You just signed your first contract to teach secondary maths. You're excited, but you probably have many questions and concerns: What do I do when students don't "get" the lesson? How can I help students who struggle with math that they supposedly learned in elementary school? How do I arrange for students who are absent to make up the work? Do I assign seating or let students choose their seats? Should I have students work in groups? How much homework should I assign--and how much should I grade?

Though you may envision your classroom as a place where students engage with mathematics...