SUBSCRIBE FOR ONLY $16.99!

Helping Students Overcome Freshman Year Anxiety

Advertisement

By Martha Beach

No matter the grade level you are teaching, the new school year brings excitement: a new class list, configuring seating arrangements, hanging inspirational posters or stimulating art work, working once again alongside your colleagues.

But as a high school teacher, it can also be a bit daunting: welcoming new (and nervous!) kids to a very different type of school day, planning lessons for multiple classes and levels, forming real relationships with students, trying to manage groups of teenagers, plus prepping piles of paperwork. It’s a lot to jump into after two months of sunshine sprinkled with professional development.

A new school year requires work, communication, and preparation. The best time to start is, of course, before that first bell rings in September. But fear not, if you are still feeling overwhelmed, it’s not too late to try and remedy the situation.

Orientation: Welcoming Those New Youngsters

Helping Grade 9 students feel welcome is a top priority to build the foundation of a successful school year. First off, the system itself is very different from elementary and middle school.

“They have to learn to be an adult,” says Maryanne Marsh, dance program director at a Toronto arts school with 21 years of teaching experience in the public school system. Grade 9 Orientation Day prior to the start of classes is a huge boon. (If your school doesn’t already do this, talk to your colleagues about planning one for the future.)

Marsh’s school organizes one day where new kids can familiarize themselves with the building, their new timetables, staff, and other students. They also participate in workshops to get a feel for how the arts programs will proceed. “It’s a nonthreatening way to get them comfortable,” Marsh says.

Craig L. Bouvier, head of a private school in South Carolina, helps host a launch program for freshmen. “We want them to be familiar with their surroundings, schedule, and teachers,” Bouvier says. “They come to the first day of school with ready-made friends.”

Part of orientation at both Marsh’s and Bouvier’s schools includes a peer mentorship program. If a new student is struggling, feeling lost, or just needs a bit of a boost, teachers can pair them with a volunteer mentor. “We train our staff to look for single standing students,” Bouvier says. “They intentionally hook them up with another student ambassador.”

Bouvier explains this buddy system is very intentional at first, and after a few weeks the staff let more natural tendencies take over. “But this doesn’t work if the teachers don’t get it,” he stresses. “You have to walk with eyes looking for that single standing student. It takes focus.”

If a school-wide orientation is not an option, think on a smaller scale. As an educator with 24 years of experience, Bouvier started with this concept in his own classroom many years ago. He carefully communicated his rules on the first day of school (truth, responsibility, respect), and then they got to the fun stuff. “I would do a day that was all activities and we got to know each other.”

Zuzana Eperjesi, a math teacher at a Toronto-area high school, conducts icebreaker activities for her Grade 9 students on the first day and reviews course outlines, expectations, and guidelines. “Set the framework, get all the nuts and bolts in place,” Eperjesi advises. “I think it’s important not just to dive in. We have to set the vibe.”

She is also fairly honest with her students right away: she tells them how she is feeling on the first day. “Especially my Grade Nines, it helps them to know that I’m nervous too and it feels like a load off to admit it. I don’t have to front so much. There’s a lot of excitement in the first few days.”

Communication and Honesty: Build the Base for Real Relationships

When you have a real relationship with a student, they are much more likely to listen to what you’re saying; they feel comfortable asking questions, and so they learn more. From the rules you set to the lessons you teach, it has to flow from your desire to have real relationships with your students.

“If it’s canned, if it’s not real and consistent, the kids can smell it.” Eperjesi, who has 12 years of teaching experience and an engineering degree. She values genuine connections. “I chose teaching over working in the industry because I love teenagers and I want to cultivate relationships.” Being genuine is a big part of how you present yourself as an educator.

“You have to be confident and passionate about what you’re teaching,” Marsh agrees. Part of that means owning up to mistakes. “As a teacher, it’s very important that you present yourself as a flawed being. If you make a mistake, own up to it.”

Bouvier finds that when he and his staff are genuine, students are more engaged, test scores increase, and behavioural issues decrease. “Don’t take yourself too seriously,” he advises.

The Boring Part: Paperwork Prep and Cleaning

Welcoming students and setting up mentorships is all well and good, but sometimes you have to get down to the nitty gritty stuff. Since Marsh is head of a department, she goes into school starting mid-August to do budgets, clean rooms, and set up studios.

Marsh also does some practical prep work like reviewing old exercises, thinking of choreography, and reviewing concepts. She gets in a bit of fun though: she picks lots of new music and creates playlists for her dancers.

Eperjesi is a big fan of old-fashioned groundwork. “I like to really prepare, because you have to teach and manage the classroom, and on top of all that, you have to be sensitive to people’s needs as individuals.” First thing on her “to-do” list: get all the paperwork in place—official course outline with curriculum and expectations.

“The first couple classes are just reviewing, getting your feet wet, seeing where people are.” Eperjesi usually leafs through her binders and computer files to look for usable material, and she alters files as needed. Over the years, she has built up her collection of resources. “But the first time through a course, I am very grateful to other teachers who share their resources,” says Eperjesi.

This year, she is teaching a new Grade 11 course. At the beginning of August, she started reviewing material in-depth, anticipating questions, finding out the answers, and practicing how to explain each step of the process. “I want to know this stuff cold, inside and out, for an ‘ask me anything!’ attitude. It really helps alleviate my own stress and anxiety about teaching a new course the first time around,” she explains.

Plus, if you are confident, your students feel more confident. “You’re the captain, you set the tone.”

In the End, Be Prepared to Go with the Flow

Sometimes, thinking up activities, getting photocopies and lesson plans in order, and dreaming up plausible questions will only take you so far. “You can plan up your yinyang, but it depends on who you teach,” says Marsh.

Be receptive to the type of people in front of you. “You have to go with what and where the students are. I know I will follow curriculum, but I don’t always know exactly how that will happen.” Good planning typically leads to a positive outcome, “but be flexible enough to go off the plan,” Marsh advises.

Bouvier agrees: research activities, set your own rules, but in the end, allow your lessons to flow out of who you are, allow them to come from a place of passion and reside in your strength of knowledge about the subject. “It’s going to look different in every class,” he assures.

Marsh also points to passion: “If you’re lucky to find something you’re passionate about teaching, stick with it,” she says.

Some groundwork and nitty gritty planning will get you to the point you need to be, and from then on it’s about communication, welcoming your students, being honest and open, and ultimately just being yourself and teaching in the way you know best.

 

Martha Beach lives and works in Toronto as a freelance fact-checker, editor, and writer for a wide variety of publications. When she’s not working, you’ll find Martha on her yoga mat or hanging out with her daughter and husband.

Education News

Planting the Seeds: 10 Tips to Inspire a Love of Reading in K–2

Teaching young children to read is one of the most powerful gifts we can give them. However, sparking a love of reading is what keeps that gift growing for a lifetime.

Cradles to Crayons® to Provide 250,000 Free Backpacks with School Supplies

C2C’s “Ready for Learning” initiative prepares children from head to toe, including clothing and backpacks in the Massachusetts, Chicagoland, and Philadelphia Tri-State regions.

Supporting New Pathways Into the Classroom

Flexible online certification programs are helping aspiring educators teach, lead, and make a difference.

PPC Members Inspire the Next Generation Through 2025 TICCIT Program

This year, the Paperboard Packaging Council reached over 7,500 students and planted more than 8,000 saplings across North America.

Join Our Newsletter

Get 10% off a subscription, monthly giveaways, and the latest updates—straight to your inbox!

Martha Beach
Martha Beach
Martha Beach lives and works in Toronto as a freelance fact-checker, editor, and writer for a wide variety of publications. When she’s not working, you’ll find Martha on her yoga mat or hanging out with her daughter and husband.

Advertisement

Read More

The First Six Weeks: Laying the Foundation for a Successful Middle School Year

The first six weeks of a new school year are essential. In middle school classrooms, those weeks are not just a warm-up. Rather, they are the foundation on which the entire school year is built.

Planting the Seeds: 10 Tips to Inspire a Love of Reading in K–2

Teaching young children to read is one of the most powerful gifts we can give them. However, sparking a love of reading is what keeps that gift growing for a lifetime.

Breathe, Focus, and Learn: 3 Simple Exercises That Prepare Students for Academic Success

When practiced regularly, breathing techniques can become powerful self-regulation tools that serve students throughout their academic lives and beyond.

Cradles to Crayons® to Provide 250,000 Free Backpacks with School Supplies

C2C’s “Ready for Learning” initiative prepares children from head to toe, including clothing and backpacks in the Massachusetts, Chicagoland, and Philadelphia Tri-State regions.

Supporting New Pathways Into the Classroom

Flexible online certification programs are helping aspiring educators teach, lead, and make a difference.

Stories from the Stage: How Drama Education Shapes Global Citizens

Drama is far more than a performance-based art. It is a dynamic educational tool that improves students’ capacity to understand perspectives far removed from their own.
migliori siti slot online | việt nam 7m cn | mơ thấy đưa tiền cho người khác | mega casino | trang chu 24h mobile | biloxi casino buffets | casino mga | bắn cá quay slot | tải bắn cá hoàng kim apk | giang hồ phố hoa | thunderstruck slot | happyluke casino | nieuw slot voordeur | casino ở hà nội | casino barriere toulouse | happyluke slot game căn phòng vui vẻ | golden mane slot | online slots australia real money | how to win on penny slots | cascading reels slots | du doan trung thuong xsmb | tsogo sun casinos | highest paying online casino | laptop security lock slot | tvt gamer | casino trực tiếp | lucky89 border casino | venus bị bắt | casinomeister slot | stt chất | 888 casino | giải vô địch quốc gia thổ nhĩ kỳ | mu truyen ky | bet365 tieng viet | vau choi bai | casino buffet prices | thunderstruck slot | chơi casino trực tuyến | play free slots | soi kèo đan mạch cộng hòa séc | bigbom | casino fb88 | thống kê hai số cuối giải đặc biệt | vua hải tặc - bắn cá 4d mới 2021 | bikini beach slot game | list of casinos | online casino zahlt nicht aus | tỷ lệ kèo tv | bóng đá aff cup 2021 | hình ảnh casino campuchia | live casino malaysia | gopher gold slot | casinos in asian countries | sum sweet | best rtg casinos | gbox | time slot booking | crown casino da nang | sexxy tickets 18+ event westgate las vegas resort & casino | kqxsdaklak | fragment of radiance slot mu online |