I think the biggest thing I worry about when looking forward to my first few years of teaching, the thing that scares me the most is how to get students engaged on day one. History, especially secondary history, gets a bad rap sometimes, and the coach and PowerPoint stereotypes that we as history educators have to work against don’t make it any easier. Helen Grady makes some good points and has some good advice in her section on What should happen on the First Day of World History Class? The most significant piece of advice that I think I’ll take with me from her writing is that it is essential for us to have a definition of history and an answer to “why do we want to teach world history.” And I think to be a great history educator; you must be able to answer that question because it will shape your curriculum one way or another. I know everyone will have their teaching approach, but I firmly believe that if you can engage students from day one and set the tone for the semester and the type of learning that will happen throughout the course, you will be a successful educator.
-Andrew Westmoreland
Helen Grady’s “What Should Happen on the First Day in a World History Class?” in Teaching World History in the Twenty-first Century: A Resource Book, pp. 107-109.
Helen Grady has a fantastic point about starting the class on the right foot. Without that definition, all classes are simply “Here’s the work, do it”. Finding that importance is key for students to understand the importance. This worked for me in math class. While I don’t know if I could shake the stereotypes as I plan to coach, but I could at least be a solid educator. This means on Day 1 to provide the “Why” on what I am teaching and its importance.
I am also worried about when I start teaching and how to get students engaged on day one. Day one is make or break in some cases and just like the students are going to make an impression in their actions, we as teachers will make impressions as well. I remember teachers in my past years would start the first day of school with a lecture and just jump right in, but for me I would like to at least get to know my students a little before we begin the content.
I also am nervous about that first day of school. Walking in on the first day, it will be a struggle learning how to work in the classroom environment by yourself. As the years progress, as will a teachers confidence within the classroom. I agree with the article excerpt you included, as it is important to know why you are doing something, if you want to do it well.