Teaching is a bit like running a marathon race each year. You've conditioned yourself, made careful preparations, plotted your strategies and you're off and running! There will be obstacles, perhaps a change in course and many unexpected challenges throughout the year. But, with motivation and realistic goals we can run the race with confidence. So how can we make sure that our students and classrooms are getting off to the best possible start? There are several components that are key in laying down the foundation for a great school year.
Organization
Good organizational skills are a must! This can include everything from juggling paper work to effectively managing your time. Reality dictates all too quickly that teachers always seem to have a desperately disproportioned amount of tasks to perform within the allotted time. Yes, I strongly suggest making lists and prioritizing tasks. But for those of us who do that and consistently lose our lists, or perhaps can't find pen and paper under the "piles" to even make the lists in the first place, these skills are a real challenge. Decide on an organization system that works best for YOU, depending upon your situation. Are you a labeler, a color coder or a file folder person? Remember to keep it simple! Good organization can help you manage your time and relieve stress.
Communication
Communication is really a partnership. The word "partnership" is defined as the relationship between two or more people that are involved in or share the same activity or goal. It also denotes cooperation between people or groups working together. Teachers form many important relationships which require them to have effective communication skills. These include relationships with students, parents, co-workers, administrators and other professionals. Truly productive communication involves the ability to not only express yourself clearly and professionally, but being able to be a good listener. Keep your communication lines open and flowing.
Building Community
The first weeks of school are vital for laying the foundation for the whole school year. The more attention paid early on to the concepts of community, character, and quality, the more time and effort you'll be spared later. This is one of the first steps to creating a caring, smoothly run classroom community. The classroom can be compared to a mini-society with goals, expectations, and limits. Students will be living and interacting with one another in a shared environment for ten months out of a year. I think also that the word community speaks of a group uniting, caring for each other and working cooperatively while respecting the individual contributions of it's members.
So how do teachers begin to juggle the responsibilities of meeting academic objectives, while taking the time to establish a vital sense of community in their classrooms? By getting to know your students and your students getting to know you and each other. I'm not just referring to a few surface qualities, rather delving deeper into likes, dislikes, talents, unique histories, etc. Stating clearly what you expect from your students as individuals, but also what you expect the classroom to accomplish as a team on a daily, weekly and yearly basis. When the effort is put forth from the beginning of the year to establish strong relationships it makes for more overall success in the classroom. Integrate your academics into team and community building activities. Be creative and innovative!!
Remember teachers, lay a solid foundation for your school year. Be prepared, persevere, be supportive and seek the support of others. And perhaps this year will not feel so much like a marathon race, but a successful journey.
"Let us watch well our beginnings and results will manage themselves."
- Alex Clark
Go to our Tips Page and read several tips on Organization and Climate.
