New Teacher Learning Series
Make Your FIRST Year, a GREAT Year!
Monthly Sessions Throughout the 2022-2023 School Year
Welcome to your first year of teaching! If you are like most new teachers, you are probably experiencing a wide range of emotions as you think about the year ahead. While there may be some trepidation in the back of your mind, overwhelmingly, you are likely experiencing excitement! The first year of teaching is an exciting time!
Though your teacher training program has prepared you well, the first year in this profession is unlike anything you have experienced. You will encounter highs and lows as you navigate everything from creating a welcoming environment to... communicating with parents to... supporting challenging behaviors to... planning for rigorous instruction.
We have supported hundreds of teachers as they embarked on their first year of teaching and through that work we have fine-tuned a series of supportive sessions designed to provide you with innovative teaching strategies, resources for taking on your teaching challenges, and just-in-time advice that will ensure that you feel confident and successful!
Join us, and a community of your first-year teacher colleagues, for these monthly sessions designed especially for beginning teachers. These virtual sessions are highly interactive and live attendance is encouraged, but we do understand that may not always be possible. In the event that you will need to miss a session, videos of each session will be available in a Vimeo Showcase.
Monthly Session Details
August
Launching the Year
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New teachers will grow awareness of the phases that they will experience in their first year of teaching.
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New teachers will recognize the importance of building routines, rules, and relationships.
September
student variability
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New teachers will recognize that variability exists within each of their students.
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New teachers will build understanding of collective efficacy and how being part of a team impacts student achievement.
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New teachers will acknowledge their own beliefs and learn how teacher estimates of achievement support student achievement.
October
Student discourse
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New teachers will learn about the positive effect of using strategies for classroom discussion.
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New teachers will learn about the positive effect of using summarization strategies in the classroom.
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New teachers will recognize the importance of balance and self-care during the survival phase of the first year of teaching.
November
Student Feedback
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New teachers will learn about the phase of disillusionment.
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New teachers will learn about quality feedback and the positive effect on student achievement.
December
holding high expectations
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New teachers will review the effect of having high expectations for students.
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New teachers will preview professional goal setting.
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New teachers will revisit the importance of self-care.
January
goal setting
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New teachers will learn about the positive effect of goal setting with students.
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New teachers will learn how to set a short term professional goal and seek feedback on your work towards attainment of that goal.
February
Student reflection and parent communication
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New teachers will explore tools to engage students in reflection.
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New teachers will recognize the importance of planning for effective parent-teacher conferences
March
Scaffolding and Background Knowledge
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New teachers will identify and plan how to use specific strategies to support students in accessing and sharing their background knowledge to support their learning,
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New teachers will identify the value and purpose of scaffolding as well as identify which students will benefit from the use of scaffolding.
April
Generalization Strategies
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New teachers will generalize their learning about scaffolding.
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New teachers will learn strategies to support generalization of content for their students.
May
Reflecting on Year 1
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New teachers will understand the importance of reflection as it relates to the phases of teaching and to them as individuals.
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New teachers will reflect on their year, including highlights and areas for growth.
Presenters
Shannon Schultz is a special education teacher. Shannon currently serves as an instructional coach for teachers of students K-12. As a special education instructional coach, Shannon’s assignment includes coaching and collaborating with general educators, special educators, reading specialists, and teachers of English Language learners. This collaboration and coaching focuses on utilizing the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to provide equitable, accessible, and engaging learning opportunities for all students. Shannon also enjoys providing professional development sessions and engaging in professional book clubs focused on Universal Design for Learning. Shannon has been leading professional learning and mentorship for new teachers since 2013. In that time, she has facilitated intentionally designed workshop sessions for hundreds of new teachers while also supporting their growth within their classrooms.
Shannon Schultz
Terese Weiler is a Gifted and Talented Instructional Coach. She has taught second through fifth grades, served as an instructional support teacher as well as a math interventionist (MRIS). Terese earned her Gifted and Talented Coordinator license through UW-Whitewater in 2017. As a GT instructional coach, she collaborates with general and special education teachers to design appropriate instruction to high ability/potential students, in grades K-12. Terese also enjoys providing professional development sessions and engaging in professional book clubs focused on Universal Design for Learning. Terese has been leading professional learning and mentorship for new teachers since 2013. In that time, she has facilitated intentionally designed workshop sessions for hundreds of new teachers while also supporting their growth within their classrooms.
