Lend a hand new teachers.

Being in the classroom sometimes can be difficult even for an experienced teacher; for a new teacher, it can be a little overwhelming. If your Branch is looking for some ideas on how to work with schools in your area, try activities that lend a hand to new teachers. There are a number of ways you can reach out to people who are new to the education profession. These Branch activities not only assist new teachers, but also spread the word about ACEI and could possibly be ways to recruit new members, especially classroom teachers.

New Teacher Mini-Conference

Your Branch could organize a one-day conference that covers information a new teacher can really use when setting up a classroom. In your sessions, focus on information that a new teacher may not otherwise have received. For example, give strategies for managing students with challenging behavior, or offer advice on how to hold an effective parent-teacher conference. Other topics could be: "How to organize a classroom" or "What to do on the first day of school." Or you could hold a make-and-take session with unique activities that can be used in the classroom. Use members of your Branch as session presenters, or find other educators willing to share their expertise with new teachers. It is a good idea to hold this mini-conference before the school year begins, because once school starts, it is very difficult for a new teacher to find time for such activities.

New Teacher Newsletter

Try sending a newsletter to some of the new teachers in your area. Include positive messages, ideas for bulletin boards, classroom management strategies, tips for communicating with parents, and addresses for Web sites that teachers could use in lesson plans.

Adopt a School

If your ACEI Branch primarily consists of members who teach in higher education, adopt a school to offer your support in the classroom. Receive prior approval from the school administrator and visit the school. Seek out new teachers to offer your assistance. Visit throughout the school year to lend a hand. Give them your Email addresses, so you can be contacted for advice.

--Resa Reed Martin, Chair, Program Development Committee