- Sponsored by Stenhouse Publishers -

"A must-have for any beginning middle-level teacher" (VOYA). Day One and Beyond by veteran teacher Rick Wormeli gives you advice on what to do in the first day & week, discipline, grouping, teaming, parents, homework, record keeping, and more. Pair it with Rick's first book Meet Me in the Middle for a comprehensive tour of best practices!

"INSIDE THE SCHOOL" NEWSLETTER
Lots of practice-oriented articles for teachers and principals at this newsletter site developed by Magna Publications. The focus is middle and high school, and the mix of materials will attract rookies and veterans. It's set up like a blog with easy browsing and searching. The site's editor is a former high school English, journalism, ESL, and French teacher who "has over 10 years of classroom experience in both large and small school districts with varying student populations."

NEW TEACHERS: ESTABLISHING CLASSROOM NORMS
We hope it's not too late to squeeze in one more article about establishing your classroom "cultural norms" early in the school year. We spotted this link in a recent e-newsletter from Stenhouse, the sponsor who keeps our MiddleWeb newsletter alive. It's an updated version of a long-time favorite at the Education World website, and (best of all) it includes a simple but clever activity first shared nearly a decade ago by a teacher who participated in our MiddleWeb chat community (now NMSA's MiddleTalk). All it requires is a stack of index cards, some tape, and a bit of clever teacher banter.

NEW TEACHERS: THRIVING IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM
Award-winning middle grades teacher Anne Jolly answers five questions she wishes someone had answered for her when she first started teaching science. Jolly, who now supports teacher collaboration and inquiry-based learning efforts, emphasizes the importance of preparing students for working effectively in small groups. And if you need some personal help, she actually offers her email contact information. (Teacher Magazine, requires one-time free registration.)

TEACHING SECRETS: START HANDS-ON LEARNING NOW
Good teachers know that students learn a lot more when they get to do their own projects and experiments, says Anthony Cody in this recent Teacher Magazine article. "But sometimes we get frustrated thinking about the students who won't cooperate, don't clean up, waste materials, or misbehave during our hands-on learning time." For that reason, says the Oakland CA middle school science coach, a lot of teachers avoid hands-on learning early in the year "until behavior is rock-solid." That's a mistake, he says. Now's the time to get them interested and engaged -- and he has ideas about how to do just that. (And not just in science).

A MOUNTAIN OF GOOD ADVICE FOR NEW TEACHERS
What new teacher, fresh through the classroom door, wouldn't welcome a wise and experienced voice, ready with practical advice? This selection of 18 "Teaching Secrets" articles were written for Teacher Magazine by members of the Teacher Leaders Network eager to support new colleagues. For the price of free registration, novice professionals can take advantage of several hundred years of accumulated wisdom. The collection covers the fundamentals of classroom management and discipline, tips on surviving your first parent meetings, and the secrets of student engagement.

REALITY 101 FOR NEW SPED TEACHERS
New special education teachers (and their mentors and colleagues) will find some ideas, aid and comfort at this blog supported by the Council for Exceptional Children. MiddleWeb friend Elizabeth Stein is the host for September and brings her middle grades perspective to the mix. If you're a new teacher, feel free to ask a question and expect some help. If you're a vet, leave some tips of you own.

THE UNORGANIZED MIDDLE SCHOOLER
There are many middle school students who but for their poor organizational skills would be performing on a satisfactory level, says Susan Mulcaire, author of "The Middle School Student's Guide to Ruling the World." In this article, Mulcaire tells the story of Aman, who "might not be so quick to throw in the towel and label himself a failure" if he "truly understood that his organizational habits, not his intellectual ability are driving his performance." Mulcaire goes on to describe a successful intervention by Aman's teacher.

DAY ONE: YOUR FIRST 10 MINUTES OF CLASS
This decade-old but still popular page at MiddleWeb was originally offered to us by Texas educator Mary Lorenz when we were sponsoring an online discussion group for middle grades teachers (now migrated to NMSA as MiddleTalk). Our page includes two brief articles: "Tips On Conducting The First Ten Minutes Of Class," and "A Five-Step Process For Teaching Students How To Behave." We were recently reminded of these articles when a new teacher named New (really) wrote to say: "These are awesome!" They're also quick reads, and we all know there's no time to waste...

NEW SCHOOL-YEAR RESOLUTIONS
Any newly minted middle grades teacher will benefit from reading veteran MS teacher Cossondra George's detailed musings over the school year to come. "As my thoughts twist and turn between topics like math projects, alignment of social studies curriculum, bulletin boards, technology, classroom management and restructuring my assessments, I start thinking about new teachers and remembering the trepidation I felt before starting my first fall." To help this year's newbies, George structures her own back-to-school plan with new teachers' needs in mind. ALSO SEE these tips on making school year planning more fun.

NEW TEACHERS: WHAT DO I SAY TO PARENTS?
Novice teachers are far more likely to find the right words in sensitive parent-teacher conferences when they've had a chance to rehearse, say the authors of this article in the Summer 2009 web-only edition of Educational Leadership. The article includes a link to a seven-minute video of a simulated conference between a teacher and a parent of a bullied student.

TAMING THE DRAGON OF CHAOS
"My classroom is not neat and tidy and shiny like some," writes long-time MiddleWeb friend Cossondra George. "It has that homey, lived-in, loved look. The tables are never quite in perfect straight lines, the computer cords are twisted and tangled, and my teacher desk looks like a recycling center exploded on it." So how does the semi-organized teacher hold the Mighty Dragon of Chaos at bay? At her teaching blog Middle School, Day by Day, Cossondra shares 10 "stolen" secrets that help her and her kids stay focused on learning. Our personal favorite is the NO NAME folder. Simple and oh so needed! (Free registration)

PRIMING THE STUDENT LEARNING PUMP
In this Teacher Magazine essay, new-teacher mentor Kathie Marshall tells the story of a novice middle school teacher who learns some important lessons about student engagement. One reader commented: “As a first year teacher, this was a refreshing article to read and relate to. I know that engaging students is the key to their success, but I, too, became overwhelmed with the curriculum and ignored the most important factor of teaching -- engaging the learners!” (Free registration)

CHALLENGES NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS FACE
This 2007 study by the non-profit survey group Public Agenda and the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality will be of interest to school leaders, university folks and new teachers themselves. Titled They're Not Little Kids Anymore: The Special Challenges of New Teachers in High Schools and Middle Schools, the report finds that secondary teachers are more likely to express frustrations with student motivation and be concerned about lack of admin support and less likely to see teaching as a long-term career. The report also highlights new teachers' views of special challenges in high-needs schools -- and most important, how they would improve the profession

WHAT KIDS WISH TEACHERS KNEW
When Laurie Wasserman sat down with Talia to reminisce about the high school sophomore's middle school days, the Massachusetts middle grades teacher soon found herself jotting down "candid insights from the other side of the teacher's desk" for this Teacher Magazine essay. Part of the magazine's Teaching Secrets series for novice educators, Wasserman's report on what middle school kids want teachers to know about their learning preferences includes useful reminders for any educator who hopes to reach and engage young adolescents. (Free registration)

A NEW TEACHER'S TOP 10 TO-DO LIST
We hope it's not too late in September for the new teachers among us to gain from this Top 10 to-do list, prepared by veteran middle grades teacher Marsha Ratzel. She focuses on many practical matters and offers tips that will serve new teachers well in the coming months by maximizing teaching time.

CREATING THE POSITIVE CLASSROOM
September's Educational Leadership focuses on "The Positive Classroom" and includes several excellent articles of interest to any teacher looking for ideas about classroom management that is both affirmative and effective. In "Assuming the Best," Rick Smith and Mary Lambert offer ways that teachers can help students learn both content and appropriate behavior "in a safe, structured classroom." For more ideas, be sure to see the Online Only articles, covering everything from asking the right questions of students, to serving up positive behavior management in the lunchroom.

TEACHING SECRETS: THE PARENT MEET-AND-GREET
Parent nights send "chills up the spine of many teachers," says middle school teacher Marsha Ratzel in this Teacher Magazine essay, aimed at helping novice educators prepare for a successful parent meet-and-greet experience. Filled with practical tips and survival strategies, Ratzel's article shares the hard-earned insights of a veteran educator. Don't get lost in the details of your classroom, she says. "Remember that this is what most parents want to know: (1) You're going to treat their child fairly; and (2) You are committed to teaching both the curriculum and other skills well... Parents want reassurance that you'll listen to them as a valued partner in their child's school year." (Free registration)

TEACHING SECRETS: FIVE TIPS FOR THE NEW TEACHER
Cindi Rigsbee, a finalist for 2009 national teacher of the year, shares her five favorite comments to new teachers in her school. Rigsbee begins with "Hit the floor running and breathe when you leave" and ends with "Don't hide your light under a bushel." This essay, one of a series written by members of the Teacher Leaders Network, is among the "most viewed" articles at the TM site. Other veteran teachers are leaving additional tips in the Comments section. You might, too! (Free registration)

TEACHING SECRETS: STUDENTS BEHAVE WHEN TEACHERS ENGAGE
Anthony Cody began his teaching career in inner-city Oakland CA almost 20 years ago. It was a rough first year in his middle school, with many lesson preps. “My credential program had not really dealt much with behavior issues. The idea was to deliver a rich curriculum, and the management would take care of itself. If you are already teaching, you know this does not always work.” After floundering the first year or two, he got some good advice from down the hall that he shares in this Teacher Magazine article. Follow his tips as a new teacher and you won’t have to way a year or two to establish a harmonious classroom environment! (Free registration)

.

More Special Resources for
New Middle Grades Teachers

FIVE DAYS WITH RICK WORMELI AND FRIENDS
Rick Wormeli's 2003 book Day One and Beyond: Practical Matters for New Middle Level Teachers provided the talking points for this five-day chat among Rick, veteran teachers in the MiddleWeb discussion group, and a passle of brand new teachers.

YOUNG TEACHERS READY TO COLLABORATE
"Generation Y" (born 1977-86) has now reached adulthood and is dramatically changing the composition of today's teaching staffs, say Harry and Rosemary Wong in a smart article published in the ASCD Express newsletter. Loneliness and lack of support exacerbate the frustrations of beginning teachers and lead to early exits from the profession. The Wongs advocate for induction programs that foster collaborative work and are structured around learning communities that can mentor young teachers more inclined to collaborate than previous generations. (PDF file)

ADVICE FOR BRAND-NEW MIDDLE GRADES TEACHERS
Get some tips from accomplished veterans in this archived MiddleWeb discussion. In all began when the moderator asked: "What are the best two or three pieces of advice you have for new teachers to help them get off to a successful start—and hang in there?"

WHAT CAN NEW TEACHERS DO FOR THEMSELVES?
"When I read articles about new teachers," writes Lisa Renard, "I am confronted with such issues as, 'How can we better support new teachers?' That's nice. But why don't I ever read about 'The top 10 ways new teachers can help themselves,' or 'How to make your first years the best years'? The focus of our efforts to help new teachers seems to weigh too heavily on the schools, forgetting to encourage new teachers with practical steps to help themselves." (from Classroom Leadership, ASCD, May 1999.)

See more of MiddleWeb's resources for new teachers and for all teachers during the First Days of School