“How Do I Begin?” Illustrations and Reflections on Sharing the “What, How and Why”
Presentation: Ray Myrtle
Session E | 11:05 – 11:45 | Location: Room 308
Abstract:
As new teachers begin, they face a pot hole: ‘How do I begin?’
At the heart of the issue is how to share this knowledge (what) from experienced teachers with early career teachers, in enough depth that they can use it (how), and with an understanding of purpose (why), so that they can adapt it for the conditions they find in their critical first term.
Unlike teaching later in the year most experienced teachers being the year with a general approach while they assess their new students and build routines etc.
It is especially important for new teachers to have access to this knowledge when they get an unfamiliar job as many will, especially this year, as they begin the critical first few weeks, with the least preparation time and often with few resources.
Ray will illustrate some key ideas from a decade of helping to support new teachers using examples from the Start UP! Your Class Successfully workshop for Gr. 3-8 and others including how to encourage rehearsal as a TTOC, so early career teachers can be better prepared when they begin a classroom.
In 2004, Ray first became concerned about the struggles new elementary school teachers experienced when assigned to an unfamiliar job. He has been working since then to develop supports for elementary