- Tell your students what you expect from them and explain if you have rewards planned for their good behavior
- TIP: ask them to write their name, date of birth and their emails in one piece of paper. This will help you to see their writing skills and possible problems such as dyslexia. It can also give you their dates so you can have a small gesture for their birthdays. (i.e. I used to have a monthly calendar displayed where I handwrote the birthdays of the month with a color balloon next to it. I also included my colleagues in this monthly calendar so the students can also see when their teachers’ birthday was. I would say that having the intention to give presents is a good gesture but it will eventually be too expensive. I used to give presents only to my home group in order to keep an order. And nothing extravagant).
- Extracurricular activities: if you have the time and the opportunity, add them to your monthly calendar, so students can have a perspective that some days are more fun than others, and it will give them something to look forward to.
- Depending of your class age; you will have to adopt a parent role or a big sibling one. I strongly advice that teenagers are looking for friends and not for rulers and is easier to deal with them if you behave as a friend or older sister/brother than as a Dictator or father/mother. Tricky but always worked.
- Don’t take it personal: Your students will have good days and bad days just as any other person, but the difference is that they are in a very hormonal and emotional age (if they are teenagers) and in a hyperactive age if they are kids, so whenever they get to disrespect you, put the limit immediately, make them apologize to you (ask them to stay after class or in discipline-detention) but don’t humiliate them! Remember you are the adult and isn’t a fight. Don’t hold a grudge, let go and the next day behave as nothing has happened, especially if the student has already paid for his/her mistake. If you still feel tension from them, feel free to have a private (open doors) talk with them explaining what they did wrong and that such behavior can’t be repeated ever again, but also explain that it is for their own good. Tell them also that you want the best for them and encourage them to be better because they have great potential!
- Explain the lesson’s procedure, so they can have an idea of how the class will go.
- Another tip: Establish a feedback day at the end of the first month, where students can tell you what works best for them and to be sure that you are meeting their needs. (Some of them will tell you that movies are the best, but you know that’s a trick right? 😉
Enjoy your first time as a Teacher!
LIDIA AVILES 