Be mindful and careful as to which classroom environment you create….
Ah it’s the first day of school, you’re bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. No, I’m not talking about the new kids on the block, I’m talking about you, the New Teacher on The Block! A lot is required of you because you are now charged with the duty of pastoral care and ensuring academic excellence. It can seem overwhelming, I know, I’ve been there twenty-odd years ago.
Here is an acronym that I think will be useful to you as you begin your journey as a teacher. All you need to do is REMEMBER.
Relationships- Build strong and positive relationships with your students and create a supportive learning community. Quite often I overhear the corridor conversations of students and their remark is the same for some teachers, “But how does he expect me to respect him when he doesn't respect me”. We cannot demand respect because we believe ourselves to be the sage on the stage. Respect is earned and our students whether they be age 5 or 16, deserve to be valued and heard.
Establish- be clear on your expectations, set high standards, create a welcoming environment (a smile works wonders when your students walk into the classroom). Have an inspirational theme for your class with posters, etc. Explain to your students their rights, responsibilities, and consequences of their actions. Instead of saying “You will be punished if you do not have your homework”, try saying “If you do not present your homework with a valid excuse then you will be required to complete it at lunchtime in class with me.” I’ll share a little secret with you, kids like structure especially if this is not provided in their homes.
Maintain- communicate regularly with your students. Be consistent with your check-ins and feedback. Do you know what’s the easiest way to lose a student, inconsistency, and instability? Be consistent and regular in your interactions with your students, their parents and all stakeholders involved in their wellbeing. It takes a village to raise a child, you cannot do this job on your own. During the pandemic, I would post inspirational pieces and jokes at the start of each week to maintain my presence with my students. Post-pandemic I still do the aforementioned and they genuinely look forward to the posts. Never make a promise to a child that you know you are not going to keep. It breaks their spirit and trust in you. We want healthy relationships, some of them already have too many unhealthy ones.
Engage- Get to know your students, spend time with them, plan your lessons, and understand their abilities.
Maslow- focus on your students’ basic needs before you venture into academics. The saying goes, “Students must Maslow before they Bloom”. I have fallen short in this area, at times as a newbie, where I acted out of emotion when a student was being difficult, but I quickly learned that these students needed extra attention because there was a deficit somewhere. Quite often, we see the surface. A caring teacher must dig deeper if they see red flags. How can we expect any child to focus on Math and Science when he/she has left home hungry or they are thinking about escaping the abuse at home? Let’s be realistic, we can’t fix everything, but we can at least try to understand the reasons behind their behaviours and seek support for them before we react in a punitive manner.
Breaks- Incorporate scheduled breaks into your lesson plans to give students time to recharge and refocus, promoting better learning retention and overall well-being.
Encourage- encourage student participation, questions, and curiosity to foster a growth mindset and a love for learning. Show them that you appreciate them and commend them for their good work.
Resolve- once you recognize there is an issue in the class, address it. Try to do this in a timely manner. Leaving issues unresolved can lead to a plethora of other problems. Remember to be honest, fair and transparent in your interactions. Your students are looking on. Teach them to be problem solvers, conflict resolution is essential for a healthy classroom environment.
Most importantly, lead by example. Do not forget the soft skills, they are just as important or even more than the hard skills. Sow the seeds in your classroom that you want to reap. Take it one moment, one step, one day at a time and you will be fine. Best of luck in the new academic year! We, 21st century educators, are cheering you on. Don’t forget to REMEMBER!