After many years of teaching math, there are still several things I wish I had known before I started. Today, I am sharing 4 tips for any new math teacher. Whether you are fresh out of college or shifting careers, this episode is for you. Plus, a free download that helps students move forward when they get stuck.
For all the links mentioned in the show, click here.
Grab the listener freebie here.
For more ideas, visit our Maneuvering the Middle blog, join our Facebook community, and follow us @maneuveringthemiddle.
Want to be notified of upcoming episodes? Subscribe and leave a review.
*Resources mentioned*
Maneuvering the Middle Curriculum
6th Grade TEKS | 7th Grade TEKS | 8th Grade TEKS | Algebra 1 TEKS
After many years of teaching math, there are still several things I wish I had known before I started. Today, I am sharing 4 tips for any new math teacher. Whether you are fresh out of college or shifting careers, this episode is for you. Plus, a free download that helps students move forward when they get stuck.
For all the links mentioned in the show, click here.
Grab the listener freebie here.
For more ideas, visit our Maneuvering the Middle blog, join our Facebook community, and follow us @maneuveringthemiddle.
Want to be notified of upcoming episodes? Subscribe and leave a review.
*Resources mentioned*
Maneuvering the Middle Curriculum
6th Grade TEKS | 7th Grade TEKS | 8th Grade TEKS | Algebra 1 TEKS
Good morning, teachers! You’re listening to episode #18.
Last week on the podcast, we talked about the #1 mistake that we make as teachers, how we can’t “balance” it all, and how to set clear boundaries. Plus we talk about what you may need to intentionally say no to. To check out that episode, be sure to visit maneuveringthemiddle.com/episode17.
Today, I am speaking to all of you out there who are going to be joining a classroom for the first time next year. Maybe you just graduated from college with your teaching certificate and you are giddy to start preparing for the new school year. Maybe you are transitioning from another career and you are feeling more apprehensive about this big life change. Whatever the circumstance, I think you will have some great takeaways to help you prepare for the upcoming school year.
If you aren’t a first-year teacher, then be sure to jump in our FB group and share your words of wisdom and encouragement. There is nothing quite like learning from someone who has been in your shoes.
Let’s do it!
Point 1:
When I think about sitting down to coffee with you and sharing some words of wisdom and encouragement, I think I would start with this...You are responsible for creating a safe learning environment for students to make mistakes.
As the teacher and adult in the classroom, this is one of the most crucial responsibilities of yours because not only does it make your classroom an enjoyable place for students, but it also sets the foundation for relationship building and authentic learning.
Students learn by doing and sometimes that means doing something incorrectly. I love Jo Boalers quote on this “When you make a mistake in math, your brain grows. Synopsis fire in your brain. In fact, your brain grows when you make a mistake, but when you get work right, no brain growth happens.”
We want our students' brains to grow! We want them to make connections and take what they are learning in class and see how it connects to the outside world.
That means we need to think about the way we respond when a student makes a mistake or shares a wrong answer with the class. Many times that looks like the phrases we use to follow up those responses. Here are some ways to do this:
Even as teachers, we make mistakes and we can model how to handle making a mistake. I remember a teacher that would always respond “I wanted to make sure you were paying attention” as she winked and smiled. That made it a little fun and comical, plus it was a predictable response!
Also, you can totally normalize making mistakes by incorporating error analysis questions into your classroom, or the “my favorite no teaching strategy”. Both of these get students comfortable looking for an error and then allow for discussion and conversation.
A safe learning environment will help students to be more engaged and more involved in their learning.
Point 2:
If you are teaching middle school, then you should prepare yourself for this second point...teaching students to work through hard things also known as productive struggle.
People don’t like to do hard things! We have also talked about this on the podcast, think about that one chore you have been pushing off for weeks. Mine is cleaning out the pantry. It's really messy and a lot of work to get it organized, plus it functions fine as is. So, I am just avoiding it.
Well, middle schoolers can be the same way! They will quit when it gets tough, they may even quit based on their preconceived notions about what is tough.
Some will tell you they “don’t get it” or they “don’t understand”.
Do not accept that.
You can respond with “I don’t get it yet” and bring in that growth mindset. You can come up with a classroom slogan or motto for them to repeat back like “I can do this” or ”I am capable” or “I am not afraid of hard things”.
Then, you need to shift those “I don’t understand” type responses to a specific question about the content. Or by asking “what do you understand?”. We want them to make a connection to something they already know and then construct a plan based on that.
I think that one of the reasons that students fight against this productive struggle is because they don’t fully understand that student learning is your top priority not the completion of an assignment. That is an intention you can set from the first day!
Several years ago we did a blog post on this topic and one thing that we shared was an image of a diagram that basically shows a flowchart of the process to “owning” your own learning. You may have heard the phrase “ask three before me”. That is a great classroom management tool and teaches them to attempt to resolve their question before asking you, the teacher. The flowchart helps students walk through a process - check your notes, watch a video, ask a teammate, and then ask a teacher. It gives students ownership for their learning. To grab this freebie, head to maneuveringthemiddle.com/episode18.
As a new teacher, you will have many mountains to climb. The steepest climb may be fighting against students who would prefer to opt-out of their own learning. By working on your mindset, teaching them about the process of learning, and creating an engaging and safe learning environment, you are stacking the cards in your favor.
Point 3:
My third tip for a first-year teacher is to ask for help and to be a good student.
It is impossible to know everything about teaching. You don’t know what you don’t know. A veteran teacher with thirty years of experience would likely still say they are learning new things and also have situations in which they need to ask for help.
My encouragement is to ask for help, earlier than you think you need it, and to be a good student.
First, asking a trusted colleague or mentor is probably the most desirable route to take. This colleague will know you personally, know your students, know the dynamics of your school and administrative team. These are all very important pieces of information when seeking help.
If that doesn’t work, then the internet is your friend. From facebook groups and instagram to our Maneuvering the Middle blog and podcasts just like this, teachers are happy to share ideas!
When it comes to teaching math, many things have changed. If you are relying solely on how you learned it growing up, then you are likely missing out on some great strategies. The way we teach math has come a long way from flashcards and rote memorization.
The way that I taught students to divide fractions during my first year teaching is nowhere near how I would approach teaching dividing fractions today.
We have to be good students to research and read and improve our craft. Now, I am operating under the assumption that you are a first-year teacher, so while this is very important I think the bigger takeaway is to not be afraid to ask for help when it comes to actually teaching the content. This way you are able to communicate the why behind the process and not just the steps, or the procedure.
Point 4:
Lastly, I would encourage you to find a reliable and trusted curriculum or resource to use. This may be something provided to you by your district or it may be something that you should seek out on your own.
I always share that I wasted so much time preparing to decorate my classroom that first summer, that I actually didn’t really know the content I was responsible for teaching. If you can get your hands on this a little early in the summer, you will be so grateful come fall.
There is so much required in your first year and so many plates to spin, I would highly recommend finding something that you can use as a foundation.
Speaking of saving time, I wanted to share with you about our upcoming podcast episodes! We have spent quite some time interviewing some teachers about their year, reflecting on what they learned, and also how they use our MTM resources.
If you own our curriculum or if you are thinking about trying it out for the fall, then I really think you will benefit from their experience and knowledge.
So be sure to turn in to our upcoming episode where Jodi shares how she uses MTM curriculum in conjunction with the grid method, and later this summer we will hear from Marissa on how she uses MTM curriculum in a small group setting so that she can differentiate.
I am so excited!
RECAP
So as a quick recap... if you are beginning your teaching journey, then I am so excited for you! I want to encourage you to strive to create a safe learning environment for your students, teach them the power of productive struggle, ask questions early and often, and find a trusted curriculum.
OUTRO
Summer is here and we are so excited to drop weekly encouragement and practical tips into your favorite podcasting player. Tell us how you are enjoying summer and what you are up to while listening! You can tag us @maneuveringthemiddle on both FB and Insta. If you have been loving the podcast, then we would love a five-star review! It helps us to get found by other teachers! For more all of the links, resources, and freebies mentioned today in one easy place, so check out maneuveringthemiddle.com/episode18.
I’m Noelle Pickering… and you’ve been listening to the Good Morning Teacher podcast… Until next time, friends, make it a great week!