When the Student Becomes the Teacher

I can still remember my first teaching job and how exciting it was to begin my career! It was a real whirlwind as I transitioned from being in the classroom to standing in front of the classroom. Like all young adults there were a lot of things that I needed to figure out, highest on the list of priorities was finding a place to live. As luck would have it, a college buddy landed a teaching job in the same town so we were able to get an apartment together. This was great since I wouldn't have been able to afford rent on my own. 

Yes, the salary wasn't a lot but I was thrilled that someone was actually going to pay me to do something I loved to do! My first teaching contract: $18,100! We were paid twice a month, so my take home pay was around $572 (it's weird that I still remember that). Obviously this was not a lot by today's standards (well not a lot by yesterday's standards either), but at first it was enough to pay the rent and have a few bucks left to buy some groceries. About six months later the student loan payments began and it just wasn't enough. But I was living the dream, so I managed to make it work. 

Those early days may very well have set me on the path where I find myself today. While it became apparent making ends meet on a teacher's salary was going to be tough, there were other things that I just wasn't ready for, even in spite of the joy I was experiencing in the classroom. I was simply handed a set of keys and told, 'first room on the left'. From that point forward, I very rarely saw the principal. My induction program was one day long and mind numbing. After that I was on my own. Fortunately I developed good relationships with a couple of veteran teachers who were able to offer advice and counsel from time to time, but the content area we were teaching was so different that at times it just didn't apply. As the year progressed experiences began to shape my view as a teacher, and at times made me wonder if I had made the right decision. For sure, I loved teaching--but the 'stuff' that sometimes came along with it was something else! Disruptive  and uncooperative students. Unsupportive and at times hostile parents. Turf wars with other teachers. Then there was the pay; which is something we'll touch more on in a future post.

Decades late, I hope we are making the transition from student to teacher easier for this generation. For starters, our mentoring and induction program is much more robust than it ever has been before. We owe that to teacher leadership and compensation plans that have become a staple in schools all around Iowa. This has enabled us to partner our new educators with veterans who have been successful in their classrooms. This two year commitment from established teachers give rookie teachers a lifeline for all manner of encounters they may experience their first two years. We have also found these relationships forms strong bonds of collegiality between the educators. Where a veteran can help a new teacher 'learn the ropes', a new teacher can help a veteran with an emerging technology or a new teaching strategy. Over this two year period, our mentors work closely with new teachers as they navigate the beginning of their career. They are the shoulder to cry on when something goes wrong, because inevitably it will. They are there help unpack the Iowa Teaching Standards and define what makes a good artifact that demonstrates effective use and development of assessment. And they are there at the end of that two year journey when that new teacher becomes a veteran, converting their probationary license to a standard license.

Of the 10 new teachers at Hudson this year,
5 are brand new to the profession.

We have also become much more deliberate about immersing our new teachers in a professional work environment. It is sometimes easy to forget these new teachers were dependent on their own parents just a few short months prior to joining our faculty. Issues of retirement, health insurance, filling out a W-4; in most cases these are things they have very little experience with. Indeed, becoming a professional educator has a much different set of responsibilities than washing dishes in the college cafeteria or working at the desk in the university library. So, instead of handing off a set of keys and pointing them down the hall, we now have embedded a five day program at the start of their career, right before the veteran faculty return to prepare them for these new experiences. Our time together is spent learning about all of these aspects of work that have become automatic for us, and what it means to be a teacher in the Hudson Community School District. They learn about our assessment systems, our student management program, our policy and philosophy on homework, how we like to communicate; and yes, even how we go about cancelling school on a snow day.

Now that we are midway through the month of November, I am taking time to visit with each of our new teachers to see if the newness is starting to wear off. So far, I like what I am seeing and hearing. They are beginning to settle into their roles and have had great experiences with mentors, students and parents. A common theme throughout our conversation is an appreciation of all the support they are receiving from the staff.

What wasn't surprising, but nevertheless important were comments about the heavy workload. While there was an acknowledgement that evenings would be spend correcting papers, planning lessons, and analyzing data; the amount of time spent on these tasks is surprising to the new teacher. Others shared how surprising it is that technology plays such an important role in the day to day operation of school, from communicating with teachers and parents, to delivering instruction and administering grades. These teachers also have shared that some of the best things that have happened to them this year are those moments when they see the hard work beginning to pay off, and the relationships they are developing with students and colleague.

As discussed last week, if there is a looming teacher shortage it is important that we do what we can to attract and retain our talent. Now that we have them here, making sure they have the support and resources they need is but one part of ensuring we are able to keep them here.