I know and am constantly reminded what it means to be a would-be or first year teacher in an urban environment. I know what it means to be intelligent, eager, idealistic, realistic, yet unsuspecting, while paradigms shift from day to day and class to class. Your new teacher colleagues pretty much sound the same and the older teachers are at another pole. Your family sends mixed messages or maybe an unsupportive one and your friends in the business world may, at best, patronize you,"That's good work you do for them kids." Part of my work includes, working with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County as supervisor to several would-be teachers who need encouragement, direction and insight.

Click Here to View Speech to New & Veteran Teachers/Administrators.

Click Here to View Recent News Coverage.

Click Here to Read a New York Times Article about T.S. Grant as a Young Teacher.

I've given professional, objective advice over the years that will help you make sense of it all. Some of the issues of which I've advised:

• Defining realistic expectations for students
• Will I "sell out" if I leave?
• To leave or to stay as a teacher, i.e. Am I turning my back on those who need me the most?
• Administrator's track
• Coming to terms with a different socio-economic community
• Masters or certification
• Giving rewards to students & frequency
• Classroom Management (most frequently discussed & very complex)
• Most effective home visits (of students)
• Most effective phone call home to parents (of students)
• Interacting with belligerent parents
• Interacting with defensive parents
• Unsupportive administration
• When to teach topics dealing with Sex and Religion
• Guilt over using Sick Day
• Appropriateness in touching students
• Appropriateness in assisting opposite sex students
• When to report something to administration, police, etc. (abuse)
• When to contact the teacher's union
• Take a stand or suck it up/ part of the territory
• Clothes to wear
• Language to use (i.e., slang, Standard American English, regional vernacular)
• To challenge or not challenge the "System"
• Who and who not to listen to in your building
• Giving money to students
• Crying
• Gay/Lesbian liberation ""coming out" for teachers and students
• Balance
• Lesson Planning

If you don't want to feel or are tired of feeling judged, weak, or insane and want objective advice, please contact me.