I love this question! I hope lots of people respond, as I'd love to see other responses. As a new (and young) teacher, I was terrified of parents for a long time. I was always trying to impress them and make sure they believed in my capacity. I wish, as a young teacher, I had seen parents more as potential allies in my work, and less as potential enemies.... that's not exactly right, but instead of trying to impress them with my ability to move mountains and change lives, I wish I'd reached out a hand and said "together we can do more for your child, and this class of children, than we can separately." Maybe this comes faster to elementary school teachers, who are more used to having parents in their classrooms and in the building, but as a young high school teacher, parents seemed like a foreign species to me. 

A new, interesting book The Networked Teacher:How New Teachers Build Social Networks for Professional Support by Kira J. Baker-Doyle, names parents as "diverse professional allies" for new teachers. I think that's one thing I wish someone had told me as a new teacher.

     I am interested in the book Tanya recommends on building social networks for professional support.  The title of this book reminds me of advice my dad gave me as I started my teaching career.  I wish I had it in some clever, wisdom-laden aphorism; I don’t.  I just remember him telling me to seek out like-minded teachers – people with whom I could talk, vent, and celebrate. 

     I have come to learn that teaching is less performance and more coaching, cajoling, catching, pushing, and getting out of the way.  That tectonic shift has been happening (continues to happen) for me slowly over time by doing and by having that network of support.  I don’t know if that way of seeing teaching is something “I wish I knew back then.”  It is not the sort of thing you can just tell a person. 

     Here is another way to think about it.  I mentioned my dad a few lines back.  He and I have spent most every spring for the last dozen or so years fly-fishing the driftless area of southwest Wisconsin.  Fly anglers, we’ve learned, are very protective of certain streams, certain valleys and springs.  They resist simply telling another angler “where they’re bitin.”  It is not that easy or shouldn’t be.  However, muddy your feat.  Attend to craft. Care about the places, and do it in good company.  Apprentice yourself to the wise, and they will share the magic.  I think the same can be said of teachers and teaching.

     Thank you for the question, Judy.

Jeff Hudson

As a new high school history teacher, I lectured a lot. I quickly learned that students were not very interested in what was on my mind. To keep their interest and involvement, I had to turn the whole process around and find out what was on their minds.

As a new high school history teacher, I lectured a lot. I quickly learned that students were not very interested in what was on my mind. To keep their interest and involvement, I had to turn the whole process around and find out what was on their minds.

Thanks for such heartfelt suggestions. I knew Writing Project people wouldn't let me down.

Hi all,

I wish I'd entered the profession aware that everyone involved wanted me to do the very best job possible.  My first several principals felt discipline was much more important than imagination, and I don't blame them for that.  Their response to me was to limit creativity in the good name of control, and I misunderstood that for their not trusting me.  And how could they, really, I entered the profession two months shy of my twenty-second birthday.

Of course, I had discipline problems right off the bat, and had to call parents. I was terrified of their judgement of me since I was bringing bad news to them about thier children.  And too, there were the students, who I couldn't control, many who I couldn't connect with.  Eventually, I felt I was trying to do my work in the face of a lot of people working against me.

At some point in my carrer, I learned these three groups of people were my allies. My principal wanted a great school, parents wanted a great experience for their children, and my students wanted a great experience for themselves.  To my eventual amazement, they were all willing to work with me so that I could teach and reach those three goals.

I've had an incredible 32 years now, making allies of administrators, parents, and students.  I quit teaching after two years, but went the discomfort of poverty became more than our family could handle, I went back.  A Harry Wong seminar later, and I was able to manage my classroom in such a way that the students would behave well enough for us to do the fun things that pleased them, their parents, and my administrators.  

We're a lot more professionally social than we were thirty years ago.  Back then I entered the profession alone.  Well, that's what I thought.  It wasn't true, and that's what I wish I'd known then.

Mike

I wish I had know that support at home would dwindle as much as I have seen. It's unfortunate because we know that kids need the support on both ends -- home and school -- and yet, we have witnessed a slow decline in parents really engaged in the learning of their children. This is not about the PTO organizations nor the fundraising that parents do, and which we appreciate. It is about encouraging and helping their children make and reach goals, and putting learning before the sports, after-school programs, and more.

We've actually had parents send in excuse notes for kids who do sports or dance after school. "Sorry, they didn't have time to do their project because they were ....." That is just inexcuseable and just think about the message that sends to those kids. Is school at the top of that priority list?

That said, I wish I had known how wonderful it is to be a teacher. Then, I would have not spent 10 years in another profession before moving into the classroom. I would have made the transition sooner.

Kevin