Reality 101: CEC's blog for new teachers

Keeping First-Year Stress in Check

By Barbara Baditoi

It’s the second week of school. The first week was a dream and hopefully the students will continue to be motivated to learn, while you do the job you were hired to do – teach. You have assessed all your students and know their strengths and weaknesses. The IEPs have been carefully scrutinized, and a plan established for monitoring goals and objectives. You are friends with everyone in the building and you know where to go for assistance.

Although building- and division-mandated meetings are over for the moment, you still need to learn how to write a computer-generated IEP, the alternative assessment training is scheduled for two days at the end of September, and the mentoring class is once a month. You also need to take two courses this year for additional certification.

Our close and happy friend, STRESS, starts creeping into your carefully planned schedule shortly after school starts. It can’t be avoided. The first year of teaching is always challenging. 

So much to do. . . .

By Barbara Baditoi

What needs to be accomplished during the first week of school?

• Conduct student observations and informal and formal assessments.
• Review the syllabus. Provide an outline of the first and second quarter.
• Lay the groundwork for the curriculum.
• Give state- and-district wide assessments, if required.
• Help students learn the layout of the building, including the cafeteria, office, clinic, school counselor, specialists’ rooms, etc.
• Establish classroom expectations, routines, rules, and consequences -- some of which are student generated.

Finally, a chance to fix up your room!

By Barbara Baditoi

It is now Thursday, and your open house is Friday. You have spent precious time this week completing required teacher activities -- and now panic may be setting in. Sometime during the week before school officially begins, elementary and middle school students will visit the building to meet their teachers and view their classrooms, while rising and transfer high school students may attend open house to pick up their class schedules.

Although your room should be inviting, warm, and welcome, remember that classroom atmosphere and environment is generated in part by the tone of the adults and students in the room. That will come as the year progresses. For now, you need to organize the desks, computers, SMART Board, and so on; decorate the walls; and post room and school rules.

One of the first questions elementary students ask is “Where do I sit?” Clearly post visuals and names to help them locate their desks and other routines and procedures they will need to follow. Put up weekly and daily class schedules and, for students with more severe needs, post individual schedules. Curriculum-related material, including state- and district-wide goals, should be readily available. Parents will be pleased to know you will be following a district- and state-mandated curriculum appropriate for their child. Prepare packets of material about your classroom for the parents and include important items such as the bus schedule and the cost of lunch.

Paperwork, Paperwork, and More Paperwork

By Barbara Baditoi

Although you are desperate to set up your room, the first week of school is often filled with meetings (staff and team meetings, IEP meetings, state- and division-mandated professional development, curriculum development). Other than required meetings and professional development, what do you need to focus on this week?

Reading the IEPs of your caseload students should be a priority; these snapshots help you plan the curriculum to meet IEP goals and objectives for the year. What is the percent of services your students receive? When are the IEPs due and do you need computer access to the IEP program or training on IEP forms? What about assistive technology? Do you have what you need, or should you visit with the AT or PT specialist? The IEPs will also help you determine the initial layout of your room or, if you are co-teaching, provide you with a task to complete with your co-teacher.

Writing a letter to parents is also a must during this first week of school. You can send it via e-mail or you can hand it to them when they bring their children to the open house activity at the end of the week. What do you want parents to know about you, and what do you want them to tell you about their child? If you will have a self-contained class or resource room, you might want to contact the parents by phone to allay some of their tension about the new year. High school teachers can create a document that highlights academic and social goals for the year; save room for the students to provide personal information.

The Art of Networking

By Barbara Baditoi

Do you remember when you were a student heading back to school? Loaded with anticipation and wonder, students are often anxious to figure out who is who, what is what, and where everything is. First-year teachers are the same and, even if you are in your second or third year of teaching special education, you may still be going to a different building, meeting a new co-teacher or paraprofessional, and sorting through unknown faces and names on your team.

School faculty lists read like a “who’s who” for the building. Secretaries tell you where your mailbox is located and point you in the direction of the clinic room assistant, who discusses which of your students require an EpiPen or seizure training. Walking down the hall to your room, you are greeted by returning teachers and stopped by nervous new teachers. Before you put down your growing stack of papers, you are summoned to the “back to school breakfast” and first staff meeting, where you will find more new faces. If you are a first-year teacher, your mentor helps by introducing you to colleagues. You have met the building administrators, but what about the speech and language clinician, occupational therapist, physical therapist, social worker, psychologist, school counselor, custodian, and behavior resource specialist?

Landing That New Special Education Job

By Barbara Baditoi

Maybe some of you are still looking for a special education position. Perhaps you have interviewed and are waiting for an offer. Maybe you just finished your graduate or undergraduate courses and are waiting for the transcripts. Or perhaps you are still sending out resumes and cover letters.

Keep your resume short, sweet, and current. The average time an administrator devotes to that first glance is approximately 10 to 30 seconds. What will stand out in your resume to differentiate you from other applicants? Do you have special education experience working with CEC, ARC, or the Special Olympics? Perhaps you have camp or babysitting experience with special needs students, or you worked as a paraprofessional while raising your own children. All of these experiences contribute to making you an outstanding candidate.

You can also sprinkle your resume with current buzzwords (accountability, achievement, diversity, inclusive practices). Don’t overuse them, but if they are appropriate for your experience, it demonstrates that you are a continuous learner and practitioner.

Can You Believe It's August Already?

By Barbara Baditoi

Dr. Barbara E. Baditoi has just retired from 29 years in public education. Her experience includes ED/LD classroom teacher, co-teacher, department chairperson, behavior and autism resource specialist, assistant principal, and division-level administrator of special education. She is an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Education at Marymount University and is currently writing two books for CEC.

Have you been shopping lately? Bathing suits are on the clearance rack, it is hard to find beach towels, and aisles are filled with back-to-school items. Can you believe school will start at the end of this month for millions of teachers across the country? 

Perhaps you are anticipating your first or second year of teaching special education students, or you are still waiting for that magical phone call offering you the position of your dreams. Either way, there are only a few days left before the new year begins.