Overcoming That Stressed-Out Feeling
by Carolyn Hornik and Bonnie Glasgold

As a new teacher, life can seem overwhelming. There are so many lessons to plan, students to assess, papers to grade, bulletin boards to put up, rubrics to create, and parents to communicate with. Here are some tips for making the job less stressful.

Work with Colleagues
In many schools, teachers of the same grade or teaching the same subject areas share common preparation periods and/or lunch periods. Try to schedule a block of time, at least once week, during which you and your colleagues can plan units, lessons, assessments, and materials together. Look over the course work for the year. Share your ideas for how each unit will be presented. Divide the units to be taught between you and the other teachers you are working with. Each teacher can write the lessons and prepare the materials for one unit and share these resources with your workmates.

Communicating with Parents
Often teachers of the same grade or the same subject area need to communicate the same information to parents. This information might include supply lists, trip permission slips, projects due, book reports, assembly programs, missed assignments, behavior reports, etc. Plan a list of common letters that need to be sent to parents. Create generic letters, leaving space for each teacher to add specific information.

In your record book, place each child’s name, parents’ names, all phone numbers, and address. This will make communication with a parent more convenient.

A template for a class newsletter can be created per grade. This would enable teachers to let parents know what events will be taking place, what projects will be due, when and where trips will be scheduled, and any other information parents need to have.

School Resources
New teachers are entitled to a mentor, three periods per week. A mentor can help you organize your classroom, plan your lessons, set up rules and routines. A mentor can help alleviate your stress.

Turn to the literacy and math coaches in your school, observe them modeling lessons. Ask them how they use the vast amount of resources available for teaching reading and math. Coaches can help you set up appropriate grouping situations as well help in planning teaching units.

School personnel are available to help with students in need of behavior modification. These personnel include administrators, guidance counselors, social workers, and school psychologists. Additionally, the parent coordinator and family assistant can aid in communication between teachers, administrators, guidance personnel and parents.

Students as Monitors
Make use of your students to help with classroom tasks such as distributing books and materials, collecting materials, classroom maintenance, checking that homework is done, monitoring the lending library, etc. For early childhood grade teachers, upper grade monitors might be available to do some of these tasks during their lunch period. These older students might also be used to read to your children, as reading partners and as peer tutors.

Laminating Materials
One of the best time savers for teachers is the laminating machine. Most schools have one. If not, teacher centers and office supply stores offer laminating services. Whenever you create a chart, poster, or item for the bulletin board, laminate it. This will enable you to use the item for several years.

Online Teacher Resources
There are a great number of valuable teacher resources on the World Wide Web. Teachers Network offers “How To’s” or teaching tips on a variety of topics. These may be found at:

http://www.teachersnetwork.org/ntol/ntol_how_to.htm

In addition, there are teaching units in every curriculum area and grade level at:

http://teachersnetwork.org/TeachNet/

Additional teacher web sites may be found at:

And Most of All
Do not despair. With each successive year of teaching, the job becomes less stressful and actually enjoyable.