SPENCER KIPER
Spencer Kiper 2019 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year
A Nod to Our Newest Recruits:
Advice for Louisiana’s New Teachers
“What do you remember most about your first year teaching?” Ask this to any teacher, and you’ll inevitably hear accounts from teachers recalling how they stumbled through their first years in the classroom, learning the vast amount of information about protocols and procedures, as well as about the experiences they had facing issues that they had not quite mastered in their undergraduate programs. Teachers swap these anecdotes like old war stories. It’s a tough year, to say the least, but through that experience, educators gain the perspective and grit needed to make truly incredible things happen with students. This foundational year weighs heavily on new teachers, and with the current COVID situation, the upcoming school year will likely be a new kind of challenging for first-year teachers. Teacher mentorship will be critical in supporting first-year teachers in the year ahead. Luckily, we have expert educators across the state who see this as an opportunity and will step up to become rock star mentors to the newest members of our teacher workforce.
Spencer Kiper, 2019 Louisiana State Teacher of Year and adjunct professor for the School of Education at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, was teaching an Introduction to Education course to undergraduate pre-service teachers this past spring when the university sent out a notice to faculty and students that all face-to-face coursework was being shifted online immediately. “The shift for us to online learning was successful because we spent so much time at the beginning of the semester building trust and a healthy dynamic. Without that initial investment, I can’t imagine that we could have had the same positive experience otherwise.” Heading into the fall, Kiper emphasizes the importance of these connections and encourages other educators to be intentional when embedding opportunities for students to connect with their teachers and other students during times when a physical presence cannot be maintained.
As plans for the fall take shape and educators across the state spend time recharging and preparing for the highly anticipated start of the school year, Kiper reminds us that not all children will be returning in the mindset that they need in order to be academically successful. “The thing at the very forefront of my mind is the difficulties some students may have encountered while they were away, and building the capacity in myself and others to help our students in processing any distress when they return to us in the fall. Besides this, we’re aware that all of our students will need to share due to the COVID 19 closure in the spring. Some of our students will be returning from situations that may not have been as emotionally or physically safe as we would hope for them to be. As educators, we will need to identify students in need and foster an environment that ensures that school is a safe, loving, and supportive place. As I see it, this needs to be our top priority when we return in the fall.”
Across the state of Louisiana, our state’s top educators, as well as new educators, are preparing to open their own classrooms and their hearts this fall. For many of us, this work means taking an introspective look at our own experiences from the past several months and figuring out new strategies and methodologies to maintain a level of effectiveness we grew to expect from ourselves in a traditional setting. Our new teachers will need the guidance to know how to not only navigate their first year but also provide the support our children really need when they return to school. As veteran educators, taking the time to foster a positive mindset and building strong networks with our new teachers will help build a collective confidence we will need to succeed this fall. We’re fortunate to have an incredible cadre of professionals who will be leading this work in the fall. Many of the 2021 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year semifinalists offer insight and some advice to new teachers heading into the 2020-2021 school year. These educators, along with the thousands of experienced educators from around the state, will be working tirelessly this fall alongside hundreds of new teachers to demonstrate how truly innovative, flexible, and adaptable our Louisiana teacher workforce can be.
Advice from the 2021 Louisiana Teacher of the Year Semifinalists:
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Tabitha Adams, |
“Be flexible! We are all navigating new territory and things will change sometimes on a daily basis. Seek out experts in your school for things you need help with! Everyone has their own special gifts!” |
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Cassie Thompson, Beauregard Parish |
“Learn as much as you can about digital learning. Remember, you are a teacher and can adapt to anything at anytime because we are awesome like that. Take care of yourself, love your students, enjoy the best career ever and reach out to me by email or text any time and I mean that! We are all in this together!” |
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Mallory Cooper, |
“More than ever we will hear what learning “should” look like as we prepare for the possibility of continued virtual instruction. Take time to research and reflect but remember that you will be the one interacting with the kids – you will know their needs best.” |
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Jennifer Underwood, Calcasieu Parish |
“Prioritize knowing your students. You are now part of their story.” |
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Shantae Williams, |
“This upcoming school year will be challenging, but you must be committed to education. Constantly remind yourself that our children have been out of school since March, and they need you to have more patience, unconditional love, and a strong determination to deliver the curriculum in a way that will prepare our students for the next school.” |
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Samantha Fielder, Concordia Parish |
“Remember that every teacher has been where you are. Never be afraid to ask for help as much as you need. Even the best teachers need help!” |
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Nakia Graham, |
“New teachers are future-ready teachers, launching their careers during the digital evolution of education. Use this time as a growth opportunity to enhance your professional knowledge on how to deliver quality technology-based instruction.” |
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Nathalie Roy, |
“The work of today is tomorrow’s history, and we are its makers,” said Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low. And so I ask myself and other teachers, “What history do we pledge to make with our students? Will they remember WHAT we taught them or HOW we taught them?” |
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Kayla Shirley, |
“In the midst of the hard work & lessons, remember to laugh with your students, make memories, & celebrate even the smallest of successes. You may have trouble years down the road remembering everyone’s name but they’ll never forget yours & the impact that you had on their lives.” |
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Jeff Richard, |
“Be resourceful! It is so easy to put yourself in a bubble and feel like you can’t ask for help because you want to prove that you can do it, either as a personal goal or to meet expectations. The reality is, most good teachers have ‘seen the elephant’ and can tell you if you’re up against a toe or a tusk, so ask for help and soak in that perspective as you take it all in this first year |
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Erica Bonin, |
“Focus on building relationships with your students and their families before the school year even begins. Introducing yourself through letters, emails, or phone calls can set the foundation for a positive school year.” |
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Pamela Sorensson, Lafayette Parish |
“This upcoming school year may not resemble the educational parameters that we’ve grown accustomed to but perhaps through open minds, creative efforts, and high standards, this might be the necessary catalyst for positive change in Louisiana’s educational system. Surround yourselves with optimistic teachers who will inspire you to look at your classroom and the needs of your students with fresh eyes.”
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Trinette Landry Wallace, |
“Start day one by building meaningful relationships with your students. Students will work hard for someone they know believes in them. If you believe they will achieve.” |
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Babylyn Abogado, Madison Parish |
“Plan ahead and be prepared” This year is the most challenging year for all of us so it requires a lot of preparation. We need to consider a lot of things especially the welfare of everybody. We educators need to collaborate to make learning possible. Let’s work together! We can do it! |
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Kate Youngblood, |
“Give yourself and your students grace! Not everything will go as you thought it would, but there’s so much wonderful growth that comes from those moments of needing to adapt or be flexible.” |
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Bridget Berry, |
“Find teachers on your campus who are encouraging, supportive, and positive. Surround yourself among these teachers. Their positive presence will guide you through your first year’s journey. In time, you will become one of the teachers that others will follow.” |
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Angelle Bourgeois, St. Charles Parish |
“To prepare for the 2020-2021 school year, teachers should take advantage of professional trainings and resources to increase proficiency with online teaching and social-emotional teaching strategies. Flexibility, a positive attitude and a growth mindset are key for success. Embrace each challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. We’re in this together and together, we will achieve excellence for every child, every day!” |
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Rachelle Morris, |
“Teacher support is critical! Surround yourself with positive teachers and teacher leaders who are committed to supporting each other as you work towards achieving student success. You are all in it together!” |
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Brenda Owens, |
“To new teachers preparing to educate students for the 2020-2021 school year, one tip I recommend is that you be open and flexible to the many and different ways of educating all students. The current events and pandemic taking place now, revealed the importance of educators embracing technology and addressing basic human rights for all. Be the change catalyst that helps to prepare and mold the lives of the students you teach.” |
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Carrie Varino, |
“Yes, it’s difficult. Yes, it’s exhausting. Yes, it’s normal to feel that way. It’s worth it. I promise.” |
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Jessica Deon, |
“With so many unknowns staring us in the face as we approach the upcoming school year, I take comfort in knowing a new generation of educators will be joining the workforce during such an uncertain time. This year, more than ever before, offers an opportunity to make big changes as we work to modernize our educational system, support our students, and heal our communities. We need your vision, tenacity, and zeal to help realize the changes that must be made to ensure our educational system not only bounces back, but bounces forward in 2020-2021. Welcome!” |
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Josh Beavers, |
“Admins have their directives and goals. Success as a teacher in this new world can be measured by knowing what has to be done in YOUR class and juggling that with the ideas from local, district, and state admin. No one knows your class. There is no one size fits all. Accept that fact, find balance, make a difference anyway.” |
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Georgia Freeman, |
“Do what you can this summer before school starts – familiarize yourself with the curriculum/technology/programs, set up your classroom, reach out and meet with teachers you will be teaming with or in your department/grade level, and find some time to relax & rest. Before your first day, take a moment to write your future self a letter that expresses what you are feeling and thinking in terms of your goals, dreams, fears, and anxieties then put it away until the summer of 2021 when you have time to read it again and reflect on your first year.” |
