What are 3 challenges faced during the first year of teaching elementary school?

Question

Also - what can I do to overcome these challenges?

Answer 1

1. Disrespect and behavioral problems from students

2. Over worked and under paid

3. Exaustion

Answer 2

1.  The challenge of knowing  what content and skills to teach.   Always refer to your state standards.  Your end of year testing will be based on that.   You may also be handed a textbook or a set of instructional materials you are supposed to use  Ask the experienced teachers at your grade level what is most important and how they make sure they have taught what the students need.   Some standards and some textbook content are trivial.  Experience will teach you how to handle all of this.

2.  Managing a classroom of 20-25 students.  You need a management plan.   Set rules with the children.  Keep the rules general.  (Instead of "I will listen to my teacher",e.g. you could say "I will listen when others are speaking."  

When you are setting rules with the students, you will have to guide them agree with the most important.  Five rules is plenty for elementary school.  Most misbehavior falls under 5 general rules (taking care of materials, respecting others, etc.)

Have a set of consequences for breaking rule.   Talk to the students about these.  You may want to start with Lee and Marlene Cantor's system of management because it specifies everything.  You can move to your own system later.  Also, whatever you do, be consistent.  Do not have favorites.  Find something to praise about each child.

3.  Keeping up with everything.   Make yourself some checklists or cueing lists.  I used to tape a list of simple songs high on the wall behind the students so I would always have a song ready to go.  I taped the Bus List (students' names and bus numbers) beside the exit door.  

Set up a logical filing system for record keeping.  Have a system for students turning in work.  

Hope these suggestions are helpful.

Answer 3

There are many, but here are three:

1.  The system isn't going to necessarily work the way you think it should.   Don't try to change it immediately - work within the system and be creative.  Help children, don't cause waves to get yourself removed.

2.  Be patient.   In the training to be a teacher, it all sounds so good, then you add children and it gets trying.   They don't all like you, nor do they necessarily like what you are doing.   Don't let them get you down, just do your best to teach everyone something.  

3.  Don't get emotionally involved with the students.  They have parents, grandparents, etc. for that.   You are there to educate them and if you get soft on them, you will not be the best "TEACHER" they can have.  Be tough, but gentle - find your style that allows that.   But keep your professional distance.  

Good luck.   Be your best - it is a trying profession but so very rewarding when you see a tough case learning from you.