Resources for New Teachers

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

  • Preparing for the First Day (PDF) This links to a checklist of procedures to set up before the first day of class begins, from beginning class to work requirements to fire drills.
  • Supplies Checklist (PDF) This link offers an extensive checklist of supplies that you will need to set up your desk and classroom.
  • Materials and Supplies (PDF) This site provides ideas about various ways to obtain necessary supplies in preparation for the first day of class.
  • Teacher Organization This website provides tips for teacher and classroom organization. Organization is key and this information would definitely be beneficial for first year teachers.
  • Classroom Organizing Tips This website contains information on how to organize your classroom with things such as: homework/attendance table, community supply center, classroom library, teaching and learning walls (similar to word wall), etc.
  • Classroom Organization and Management Program If you are looking for a common sense approach to effective classroom management, you have found it! The Classroom Organization and Management Program (COMP) is a research-based professional development program that can help you learn to create and manage an effective learning environment in your classroom.

DIVERSITY

  • Critical Issue: Educating Teachers for Diversity This website gives an overview of literature related to diversity in the classroom, along with several testimonials from actual teachers regarding the education of teachers in working with multicultural students and other diverse learners.

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

  • Differentiated Instruction Packet This packet of information contains a definition of differentiated instruction, frequently asked questions, and authentic examples of differentiated modified assignments and assessments.
  • Differentiated Instruction This is an article that summarizes ways to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of a diverse population. It also lists many other resources, including current books, that are related to this topic. This article is a good beginning for teachers who are eager to meet the needs of all learners.

LESSON PLANS

  • Meeting Multiple Needs in the Classroom This web site provides several strategies all teachers can use to meet the needs of diverse learners that they should keep in mind when planning lessons.

UNIT PLANNING

  • Developing a Unit Plan This bulleted list provides a step by step approach to planning a unit for any grade level.
  • Planning a Science Unit This document answers the question "What processes do teachers use to develop unit plans for teaching in science?" It includes links to websites that have additional information about forming essential questions and designing concept maps. The intended audience for this submission is any science teacher who works with grades K-12.
  • Understanding by Design This site offers extensive information, including a template for an Understanding by Design unit plan.

IEP RESOURCES

  • ADD/ADHD and School This website provides information on how to teach students with ADD/ADHD. It provides classroom strategies, teaching tips, and homework help.

RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION

  • National Center on Response to Intervention
    The Center’s mission is to provide technical assistance to states and districts and building the capacity of states to assist districts in implementing proven models for RTI/EIS. The Center on RTI Library contains a various assortment of briefs, fact sheets, presentations, media and training modules relevant to RTI.
  • Georgia DOE RTI Resource Page
    This website provides information on RTI Guidance, CORE Instruction, Progress Monitoring, Interventions, Professional Learning, and other RTI resources.
  • Intervention Central
    This website provides ideas for intervention such as: RTI Tier 1 (classroom) interventions, general academic strategies, writing, developmental disabilities, classroom management ideas, behavioral interventions, tips for study and organization, reading fluency, reading comprehension, motivation, math, and making rewards work.
  • Behavioral Interventions
    This website, from Florida State University, is dedicated to different types of classroom interventions. The different types range from general procedures to social skills.
  • ESOL Classroom Intervention Strategies
    This website provides a graph for classroom intervention strategies directed mainly toward ESOL students, but that can be implemented in a regular classroom as well and be effective also.

ORGANIZING FOR TEACHING

  • Teacher Organization
    This website provides tips for teacher and classroom organization. Organization is key and this information would definitely be beneficial for first year teachers.
  • Classroom Organizing Tips
    This website contains information on how to organize your classroom with things such as homework/attendance table, community supply center, classroom library, teaching and learning walls (similar to word wall), etc.

REFLECTION

  • Teacher Self-Reflection Checklist
    This website provides teachers with a checklist for three subjects: English, math, and science. Once they teach the lessons, they can reflect on what they have taught by referring to these checklists.
ETHICS AND LAW
  • The Code of Ethics for Educators:  This links to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission’s website containing the code of ethics in the form of a brochure, handbook, and information on moral turpitude.

  • Teachers and the Law: This site links to information about various laws that affect teachers and schools, including historic court cases and legal resources.

PARENT CONFERENCES

  • Parent-Teacher Conference Resources
    This website contains information on how to conduct a productive parent/teacher conference. It also provides different resources for the teacher to plan and organize the conference and several different forms and records that may be needed as well.

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Online tools

  • 50 Useful Blogging Tools for Teachers: Blogging is becoming more and more popular in the classroom. No matter how you use blogs in your classroom, these tools will help you get started, enhance your experience, or bring the students into the fun.
  • Wiki Walk-Through: This site provides information for beginning Wiki users, from the basic definition of a wiki to specific ways to use a wiki in your own classroom.
  • Edmodo is a secure social networking site where students and teachers can share files, ideas, and assignments, including mobile access and messaging.
  • Online Libraries:
    • WorldCAT: This site connects you to the collections and services of over 10,000 libraries worldwide. 

    • Project Gutenberg: This site allows you to download eBooks from an extensive collection of over 100,000 digitized books for free.

Classroom Tools

    Clicker Resources: This site gives you information about clickers, including what they are, how they can be used, among other useful articles and links on this topic.

OTHER RESOURCES

  • Teachnology: Special Education: This website lists several different professional journals and literature in education focusing on special education.
  • Teachingheart: This website offers help for first year teachers, veteran teachers, and student teachers. It provides information on resume help, interviewing for a job, tips for new teachers, organizing your classroom, classroom/behavior management, etc.
  • Sites for Teachers: This site offers links to many websites with useful information, including printables, lesson plans, and clip art.
  • LD Online: This site contains tips on working with children who have learning disabilities, including book excerpts, ideas for setting up routines, and LD in the news.
  • IRIS Center: The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements at Vanderbilt University offers free online interactive resources that translate research about the education of students with disabilities into practice. The materials cover evidence-based topics such as student behavior, Response to Intervention, learning strategies, and progress monitoring. The following are training modules from the IRIS Center: 
  • Georgia Professional Standards Commission: This site gives information on teacher certification, including paraprofessional certification, alternative routes to certification, and keeping certification up to date.
  • BetterLesson: This site offers teachers the chance to sign-up to share lesson plans and to find what works for others by browsing through files, lesson plans, units, and even entire courses.

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Thompson, J. G., & Thompson, J. G. (2007). The first-year teacher's survival guide: Ready-to-use strategies, tools & activities for meeting the challenges of each school day. Jossey-Bass teacher. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Springer, S., Alexander, B., & Persiani-Becker, K. (2005). The organized teacher: A hands-on guide to setting up and running a terrific classroom. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Springer, S., Alexander, B., & Persiani-Becker, K. (2007). The creative teacher: An encyclopedia of ideas to energize your curriculum. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Jacobson, J., Raymer, D., & Redmond, A. (1999). The big book of reproducible graphic organizers: 50 great templates to help kids get more out of reading, writing, social studies, & more. New York: Scholastic Professional Books.
  • Moore, J. E., Holliman, L., & Evans, J. (1994). How to plan your school year. Monterey, CA: Evan-Moor Corp.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES 

  • VSU Continuing Education VSU Continuing Education provides programs to enhance the quality of life in the region by providing educational, artistic, cultural, technological, and economic development activities. The Continuing Education program includes professional learning unit (PLU) courses for k-12 educators.