First year teacher

[smiths02]

Some more positives:
Pros-less likely that the teacher has kids at home and can put in longer hours
the new teacher usually has a mentor and is being closely monitored
teacher more likely to listen to support staff (like if the special education teacher tries to collaborate about a student)

 

[Disney_traveler]

Some more positives:
Pros-less likely that the teacher has kids at home and can put in longer hours
the new teacher usually has a mentor and is being closely monitored
teacher more likely to listen to support staff (like if the special education teacher tries to collaborate about a student)

The bolded is what drives me insane. I will never be married or have kids and it drives me bananas when I repeatedly get voluntold to do stuff because "I have no life and no family." Those are seriously the words used.

 

[jevs]

Well, the class lists came out for the new school year for DD.


DD has the new teacher straight out of college. I'll be honest, I have mixed emotions. I'm sure this new teacher will be excited and eager -- this is what she's worked so hard for. But I also know that first year has to be tough. Any new job is hard, finding what works for you takes time and some mistakes. Especially when they give you the troublemaker of that grade. Why would they do that to a new teacher? Ugh!!


So fellow teachers, how was your first year of teaching?


And fellow parents, how was it when your child had a first year teacher?

Two different experiences.

My son had a first year teacher when he was in grade 2. She was a nightmare. Wanted to teach straight out of the textbook and expected the kids to be exactly the same. She was also attempting to diagnose every kid in the class with some form of behavioual issue. Her contract was not renewed at the end of the year.

My daughter has also had a first year teacher. The complete opposite, you wouldn't have even know she was straight out of uni.

 

[smiths02]

The bolded is what drives me insane. I will never be married or have kids and it drives me bananas when I repeatedly get voluntold to do stuff because "I have no life and no family." Those are seriously the words used.

I don't believe people should be voluntold.
I just know when I had twins, I just cannot possibly work as much at home...it is a physical impossibility. Since I am the kind of person who previously would work at home, I know my work at home decreased.

I don't think anyone should be required to work at home, and the family status shouldn't be how it is. I just know that to be true.

Conversely, I am sure I can do some of my work more quickly than an inexperienced person can...the same with a teacher. An experienced teacher already has lesson plans, etc., so is not spending as much time doing this.

 

[Wendy31]

It was awful but the kids all survived and just graduated high school. I just saw 15 of the 18 of them after graduation, and they're all going to college. I don't think I was an awful teacher to them, but I hated it and basically cried every day. I also lost about 15 pounds.

Yep!

I also remember during my first year when a little girl lost her first tooth, but dropped it & couldn't find it & was hysterical - her mouth was bleeding, we couldn't find her first tooth... it was one of those little, itty bitty baby teeth too. I was on my hands & knees crawling around the floor, trying to find the tooth & console her at the same time & keep the other students calm as well. Fun times!! But I did find her tooth!

 

[Disney_traveler]

I don't believe people should be voluntold.
I just know when I had twins, I just cannot possibly work as much at home...it is a physical impossibility. Since I am the kind of person who previously would work at home, I know my work at home decreased.

I don't think anyone should be required to work at home, and the family status shouldn't be how it is. I just know that to be true.

Conversely, I am sure I can do some of my work more quickly than an inexperienced person can...the same with a teacher. An experienced teacher already has lesson plans, etc., so is not spending as much time doing this.

Ok I understand what you're saying and I respect that. It isn't easy to say spread out papers and projects across a house when you have kids around. That's completely understandable.

 

[Princess Mulan]

I'm 10 years in. Crying is down to about once a month

 

[THEDISNEYTHREE]

.

 

[fly girl]

Ds18 had a brand new teacher in the first grade, and she was awesome! He had her again in 3rd, her first year teaching 3rd, and he was so happy. At our elementary, it's a combination of the previous year's teachers making recommendations, the new teacher either wanting or big wanting students (mostly based on parents - lol), and parent requests (not allowed, usually fulfilled). I had 5 kids go through elementary, I was a parent there for 14 years, so I was privy to some information not widely known.

Interesting.

I wonder how it works at our school.

No way would I ever have the guts to ask for a teacher. And I think we are easy -- our kid stays out of trouble, does well in school, and we don't hound the teachers. I think I emailed her teacher twice last year -- and about nothing issues (early pick up, and releasing her to extra curricular after school because I forgot to write it in her planner.)

I'd like to believe DD is a great student to have in class, as well as we are good parents to deal with.

 

[clori]

My dd had an excellent teacher who retired in December of 3rd grade. The replacement teacher (we were told teacher not long term sub) was really bad. It seemed like the new teacher had no concept of classroom control and the kids quickly caught on. I felt like the teacher knew the material but not how to teach to a range of abilities. After a week or so several parents went to the principal to complain on a daily basis. My dd told me it was hard to learn because the teacher did not have a clue what she was doing. I know at one point I saw the teacher come out of school crying at the end of the day while I was waiting for dd to come out.

At one point they put a sub in a second grade class for a few days and had the 2nd grade teacher do some observation then work with the teacher. They also had the principal, vp, and other school staff coming in as often as possible. I know the other 3rd grade teachers tried to help and one kid was switched out of the class. The most my dd ever told me was the teacher spent too much time saying quiet down. I know the teacher was not asked to teach in the school system again since the end of the school year.

That said my kids have had some excellent first year teachers. My oldest had a first year English teacher in 9th grade who she loved. Due to changes younger dd ended up having the same teacher her second year in 6th grade as an English/homeroom teacher and her class absolutely loved her too. They have also had mostly excellent last year teachers but we did have one last year teacher who was simply counting down days to retirement.

 

[fly girl]

Some more positives:
Pros-less likely that the teacher has kids at home and can put in longer hours
the new teacher usually has a mentor and is being closely monitored
teacher more likely to listen to support staff (like if the special education teacher tries to collaborate about a student)

Our school Facebook page just showed what our teachers were up to this summer. They announced that she ("our newest teacher") just got engaged this summer. Showed their engagement picture -- she looks very sweet. She also has her class page up on the school website and a few paragraphs about who she is. Definitely seems excited! Which is a definite plus.

I don't doubt for a second the other 3rd grade teachers will help her get into the groove if she wants the help.

Open House (to drop off supply list) is end of next week. It will be nice to meet her in person and start the new school year off on a good foot!

 

[fly girl]

The bolded is what drives me insane. I will never be married or have kids and it drives me bananas when I repeatedly get voluntold to do stuff because "I have no life and no family." Those are seriously the words used.

Well that's BS. I'm sorry.

Everyone has a life.

 

[fly girl]

Two different experiences.

My son had a first year teacher when he was in grade 2. She was a nightmare. Wanted to teach straight out of the textbook and expected the kids to be exactly the same. She was also attempting to diagnose every kid in the class with some form of behavioual issue. Her contract was not renewed at the end of the year.

My daughter has also had a first year teacher. The complete opposite, you wouldn't have even know she was straight out of uni.

May I be blessed with door number 2 please.

 

[jevs]

May I be blessed with door number 2 please.

You may well be

Like everything, you have the good and bad. Just make sure you advocate for your kiddo if you feel something is not working.

My daughter's teacher was very approachable, and really engaged with the parents. My son's thought she was superior to everyone and knew it all.

 

[zoemurr]

Well, my dd had a teacher for k that was there about 40 years. She apparently was a wonderful teacher at some point, but she was dangerous, not to mention a terrible educator. She couldn't remember anyone's names (kids or peers) and she made some terrible decisions. (And those are only the ones I know about.) I ended up having my daughter moved mid year because the principal agreed with me and said his hands were basically tied.

I sent ds to another school for k to guarantee we didn't get her again. He got a first year teacher. She was wonderful. A bit timid, but no complaints. He ended up looping with her back to our home school, so that made his transition much easier.

Our worst teacher was in 4th grade (besides the senile one) and he'd been there for ages.

 

[mjkacmom]

Interesting.

I wonder how it works at our school.

No way would I ever have the guts to ask for a teacher. And I think we are easy -- our kid stays out of trouble, does well in school, and we don't hound the teachers. I think I emailed her teacher twice last year -- and about nothing issues (early pick up, and releasing her to extra curricular after school because I forgot to write it in her planner.)

I'd like to believe DD is a great student to have in class, as well as we are good parents to deal with.

Lol I'm not implying that the teachers don't like you or you daughter! In fact, my oldest got worse teachers than her younger siblings, because the teachers didn't know us at all, all of my friends had kids her age or younger and didn't have a clue, and I didn't realize parents requested teachers (even to avoid the clunkers). By the time #4 and #5 were there, I could easily request a teacher just by asking (no letter needed). There was s first grade teacher at the school who should've retired 10 years earlier (and never should've taught first grade). She got all of the first timers who's parents didn't know better (including dd20).

 

[fly girl]

The third had a really hard time taking control of the classroom. In her defense, she had a couple of real corkers in there.

That's what I'm afraid of.

This teacher has the behavioral issue kid. And I only know 2 other boys on the class list. So that leaves a good chunk of boys that I don't know how they interact with the first kid.

For the girls, I know all but 2. I will admit, this class list is the best for no drama girls. One of the other classes is going to be interesting. Can't believe the mean girl behavior starts this young, but it does.

 

[Wendy31]

Some more positives:
Pros-less likely that the teacher has kids at home and can put in longer hours
the new teacher usually has a mentor and is being closely monitored
teacher more likely to listen to support staff (like if the special education teacher tries to collaborate about a student)

My first education teacher in college told our class that, in order to be good teachers, it'd be better if we never had our own children so that we could focus entirely on our students & not feel torn between a personal life & a professional life since teaching is such a "give it your all" type profession.

She was older, had been in the teaching profession for many years, & had "graduated" to teaching college education classes. She had never married & never had any kids.

I dropped the class soon after, but I can't say I didn't remember that advice when I was trying to juggle my classroom's needs & my own kids' needs.

 

[zoemurr]

Lol I'm not implying that the teachers don't like you or you daughter! In fact, my oldest got worse teachers than her younger siblings, because the teachers didn't know us at all, all of my friends had kids her age or younger and didn't have a clue, and I didn't realize parents requested teachers (even to avoid the clunkers). By the time #4 and #5 were there, I could easily request a teacher just by asking (no letter needed). There was s first grade teacher at the school who should've retired 10 years earlier (and never should've taught first grade). She got all of the first timers who's parents didn't know better (including dd20).

Yep, we learned this game too. We were allowed to write letters but not name teachers. If I wrote, "I'd like an organized teacher who will help to keep my student focused" they knew exactly who I was trying to avoid. There was one teacher that was disliked by many. She regularly had an entire classroom of oldest siblings. I mentioned a few times to teachers, "I would love N to have Mrs. C next year" and it always happened. My daughter was a very well behaved student and her brother had all of the same teachers. We even had one teacher guarantee my very shy son would stay with his best friend. She said all of the kids were on scraps of paper and the principal and teachers moved them around until everyone was happy. (I wonder what that negotiation process is like. ) She put my son and his friend on the same paper as a package deal.

 

[Aliceacc]

I had a great first year.

I had 3 different math preps: Algebra, Geometry, and the then-brand-new Sequential Math I.

Three kids in particular: Mary, Mary Pat and Mary Claire (all girls Catholic school) made that year memorable. Anytime I NEEDED a kid to come up with the right answer, I knew that one of those 3 kids would have it.

Mary died 2 years later of CF, Mary Claire became a math teacher, and Mary Pat eventually worked in publishing in NYC.

A good first year teacher will ask for help when she needs it, and know that she doesn't know it all. But that lack of experience is frequently balanced by enthusiasm and a real love for kids.

I've worked with some phenomenal first year teachers, and one or two who were convinced that their degree meant they knew all there was to know. Those in the second group tended not to last too long.