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Good morning everyone, I am finishing my last year of my schooling for Elementary Certification and I am constantly thinking about my first job as a teacher. I become excited, curious, but mainly overwhelmed. I have heard the first year is the toughest. I know there are so many things to think about such as classroom management, creating lessons, covering all the standards, and most importantly reaching each one of your students in an effective way. With that said, I have a few questions for all the experienced teachers. 1. Depending on when I am hired, it is appropriate to ask for the textbooks in advance so that I can prepare? 2. What is the most important thing when it comes to classroom management? 3. Should I being doing anything right now to begin preparing? 4. What are the three most important things I should definitely do before the first day of class? 5. Anything else I should be doing/thinking as I embark on this incredible journey? Thank you!

Hey, my name is Sam Osborne I am also an up and coming teacher, so to start off I think asking for text books early is not a bad thing at all because your trying to prep your classroom for the best learning environment that you can make. Also I feel that being overly familiar with the information you are going to be teaching is so important to your "teacher" status to the students. When it comes to classroom management I highly recommend looking up a program that they began teaching us at our college this year call PAX the good behavior game, this turns your whole classroom into a positive reward system in which your students work towards a prize. But unlike most classrooms this prize is free and gives the students the feeling of success in the classroom. Hopefully this will help you out some, but definitely recommend PAX. Good Luck

Hi Sam, Thank you for the response. I researched the PAX program and it looks a little pricey. Have you spoke with any teachers that have implemented the program? Is it worth the money?

You can also ask for your grade level curriculum map or framework to help you prepare.

Hi Megan- Yes, ask for books. In classroom management, convey clear expectations. I did an eight minute interview last Friday with Neal Charnoff on Vermont Public Radio about new teachers, unions, testing, and the Common Core: http://digital.vpr.net/post/retired-educator-offers-advice-new-teachers My best advice to you comes at the end of the interview. You'll make the world a better place. Dana Dunnan www.chalkdustmemories.com

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1. Absolutely! Get access to all of the resources that you can. You will look preemptive and on it to your superiors and it'll help you be better prepared for the year to come. 2. Consistency. I suggest reading up on different branches of thought on classroom management. There's lots of good research out there that'll help you learn strategies for managing even the most menial things. 3. Reading up on different classroom management literature is going to be the most helpful. You will start considering situations that you have not before! 4. Establish routines! 5. Take care of yourself! good luck :)

Thank you for asking this question, I have been wondering this and many other things for so long now. It is good to know these things before w begin teaching because preparation is key. I have read articles upon articles of advice for new teachers, and I have found that one of them are as good as the advice one gets from directly asking a experienced teacher questions

Thank you for asking this question. It can help many collage student, like myself, to think about what we can do in the classroom and how to find information out.