Fitting In
By Peter Barnes

Even experienced teachers moving to a new school can expect to feel overwhelmed. Relocating this past year to Ohio with my wife, I found starting at a new school a totally different experience from being a first year teacher. I already knew how to set up a classroom and no longer got cold sweats the night before my new students arrived. But the new curriculum, new computer system and new code to enter the building (I was locked out several times) took some getting used to.

More significantly, I discovered that becoming a part of a team of 13 fifth grade teachers was not a one-day process. My teammates wanted to know who I was, what I brought to the team and what my personality quirks were (I'm obsessed with the Chicago Cubs and borrow things for obscenely long periods of time).

Creating a balance
Creating a balance between asserting my beliefs about teaching and fitting in to established team norms was challenging. I didn't want to constantly say, "Well, at my old school we did it like this." But at the same time, I didn't want to throw out all my favorite lessons from years past. I spoke up at team meetings with the best ideas I could muster, but was sometimes met with polite smiles and uncomfortable changes of topic.

The breakthrough moment
The breakthrough came at an all-day curriculum planning session in November. We were brainstorming about our math benchmarks, quarterly projects that gauge student learning on major math concepts. I came up with a blueprint-type drawing of a playground using grid paper, a multi-step task that could assess student mastery of fractions, percents, and geometric concepts all at once. Soon my new teammates were listening to me and backing up my points with their own ideas. Finally, my input was being truly valued!

My new feeling of belonging was reinforced when I burned popcorn in my classroom a few weeks later, smoking up the entire hallway. Instead of politely letting me off the hook, my teammates mercilessly teased me. I knew then that I was a true team member.

Fitting in takes patience and persistence on the part of the new teacher, but an accepting team is equally important. With new staff, even if they're not new to teaching, take the time not only to be polite but to include them as one of your own. Speaking from personal experience, I know the effort is greatly appreciated.

Peter Barnes teaches fifth grade in New Albany, OH.