Just for first year teachers from abroad (Part 1)

As you already know, this is going to be my third year teaching in Texas. I taught for 9 years in the high school level in Puerto Rico. Being an experienced teacher, I thought I had the bull by it's horns. Nothing prepared me for what I encountered. If your are a new teacher, and you recently arrived from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, or any other country, this post is specially for you.

This is the first out of two posts to help new teachers from abroad get settle in their new school and classroom. It doesn't matter how many years you've been teaching, starting in a new school, is always nerve-wracking. Now, if on top of that, you add starting in a different country, with different education styles, and system, you can anticipate a stressful school year.

I could sugar coated for you if I wanted, but I won't. I would love to have a magic wand and make everything perfect for your first year of teaching, but I don't. I can assure you, that you will make mistakes, but hey, who doesn't. The important thing is that you learn from them, and be sure that next year will be even better. I'll share with you some tips to make your first year of teaching as pleasant as possible.

Consider the following tips:

1. Be conscious of the cultural differences. This applies for your co-workers, and for your students. Puertorricans like to greet everyone with a kiss on the cheek and a big hug, even if it's the first time we meet someone. Remind your self that not everyone likes physical contact, so the most appropriate greeting is a hand grip.

2. Always, always, always, be on time. When a meeting or activity is set for a specific time, be there at least 5 minutes earlier. If you are puertorrican, you know exactly why I'm saying this.

3. Don't be afraid to ask. The first thing I noticed when I started working my first year in Texas, is that people love abbreviations and acronyms. My first meetings were very confusing, so when administrators and other personnel mentioned RTI, SpEd, PD, AP's, ELPS, TELPAS, ISOP, ESL, PDA, OMG (you can laugh now), I thought I had to learn a third language. If you don't understand something discussed in a meeting, ask for clarification. Asking will save you future problems.

4. Don't reinvent the wheel. It's your first year, and you have a lot to take in, so don't pressure your self to create everything from scratch. Teacherspayteacher.com, Pinterest, and teacher blogs are great resources to keep you afloat during your first year. If later on you fill confident enough to create your own resources, by all means, go ahead.

5. Can I pick your brain? Every school has a grade level leader, a subject leader, and mentors for new teachers. Ask them for advice and help whenever you need to. That's their job. Visit their classrooms, check how they organize their rooms, and take note of what might work for you. Ask them to model for you how to teach a specific concept you're struggling with.

In the 2nd part of this post we'll share more tips to help you get ready for the upcoming school year. If you are already an experienced teacher, and you want to share some tips, don't hesitate to contact me. Remember, we are all teachers under construction.