I grew up with amazing role models who taught me the ins and outs of education on every level. My father was a clinical psychologist and a university professor, and my mother taught middle school, high school, and was a school counselor. Education was a huge part of our lives.

Have you ever been in the lounge and someone begins to gossip about a colleague, student, or parent, and everyone turns to listen? It’s human nature to be curious, but do not be involved in gossip or your colleagues will learn quickly not to trust you.

Be the person who always says “Good morning,” and “Have a good afternoon.” Your positive energy will be contagious. Unfortunately, some of these professionals are treated as “less than” by some—and often work the hardest in the school! I have heard children say, “I don’t have to listen to you. You’re not a teacher!” Of course, this...

You are going into a room, possibly with other professionals, to critique every aspect of the person who means more to the parents than life itself! Even if you are having a difficult time with this child, remember to be calm and kind. This is a perfect time to put yourself in the parents’ shoes and imagine sitting and listening to someone evaluate and critique you or your child in front of...

Perhaps the greatest difference between an experienced, mature teacher and a new teacher is knowledge of the level at which a problem should be solved—knowing when to handle the problem on your own, when to involve the parents, when to consult with the counselor, and when it is important enough to bring in the principal.

Yes, part of childhood is getting hurt feelings, but why set up a situation that is avoidable? Children are children; they will choose friends to be on their teams and they will not choose kids that their friends don’t like. So, this social order is being put on display in front of the entire class when you have them choose their own teams. Pick numbers out of a hat, break up the alphabet,...

Some students will take lots of time to do their work and some will rush right through to finish quickly. Is this telling you something about that child? Is the work too easy or too boring? Is it not an appropriate challenge? Make sure you have a clear set of activities written in a prominent place in your room that they can do after their work is complete.

Social networking can be very dangerous for a teacher. If you are in any pictures holding alcohol or you talk about your job or your students, it could be career ending. Is this fair? Maybe not, but it is reality. I have seen fellow educators discuss children in their classes and not mention their names, but any parent or school employee would know whom they are talking about. I have seen teachers...

Many districts have their own homework policies. Look in the student handbook to find out what your district’s policy is. Make sure you follow it to the letter because homework can be a controversial issue among parents, administrators, and teachers. Some parents hate it and others demand it, some teachers swear by it and others think it is a waste of time. Despite what you think, follow...

You will hear people arguing about testing, complaining about testing, and swearing about testing. None of that is productive. Get used to it. It is probably here to stay.

Learning a new concept is very stressful for anyone. The environment in which you learn a new concept is crucial in your ability to accept and understand the information. Pretend you are learning a new language. If the classroom is noisy, in disarray, and different people around you are doing their own thing while you are trying to concentrate, you can imagine how difficult it would be. Now...

This allows you to see if there are any physical or emotional issues about which you should be concerned.

Rebecca C. Schmidt has worked in elementary education for twenty-seven years as a teacher and a school counselor. She has published eleven books to help children cope with difficult life situations and books to help teachers, therapists, and parents. Some of her books include My Book About Cancer, Why Would Someone Want to Die (to help students who have...