As we start off another school year here are a few tips to help new teachers (and returning ones) feel supported and prepared.
Make Expectations and Procedures Really Clear
Just like our students need reminders on procedures and expectations every time they return from a break, teachers also need a reminder. Make sure that you clearly establish these at the beginning of the year. It will help new teachers and returning. This year I created a cute flipchart for our teachers. You can download the template for free from my TPT store and add in your own details.
Other school administrators use google drive and create a spreadsheet or doc with various procedures and expectations.
Create Opportunities for Team Building
At the beginning of the school year, you often have new teachers to the building and also teachers who have moved to different positions. Grade level teams now look a little different from the year before. It’s important to help teachers build relationships with those they will work closest with. This year our school got a brand new building. So I created a photo scavenger hunt to help them find whether different places were (the copy machine, nurse’s office, counselor etc). They had a lot of fun and got to create great memories with those on their team. You can download the scavenger hunt here.
Pair New Teachers with Veteran Teachers
If you don’t have grade level team leaders, it’s always a good idea to pair each new teacher up with a veteran teacher. This teacher can help explain school processes such as taking attendance, online gradebook, navigating through any website subscriptions the school has. I also encourage the new teachers to go and observe their veteran teacher in the classroom a few times and the vice versa. The veteran teacher can give some good feedback and support to the new teacher in a way that feels less threatening than having an administrator come in.
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