setup Ideas. Retrieved September 22, 2013 from: http://3teacherchicks.blogspot.com/p/bloggerteacher-resources.html
[Pinterest logo]. Retrieved September 20, 2013 from: http://3teacherchicks.blogspot.com
Smith, Brian, Institution, Scholastic Teachers. (2013, August). Setting Up Your Classroom. Retrieved September 20, 2013, from: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/2013/08/setting-my-classroom-0
