5 pieces of advice

1. Keep organized

Use a three-ring binder to keep your lesson plans, transparencies, worksheets, tests and quizzes together for each class. Keep a file on each student that includes phone number, address, and photo copies of work, especially any tests that the student failed or cheated on.

2. Use all your EEF money, the sooner the better

You have to plan ahead for this, but try to spend all your money at least by Christmas. My administration told me only after it was too late that EEF money has a deadline, and if you don’t spend it you lose it. Also, look for catalogues other than those your school gives you to order from. My school only gave me an office supply catalogue to order from, and I found out only after I had spent a lot of the money that I could really order from any catalogue I wanted to. Request catalogues from different stores that sell workbooks or other materials you may want.

3. Call all parents

At the beginning of the year, try to call every child’s mother or father. You’ll be amazed how many phone numbers you’ll get that aren’t correct, and you don’t want to wait to find that out when you actually need to get in touch with someone. Many parents I never spoke to (though I sent home letters) until the final days of school after they had found out their child had failed my class. I think those final days of school would have been smoother had they actually spoken with me before.

4. Make a template letter to send to parents when a student fails a test is caught cheating

Have something that is easy to modify and send to parents after every test. It should include your classroom phone number, the best time to call, and your after school tutorial schedule. Have the template approved by your principal. Print it on the letterhead for your school, and keep a copy in the student’s file.

5. Keep your door locked at all times

This one is for safety. You should be the one to decide who gets into your room. Students skipping class will try to come disrupt your classroom all the time. Parents, often angry parents, will try to come into your class as well. I kept my door locked all the time, and once after I opened the door to let a student out to take the attendance to the office, a student barged into the classroom threatening his ex-girlfriend and even chasing her around the room. You never know, so keep your door locked.