As you begin your science teaching career, you will have many questions. The best place to start is to ask questions of yourself. You may not be able to answer all of the questions quickly or casually, but they should be food for thought. Spend time thinking about each question, and take into consideration how the process can benefit you as you create an exceptional learning environment and become the teacher you want to be.

You may initially think of the topics in this chapter as unimportant or material you have contemplated in the past. But spend some time with each item thinking about your roles and responsibilities. You will find that as the year progresses, you will be caught up in many responsibilities and have little time to reflect on why you teach and how you fit into the overall teaching community. The documents you prepare while reading this chapter will serve as touchstones throughout the year.