New Teacher Survivor Series

Part #2 - Starting School

Introduction:  The first days of school are always hectic.  Your class rosters will change.  Students will want in and out of your class.  You will have duty.  So, be flexible.  In addition, your local and county stock shows will be on the day of or shortly after you start school.  This will bring even more chaos to your schedule.  However, because you have completed the checklist from Part 1, you should be able to get through it with flying colors.

In part 1, you were given tips to get ready for school.  Part 2 will assist you in starting school and getting your classroom through stock show season.

1. The first day of class should be spent letting the students know what the class is about, what you want them to leave the class with at the end of the year, and what is expected of them.

2. Do not list your students in the grade book during the first week or two.  You will always have students drop and add during the first few days of school.  Use copies of a grade book sheet.

3. Pass out the course syllabus and go over the details with them.  This should include grading policy, FFA responsibilities, etc.  [This is separate from livestock show activities.  You need to separate livestock responsibilities from what is expected of them in class. You should have a separate meeting with the students and the parents who are involved in livestock shows.]  Have a place at the bottom of the syllabus for the parent/guardian to sign and give the student 10 extra points for returning it the next day.

4. Pass out the curriculum materials and briefly scan it with the students.

5. Tour the facility with all the students to point out how you want the facilities to look and where they should and should not be.

6. If you complete these tasks before the end of the period, you have two options:
   a.  Begin the first unit in the curriculum.
   b.  Finish cleaning the facility by assigning each student to a job.  You can pair them up, but make sure everyone has a job to do.

7. Day 2, if there are still areas of the facility that need worked on, do that with the upper classmen.  Start immediately with curriculum for 8^th and 9^th grade students.  You want to set the trend for how you want the class to run.  If you start off easy on the 8^th and 9^th graders, they will get out of control.  You can always be softer later.  You can never be harder.  They won't let you.

8. Set up projects for Ag Mechanics, Horticulture and other upper classmen courses.  Projects to build and repair for Ag Mech could include show equipment, school farm equipment, chapter cooker, or stock racks.  Something they can take pride in.  Horticulture students need a landscaping project, greenhouse organizing project, facility beautification project, etc. 

9. Remember that these are students who have had other Ag teachers.  Mold the younger students and work with the older students.  However, make sure that each person has a job.  No one should be playing tidily-winks.

10. When you are gone to stock shows, you can leave busy worksheets, videos, or a power point for the sub to walk through.  You can also leave projects around the facility.  However, never leave welding, cutting or any other dangerous work while you are gone. 

11. Don't leave tests while you are gone.  They take about 15 minutes and then you have discipline problems.

12. Don't leave new material that will require the substitute to answer questions.  They probably won't know the answers.  This could cause problems.

13. If you are going to be in school a few days before you go to the stock shows, use the above strategies to develop a sense of what is expected.  Reinforce that by saying things like, "I will be gone for a couple of days, I expect you all to work like this while I'm gone.  If you don't, there will be consequences that you won't like."  Be ready to implement those consequences.  Don't punish them with working in the book.  You want them to like that.  Make them come after school or before school and do special projects.  Or, you could have them do trash detail at the school.

14. If you are gone the first day of class, have worksheets and an assignment for all classes.  Have them write an essay telling you about themselves, why they enrolled in Ag, and what their goals are for the future. (two pages)  Any additional days gone, you need to prepare worksheets.

15. On the days you return be organized with what you have the students do.  Again, work in the classroom with 8^th and 9^th graders and have the upper classmen do special projects you have after coming back from a stock show and/or getting ready for the next.

16. After stock shows are over, continue on with the 8^th and 9^th graders; but now, concentrate on directing the upper classes.  Have an outcome in mind for each upper class. It should reflect your syllabus.  For example, all Ag Mechanics students will pass a skill list and make a project to take home.  Animal Science will cover these topics and work on judging.  Horticulture will cover these topics and produce hanging baskets and bedding plants for a fund- raiser.

17. Just about the time you get in a groove, it's Christmas break.  Use that time to refocus.  Take a look at what you are doing and think about what you want at the end.  Begin planning for how you will get there by making a list.

18. During the first semester you will deal with stock shows, starting school, teaching school, disciplining students, principal's requests, buying livestock projects, and people who may or may not really support you. 

19. BE FOCUSED and WELL ORGANIZED. 

20. BE IN CHARGE but not a HORSES REAR.

21. Most importantly, have a vision and a plan on what you want to accomplish.

22. When in doubt, call your supervisor or neighbor Ag teacher. We will help.

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