Sure, it’s the middle of summer and kids think it will last forever. Teachers, of course, know otherwise. Many are already getting ready for fall classes - and many have been planning for 2010-11 since the day school let out in June.

But nobody is thinking more about the fall than new teachers who will be taking over a class for the first time. They are going over their notes, probably buying some extra supplies and – to quell their nerves a little – seeking out sound advice from veteran teachers.

That’s where the WEAC Facebook Page comes into play. Last week, we posted an item on Facebook asking new and veteran teachers alike to share thoughts about getting ready for the new school year. “What’s on your mind as you get ready for the new school year?” we asked. “Are you a new teacher curious about what to expect? Do you have some advice to share from your years in the classroom?”

The questions have generated quite a bit of inspiring interaction. Mary Kreul highly recommends "Classroom Spaces That Work" by Marlynn Clayton. Lori Cherf suggested Debbie Diller's "Spaces and Places".  Angie Serwas says, “#1 make sure that your expectations and daily objectives are clearly understood.” Matthew J Friedl warns that new teachers will be inundated with meetings and bureaucracy. “Main thing: kids in the room come FIRST!,” he writes. Andrea Payan writes, “Spend time in the first few weeks really establishing your procedures and routines. Work to create a caring classroom community and help the students learn to respect one another and get to know one another.”

What a great conversation for all teachers to join this summer! You can become a part of it by scrolling down our Facebook Page and adding your thoughts to the string of comments under this topic. Or you can start a new thread yourself. Lucy Dowling did just that in offering this advice to new teachers, “Try your best to keep a cozy room that reflects your personality and looks welcoming to the students.”

If you don’t have (or don’t want to have) a Facebook account, that’s fine too. You can add your comment right here at the end of this blog. If the comments start piling up – and I hope they do - I’ll just go ahead and set up a separate forum on this topic. I can’t think of a much better use of our social media tools.