My Back Pages: Older Thoughts from New Teachers

"People in education are advised to think of each child in planning learning experiences . . . this same point of view is not always applied in the case of the beginning teacher." Read the article: Newcomers Speak (PDF)

In an effort to promote greater understanding, Educational Leadership published the thoughts and concerns of new teachers in its March 1946 issue. While new teachers today often come from other professions, the thoughts of beginners in 1946 reflect their youth. Most often, they were only a few years older than the high school seniors they were teaching.

One teacher relates that "the fact that I looked younger than many of the high school students made it more difficult. Proving that I could handle responsibilities in school and community projects finally convinced them that I was no longer a 'bobby soxer.'"

Another new teacher describes a problem that schools are working to address today through mentoring programs and learning communities: "Many times I wished I had someone to consult about projects and types of lessons . . . we were always told about problems, but never how to cope with them."

While some lingo may have changed, it's clear that some concerns of beginning teachers remain constant through the decades.

In "My Back Pages," we look at important issues through the historical lens of Educational Leadership archives. ASCD Express members have access to EL issues from 1943 to today in the myASCD Online Library.

David Snyder is a reference librarian in ASCD's Information Resource Center. My Back Pages also appears in the ASCD Express newsletter.