Teaching - a survival guide for students and new teachers part 2

The advice may sound silly, but take notice anyway, because it is based on 28 years of teaching experience and listening to students discussing teachers’ appearances. When you start teaching your life will be much easier if you conform to student expectations. The time to be different is after you have established yourself.

Children are very traditional in their expectations of what teachers should wear. They react in a more positive way to a teacher wearing a suit. If suits are not your style then look for an alternative smart look, a jacket and tie for men or a blouse for women. Avoid the temptation to wear ultra-fashionable clothes because children want you to be different from them.

Dress is one way that teachers set themselves apart from the children they are teaching. Young teachers, especially, need to set themselves apart from the children. A lot of children will have older brothers and sisters in their early 20’s and will relate to a young teacher in a similar and inappropriate way unless the teacher distances him or her self.

Clothes should be chosen to be discrete. Tight trousers and revealing blouses will attract looks but will do nothing for your discipline. Loud ties, cardigans and sandals should also be avoided.

If you usually wear more casual clothes and feel uncomfortable and conspicuous in a suit or blouse then wear them for a week or so outside school because, otherwise any discomfort you feel will transmit itself to the children.

You may think that distancing yourself from the children is not a good idea, however following this advice will reduce many of the problems faced by young teachers, such as over friendliness and the unwanted sexual attentions of the adolescents in your charge.

Your hair style should be fairly conformist; no very long hair or shaved heads for men and no very short hair for women. Young men may think about making themselves look older by growing a beard. Make-up should be discrete and designed not to elicit comments.

Top 10 school supplies

Pencils. Everyone needs pencils with a good eraser. When it comes to school supplies, the best type of pencil to have are the ones with refillable lead. This saves repeated trips to the pencil sharpener and is less likely to cause disruption in the classroom.

Pens. One of the most important things to have is a good writing pen. Even though most teachers prefer that work be done in pencil, there are always plenty of uses for pens. Blue and black ink are the most common among school supplies.

Ruled Notebooks. If possible, a separate notebook should be kept for each subject. This will help students to remain organized and will keep their school supplies in order.

Binder. Commonly used to hold loose paperwork and files, a binder usually has three metal rings that snap together with a loud click. This allows the student to know that his/her papers are secure and is a must-have when it comes to school supplies.

Pocket Calendar. A calendar is essential for every student for a variety of reasons. From something as simple as dating a test paper to keeping track of upcoming exams and homework deadlines, a pocket calendar is one of the most underrated school supplies in existence.

Cellular Phone. Though not to be used during class or in such a way that would be disruptive to learning, a cellular phone is an essential tool that every student should have in the way of school supplies. It is a smart student who always has a connection to the outside world for many reasons, including incase of an emergency or just to serve as a way of being able to be in constant contact with family.

Calculator. This device is among the most common of school supplies and is often used in math and accounting classes. While some educators do not allow them, others encourage their use in the classroom.

Highlighters. In order for a student to outline specific and important information, highlighters are often used. The most popular color is yellow and these handy little pens are commonly available at any retail store.

Folders. A folder is a terrific way to house test papers and loose homework assignments.

Permanent Marker. From time to time, students are required to write their name on computer disks, which must remain at school while not in use, or text books. A permanent marker is popular among school supplies and is a wonderful way to make sure that a name is not removed and will help an item to be easily identified should it ever become lost or stolen.