When I began this essay in May, there were only 22 days left in the school year. Some were calling it the end of the year, but I called it 22 opportunities to grow as an educator.
Just kidding. I am not that teacher, and this is not that essay.
I am a teacher, though, and now I鈥檝e finished my 10th year in an 8th grade classroom in the Philadelphia school district. Back in 2013, I completed my delightful-suburban student teaching and received a delightful-suburban wooden plaque that said 鈥淪tudent Teacher of the Year.鈥� I was convinced I was the next big thing in education. I fantasized about my own TV show: a 鈥淣anny 911鈥�-style show, except with teaching, where I go into struggling classrooms and transform them into education showplaces.
Three months later, I started my actual career in Philadelphia. If I deserved an award, it would have been a yearbook superlative simply saying 鈥渨orst.鈥� Everything from my classroom culture to my instruction spiraled out of control my first few months, and the reality of having my own classroom in an underresourced community hit me hard. I crashed and burned because I thought I could waltz in from a suburban high school, where entire teams of seemingly well-rested staff members dedicated their resources to ensure every child attends college, and deliver that exact type of lecture-style instruction to 8th grade children in a school that didn鈥檛 even have enough desks.
But now it鈥檚 10 years later, and I鈥檓 still here. I鈥檝e turned it around and I want to help you do the same. I鈥檝e worked closely with many student-teachers, graduate students in yearlong mentorship programs, and first-year teachers. All these teachers have used at least some of the practices I鈥檓 going to share, and I鈥檝e personally witnessed shifts take place within a month.
Before we get to the good stuff, it must be stated that there鈥檚 no monolithic urban classroom. However, most schools that enroll predominantly children of color from low-income families struggle with the same core problem鈥攁 lack of adequate resources for students, families, teachers, administrators, and even the building you鈥檒l be walking into. Behavior concerns and lower academic achievement are not the root of the problem. Instead, those are the symptoms of a school鈥檚 lack of resources. Once you accept this, you can begin adding to the resources by improving the culture and performance of your classroom.
I鈥檝e turned it around, and I want to help you do the same.
Be prepared to have just four walls, 28 desks, and 34 students all with different strengths and needs. If you鈥檙e struggling with classroom management, there won鈥檛 be a magical 鈥渙ffice鈥� where kids can be sent鈥攋ust a secretary and a principal trying to figure out how to resolve an overflowing toilet when the school鈥檚 only custodian is out sick. There aren鈥檛 鈥渁ssistant principals鈥� running around to break up an escalating argument in your classroom. And there鈥檚 probably not even a well-stocked 鈥渟upply closet.鈥�
The only resource you can truly count on is yourself, and my goal is to help you personally create a welcoming, safe, and educational environment for your first year. Here鈥檚 what I鈥檝e learned:
1. Teach with kindness. Teach with kindness and you鈥檙e more likely to receive it in return. Treat your students like rational adults, and that鈥檚 what they鈥檒l eventually become. A simple 鈥淐an you have a seat real quick so I can go over this? Thank you!鈥� is significantly more effective and better for everyone鈥檚 mental health (including yours) than barking 鈥淪it down, NOW!鈥�
2. Avoid getting into power struggles. When you 鈥渄emand鈥� a child do something, they鈥檙e either going to ignore you, hate you, start arguing, or most likely, all the above. Give each child a choice. 鈥淚 need you to sit down or else I won鈥檛 be able to give you credit for this assignment.鈥� This shows the truth: 鈥淥ur teacher technically can鈥檛 force us to do anything, but there are consequences, and we get to make a choice about those.鈥�
3. Communicate with families. If you鈥檙e anxious about calling, just text them. No matter how 鈥渢ough鈥� a kid might seem or no matter what you think you know about their home life, almost all of them have someone in their life that they want to make proud.
4. Establish rules and consequences. To this day, I still have three rules: Stay in your seat, keep your hands to yourself, and don鈥檛 talk across the classroom. If a rule is broken, have a clear and immediate consequence (incorporating the tip above is easy).
5. Stop yelling. Yelling is just exhausting yourself. I鈥檝e never had a 鈥済ood scream鈥� in my life nor have I ever thought while being screamed at: 鈥淚鈥檓 going to work harder now to please this person.鈥�
6. Face your classroom at all times. Whether you鈥檙e answering your classroom phone, taking attendance, or helping a student, turn your body to get a clear view of all children at all times.
7. It鈥檚 OK to ask your students to wait. If a student needs help, has a concern about their grade, or wants to tell you about their birthday, make sure that your classroom is completely safe and calm before giving students individualized attention. You鈥檒l learn early on that it helps teach students patience and it鈥檚 not a human-rights violation to tell your frequent flier students 鈥淎sk me again in 10 minutes鈥� when they ask to use the restroom.
8. Don鈥檛 stress about your administrators. It鈥檚 OK if your administrators don鈥檛 always like what you鈥檙e doing. You don鈥檛 need to wow them鈥攖his isn鈥檛 a corporate job, and you won鈥檛 get fired, especially if you鈥檙e in a union. Instead, your relationship with your administrator should be collaborative. Ask their opinion, hear it out, then do what鈥檚 best for you.
9. Enjoy yourself. There鈥檚 a teaching adage that says 鈥淒on鈥檛 smile until December.鈥� Smile on the first day of school, and if you can, smile the next day, too. If a kid says something funny, you鈥檙e allowed to laugh. Students will match your energy and your mood, and if you create a positive classroom, you鈥檒l feel the impact when you go home and so will they.
Every teacher, child, class, and school is different, but I believe these are universal tips that can help any teacher, even the ones who won鈥檛 crash and burn at the start of the year the way I once did. I wish you luck in your journey!
