What activities
should I use?


Starting a new class is a critical time. Yet, many teachers begin an unfamiliar teaching assignment without any organized support.

Most experienced elementary teachers use a general approach to start their class. They refine it each year as they learn more efficient and effective ideas and strategies. 

Through Start UP! Grade 4-7 teachers share their approach. We call this 'Professional Orientation', vs. Employee Orientation, which is how to call in sick, etc.

Start UP!'s Professional Orientation includes detailed suggestions about what to focus upon as you begin, what to do, detailed suggestions about how to do the activities, and why, so that you can adapt the ideas to your class.
Almost 100% of participants say they would recommend the workshops to a colleague (see below), and a survey indicates most continue to use the strategies more than 5 years later.

Start UP! workshops provide a detailed plan you can build upon, one you can rehearse and improve, one that will make your preparation more efficient, and teaching more effective.
Now that they are on video, you can easily review and apply the ideas when you need them.
Districts and others other are welcome to use and build upon our work.

For the first week of school or later with a new class:
Start UP! Your Class Successfully workshop
Most experienced teachers use a general approach to begin the year. Start UP! workshops share these approaches with early career teachers. This workshop helps with ways to focus on the 3 main tasks of the first week: Building Routines and Class Climate, and do a Quick Evaluation.
It will save the time you will need to prepare for the following weeks.
Click on the link workshop page to see more.

Start UP! Reading workshop:
Turning Kids into Avid Readers with Literature Circles
Elaine Jaltema's workshop is a description of her method of building avid readers and class climate through Literature Circles.  She describes her recipe in detail so you can learn the good teaching strategies embedded within. For example, notice the clear questions she asks in this sequence as she teaches students to select books in the picture on the right. There are 7 sections so you can concentrate on each stage as you go.
There is also a written outline and a extensive set of novel summaries with questions at www.pita.ca
Hundreds of new teachers have learned many effective, time saving strategies from this master teacher.
Elaine was awarded the Premier's Award for Teaching Excellence in Literacy.
What's next?
Evaluation and a Math Workshop video:
The main focus now is on collecting evidence of the effect of Start UP!'s  professional orientation. 
Ray is starting by gathering results from over 1200 teachers who attended his workshop, and so far has found that it has met a strong need, and is effective:
  • almost 100% participants would recommend the workshop to a new teacher.
  • Most teachers continue to use the strategies after more than 5 years.
  • Most teachers continue to recommend almost all the suggested strategies after more than 5 years.
Want to help?
Tell us your experience...
Are you a TTOC?
Like actors & athletes, teachers need to REHEARSE to perfect their craft. Every workshop or video contains strategies and ideas you can use and rehearse as a TTOC, then use later to start your own class. Ask teachers you know how they begin, and build your own start up plan!

Here are some of the teachers who are sharing their experience...

Ray Myrtle
Ray Myrtle coordinates the Start UP! Program, offers the Start UP! Your Class Successfully workshop, and was President of PITA for 8 years.
He taught intermediate classes for over 20 years, mostly in Burnaby. He was instrumental in building and coordinating the Start UP! Program and advocates for early career teachers.
Elaine Jaltema
Elaine Jaltema received the first Premier's Award for Teaching Excellence in Literacy and was President of myPITA. She teaches intermediate classes in Burnaby and is the mother of three grown sons. She is passionate about empowering struggling learners and inspiring students to become life-long readers.
Support from new teachers:
More than 1500 BC teachers have participated in the Start UP! during the past decade.
When asked, almost 100% of participants said they would  recommend the program
to another new teacher.
Heidi, SD 39:
"Taking the August Start UP! series was absolutely invaluable in preparing for my grade 7 assignment (I had no upper intermediate experience).  It gave me a lot of resources and ideas to use immediately in the classroom, as well as peace of mind knowing that I didn't have to invent the wheel."
Sarah, SD 59:
“Two years ago I attended... 'Start UP! Your Classroom Successfully. You gave many different, amazing and awesome ideas on how to get classrooms up and running for the first week of school.

I currently have a full time position in School District No. 59 and I'm on the Professional Development Executive Committee...and I just had to share you with the rest of the group here!”
Jaime, SD 41:
"The beginning of a new school year is both exciting and terrifying as a new teacher. Nothing can truly prepare you for the challenges but without Start UP!, my first year teaching would have been utterly overwhelming. Beyond the amazing unit plans and creative lesson ideas, Start UP! gave me confidence in myself."
THANKS TO:
This work has been possible because of wonderful teachers who shared their summers and ProD  to help new teachers, especially the contributions of Elaine Jaltema, and Ann-Marie Hunter.
Thanks to myPITA for Major support for 12 years, and for carrying on hosting these resources soon.
To Modern Languages, Rural and Multi Grade PSAs;
To the RR Smith Foundation, and BCTF Local ProD committees, especially in Burnaby, Kamloops and Surrey.
Read more on the 'About' page.