Transfering Schools

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High School Teachers Chatboard

Transfering Schools

by Majormajormajor

Jul 31, 2013

Hi! I'm not a new teacher, but one with six years under my belt, all at the same school. Now I'm starting at a new school, and I'm quite nervous to be the new kid on the block but not a new teacher. How do I balance showing that I know I am new to the school and need to learn the ropes with also showing my experience? I've seen a lot of teachers come and go at my old school, and most didn't fit in at first because they either tried to take over immediately or were treated like they didn't know what they were doing. I guess I'm just on edge about moving schools, even though the new school is amazing and I am very happy to be hired there. Also... tried googling this, but all I found was advice to new teachers. :-)

Thank you for any advice or support you can give!

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Sara On 7/31/13, Majormajormajor wrote:

I did this same thing three years ago after many years at my old school. It deserves to be said that schools are strange places - they're very closed off - and the teachers in them can be easily threatened people. I smiled my way through the transition, exuded warmth, spoke quietly and never spoke in any...See MoreOn 7/31/13, Majormajormajor wrote:

I did this same thing three years ago after many years at my old school. It deserves to be said that schools are strange places - they're very closed off - and the teachers in them can be easily threatened people. I smiled my way through the transition, exuded warmth, spoke quietly and never spoke in any way that could be deemed out of turn. I complained about nothing to anybody though there was a fair bit to complain about. Your experience will naturally show - it's a part of you and a part of your teaching. Don't worry about how to show your experience - it will show itself. But also don't think that other teachers will notice your experience and necessarily be impressed by it - it most often doesn't work that way.

And why worry about how to show you're new to the school? That should show itself naturally too - I had a million questions to ask at my new school - every school does things differently- and your newness will be very apparent. I prefaced every question with a "I have a question but if this isn't a good time..." or "Could I ask just one question?" or "I'm confused as to how to access the online grades - could I trouble you for a moment to try to figure out what I'm doing wrong?"

I was always trying to be - well, almost mousy, because in a school a new mousy teacher is threatening to no one. Interestingly, only one teacher asked me "How did your old school do this?" Though many of the teachers had not taught anywhere else, they had no interest in how another school might differently approach a similar issue. And though I'm clearly of mature years... one teacher even asked me if I had taught before! No one asked where.

I found a warm - and quiet - smile for everybody went a long way. Most teachers these days at every school seem to be under stress. Most people and certainly most teachers want to be listened to - they don't want to listen. There are queen bees among women faculty - often a queen bee - and she will dominate the lunch table discussion. Go with that flow, laugh at the time a laugh is expected, and look like you're happily listening.

If there are oppotunities to pitch in extra, go for it. "Can I help at all?" is a well received question on a rainy day with two buses arriving late and kids ramming around waiting for their late buses. Or I'd just go and stand with the ramming kids and chat them up to help out with the situation. The teachers on duty that day will love you for that.

Befriend the school secretary!! School secretaries in every school are powerful people - they spread the good word - "I love the new teacher. I preface every question to the school secretary to this day with "I'm sorry to bother, I know you're busy" and I end that same conversation with "You're the heart of this school. I don't know what they'd do without you."

Good luck. > > > Thank you for any advice or support you can give!

Aug 8, 2013

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