101 Questions That All Teachers Should Ask About Their Jobs (Updated April 2016)

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As the school year is coming to a close for many teachers, the season of hiring, retiring, and reassigning is getting into full swing. Some of you may be undertaking a new position soon, and planning for a new school year in a new room with a new curriculum in a new school or district...well, that's a lot of news to cover!

Where is...? Who does...? When should...? How does...?
Inquiring teacher minds want to know!

This week, I'm updating a popular post from 2013 in which I listed 101 questions that all teachers should know about workplace policies, procedures, and other helpful information related to their employment expectations. If you're like me, you want to learn the ropes of a new position as soon as possible. The more I know, the more confidence I have, and I know that makes me better teacher to my students. For those of you who are facing new work places, spaces, and faces soon, I hope this post will be a time-saving and confidence-building resource for you as well. Even if you haven't secured a teaching position yet, these questions would also be useful for job interviews as well. As a bonus, you'll find a FREE printable version of these questions at the end of the post!

Original Post from July 2013

When I started my first teaching job, I had the opportunity to sit in on the class of the teacher whom I was replacing. When I walked out, I had literally 10 pages of notes and questions about the processes and procedures of the classroom and the school. This is definitely my personality when it comes to dealing with new and unfamiliar situations. I have to know as much as I can about how everything works so that I feel as comfortable and confident as possible (translation = possible control issues). The "newbie" stage is always awkward and full of anxiety for me, so the faster I can learn the ropes and get with the program, the better!

One of the best things about having your own classroom is that you are the expert. As the teacher, you figure out how you want things to work in your classroom. However, outside of your classroom, there are policies, procedures, and information that you need to know to help you function as an employee of a school and district--especially if you are a new teacher, have been reassigned, or have moved to a new job elsewhere. Teaching is unique in that there often isn't a training period like other jobs. You're hired, the year starts, and you hold on for dear life. Every school and district is different, so even student teaching or your previous teaching positions can only prepare you so much. Teaching is a lot of on-the-job training. You may not even know you have a question until a situation that requires an answer comes up.

Here are 101 questions to which teachers, as staff, should know the answers. I've divided them up into categories for easier reference. Maybe you've asked these, or maybe they've yet to come up. It's my hope that these are useful in many ways--asking them during a job interview, preparing for a new job or reassignment, or even just brushing up. 

LESSON PLANS

1. What is the lesson plan format?
2. How detailed should lesson plans be?
3.When are lesson plans due?
4. Who should get copies of lesson plans?
5. How should lesson plans be submitted?

CURRICULUM

6. On what standards is the curriculum based?
7. Is there a curriculum map in place?
8. Do I have to teach certain material at certain times of the year?
9. What flexibility do I have in creating curriculum?
10. What textbooks are used?
11. What supplemental materials are used?
12. Is there a contact person for curriculum questions?
13. Are we permitted to take students on field trips?
14. If so, what are the conditions of these field trips?
15. Is there a department or grade-level chairperson?
16. What opportunities are available for cross-curricular teaching?
17. What opportunities are available for team teaching?
18. Am I permitted to purchase supplemental materials such as weekly news magazines or class sets of books?
19. Are there departmental or grade level meetings?
20. How often are these meetings?

ASSESSMENTS

21. Are students assessed for grade-level benchmarks at specific times of the year?
22. If so, who creates these assessments?
23. What types of grade or school-wide assessments are given?
24. Which subjects or skills do these assessments cover?
25. When are the assessments?

GRADES

26. What is the grading scale?
27. Where and how are grades kept (a computer program, a grade book)?
28. How often do grades need to be updated?
29. What is the grade card schedule?

SCHEDULE

30. What daily hours am I required to be at school?
31. What does my daily and weekly schedule look like?
32. When are my prep periods?
34. Will I have an aide available to assist me?
35. During what time of the day will an aide be available to me?
36. When do students arrive in the morning?
37. When do students leave in the afternoon?
38. Is there a schedule of assemblies, parties, and other special events for the year?
39. What weekly or monthly meetings can I expect to have in my schedule?

DUTIES

40. Do I have additional duties?
41. How often are those duties?
42. What are my responsibilities?

PARENT COMMUNICATION

43. What school-sponsored parent communication goes out?
44. Are monthly class newsletters or the like required?
45. Is there a procedure for handling hostile parents?
46. Is there a standardized documentation form for all parent communication?
47. When are parent-teacher conferences?

ROOM DÉCOR

48. When am I allowed into the classroom to set it up?
49. What materials must be visible in my room?
50. Are there constraints about where posters and other materials may be hung or placed?
51. Are there materials or items that are not permitted in the classroom?
52. Do I need to supply paperwork for any materials or items I bring in for my classroom?

SUPPLIES

53. Is there money available for me to purchase supplies, or can I be reimbursed?
54. What is the procedure for purchase orders?
55. Are there common supplies that can be used by all teachers?
56. If so, where can I get those supplies?

TECHNOLOGY

57. How do I set up my e-mail?
58. How do I set up my voice mail?
59. How do I use the copier?
60. Are there student computers in my classroom?
61. Is there a school computer lab?
62. How do I schedule time in the lab for my class?
63. What other technology is available to me for instructional use?

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

64. What professional development does the district provide?
65. Does the district provide professional development days for me to attend seminars, conferences, etc.?
66. What is the process for getting approval for professional development course work?
67. Is there reimbursement for expenses? What can be reimbursed?
68. Is a mentor teacher available to me?
69. Who is my contact person for professional development questions?

SUBSTITUTES

70. How do I request a substitute?

71. What am I responsible for providing the substitute?
72. What is the district’s philosophy on having a substitute in the classroom?

SPECIAL EDUCATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES

73. What support services are available?
74. With whom will I work in respect to special education students?
75. What is the referral process for special education and additional support services?
76. What is the IEP process?

SPECIALS

77. In which specials will my class participate?
78. What are the procedures and policies I need to know about in those specials?

PERSONNEL AND STAFF PROCEDURES

79. What is the procedure for requesting time off?
80. Is there a call chain for delays, cancellations, and other important information?
81. What is the procedure for addressing a maintenance need?
82. What is the procedure for addressing a technology need?
83. Are there regular staff meetings?
84. Is there a staff contract with procedures, policies, etc. available to me?
85. Am I required to join the teachers' union if there is one?
86. What is the dress code for staff?
87. What are the procedures for emergency situations?
88. Where do I take my class during an emergency if we are not in our room?
89. Are there grant opportunities available to teachers?
90. How can I access my classroom during non-school hours and weekends?

SCHOOL PROCEDURES

91. What are arrival procedures for students when come into school?
92. What are dismissal procedures for students when they leave school?
93. What is the school- or district-wide discipline plan?
94. What are the procedures for students as they travel outside of the classroom and through the building?

TEACHER EVALUATIONS

95. What is the teacher evaluation process here?
96. Will I be observed in the classroom?
97. Who will observe me and how often?

STUDENT INFORMATION

98. Where are student files located?
99. How long should I keep my own student files?

COMMUNICATION WITH PRINCIPAL

100. What is the best way to contact my principal?
101. When is the best time to contact my principal?

Click on the image or here for a FREE printable version of these questions.

Are there other questions that you think teachers should know? Leave them in a comment below!

Resource Round-Up: Motivating Students During Standardized Testing

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The material has been taught. Testing strategies have been reviewed. Number 2 pencils have been sharpened. The name and test ID bubbles on the answer page have been filled in completely (making sure to erase all marks outside the circles). It's time for state testing.

Most of my students never seemed to be too anxious about test-taking. Maybe it was because they were older. Maybe it was just "old hat" to them. They had other testing issues that needed to be addressed. My 5th grade teaching team focused on three areas to help students get through testing:

1. Building stamina 

Standardized test are long. There are a lot of questions, and the time period for each test requires superhuman attention spans. This means that even when students finish them, they still have to stay quiet and seated until the allotted test time passes. Our students also took tests just as the weather was turning nice so kids were chomping at the bit to get outside after test-taking. To help get our students accustomed to test length and encourage them to maintain focus during such long assessments, we created half-length exams for each subject, which we administered one or two times during the year, using previous years' questions that had been released by the state. After grading the tests (a completion grade most of the time), we'd spend time each week to go over each question with the students. In the end, we thought it did help some students to endure such a long period of focus. 

2. Familiarizing students with format

It was important that students had some exposure to the testing format and language before the actual tests so that nothing was shocking or confusing to them when they tested for real. Therefore, the teaching team would incorporate testing language and question format into the assessments for our regular content material. For example, on tests and quizzes, we'd use multiple choice with bubbles, short answer questions, and constructed response questions, all modeled after the types and structures of questions we had seen on previous years' tests. Another way we familiarized students was to use sample passages to model how to do close reads and respond to the questions about the passages. The feedback we received from students is that it did help them as they tested.

3. Motivating students

By 5th grade, our students got that they weren't being graded on the test, nor did it determine whether they'd move on to the next grade or not. So how do you encourage students with nothing to lose or gain to do their best? In an ideal situation, intrinsic motivation would run rampant among students, but that's just not realistic. We used a valuable resource at our school--the swimming pool--as motivation for the students. Once test results arrived in the summer, our guidance counselor planned a pool party for all students who passed at least one of the tests. She'd send invitations to their homes, provide a tasty picnic lunch and cold treats, and set up outdoor games to play. Students really enjoyed it, and the looks on the faces of children who struggled academically throughout the year but persevered during state testing were priceless!

In honor of state testing season, this week's resource round-up is all about free and creative ideas to motivate students in preparation for standardized testing. It's clear from all of the options out there that teachers really care about encouraging their students, and I think that helps!

Before I get to this week's list of resources, though, I thought I'd share what some of my colleagues on Teachers Pay Teachers had to say when I asked them for their best test prep advice for students. 

Some of it is mental:

ESL Nexus said:

"I told my students to be sure and get a good night's sleep on the nights before tests and, also, to go sleep saying to themselves over and over, "I will do well. I will do well." I'd read that the power of positive thinking really worked as you were falling asleep, and if you fell asleep thinking you would do well on a test, then you were more likely to actually do well on it." 

Counselor Chelsey said:

"I think the best advice to just to remind kids that they know the material! Tests can be so daunting, especially because they are often a different format than the traditional classroom tests, but reminding students that they have all of the knowledge in their brain to do well on the test! I think that helps students feel more confident and less intimidated!"

Mary Carr shared:

"I have made fortune cookies for students with fortunes specially written to encourage test-takers. Kids love the special messages from their teacher."

Some of it is strategic:

Renee from Share2Learn said:

"I always told my 2nd and 3rd graders to just relax and do your best. That was after I told them that the people who write the tests are trying to trick them, and sometimes more than one answer will seem okay so just go with the one that seems best."

Some of it is physical:

Advanced Instruction Resources offered:

"I tell the kids to try their best and show what you know. The class will get back to "regular" instruction after it's finished. I try to include many different brain breaks and activities between tests. The kids are completely drained so they need to get out of their seats and move around between tests."

Renee of Teacher Ink said:

"Run in place for three minutes beforehand, and make silly, crazy faces...afterward."

And some of it just puts the whole testing business 

into a much-needed, humorous perspective:

Pamela Kranz of Desktop Learning Adventures shared:

"The sun will come up tomorrow. Your friends will still like you. Your parents will still love you. And your pets will still enjoy cuddle time with you--unless your pets are fish."

There you have it. So here is this week's resource round-up. As usual, these suggestions are geared toward upper elementary and middle school students but can be creatively adapted for other grades as well. Without further ado, here we go....

Read a book aloud to students.

Melissa at More Time 2 Teach shares how she uses the book The Big Test by Julie Danneberg to relieve students' jitters and help them to see that testing isn't all bad. A quick search brings up other read-alouds that fit the theme of testing, too!

Adapt the test environment.

Scholastic offers several ideas to keep stress low and motivation high for middle school students in this article, but my favorite is creating a comfortable, home-like environment for students before and while they test. 

Keep students active.

During test breaks, we'd let students stand up, stretch, and do silent jumping jacks to help them refocus. This article from the National Education Association shares something similar as well as other ideas for keeping students focused when attention spans are short. 

Use music.

This music video starring 5th grade students at Centennial Arts Academy is so good! Sung to the tune of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face," students sing about their "Test-Taker Face." If you're brave enough, maybe YOU could direct your students in a music video of their own!

Write a letter to your students.

This letter from a teacher to her students reminds me of a question that I saw posted on Facebook: Name one thing that standardized tests cannot measure about students. 

Use humor.

Check out this video based on the Hunger Games made by 6th graders at a Connecticut middle school as they prepare to "show everything they know."

Invoke a success mindset.

Building intrinsic motivation in students sounds like a daunting task. We can't get inside their minds to make them care. Larry Ferlazzo writes for MiddleWeb about having students make personal connections with success. One activity is to write about an ancestor who had success in his or her life immediately prior to a test. Research shows that writing and sharing about a genetic relative who possessed qualities that led to achievement helps students to believe that they also possess characteristics that will make them successful. 

Offer sweet treats.

Okay, this one isn't exactly free, but it doesn't cost much. (And shhh...a basic tenet of teaching that no one likes to admit is that students almost always respond to the promise of candy.)  Jen at Runde's Room provides some cute ideas and printables for providing little treats to sweeten testing season. 

Roll out a special welcome mat.

I thought this was a fun idea provided by Carol Miller at the Middle School Counselor. Write encouraging messages in sidewalk chalk outside of the doors of the school. 

Decorate for success.

When I was in marching band in high school, our section members would take turns making locker signs for everyone to pump us up for weekend competitions. (Yes, we got excited about competitions. Hey, we were good and liked to win. If you can't relate to marching band, I'm sure you've seen similar signs for athletes on their lockers. Just bear with me here....) Consider making a bulletin board that emphasizes and encourages individual students. Just make sure you it doesn't have anything you have cover up come testing day! I saw some cool ideas at Smartchick Teacher and Nerdy Teacher Confessions.

You know your students best. You can tell what motivates them and what needs you must address to put them in the best position to do well. Here's hoping that these suggestions will help you do just that!

Have another suggestion? Leave a comment!

FREE Design a T-Shirt Book Reponse Project

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Happy Wednesday to you followers, fans, and freebie-lovers! 

I've been working on a freebie that I plan to release later this week on Teachers Pay Teachers and want to share it with you as an exclusive. No need to log in to anything. It's just a simple download to say thanks for coming by!

This Design a T-Shirt Book Response Project is a creative alternative to traditional book reports because let's face it: Book reports can be boring for students to do and boring for teachers to grade. Students will choose a scene or character from the book to illustrate on their t-shirts. Then, they write a project description of what they illustrated and why it is important to the story. 

This resource includes everything you and your students need to make a t-shirt all about a book. Just add a plain t-shirt and fabric markers or paint!

• Detailed project description and requirements
• T-shirt template to sketch and record information about the design
• Final project description for students to complete 
• Rubric

Students plan their project on the included template.

Download this freebie here. I hope that your students enjoy this fun option for responding to literature. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Spark Student Interest with Eyewitness-to-History Interviews

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Last night, I had the opportunity to listen to a Holocaust survivor tell his story at a local library. Oral histories are fascinating to me so I was thrilled when I found out that he was coming to speak, and I called first thing in the morning to register for the event! As expected, I hung on every word he said, imagining him during the war seeing and doing the unimaginable in an effort to survive.

Honored to be standing next to Holocaust survivor Mr. Leo Silberman 

This is not the first time I've heard Holocaust survivors speak about their experiences. When I was in high school, a married couple, who were part of the 1,200 Jews saved by Oskar Schindler, came to a local college to talk about their experiences. I made my parents sit in the front row with me, and I listened to their testimonies, simply captivated. I wanted more. I ended up writing to the couple telling them how much I enjoyed their lecture. I also asked if we could correspond more so that I could ask more questions. To my excitement, I received a reply from them...with a phone number. (These were pre-email days.) And that's where it stopped. I was young. I was shy. I also wasn't confident enough to pick up a telephone to ask them what I wanted to know. I regret that decision to this day. 

Lyndon B. Johnson signs the 1964 Civil Rights Act 

Since that time, I have made an effort to ask questions of people who have been through historical events that I'm interested in. (In fact, just last week, I asked my mom about the reaction of our community here in Ohio in 1964 when three civil rights workers were murdered in Mississippi. She was 15 at that time and experienced it first hand.) I do these interviews informally and out of my own curiosity mostly. However, through these conversations, I feel connected to history. I can say, "I know someone who was there, and now I know what it was really like." That feeling is exciting and empowering. I am actively learning by asking questions. Imagine students making those connections igniting that spark for history!

Textbooks can only tell us so much. They're written so dryly and succinctly that there just isn't room to learn more than the facts. We often stop at identifying the differences between source types when we could be creating our own primary sources through interviews with those who were there.

Oral histories are simply the stories of people who were "there." They are treasure chests of valuable information and experiences for those willing to open them. In addition to collecting first-hand accounts, interviewers become active participants in history. As teachers, we have an amazing and important responsibility to create opportunities for students to seek out these treasures. Through oral history interviews, students gain skills in areas such as speaking and listening; interpersonal relationships; data collection; and organization and planning. Not to mention that students also gain special memories of their time with the subjects of their interviews.

With some planning and guidance on our part, oral history interview projects can be easily implemented in any classroom, in any grade level, and about many different historical periods.

Here are some examples of interview topics based on the possibility of survivors/participants being alive:

• Great Depression
• World War II 
• Holocaust
• Korean Conflict
• Vietnam War
• Civil Rights Movement
• Cultural changes in 1960s
• Gulf War
• 9/11
• War on Terror
• Cultural events (ex. concerts, movies)
• Presidencies
• Famous construction projects (ex. landmarks, highways, railroads, buildings, monuments)
• International events (ex. end of apartheid, fall of Berlin Wall, end of communism in Eastern Europe, changing from one government type to another, coronations of kings and queens)
• Scientific achievements (ex. vaccines, discoveries)
• New inventions (ex. television, computers, cell phones)
• Births and deaths of famous figures
• City or town history
• Family history (ex. comparing parents or grandparents at student's age with the student today)

The pool of possible interview subjects can actually be quite large depending on the topic:

• Parents
• Grandparents
• Aunts and uncles
• Cousins
• Siblings
• Family friends
• People in the news
• Historical societies
• Churches
• Survivor groups
• Clubs, organizations
• Senior centers
• VFW posts
• Guest speakers at local events

So what can students do with their oral history interviews? Here are some ideas:

• Create paper or digital scrapbooks.
• Prepare and give a PowerPoint presentation.
• Write & present a dramatization of the oral history.
• Create a poster about the person interviewed.
• Write & illustrate a short book (maybe even for younger readers).
• Compare/contrast oral histories collected by students about the same topic.
• Create a class anthology of oral histories. 

Consider the following elements of an oral history interview as your plan your project:

1. Goals of the project

• What do you want students to accomplish through this project?
• Will the interview topic be content-related?
• What skills and standards do you want students to demonstrate? 
• What choices will students have in deciding whom they will interview and what they will interview about?
• What is the final product to be assessed?

2. Student materials

• How do you want students to conduct interviews (ex. digital recorders, video cameras, pen & paper)?
• What tools do students need to conduct interviews (ex. recording devices, cameras)
• Do you need to teach students how to use the tools? 

3. Interview logistics

• Where will you suggest students find people to interview? 
• Have you established relationships with organizations or individuals who will partner with students?
• Where should the interviews take place to ensure safety and comfortability for all parties
• When should interviews take place?
• How long should they last?
• Will you provide a standardized form or letter to students to give to their interviewees that explains the purpose of the interviews?

4. Student preparation

• What resources can you share with students to show them how to conduct effective oral history interviews (examples of video or audio recordings and trade books with first-person accounts)?
• Have you provided students time to research the topic and/or the interviewees ahead of the interviews?
• Are there mandatory questions that every student must ask?
• Have you covered appropriate/inappropriate questions to ask? 
• Have you encouraged students to ask open-ended questions as opposed to yes/no questions?
• How will you demonstrate appropriate behavior during interviews (ex. eye contact, not interrupting speaker, staying focused, putting away all possible distractions)?
• Will you provide opportunities for students to conduct practice interviews?
• How will students thank participants (ex. a letter or note)?

There are many resources available to help you plan your oral history project. The Smithsonian Institute offers a very helpful guide to preparing for and conducting oral history interviews. You can find it here. Reading Rockets also provides some practical uses for oral histories in the classroom, which you can find here. 

Now I want to hear from you! Have you ever conducted oral history interviews with your classroom? What makes them successful? What were some unexpected snags in the project? Leave a comment!

Aspire to Inspire Classroom Resources Round-Up: Poetry

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Does it finally look like spring where you're at? I think poet Sara Teasdale expresses the atmosphere around here right now! 

The roofs are shining from the rain,

The sparrows twitter as they fly,

And with a windy April grace

The little clouds go by.

Yet the back-yards are bare and brown

With only one unchanging tree

I could not be so sure of spring

Save that it sings for me.

--"April" by Sara Teasdale

April brings more than just showers and May flowers. It's National Poetry Month, too. Here is my latest Aspire to Inspire Classroom Resources round-up of 10 FREE online resources that will help your students become "well-versed" in poetry!

National Poetry Month Official Site

Here you'll find a collection of teacher instructional resources, a library of poets and poems, Poem-a-Day, poster contest, and the Dear Poet project, and more. 

10 Ways to Use Poetry in the Classroom

This article explores 10 elements of poetry to study, complete with recommended mentor texts and Web sites. 

20 Ways to Celebrate Poetry Month

There are some pretty creative ideas for observing National Poetry month on this list. Check out the Bonus Potato Pick at the end of the post if your class is courageous enough!

Poets' Corner

This vast and well-maintained collection of poetry (7,000+ poems by 800 poets) is a fantastic resource with search capabilities as well as short poet biographies. 

Upper Elementary Poetry Open Mic Lesson

Watch poetry in motion in an upper elementary class with this creative lesson that engages students in poetry readings. 

Upper Elementary The Best Way to Teach Poetry

Pam from Rockin' Resources takes a year-long approach to teaching poetry with a comprehensive list of diverse and engaging lessons.

Calling on the Muse: Exercises to Unlock the Poet Within

Inspire young poets with these exercises in self-expression, imagination, and thinking in poetry instead of prose. This is a great resource for teaching beyond poetic structures and theory.

The Poetry Friendly Classroom Video

This short video includes a few interviews with classroom teachers who explain some methods they use to teach poetry that seek to make poetry relevant and inclusive. 

Six Technology-Based Poetry Ideas for Students Who Think They Hate Poetry

Using technology devices, social media, apps, Web sites, and more, this teacher provides some easy-to-do instructional ideas to engage even the most reluctant student of poetry.

Middle School What Are the Elements of Poetry

This lesson uses Gary Soto's "Ode to Pablo's Tennis Shoes" to teach about form, mood, implications, figurative language, and originality (suggested grades 6-8).

While I specifically focused on upper elementary and middle school resources, many of these can also be adapted to younger or older students. 

Did you/have you used any of these resources? What do you think? Leave a comment!