Laugh at yourself. Often.
There is a difference between being nice and being kind, and between
being firm and being mean. Choose kind. Choose firm.
Pick your battles. The people above you will make decisions you don’t
agree with, and it will happen often.
Ask yourself this question: “Does this issue significantly and
inevitably impede my ability to teach and care for my students
effectively?” If it does, approach the decision-maker with your concerns
calmly and diplomatically. If not, do what you need to do to be in
compliance and nothing more.
Glitter may seem like a good idea, but it’s not.
Ever.
Be
friendly to other teachers, but also be wary. Surround yourself with
positive people, and try to set an example for the people who are always
negative (the way you set an example for me during most of this past
fall!). Do not offer an ear to the teachers who blame their problems on
children.
Embrace your mistakes because they’re coming, my friend. There will be
small ones, and there will be big ones that you will think about for years
later. They will happen no matter how careful you are because we are human and
humans are imperfect. But is much better to make mistakes and apologize for
them than to resist them and make excuses (or worse, believe you are above
making mistakes).
If you’re about to make 100 double-sided, 6-page packets and someone
comes into the copy room needing to make 70 single-sided copies, let them go in
front of you.
Be kind to everyone, but make a special effort to be kind to the people
behind the scenes—librarians, receptionists, cafeteria and custodial staff,
etc.
On the bad days, don’t be afraid to lock your door and turn off the
lights during your prep period and sit under your desk and cry and eat
candy that you meant to give to students.
On the really bad days, start making a list of all the awesome stuff
you’re going to do when you leave, and leave right after school no matter how
much work you have (it will get done!).
If you find yourself arguing with a student, you’ve already lost.
DEVOLSON (the Dark, Evil Vortex of Late September, October, and
November) can destroy you if you're not careful. Awareness is half the battle.
Feedback is so unbelievably important. Grade and hand back every
assignment, even if you know it isn’t going in your gradebook.
Go to the school dances and make a dancing fool out of yourself.
Create
posters for athletic games and fine arts performances and yell your heart out.
Arm wrestle your students.
Sing.
Sing LOUD.
Oh, and remember you will do stupid things.
This is one of the most important, most rewarding, most incredible, and
most terrifying jobs in the world, and you
are ready. Your future students are lucky young men and women indeed. I can
say with certainty that it has been an honor and a privilege to pass my
teaching torch to you.
Now, go!
