Article Link: http://stage.exchangepress.com/article/docia-shares-a-story-about-being-new/5009062/
I was meeting with a group of administrators who were discussing salaries, benefits, and staff turnover. The comments on new teachers interested me most. As I listened, I sensed that many of them had forgotten what it was like to be new and were critical of the time needed for the person to adjust to a new position.I asked the group if they could remember how they felt when they were new.
It was like turning on a faucet. Memories were vivid. Everyone had a story to tell. Some were humorous and some were painful. All agreed that they had been anxious and sometimes fearful, mostly because they didn't know the names of the children, where the supplies were kept, what the rules and policies were, and how staff and children would respond to them.
Swings seemed to have been a lifesaver. They said that there was something about standing behind a swing and pushing the children that made them feel more competent and in control. They also said that other than the usual "It's my turn" there were few problems to solve.
In recalling a memorable experience, one director said she was "thrown for a loop" ...