5. Don’t forget to put your deoderant on. Nothing can make you feel more like the crazy, self-conscious middle school students you are teaching than pinning your elbows to your waist all afternoon for fear of someone smelling you.
4. Always check your shoes on different surfaces before you leave the house. Loud, squeaky shoes on public school linoleum just calls more attention to yourself in aforementioned middle school than necessary.
3. Brush up on your peripheral vision. It really boosts your cool/don’t-mess-with-her factor when you can call out “Do NOT throw that, Ryan,” to the kid in the back row while never taking your eyes off the paper on your desk.
2. Go ahead and tell the kids how old you are. Most of their teachers never do, so answering honestly catches them a little off-guard, and plus, they think 30 is nice and old. (Which is actually a good thing when you are wanting to give the aura of experience and authority.)
1. If you are having trouble figuring out a new and different projection/overhead system, be sure you have the machine facing in the proper direction before you call someone in from another classroom to help you fix it.
I’m sure more lessons will be forthcoming. Stay tuned.