Field Notes: Finding Your Teacher Legs

Erica M. Dean

Back in January 2001, I was a fresh teacher who happened to begin her career during the second semester of the school year. I stood in that primary science classroom with a welcome package of bulletin board paper, a grade book, and some keys in my arms, and said out loud, "What do I do, now?"

The coursework was complete. Student teaching was over. The graduation celebration was a close memory and the "you've got your first real job" pats on the back had started to diminish. In this moment, I had a file number and responsibility, and I was scared. No really: I was scared. In fact, I think even my primary science students must have known I was scared, and as a result, my classroom management suffered … for six years. Ouch.

I was experiencing what Houston and Felder (1982) call the "breaking-in period" of my career. All I wanted to do was to be like the teacher next door. Her students would walk quietly in a straight line, arms folded, shoes tied, and did I mention her students were quiet? How did she do it? I wanted that and it was only day two of my career.

I saw how other staff members respected her, and I decided that the only way to find out her secret was to approach her and ask lots of questions. I would retain the answers in my brain's expanding "teacher files" and apply the advice to my own class. Some of it worked, some of it didn't, but I was trying. I was also growing what I call my "teacher legs."

You, too, will eventually grow your teacher legs, but it is going to take some time. "Teacher legs" are what you see in those teachers who seem to have that presence, that stance, that classroom management stuff down pat. Ever have an experience when certain teachers come into your room to help you quiet your class down, but once that teacher leaves, the noise comes back? That's an example of an educator with teacher legs. What about those teachers who speak so eloquently during the staff meeting about a training session or conference they've attended and how they plan to implement what they learned into their classroom, and you are sitting there swooning because they sound so, well, teacher-ish? That's an example of someone with teacher legs, too.

Teacher legs is a metaphor for experience, and nothing beats experience. The weird thing about experience is that it takes time to acquire. However, every day you go into that classroom, you are gaining experience. In fact, I would like to think that you are earning at least 40 hours of experience every week that school is in session. To help spur the growth of those famed teacher legs, I offer the following pearls of wisdom, gleaned from 14 years of teaching:

• Seek out positive staff members for advice. Yes, I used the "P" word.
• Stay current in the field by reading teaching articles and even taking part in those famous Twitter chats that use hashtags that are relevant to the knowledge you seek.
• Diversify your teaching portfolio by earning another degree in a segment of education that fits your future goals. You're not only earning course credits, but also meeting colleagues who will spur your knowledge in the field.
• Work to discover what you like as a teacher, and then find opportunities to attend trainings and workshops that can support your passion. And when you get really brave, volunteer to serve as a committee chair to lead a school project that aligns with your interests.
• Stay humble: Being new and fresh to the field, regardless of age, means that you come to work with a certain level of excitement and enthusiasm. As you grow, remember to respect seasoned colleagues during times of collaboration. (Don't necessarily aim to be the smartest one in the room.) Your time to share will definitely come, and when it does, consider partnering with those established (and positive) teachers.
• Reach back and help another teacher because someone took time to help you. Don't judge their struggles—just help—as long as they are willing to let you.

I truly owe my ability to stick with my education career to my parents and colleagues who allowed me to cry on their shoulders and ask a million questions. The best way to honor their support is to help someone else develop their teacher legs.

Reference

Houston, W. R., & Felder, B. D. (1982). Break horses, not teachers. Phi Delta Kappan, 63(7), 457–460. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20386398

Erica M. Dean is an educator with 14 years of experience with Detroit Public Schools. She has served as a classroom teacher, literacy coach, and instructional specialist. Dean has recently completed Educational Leadership coursework at Marygrove College in Detroit, Mich., and is an aspiring assistant principal. Her first book is Teacher Pants: Reflections of a Career Built by Faith.

ASCD Express, Vol. 10, No. 23. Copyright 2015 by ASCD. All rights reserved. Visit www.ascd.org/ascdexpress.