See Me After Class by Roxanna Elden

Larry Ferlazzo is an award-winning ESL teacher, advice columnist and famous maker of a long list of over helpful lists for teachers. I’m excited to announce that several of my columns are featured in his Best Advice for New Teachers list.

In college, students are encouraged to share their opinions, keep debates lively, and play the devil’s advocate.  You have probably noticed this is not the case at your school’s faculty meetings.

In fact, one of the most common mistakes new teachers make is showing up on the administrative radar too early, too often, and for the wrong reasons – but a tough conversation doesn’t have to mean making enemies in the main office. Read this season’s Class Dismissed column in Educational Horizons magazine for more information.

Last week, I got a chance to be part of a panel at the Education Writers Association’s Diving Into Data Conference. It was a great experience. The reporters asked just the right questions, and I am proud to say I managed to sneak three Kim Kardashian references into my speech – probably a record for a panel on education data. I also made a few other points, summarized below.

Ten years from now, you’ll love it when people assume you are young. Early in your teaching career, however, comments about your age can feel like thinly-veiled doubts as to whether you know what you’re doing. The last thing you want is for students’ parents to describe you as adorable or call you “sweetie” during a conference.

Read parent-communication advice specifically for cute inexperienced adorable non-authoritative younger teachers in my spring Class Dismissed column for PDK’s Educational Horizons Magazine.

Here is some good classroom management advice collected from teacher-authors on Larry Ferlazzo’s Classroom Q&A EdWeek column. I’m in good company with one of my other favorite teacher-authors, Gary Rubinstein.

My newest column in Educational Horizons explains why complaining about work is a little bit like drinking.

Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s a quick rundown on the new teacher “disillusionment phase,” which runs from some time around Halloween until… 3:30 PM the day before Thanksgiving weekend.

This should help you explain to non-teacher friends and relatives why their well-meaning teaching suggestions sometimes make you burst into tears. Or whatever.

Five feel-good reform phrases with troubling subtexts for teachers.

For new teachers and the people who love them – sometimes so much it hurts…

A (kind of) love letter sharing teacher’ feelings toward education technology: It’s not that we’re not into you – we just want you to treat us right…