Even though I only have 10 years of teaching experience, here are some tips on teaching:
Do’s
1. Find ways to engage your students, by using activities that interest them.
2. Be fair. They will always remember you as a fair (or unfair) teacher.
3. Try to remain calm. Even if a situation makes you raise your voice, do it in a decisive and controlled way. Show them you haven’t lost control of your classroom.
4. Once you say something, never take it back. “Go to the principal’s office now”, is an example. Once you decide to say it, show how decisive you are.
5. Deal with problems immediately. If a student is disruptive, talk to him/her after class and if that doesn’t work, talk to your principal and his/her parents. Trying to ignore a problem won’t solve it.
Don’ts
1. Don’t take things personally. Especially teenagers may talk back, but not losing control of yourself is the key. “They are kids”, after all. . .
2. If your students cannot calm down and keep talking to one another, don’t try to cover up their voices by raising yours. Try to remain silent until they stop talking or make a loud sound, like clapping your hands once or twice.
3. Don’t get distracted by unsupportive colleagues. You spend most of your time in the classroom, so build a good relationship with your students.