Teacher Tips

It is the end of the year and I am so immensely excited about that.  Not too excited about the coming humid season here in Korea but whatever.  Anyway, so I got to thinking, "What is some advice I can share about being a teacher?" and came up with this list (I will add as I come up with them).  If you have things to add please leave a comment. GRACIAS!

• Organization is key.  
• Documentation is CRITICAL.  
• Always remember you will never know when you need to CYA (cover your arse) so keep notes of parent contacts and other "issues" because your memory will SUCK when you least expect it.
• Keep notes of what you do in a digital document or a notebook.  You don't want to have to recreate the wheel next year.
• I always have Tutoring Logs, Calculator Logs, Phone Call Logs...
•  Keep extra supplies:
• Rulers,
• Scissors,
• Glue,
• Tape,
• Pencils - cheap ones that can walk away... unless you take collateral.
• Baggies... I like to have snack size and gallon size.  You never know when you will need the students to keep something together or you will want to keep stuff together.
• Have clear rules and expectations and ALWAYS follow them.  
• Students, especially teenagers, can sniff out weakness and exploit it so don't make exceptions to the rules for one unless you are prepared to make them for all.
• Always OVER prepare.  Even if you don't use all the work you have planned at least you have every minute planned.  Never hurts to have backup plans, too.
• If you make a deal with a student WRITE IT DOWN.
• I always forget when I tell people they can turn things in if they are absent but if I make a note then I can't forget.
• Always walk in to a class with a fresh slate.
• If you had a student who just infuriated you yesterday and you had to kick them out and write them up don't start today with that anger.  It's really hard to do but you can't let yesterday bring you down today else every day will just be MISERABLE.
• Regardless of your subject have at least ONE dictionary in your room for when the question "What does that mean?" comes up.
• Don't let students borrow your pens and pencils if you want them back.
• Reward the good as quickly as you punish the bad.
• The first week of school sets the tone for the year.  If you are too easy going you can't get stricter later... there is no going back... but if you start out hard you can get a little softer as they earn it.
• ... more to come ...