HELP!! Just Got My First Teaching Job....

[illuminationsfanatic]

I just found out today that I'll be teaching 6th grade math and science. It's my first teaching job and school starts in less than a week. I only have tomorrow and Friday to set up my classroom. Needless to say, I am extremely overwhelmed. I did my student teaching in fifth grade but am not really sure what to expect with middle school. Any tips, suggestions, or thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thanks!!!

 

[pixiedustaholic]

Congratulations! I don't have any teaching advice but I wanted to wish you luck. Just keep in mind that middle school is a big change for your 6th graders (and their parents!) so if you can just keep that in mind and help them ease into it. Some of them will be terrified. My DNephew had major anxiety over starting middle school so a supportive teacher can be a true blessing.

 

[MushyMushy]

I'd recommend reading The First Days of School by Harry Wong. That book is a real gem.

Congratulations!

 

[java]

Congratulations! And my advice don't show fear they'll eat you alive.

(your not in NJ are you? I ask because we had a teacher walk out)

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I'd recommend reading The First Days of School by Harry Wong. That book is a real gem.

Congratulations!

I second that advice. More experienced teachers may be fans or not, but if a first year teacher follows his advice to the letter, he/she will have a GOOD first year!

 

[mamacatnv]

Nevada perhaps? My 6th grader is in need of a math teacher. She attends a charter school and the math teacher got a great opportunity with a high risk school in the district. Left on Friday, school started Monday.

Middle schoolers are a unique bunch. I agree, show no fear, learn their language and use it against them. Be fair but firm. They are real big on being fair and not yet old enough to thumb their noses up at firm. They are still active and very competitive.

The best math teacher we ever encountered was when DS was in middle school. She engaged them via contests, games, relays etc.
Example. She split the room down the middle and each kid had a partner on the other side. She put a problem up on the board and they had x number of minutes to work it out and physically exchange the paper with the answer with their partner. They could throw it, run it, make a paper airplane but when the timer went off they all had to be exchanged and back in their seats. Anyone not seated got points deducted from their team. They then corrected it and each side received points for correct answers.
She did several of these every day - it got the wiggles out, gave her an immediate idea of who got it and who didn't etc. She was amazing to watch and the kids loved her. She also was by far the strictest teacher DS encountered in middle school but the kids wanted to please her.

Good luck and congrats!

 

[illuminationsfanatic]

Thank you for all your advice!! I truly appreciate it. I have read Harry Wong's book prior to student teaching but am planning on pulling it out again for a refresher

I'm actually located in Michigan and about 19,000 people applied for jobs in the district I got hired into, so I am very fortunate. I never in a million years dreamed that I'd be getting a job this year with the way things are in Michigan.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Congratulations!

For your classroom set up, since you have very little time up front, think about your flow and organization. You can leave the walls mostly blank, since most of the stuff will be teaching charts or student work and you can add them/change them as you go along.

Think about how you want them to sit the first few days for organizing the student desks/tables. Consider how you want students to enter and know where to sit the first day. Think about where you want student work to be turned in. Think about if they are going to have some sort of task at entry and if you need materials for them to pick up as they enter, where those would go. Think about if they need coat/bag storage while in class. Think about if you want them to use a common heading on their paper....routines and rituals.

Focus your time on the procedures and rules you want to introduce and enforce beginning on day 1. Make sure they correlate with any school, district, and state policies. Hopefully your school is large enough that you are not the only math/science teacher on the grade. Seek out people who can be a good source of advice and support throughout the year.

Familiarize yourself with the curriculum and your state standards/benchmarks. Create a road map overview for your course content for the school year. (This can probably be done over the weekend from home, if your school does not already have a curriculum pacing guide.)

Oh, and take pictures of the classroom when you first walk in, then what it looks like ready for the first day. Take some more as the year goes along....and in following years. I can't believe the difference between my first year classroom and this one (my 6th year)!

 

[mommasita]

Just wanted to wish you good luck, and congratulations!!!

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I am shall we say an experienced Middle School Math teacher. Take a deep breath and relax. You will be fine. Middle school kids are really fun to work with. They can be 3 one minute and 30 the next. They still love stickers and games but want to tell you who they are "in Love" with this week. They will work very hard for you as long as they feel like you are on their side! They love games and group work but not everyday. They respect you pushing them to always do the best they can. They need to feel safe and to know your classroom is a NO PUT Down Zone. You can do this and even enjoy it! Good luck.

 

[Cindy B]

Congratulations! And my advice don't show fear they'll eat you alive.

(your not in NJ are you? I ask because we had a teacher walk out)

Where in NJ? I've been looking for a teaching job FOREVER.. I have a 50 mile radius one way from Camden County..

I'll start tomorrow if they let me!

 

[MoniqueU]

Wow congratulations!! Here middle school doesn't start til 7th grade which is too bad. The best thing to ever happen to my girls especially the oldest one is middle school. From a parents perspective keep the website updated daily with the assignments and challlenge those that need to be challenged by offering extra work for extra credit. To me the higher performing kids can do more work with less help so you can keep them busy with extra work freeing up time to help some that need extra time. Understand that girls are just chatty and it isn't necesirly meaning any disrespect to you but that you have to set clear expectations. PLEASE don't ask for odd school supplies like 3 green pens.. I searched all over for those last year and I am sure they were lost by thanksgiving. Do not let kids make up missed assignments. The Jr High let my son do that and it bit him in the butt in highschool because he thought he could catch up at his own pace. They should clearly know that their work needs to be turned in on time unless there is some strange circumstance. Personally I love teens and preteens so i think that would be a good age to teach. One other thing science is sometimes hard to grasp as you don't use it all the time like you do math so come up with some interesting ways to teach it and hands on activiites to drill it into them.

I also agree not to worry to much about setting up your class. At that age it doesn't matter all that much like it does in Kindergarden. Put all your effort inot lesson plans.

Also some of the newer teachers we loved a heck of alot more then the senior techers (not in all cases) they tended to have fresher ideas and less burnout. That being said I have generally liked all my kids teachers so if any parents give you crap back it up with facts. As some of these threads have turned so nasty about teachers that might be a bigger problem then the kids. I hope that didn't scare you or tick anyone else off.