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What Every New NYSUT Member Should Know

Many new teachers are preoccupied with questions about discipline, said Joanna Torreano, a member of the Niagara Wheatfield Teachers Association and author of 500 Questions and Answers for New Members: A Survival Guide. The following are excerpts from the book:

I am having a hard time maintaining discipline in my class of 25 third-graders. They are constantly talking while I'm talking. What do I do?

You need to talk with your class about what is acceptable and what isn't acceptable. Then, have them come up with rules with you. In doing this, there is ownership in the class. Talk about consequences for bad behavior and, most important, follow through. It is a good idea to make no more than five rules with the children. Any more rules and they won't remember them. Make sure you have the rules and consequences written for everyone to see. Sometimes you have to make an example out of one child who chooses to break a rule. The rest will then understand that you mean business.

It seems I spend so much of my day disciplining children that the good kids don't get any attention. How can I change this?

Compliment the good kids as often as you can. Don't take good behavior for granted. There is that 5 percent that is waiting to take the good kids along (toward bad behavior). Keep reinforcing positive behavior.

I have a child who is constantly taking things out of other children's desks. No amount of warnings have stopped this child. She admits it, but what do I do now?

Have the child write down what she did wrong on paper. Make a copy - sometimes papers tend to get "lost" - and tell her this paper must go home and get signed. Usually, you will get a phone call or a letter from the parent about the thefts. Your administrator should be kept informed.

If the signed paper does not come back, call the parent at home. Do not explain on an answering machine what the phone call is all about. Just a simple, "Hi, I'm so-and-so's teacher and please call the school. This is not an emergency. The number is 555-5555." If the parent still doesn't call, it's time for administrator intervention. Most parents will call an administrator. However, use the administrator as a last resort.

Should I send disruptive kids to the principal's office?

I use the principal very sparingly for three reasons. One, principals have a lot to do and you don't want to take too much time out of their busy schedule. Second, it looks as though you can't handle the problem on your own. Third, if you do decide to use the principal, do it infrequently. The kids may think it's not a big deal if you do it all the time. Usually, I use the principal once a year, I go in and say, "I need help." I then tell her what I have done so far and how it has worked, or not worked.

NOTE: Publication of excerpts does not represent blanket endorsement by NYSUT of Torreano's advice.

Looking for advice from new members

As first-year "veterans," your experiences would be of value to next year's new members. NYSUT asks you to share ideas with new colleagues entering the classroom in September. Please e-mail your tips and ideas to Frank Ciarlo, NYSUT new-member coordinator, at fciarlo@nysutmail.org.

Do you have a work- or union-related question that you'd like to see answered in "Your Union Mentor"? E-mail your question along with your name and local association to: cbutler@nysutmail.org.