Advice for Newbies

 Although there aren't many teaching jobs available in my neck of the woods, I do have a friend who just this week moved from a parapro spot to a special education teacher slot. I am over the moon happy for her. She's been teaching for years now, so I wouldn't really call her a newbie, she can definitely teach me a thing or two!

My advice to any new teacher is this....
The most important part of education is relationships. Teaching is a team effort. You need to spend time with your students so you can learn about their personalities, what motivates them, how they learn best, what they care about, what interests them. You need your co-workers. Share, share, share....and don't be afraid to take, take, take help when it's offered. You need a relationship with the parents. You have their most prized "possession" all day long...that takes a lot of trust! A quick phone call can go a long way. Small notes are treasured. Find a way to make your classroom and yourself available to all your parents. You need them, and they need you. Relationships, relationships, relationships.