Even when they aren't in their classrooms or schools, new teachers may still feel overwhelmed by the realities of their new profession. Where is a new teacher to turn at 2:00 a.m. when she's wondering whether teaching was the right decision? Here's a collection of Web sites that offer 24-hour guidance, encouragement, and teaching help. Chances are, they won't mind a late-night visit nearly as much as your mentor would.
This site, by the veteran teachers of Inspiring Teachers Publishing Group near Dallas, Texas, USA, offers everything from an "Ask Our Mentor a Question" section where you can e-mail questions or concerns to a veteran teacher, to "Tips for New Teachers" (click "archives") that include inspiration, humor, and the top 10 things to do before school starts. Be sure to check out the Beginning Teachers Message Board where you can ask for, or offer, advice.
"By teachers, for teachers" is the goal of this site. Here, middle school teacher Scott Mandel and other contributing educators provide basic teaching tips to beginning teachers--things that they can immediately implement in the classroom. It offers lesson plans and has features like "Poem of the Week" and "This Week's Stress Reduction Moment." This site also has a list of education Web sites organized by subject area and topic.
Beginning teachers will definitely want to check out the "Mentor Support Center" from Teachers.net. This feature (click "chatboards") brings together educators in category-specific chats, such as the chatboard specifically for beginning teachers. The site also includes lesson plans, live meetings, a bookshelf with a list of useful resources, and a newsletter.
Designed to encourage new teachers and those studying to be teachers, I Love Teaching.com offers the experiences and wisdom of a veteran teacher. Click "Tid-Bits" for a list of things a rookie teacher wishes that she had known before stepping into the classroom.
Geocities.com hosts this site, designed to help and inspire everyone from first-year teachers to people just thinking about becoming an educator. It offers useful and practical articles added monthly, information about becoming a teacher, and interactive pages where you can communicate with other teachers.
"What is often forgotten in math education is what is most important: You, the teacher." This site is geared toward new math teachers--but has information that all new teachers can use, including how to connect with your students, tips on classroom management, and other professional suggestions. Whether for class ideas or just for fun, be sure to check out the monthly math problem and the archive of "Most Loved Problems."
The U.S. Dept. of Education offers this FREE online book (in PDF format, requiring an Acrobat reader): a compilation of award-winning first-year teachers' experiences, challenges, and successes. It includes tips on how to have a successful first year, advice from veteran teachers, and a discussion about the things for which no training could have prepared new teachers.
"When the door closes and all those faces are looking up at me, will I have something to say?" "Will I ever be able to fill all those hours until lunch?" "What if a parent comes to meet me and can only say, 'You're the teacher?!'" Positive Parenting On-Line answers these and other essential questions new teachers have--and shouldn't be afraid to ask.
Kathy Schrock, who has recently moved to the Discovery Channel Online, provides a list of education Web sites so well organized that you don't have to be an Internet whiz to find something you can use. Click on one of Schrock's famous pencils to find info you can use.
Every teacher, beginning or veteran, should know how to use the resources of the U.S. Department of Education. This site contains a wealth of FREE information, if you just know how to find it. This comprehensive guide can help you find your way around DoE. And it will probably even help you find things you didn't realize that you needed.
Laura Kelly (lkelly@ascd.org) is a project assistant for ASCD's Newsletters and Special Publications unit and co-editor of *Classroom Leadership Online.*
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ABOUT ASCD
ASCD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan education association located in Alexandria, Va. We are an international organization, although the large majority of our members are in North America. We have approximately 150,000 members, most of whom are K-12 educators. Our members include principals, teachers, administrators, curriculum specialists, superintendents, professors, students, etc.
Benefits of ASCD membership include our magazine, *Educational Leadership,* and two newsletters, *Education Update* and *Curriculum Update.* ASCD also produces books, video and audio tapes, and other publications on education topics. Visit our online store at http://www.ascd.org/catalog/catalog.html . We also provide professional development training. Each year we hold a huge Annual Conference. For information on joining ASCD, visit http://www.ascd.org or send e-mail to <member@ascd.org>.
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ABOUT *ASCD EDUCATION BULLETIN*
This online newsletter includes short items of interest to people who care about K-12 education (including early childhood). We cover topics of continuing concern to ASCD, including curriculum, instruction, assessment, technology, equity, diversity, and maintaining strong support for public schools. Previous issues can be viewed and searched at http://www.ascd.org by clicking on "Publications" at the main menu. This publication presents a variety of viewpoints. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily official positions of ASCD. Copyright 1999 Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.