Unlike elementary teachers, a high school teacher must “face” a new set of students in every period. In my case, that means approximately 150 teens over the six periods. Another difficulty that must be surmounted is the various levels, freshmen or sophomores, and the different types of classes, for example U.S. History and World History. We realize however that department heads cannot always accommodate the wishes and/or specialties for every teacher. We are, after all, certified by the state to carry out the instruction in our respective fields, whether it is Social Studies, Math, Science or Language Arts, the four core areas of the curriculum (of course, electives are just as important, but, as we know, most public schools must show progress annually in the state testing). (more…)

Veteran teachers gave me some quite valuable advice during my first year of teaching many years ago. Starting a new job is difficult in any setting, but teaching has a unique flavor and challenge that require a strong commitment to excellence. Here are some pearls of wisdom that I have not forgotten in all these years.

1. Start the first month very strict. A mistake made by many new teachers is trying to make friends with students. Their lack of maturity, especially in teenagers, causes them to equate friendly with lack of discipline. When you walk into the classroom the first day, they must understand that you are the boss, the supreme authority that will guide their learning throughout the year. (more…)