Bad Breath
Be sensitive of your breath and odor. I once had a teacher who wreaked of cigarettes. When she came in to help me one-on-one, all I could think of was how bad she smelled especially when she spoke and I smelled her breath. If you drink coffee or smoke, be sure to get the smell off of you. Keep breath mints and a pleasant perfume of cologne with you. It also helps to keep deodorant in the room in case you need to freshen up during a warm afternoon.
Wardrobe Malfunctions
Keep an extra set of pants and a shirt in your closet incase a button pops, you rip something or make the mistake of having sloppy spaghetti for lunch. As a science teacher, I have the extra security of being able to wear a lab coat. This came in handy when the zipper on my pants broke in the middle of class. Luckily, I was behind the front desk and was able to grab the coat from my closet without anyone ever seeing the open fly.
Pepto Bismo/Tums/cough drops
Occasionally, lunch does not agree with you. Keep some emergency provisions on hand.
Keeping professional when talking about other teachers
You can very quickly find yourself at odds with your colleagues- many of which you will be spending the better portion of your life with. As Mom always said: “if you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all.” Whenever talk of another teacher or the principal comes up, I always have something good to say. “Oh, Mr. Smith, he’s my favorite,” even though Mr. Smith and I don’t get along.
Professional role model 24/7
Follow the rules of the building. If you won’t follow them, why should your students? Besides teaching your students about your subject area, teachers are also charged with teaching character to their students. Lead by example.
Keep phones on vibrate- do not disturb the flow of your class with your newest ringtone.
Never answer your cell phone in front of the class- if your building has cell phone rules, follow them yourself. If you are expecting an important call, perhaps excuse yourself before you get the call. It shows your students that it is not a trivial call and that you are respecting the rules but this is an exception. After the call comes in and is unanswered, discretely check the caller ID to see if it warrants an immediate call back.
Be mindful of driving- Students, parents and colleagues may bump into you anywhere- local or on trips. Road rage, aggressive driving, cursing other drivers may severely tarnish your reputation- one of your most valuable assets.
Be mindful of neighbors- if you live in your school district consider yourself living in a glass house. Neighbors notice and talk.
Be mindful when out around town- For the same reasons as above. I once worked with a woman who was out shopping for lingerie. She reached into a rack to see an item and looked up to make eye contact with a current student reaching into the same rack. She went home and informed her husband that they were moving out of district.
Faculty Room is a double-edged sword
The faculty room is a good way to bond with your colleagues, exchange ideas, get advice and just decompress. On the flip side, the faculty room tends to be a breeding ground for gripe sessions. It can really start to color your attitude so use the faculty room with caution.
Cards of Doom
Type students names on mailing labels as seen above. The first name is a student from your first class, the second is from your second class and so on. Use an * to hold the space for a class that has fewer students. The cards can be shuffled and used to randomly call students, assign activity groups, sign out equipment.
Using the cards to cover for a student when they get called out
When I get a call from the principal or dean for a specific student, I keep it their business and don’t announce it to the class. I will grab the Cards of Doom, say that I need someone to run an errand and “randomly” call the student. I take them into the hall and quietly tell them that the dean needs to see them.
Pencils: to supply or not to supply
This comes down to a personal choice. Some teachers simply do no want to deal with the issue so they keep a supply of pens or pencils on hand which is fine. My personal philosophy is that if I supply them with pencils, they will have no reason to come prepared and I am encouraging them to continue coming unprepared. I do no loan pencils since I do not get them back. I will sell a pencil for $.25.
Do not announce good or bad grades for specific students
Do not announce bad grades for obvious reasons. I also do not announce good grades. Some students become targets because they make other people look bad. Some students also are humble and do not wish to boast. I leave it to them. If they wish to do a touchdown dance and flaunt their score, that’s their choice.
Free PR
Teachers, new teachers in particular, should be as visible as possible especially doing positive things. Go to sporting events and look in at clubs after school. Even if it is for a few minutes on the way out to your car. Let the students, parents and administrators see you outside of the classroom. It’s also an eye-opener into the secret lives of your students. They have talents and interests that you had no idea about. It also gives you an extra facet of connection to your students.
Parental contact sheets
I have students keep track of their grades and bring the sheet home every weekend so that parents are informed. I also post the grades online (anonymously by student number) so that parents can verify the grades.
Keep a log book and enter every contact you have with a parent in the book with date and a detail of the conversation.
Keep your emails in a separate folder just for parent contact.
Diplomacy during irate calls
Remain professional, remain cool, don’t take it personally, leave your ego out of it. Do not take a defensive posture. Take a problem solving angle.
Notifying of grades
Weekly grade sheets (above) and giving students and parents access to grades periodically updated is key. As long as they are informed well before the report card, there will be fewer last-minute problems. I post the grades sorted by student ID number on my web page then send out an e-mail notifying that the grades have been updated.
Mass e-mails
At the beginning of the year, I assign my students to send me an email with their name and address so I can put it in a mail list. I also request their parents’ emails and do the same. Whenever I update grades online, I send out a notice. I will also send notices for important events such as tests or papers due. When I send out the email, I use the BCC (“Blind Carbon Copy”) feature so that I do not send all parents’ email addresses to all the others. I also include my supervisor and Principal on the email list to keep them in the loop.
Key people to befriend: secretaries and custodians
The secretaries actually run the school. If you stay on their good side, things will go smoothly for you. They will help with paperwork and will hold any problems and help you with them. The custodians are key for keeping your room up and running. They are also the key holders to the buildings and may help you if you need special access or supplies.
Student Safety
Keep a go-bag for fire drills- a backpack with:
- Attendance list (with pictures if possible)
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Portable radio
- Latex gloves
- Dust masks (class set)
- Water bottle
- Candy
Lock door even if kept open- keep your door locked at all times. In case of emergency, you can simply close the door without looking for keys and fumbling with the lock.
Never touch students (possible exception: very young for comfort)
One-on-one help
You need to protect yourself form any misunderstandings when dealing with students in a secluded, private setting (extra help).
- Sit by front door, keep the door opened
- Combine extra help with other teacher if possible
- Let another teacher know that you are alone with a student
- Keep an extra help log
Parent teacher conferences
- Print out the most recent grades
- Have examples of student work
- Have a plan or a routine:
“Do you have any questions or concerns?”
“Here are the current grades, you can see that she has all her work up to date, these were handed in late, her test scores can be a little higher…” Just running through a basic routine like this can fill a short conference and be informative to the parents.
- Be careful of what you eat for dinner before conferences
- Clean your room
Keep personal hygiene supplies in class
- Deodorant
- Tooth brush and paste
Worksheets: to give credit to other teachers or not
Teachers do a lot of exchanging and “borrowing” of ideas from other teachers. You’ll need to decide if you are going to cite credit on the work. In general, students don’t care if you got the work form Mrs. Smith from Main Street School, but other colleagues do. At the very least, you should try to give credit to the originator when you re-circulate ideas or worksheets.
Grade work in one sitting
There is a big gray are when it comes to grading, items that fall between a rubric or are up to interpretation. To be as fair as possible, grade an entire class in one sitting to avoid mood swings or a new perspective.
Rear view mirror
Most teachers now have computers in their room for administrative purposes as well as class use. Unfortunately most computers are against the wall forcing teachers to turn their back on the class. Get a small rear view mirror (curved round mirrors are the best) and put it on your computer so you can still monitor the class while taking attendance.
Test security
- Multiple versions. You can do multiple versions on multiple choice tests by having one question that all will get right such as “What is the first letter of the alphabet?” On version 1 it will be choice 1 and version 2 it will be choice 4. This will allow you to sort the tests and know which answer key to use.
- Sunglasses
If you sit at the front desk during a test, wear sunglasses so that students do not know if you are looking directly at them or someone else. You can also use this to grade or read during a test.
- Make copies of suspicious tests
- If you suspect that a student might adjust answers after the test is returned, make a copy before handing it back and keep on file. You should also make copies of tests that are suspected to be copied- both the copier and the copyee.
- Actually say “no cheating”
In these PC days, you rarely hear it. It is usually announced as “keep your eyes on your own paper”. Be blunt, be clear. “No Cheating”
- Randomly, sternly say “Eyes on your own paper!” They think it’s for someone else but keeps them all on edge if they think you are watching like a hawk..
If up late or really early, send out e-mail to look like you work hard
Send a follow-up note to your boss about “something that just occurred to you”
It makes you look like you are a hard, concerned worker to your boss.
Student Tricks:
- “go to the bathroom” to meet friend: You reply: “ok let me finish this and ask me again in two minutes” often, they will forget that they needed to go.
- doing a lot of math on a calculator- they are playing games
- Hands down in the lap, head bowed- nothing good can come from this. Randomly say the student’s name in the discussion.
- Long hair, hoods or leaning on one hand can hide an earphone.
Fifteen years of
Medina On-Line
1994-2009
Email: mrsciguy@optonline.net