Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/859531
Reflections on the First Year New educators speak out on what they learned and its impact on how they teach By Dina Martin S E E I N G A C L A S S R O O M through the eyes of a brand-new teacher happens just once, and it can be instructive. ere are certain things new teachers can't experience until they are out of college and in the classroom. And then there's the knowledge they don't even realize they've picked up until the first year is under their belt. We caught up with several newbies who attended CTA's first-ever New Educator Weekend in March. (Tailored to educators with five or fewer years in the profession, the event drew rave reviews from the hundreds of attendees and will be offered again in February 2018.) We asked what they learned from the conference, as well as from their colleagues and students in their first year, and its impact on their teaching. MICHAEL COVEY Santa Ana Educators Association 7-8 English Language Arts The most important thing I rec- ognized is the vast and powerful network of individuals who truly care about education as a social institution. I have connected with educators at my site, at professional development conferences, and even using social media. Based on what I've learned, I have focused on designing instruction to craft meaningful goals and experiences to benefit all students. For example, for National Poetry Month in April students did a cul- minating project where they analyzed a poem and sent a letter to the author. It went great. Students discovered the power of poetry and connected with writers whose words held real value and truth for each individual. Afterward, I saw a tweet from New York educator Daniel Weinstein saying he does not pay attention to National Poetry Month and instead has students read and write poetry consistently from day 1 to the final exam. I reflected, and took this idea to my class. The response was immediate and forceful: Integrate poetry all year. Since then, I designed instruction that emphasizes poetry throughout the year. VANESSA D. KNIGHT Central Unified Teachers Association K-6 Special Education The most important thing I learned is to stay student focused. Doing what is best for students is best practice, bottom line. There will always be challenges and difficulties with administration, budgets, district policies, legis- lation and so many other things. But when your focus is on students, you will have the motivation to deal with anything. At the amazing New Educator conference, I learned that there are creative ways to engage students in STEM activities. The key is to encourage students to be creative, critical and experimental intellectuals. I also learned how to use social media to highlight what my local chapter is doing in our school district. That ses- sion inspired me to pursue the Communications strand at CTA's Summer Institute to advance my skills and help my chapter grow stronger! 26 cta.org Back to School T H E P R O F E S S I O N