For three years, you can get a ton of forgiveness for not knowing how something operates. When a principal hires a teacher so new that the price tag is still on her ear, she knows what she is getting. She is counting on your creativity, technology savvy, innovation, and enthusiasm to contribute to the culture of a school where children love to come and learn. As college graduates, it is presumed that you understand curriculum standards, can diagnose reading difficulties and understand the nature of the special needs children we serve. You may not know where to find an extra desk for the new student you just got this morning, or how many forms have to be filled out to request a field trip, or what to do with the money you collected for the Red Cross drive. Ask your grade level chair or a colleague. And when they ask you if you need anything, don’t say you are fine and then go home and cry. Every single veteran teacher was once a new teacher who was overwhelmed by learning the million things about teaching that you did not learn in college. Ask every single stinking question. Then be sure to pay it forward when you are the veteran and there is another newly minted teacher in your building. Oh, and the answer is always no until you ask.

I found this to be especially true as a PEC teacher. When I started teaching in 1974, fresh out of college, I taught in a small neighborhood elementary  school and had a self contained EMR classroom (50-80 IQ). Every teacher in that building, except for three of us that were new that year, were veteran teachers. They used to say that ”They came over on the Mayflower. ” Back then you kept your attendance in the sacred-and-oh-so-important! school register; a big book where you hand wrote each name and the date, week by week, in blue ink pen . If you made a mistake, which was bound to happen, but not admitted, there was a veteran teacher on each hall who had perfected the technique of dipping your eraser in alcohol  and Oh! So! Carefully “ erasing “the mistake with her gentle, tried and true soft strokes. Believe me, you will learn to cherish the wisdom, comfort  and advice of those who came before you and have many of the answers to your questions.

Pamela Webster; M.Ed. SPED