Start Right

One question all coaches ask is “Where do I begin?” Our profession maintains an impossible expectation that new teachers are as effective as a veteran teacher after four days of pre-planning. Everyone knows this is not true but we still maintain systems that are contrary to what we know.

Broward County Public School has done more to address this problem than any other school district in the country. We have NTA, NTO, and many schools now have their own site-based pre-preplanning orientation programs. However, these events alone do not meet the needs of the New Educator. That brings us back to, “Where does a coach begin?”

In 1994, Educational Leadership published an article called “What helps students learn?” The article listed 28 indicators that affect student learning. It would be impossible for a coach to address all 28 indicators in the research. However, the top four should be addressed during a New Educator’s first year:

1. Classroom Management: In the first few weeks of school, the new teacher should focus on developing procedures that create a safe and orderly environment for students. (Safe and orderly environment is one of the Correlates of Effective Schools.)
2. Learning Processes: The New Educators should not just focus on content but should help the students develop learning skills they can use beyond the classroom. (Marzano’s “Nine High Yield Strategies” is recommended as source of high impact instructional strategies.)
3. Parents as Allies: Encourage New Educators to contact students’ parents early to share something positive about their child and to explain course content and expectations in the classroom. This will make it easier if later a student has difficulty behaviorally or academically. (Home and School is another Correlate of Effective Schools.)
4. High Expectations: The research strongly suggests that a teacher’s expectations have a significant impact on student performance. The attitude of a teacher should be that all the students in his/her class can and will achieve the State Standards. (Climate of High Expectations is a Correlate of Effective Schools.)
   

The next question is, “Which of the four should I do first?” After analyzing the data you collected during your observations to determine your New Educator’s “Current Reality", you should have no difficulty answering this question.

Source: Dr. Doug Miller