How to be a good (new) teacher?

As a new teacher, facing new students is always challenging, so get ready to make a great impression on your new students. Here are some tips that can help you be a star teacher from the first day and win all your students over.

1. Establish the ground rules

By being clear about your expectations, you provide students with boundaries for class behavior. Once you have introduced yourself, communicate the basic rules for behavior, policies, interactions and permissions that will be used throughout the year.

Detail: polices for attendance, homework, passes to leave the classroom and the use of electronic devices; also detail the possible consequences in a positive manner.

You may still have to reiterate these rules for the first couple of weeks.

* Tip! You can plan a quiz or classroom activity on the dos and don’ts in the classroom, to make sure everyone understands your expectations.

2. Practice what you preach

Some students are likely to test the limits. Be sure to be consistent in what you say and the manner in which you act. Other students may test the limits also if they see that the consequences are not what you told them.

3. Get to know your students

To build a personal relationship with your students is a process that will take you much longer.  But, making an initial effort to get to know your students can define how comfortable students will be in your class. In today’s online world it might be a good idea to send an email welcoming them to the new school year and to your class.

* Tip! Create ice breaking activities to learn something about each student,  between them and also about you. Favorite online activity, favorite books, places they have visited and extracurricular interests… But refrain from getting too personal.

4. Dress and act appropriately

Do it in a manner that inspires confidence. Being in class on time sets an example. Never play favorites and always speak positively about other students and your colleagues. Always be professional, and never talk badly about another class, student or teacher to students.

Becoming a good teacher can changes your life and the life of all the students that can pass through your classroom, so don’t let the challenging moments to be a barrier to improve yourself as a person and a professional.

Do you agree about those tips?

What tips you have yourself as a teacher?

By Ángela R.

*Source:  The ed advocate