More ways to support new teachers

Here are more ways to support new teachers at your school.

Again, please feel free to add suggestions to the list.

• Spend time with new teachers to go over evaluation process, Referral procedures, cumulative folders, etc.
  
• Drop in on the new teacher daily, just to say “hello,” not for observation purposes. Offer frequent, positive feedback and little notes of praise in their boxes.
  
• Do “snapshot assessments” on lesson plans at once a month, giving feedback on specific parts of their planning.
  
• Have a local church’s women’s group to “adopt” the new teacher for a year. The group can provide a beginning of the year care package, and send encouraging cards or other small “thinking of you” tokens throughout the year.
  
• Provide new teachers a gift certificate to a local teacher supply store – over and above what the rest of the staff may receive at the beginning of the year….take them shopping!
  
• Provide an extra duty-free period.
  
• Be sure to include the supply room, book room, clothes room, etc. on your tour of the building – places they may not encounter on their own.
  
• Personally take them a yearbook so they can familiarize themselves with the staff.
  
• Meet regularly with new teachers to “touch base” and determine possible supports.
  
• Ensure some “R & R” by providing movie tickets.
  
• Set up classroom visits for new teachers to observe more experienced teachers. Arrange coverage for their room if necessary. Do this a few times during the year.
  
• Have their picture and a brief bio printed in the local newspaper.
  
• Present a gift to the new teachers when introducing them to the staff.
  
• Make sure new teachers know who is available for support (instructional specialists, Special Ed staff, support staff and other specialists within the school).
  
• Send the new teacher to relevant off-campus staff development with a buddy.
  
• Limit number of preparations (middle and high school).
  
• Invite new teacher to lunch on teacher workdays (pay for it!)
  
• Visit often and simply “chat.”
  
• Support continuing staff development opportunities.
  
• Holidays can be a very lonely when apart from families. If a new teacher is from out of town, encourage fellow staff members to invite them to family holiday gatherings.
  
• Help out-off-town new teachers find an apartment
  
• Include new teachers on key committees. This helps them feel more a part of the school.