First Year Teachers Need School Support
The Sink or Swim Mentality Will Not Benefit Pedagogical Expectations
Dec 19, 2008
Unfortunately, many first year teachers must endure a rite of passage that follows the “sink or swim” analogy. If a mentorship program exists, few mentor teachers are predisposed to give enough of their time and talent to fully assist an aspiring educator. Inevitable school cliques of teachers contribute to socializing barriers while students test the mettle of new faces by defying classroom management techniques. All in all, the first year teacher faces many hurdles.
Mentorship and “Sink or Swim”
The reality of mentorship programs must be evaluated by the actual time and effort put into the program by seasoned teachers. Mentors tend to be teachers involved in many areas of school life. They sit on multiple committees, teach upper level classes, and moderate or coach extra curricular activities. To the extent that they can and will give valuable feedback, support, and advice will be indicative of their commitment to serve as true mentors. In too many cases, this commitment will be limited.
The reality is that most first year teachers will “sink or swim” as they meander through the educational maze. Foremost in this process will be the establishment of classroom management. This is the front line of classroom instruction. First year teachers must win this battle during the first days of school or spend the rest of the semester addressing disciplinary issues. No constructive teaching occurs in classrooms where chaos reigns.
Avoiding Teacher Cliques
Sadly, many schools have cliques of teachers. Setting themselves up as unofficial review boards, they erect social barriers, stifle collaboration, and deny crucial support to first year teachers. This is highly unfortunate because many of these veterans have much good to offer and can impart valuable experiences that comes from many years of classroom instruction.
If such conditions exist, first year teachers would be wise to avoid such cliques and refrain from attempting to change them. Direct confrontation adds to the unnecessary burdens already faced by novice instructors that are often filled with the exuberance of making a decided difference in the lives of their students. Ignore cliques and move on!
Classroom Management is the Greatest Challenge
Students delight in testing new teachers. Exploring the limits of freedom within any given classroom situation, students can severely dampen the daily desire to teach. Additionally, many first year teachers want to be viewed as popular, eager to identify with their students on numerous levels. This mindset often backfires as students react out of self-serving interests.
Although the old adage that advises teachers never to smile until the second semester may add much to overall classroom deportment, first year teachers must impress upon students that they are professionals. Students generally respect teachers that “know their stuff” and are intolerant of inappropriate behavior. Admitting weakness or being defensive is very different from saying, “I don’t know, but I’ll try to find the answer to your question.”
Principals, Curriculum Coordinators, Department Chairs, and Mentors must formulate realistic and definitive programs that assist first year teachers. The absence of such programs and “safety nets” demoralizes a new generation of educators that follow a vocation hallowed since ancient times. The future of sound education depends absolutely on the nurturing of first year teachers.
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