Reaching Out to New Teachers
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Reaching out to new teachers
| What are the top 3 tips you would give to a new teacher? Be resourceful – in the 21st century, we have an enormous amount of resources available to us. Teachers are expected to be experts with all learners, which means we need to find out how to meet a wide range of needs. When I was a special education teacher, I encountered many different kinds of learners and instead of saying "I don't know how," I would always say, "Let me find out." Be collaborative – one of my pieces of advice is to never bear things alone. Find a trusted source to confide in and/or find the correct source to learn from. Always ask yourself how you are impacting student learning – lest we forget, teachers are the single most important ingredient in raising student achievement. Teachers are the professionals trained to impact student learning, so by keeping current on the latest research, we implement the best practices that will influence the academic, social and emotional growth of our students. |
Devoted teacher for 25 years and committed to partnerships, Teresa works hard to improve professional development for new teachers.
She spent most of her career as a special education teacher, but these days she?s using her expertise to reach out to beginning educators. Through the New Teacher Academy, designed specifically for Wisconsin?s beginning educators, she?s finding she?s getting as much as she gives.
As the Instructional Facilitator for the Baraboo School District, Teresa trains and coordinates their mentors, conducts ongoing seminars and implements the formative assessment with new teachers. Her advocacy for teachers has led her colleagues to coin her "the teacher's teacher."
?New teachers are searching for those really relevant and practical ideas that work,? she said. ?There was a lot out there for mentors, and for all teachers, but there didn?t seem to be anything that spoke to only new teachers.?
"The New Teacher Academy was customized for the needs of new teachers. Professional development for new teachers is different than for veteran teachers because of background knowledge and experience," the Milwaukee native added. "We want to provide them with authentic and relevant tools to meet the demands of teaching they encounter in their first years. We hope it minimizes the trial and error of classroom management and instruction."
Teresa has a commitment to her community and public education that extends beyond her job description. She?s advocated for referendums to benefit Baraboo schools, serves as an ad hoc university instructor for masters programs and continuing education, and is a presenter for conferences throughout the state.
?Working on behalf of new teachers is exciting,? she said. ?When you meet them, you see yourself in their eyes and remember that time in your life. You want them to succeed.?
WEAC’s Great Schools Member Spotlight features WEAC members who are making a difference in the lives of others every day in their schools and communities. Member Spotlight profiles appear on OnWEAC, and one profile is selected each month for the OnWEAC In Print newspaper. To submit a suggestion for a Member Spotlight candidate, send an e-mail to the WEAC Public Relations Department.
Posted September 8,2008