Survive Past Five

By many accounts, there is a significant attrition rate among teachers these days. Many leave the profession in their first five years in spite of the time and effort spent to get there.  For that reason, I decided to develop a collection of five to ten minute blog posts for new K through 12 teachers. The collection is called “Survive Past Five”. I can make no claim to being the ultimate authority on any of these topics. However, I have taught adults, college students, and high schoolers in grades 8 through 12.  I have mined those experiences to help new teachers build a framework for addressing many issues that often contribute to moments of self doubt or frustration experienced by all teachers, not just new ones.  I taught older kids, but there should be some good food for thought for teachers with younger students as well.  My goal is to give new teachers tools to work through those difficult moments rather than succumb and leave our profession. Ultimately, students will benefit with more effective teachers that are seasoned, not defeated, after their first five years. With that in mind, I have tried to direct each blog post to the new teacher where “you” means exactly that, the new teacher. My goal is to mentor you so that “You” Survive Past Five. 

Will You Survive Past Five

Your 168 Checkbook

Know When to Say No

Just Say No

First Things First

Your Real Objectives

Classroom Management

Making the Grade

Why Did You Hate School

You Will Have One of Those Days

Collaboration

Who Am I?  Who Are You?  Part 1

Who Am I?  Who Are You?  Part 2

What Are We Really Testing

The Data Trap

Too Many Bo$$e$

The Good Idea Bus ... Offloading at a School Near You.

Too May Bo$$e$ ... How You Must Say No