One piece of advice….

Should it ever happen that I did indeed win the lottery and then plan on a world cruise, I would tell my replacement to simply “Stay calm!”  With calmness comes clarity. Just as I teach my students the first day of CPR and First Aid – your first job is to stay calm.  They always try and convince me that they could not handle an emergency and remember all the things they are taught in this class but I assure them that they will. This holds true for teachers.  I have learned this from my own experience as a replacement teacher. Coming into a situation where certain rules (not necessarily your own) are in place and having to maintain them in your newly acquired class can be a challenge. Again, I say, by keeping calm your students feel that you are in charge or dare I say “control”! That is the hardest part of the setting the stage for your own class management skills. If a class is managed, then the learning proceeds.  So, to my replacement I say “Stay calm and pray my cruise waters do too!”