Looking at the Year Ahead: Teacher Academy Works to Support Teachers in Today’s Ever-Evolving Classroom

Come September, many teachers await the sounds of voices ringing through the hallways, eager to unpack their school supplies and get started with another year of learning. Throughout the Cattaraugus-Allegany region, we welcome many new teachers who, for some, are gearing up to their first classroom experiences, and in many cases, are just as eager as those students to get the school year underway. In an effort to assist new teachers, CA BOCES has continued to offer a collaborative-learning community for new teachers. Teacher Academy has opened its doors to those educators looking for a place to ask questions, share ideas, and collaborate with people experiencing many of the same successes and challenges as themselves.

Through this year’s academy, teachers were asked to reflect on their first days of school. What was successful? What would they look to change in the following school year? As new teachers have found time and time again, it is vital that there be reflection on the instructional approaches implemented in the classroom. Many participants were able to share their personal experiences in an open forum and hear the thoughts and insights of others as to the ups and downs of their own first days. Teachers were engaging in practices aligned to the New York State Teaching Standards (Element VII.1), and ultimately, were working to improve instructional effectiveness and guide their professional growth. 

To offer a twist on this year’s Teacher Academy CLC, participants were asked to set goals for their professional practice. The goals, which ranged from organizational improvement, to classroom management strategy implementation, were established as a means to set a target for those teachers new to the schools in the CA-region. Often times, a first-year teacher has to grapple with many challenges, from lesson planning to time management, to learning the curriculum. In setting professional goals, the teachers in the program have an aim to work towards, and in turn, can also fulfill a major tenant of the New York State Teaching Standards (Element VII.2). 

Through the academy, teachers have also been exposed to professional literature by way of LouAnne Johnson’s Teaching Outside the Box. In reading the first section of the text, teachers were asked to reflect on their own teaching philosophy and consider how it has changed just in the initial days of school. In future sessions, the text will guide teachers in their professional practice, assisting them in considerations to make when developing lessons and organizing their classroom environment. 

The Teacher Academy CLC has, and will continue to strive to support new teachers as they work through their first experiences in the classroom. In engaging in professional conversation, reflecting on personal practices, and setting goals, today’s new teachers will be outfitted with the tools to make this school year, and those for years to come, a true success.    


By: Lauren Stuff, CA BOCES Professional Development