Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/859531
KRIST Y GARCIA Association of Colton Educators Second Grade There's quite a bit I've learned, including making use of lots of important classroom technology, like Class Dojo, and getting to know the students on a more personal level, which helps them enjoy school more. As part of the induc- tion program, we're assigned a teacher mentor from another school. My mentor was amazing. I could contact her any time of the day. She would make suggestions for resources or things to try in the classroom. At the New Educa- tor Weekend, I went to a session where a leader talked about how everything needs to be scheduled. Kids need to get into a routine. So I imple- mented it. I was so motivated after that session. I used all the tips she gave us. Even the principal noticed and said how much improvement she saw. SHELBY LOFY Sanger Unified Teachers Association 1-4 Special Education This year I've learned that collaboration is the most important thing. In special ed, it's especially necessary to work together. I work with speech therapists, psychologists and occupational thera- pists. Along the way, I've learned new strat- egies. It's something that school doesn't prepare you for. As an educator, you always have to push yourself to do more. For example, a lot of my kids have trou- ble with their speech. A speech therapist and I noticed many were struggling to put words together. We pulled in visuals from the Picture Exchange Communication System, and students were able to show how they could put together a sentence. JULISSA PEREZ Bakersfield Elementary Teachers Association Third Grade The most important thing I learned during the conference was classroom manage- ment strategies from Rick Morris, including his book, The Big Book, which I highly recommend. For a new teacher, class- room management is essential to create an effective learning environment. For example, I learned the effective- ness of music cues as attention getters. Implementing this strategy during tran- sitions has changed my world. Before, I felt like classroom time was wasted trying to get students' atten- tion. After teaching my students to listen for the music cues, classroom transition time was smoother and quicker. It did take some modeling and practice, but it was well worth the effort. My tip is to implement one strategy at a time and be patient. MAIR A ROMO Caruthers Unified Teachers Association First Grade I've learned it is very important to connect with other teachers. I use Twitter to show other teachers what my students are doing in my classroom and I also use it as a resource. I've gotten so many good ideas from teachers who live in different cities and different states! The session about incorporating STEM in the classroom inspired me to implement proj- ect- based learning. What's cool is that I can tie multiple stan- dards from different subjects into one proj- ect. For example, my students participated in an animal research project that combined science, ELA and technology. They did their own research and synthesized facts. They used Google Apps for Education to create their own web- site. They used Google Sheets and pixel art to create a diagram, and they also produced and created their own green screen YouTube video with five facts about their animal. JESS A . SANCHEZ Moreno Valley Educators Association First Grade One of the most important things I learned at the New Educator conference was restorative jus- tice practices. These strategies, to me, are essential to help create an inclusive classroom climate. I know the session was just an overview, so I took the liberty to buy the books that were recommended by the presenters, and they are now my sum- mer reading! In my classroom, I taught my stu- dents how to use "I" statements. Rather than tattling on their classmates, students were urged to state how they felt when someone was not kind to them. Even in first grade, students were able to make some mindful choices about how their behaviors can affect other students in the classroom. 27 A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 017 Calling All New Educators! CTA's New Educator Weekend is is a must for those with five years or less in the profession. Learn the latest in classroom management, pedagogy, and more. Meet and network with leaders and colleagues. Feb. 23-25, 2018 (location TBD); see ctago.org for details.