Observations from a New Teacher

Heather Novak

Math Teacher

Ramsey Middle School

Our teacher licensure program instructors do a great job preparing us for what’s to come. They say the first year of teaching is the toughest, they guarantee long hours, tell us to anticipate planning lessons from scratch, and warn us that we’ll have limited time for friends and family. As a first year 7^th grade math teacher for Minneapolis Public Schools, I can confirm everything they said is true.

With any career pursuit, most learning happens in the first few months on the job – the learning curve is inevitable. There’s just no way around it, no matter how thorough the training is you can’t help but feel like it’s not enough. With just a few short months under my belt, I have developed a full appreciation for the training I’ve received because I rely upon it everyday. With the support of the administration and staff, I have been able to effectively navigate the behavioral challenges and learning styles of my students.

Every teacher has a unique personality and teaching style, which benefits the full range of students we have in our classrooms. There is no one style, no one approach that works absolutely all the time. It seems like each subject, each classroom, each hour, has its unique challenges, and every teacher has their way of managing all the variables.

In my classroom, the following have been absolutely essential in building a classroom environment where learning math is engaging, interactive and fun.

We Celebrate Mistakes

My teacher licensure program emphasized the importance of promoting a growth mindset in my classroom. This means creating a supportive learning environment where making mistakes is viewed as beneficial to learning. At the start of the school year, I set the expectation that we would all share our mistakes freely. To get students comfortable with this notion, I explained that part of learning math is recognizing that the mistakes we make help us learn, and we share our mistakes so we can all learn together. I often ask, “What mistake might a mathematician make?” This question gives every student the opportunity to share their mistake(s) and play an active role in helping the class learn. When a student shares their mistake, I always make a point to thank them for helping us all get better at math.

We Talk about Math

Promoting mathematical discourse in the classroom is essential to student learning. These “Math Talks” are a great way for me to informally assess students’ prior knowledge, familiarity with academic language, current understanding, and potential misconceptions. I find that students who are able to verbalize their own thoughts on a concept not only strengthen their own understanding of the topic, but also strengthen their peers’ understanding. I think asking questions with multiple entry points is a great way to get students involved in communicating about different concepts. My two favorite questions are “What do you notice?” and “What do you wonder?” Questions like these allow all students to contribute to classroom discussions; which can be very empowering for students, and help them develop a sense of agency.

We Move Around

I student-taught in a high school where most students seemed to be tired and lacking energy. It was quite a change to begin teaching in a middle school where the level of energy is often through the roof. Channeling this energy into learning can be difficult, and I’ve learned that incorporating movement into my lessons has helped with student focus. I do gallery walks, stations, math games, and scavenger hunt activities. If I notice that a student needs an extra movement break, I will ask them to help pass out papers or other materials. I’ve learned the importance of frontloading expectations and modeling before doing a movement activity. I will ask students, “What should we be mindful of while doing this task?” They have always been able to tell me how the appropriate behaviors should look, sound and feel. I find my students are much more inclined to adhere and follow through with norms they create, than if I were to create them myself.

Build Rapport with Students

Positive student-teacher relationships are very important. When students know you care, they are more willing to work hard. At the beginning of the year I handed out an “All About Me” survey to each of my students. They were helpful in finding a common interest with each student, and made starting conversations easier as we got to know each other. I also used the surveys to incorporate student interests into my lesson plans, making them more engaging for everyone while also bringing some culture and a sense of community into my classroom. Each day I greet every student by name as they enter my classroom. I give them a high-five and say something like, “Hey! It’s great to see you!” As I walk around to check homework, I praise their hard work and I point out the positive things I see. I make a point to call parents and share success stories and anything else that their child has done to set a good example for others. These simple routines have made a positive impact on student participation and classroom management.

Have High Expectations for ALL

I have high expectations for all my students. When I see them working hard and meeting those expectations, I express how proud I am to have them in my classroom. When a student is not doing their best, or feels compelled to quit, I don’t give up on them. I remind them of the story I told at the beginning of the year about learning to walk. I say, “Everyone falls down the first few times, but it doesn’t mean we can’t learn to walk.” That analogy seems to resonate with my students and usually helps get them back on track. “With practice we learn and get better”, I tell them, “Everyone can learn math. If you aren’t challenged, you aren’t learning.” I hold my students accountable, and they know that my expectations never waiver.

Looking back on my first few months of teaching, it is incredible how much I have learned. I feel honored to work alongside such talented colleagues who are so willing to collaborate and share ideas; and it’s a privilege to have such amazing students who motivate and inspire me every day.