[pastafordays]

I'm going to begin my first year of teaching in August - 3rd-5th grade science/writing. In the past few months since receiving the position, I've visited the school and talked to my school's principal. While I'm new and don't know very much about him, he seems like a personable, caring, consistent person. However, every time I've talk to him, he's asked me if I have any questions he can answer for me. While I'm always glad when he asks, as a newbie, I don't know which questions are appropriate to ask him and which ones I should reserve for the teachers in my building. I know that a primary role of principals is to support their building's teachers, but I don't really understand the dynamics of the relationship between a school's principal and its teachers. Also, I don't want to overload anyone with too many questions, as I know time is valuable in the education world. Any advice on questions I should/should not ask him about the upcoming year?

[Munchkins]

I am actually going to ask my new P this question the first time I meet with him in the fall.

What are 3 things you want me to always do?
What are 3 things you want me to never do?

I also have my answers for him, in case he turns it around and asks me the same thing!

So glad you have a good P- you'll have a great start to your career, congratulations! And welcome to PT-the best place to hang out on the Internet! Glad you've joined us!

[dee]

Or who your teammates will be.

You need someone you can ask day to day and in the moment questions to.

[SusanTeach]

You may already know these, but this is what I would ask:

*Will I have a mentor? If not, is there a specific teacher you would recommend I seek out for help?
*Is there a set curriculum or will I need to pull from many resources?
*Is there a pacing guide?
*Will I be the only one teaching this? If not, who is the other teacher(s)? (That way you can get with him/her and get more answers).

Once you get those answered, it may very well lead to other questions. Those are just the main ones I would need/want to know to wrap my brain around what's ahead of me.

Congratulations on your new job!

[PollyCarp]

My #1 piece of advice for this is LISTEN TO YOUR COWORKERS/COLLEAGUES WHEN THEY SHARE OPINIONS OF THE PRINCIPAL.

There will probably be conflicting opinions, but get a good sample. The more coworkers' opinions you can collect, the better you have an idea of what the dynamic is. It's different at every school.

Signed, going into my third year teaching. Good luck!

[Marcee]

I am assuming you know the logistics of your position (where your room is, etc.). I would definitely ask him about himself--what characteristics he likes to see in effective teachers. I would also find out who the other teachers are on your team and meet with them as soon as you can. Listen carefully to them, because they will tell you a lot by what they DON'T say, as well as what they do say.

A piece of advice for the upcoming year: Keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth shut. If you are unionized, join your union. Learn everything you can about your profession, especially if you don't have a mentor.