Viatouch Teacher Articles
Teaching Tips

Ready, Set, Teach!
by Kelly Wilson

I welcome the warmth of my decaf coffee on this cool, dewy morning. Caffeine is unnecessary considering the adrenaline surging through my veins—it's the first day of school. My mind struggles to remember last-minute preparations. Where are the name-tags? How did I do the lunch count last year? Where did I set down the copies I just made?

I think it's safe to say that most teachers did some kind of prepping during the summer. My creativity was at its highest when I basked in the sun, skin browning and mind wandering. And after enough years of experience in an age group, I had a pretty good idea how I was going to present the curriculum. There are other factors, however, that every teacher should consider for a new school year.

First, consider the lighting. Its beams are vastly different inside our classrooms compared to outside. The harsh fluorescent classroom lighting makes skin take on an unnatural green glow. The only way to return skin to a normal color is through a teacher's inner warmth. Grab that passion for kids and teaching that keeps you coming back year after year. It will sustain you in the flickering glare.

As your eyes adjust, train your ears to hear noises that you've missed during the summer. These include tapping, whistling, groaning, shuffling, whispering, and laughing. Train your ear to distinguish between productive noise and just plain socializing. Noise indicates activity and learning, even interest. Plan to hear such phrases as, "Oh, I get it!" and "Can we write longer?"

Train your hands for challenging workouts. They will be busy collating, gluing, cutting, stapling, filing, and grading. I always show evidence of marker stains, of the permanent and overhead variety, which rarely match my clothes. Frequent hand washing helps lighten those marks and protects our hands from becoming germ factories. We need to take care of them, as they also guide kids through the maze of life while we learn together.

Our smiles are an integral part of who we are. Practice in the mirror. This will be one of the first smiles that kids will see each morning. It will help you keep your temper on those more unpleasant days such as when a student accidentally topples the ant farm, you wore a navy shoe and a black shoe, a child goes home with lice, and you can't find your aspirin. Your smile will not fail you and it will radiate sanity.

Your heart will be tested more than any other part of your body. Some days, it may break for some of your kids as they suffer through circumstances we can't control. Therefore practice stretching your heart. Fill it with pride as your students grow into the people they are destined to become. Become passionate about teaching, because you love what you do and you touch lives on a daily basis.

A coworker yells, "Good luck!" as the front doors clank open. Kids stream into the building, some bright-eyed with excitement, some yawning and skeptical about what the teachers have to offer. I set my coffee aside. Flipping on my unforgiving fluorescents, I stand at my door with a smile, ready to start a new school year.

Kelly Wilson is a busy mother, teacher, and writer. She enjoys spending time with her family, her classroom of fourth graders, and the characters in her middle-grade novels. Although Kelly has only "officially" been writing for four years, she's been creating characters and stories since she was in elementary school. Kelly has been teaching for eight years, and currently lives with her husband and two small children in Milwaukie, Oregon.