5 Essential Tips for New Teachers

The first year of teaching is incredibly challenging. As if the room full of young minds looking to you for guidance weren’t daunting enough, the added and very intense pressures of duty schedules, deadlines, grading, high expectations, changes in standards, changes in legislation, parental concerns, and trying to manage it all without setting up permanent residence in your school building can put you into immediate overload.

Not only are new teachers met with an unbelievable amount of pressure in their first year on the job, but they will undoubtedly hear a great deal of advice as well. While everyone is likely coming at you with your best interests at heart, no friend or colleague has all the answers for your particular situation or group of students. Your classroom experience will be uniquely yours. So which recommendations do you follow? Which suggestions do you file away for later?

In my current position as a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) coordinator, I have the privilege of seeing many classrooms from a coaching role, while also spending time each day as the teacher in my lab classroom. I have learned over the years that what works for one teacher may not work for another, and a strategy that works for the teacher next door is not always going to be something I can effectively put into practice. However, there are some major priorities that must be made in order to start growing into the teacher you want to be. These are my top five.

5 Keys for New Teachers

1. Planning is essential, every day. Look ahead each day before you leave. Be sure that you are confident in explaining the content, you have all materials and handouts ready to go, and you are comfortable with your schedule. Your students’ experiences and growth as learners are the priority. Students can sense your level of calm or chaos, and it impacts their learning as well. A few extra minutes of prep time each day can make a huge difference for you all.

You will have days when you are off-schedule, don’t feel well, etc. But these days must be the exception, not the norm. Do not expect to wing it on a daily basis and be successful.

2. Know that you’re not alone, and don’t choose to be. Every teacher has their strengths and challenges, no matter how long they’ve been on the job. Learn from the veterans, share your struggles with your peers, and ask for help when you need it.

Don’t confuse offers of help with criticism. Instructional coaches, volunteers, and mentor teachers are all there to support you—not challenge your ability to lead your classroom. It’s not a sign of weakness to accept assistance from anyone. Take them up on it; it may make your day a little easier!

3. Don’t compare yourself with your colleagues. A TikTok-worthy classroom is nice, but not necessary to be an outstanding teacher. A teacher who leaves every day at 3 o’clock while you’re still grading papers is not necessarily “more together” than you are.

Do pay attention to your colleagues, though. Which ones are working together during planning? Which ones do students want to chat with during recess? Whose students are catching on to a new concept quickly and enthusiastically? Talk to them. Find out what’s working for them. You will not find a single teacher who “has it all figured out.” But you will find teachers who can share ideas and will benefit from your ideas, too. Make them part of your team.

4. Model what you expect from your students. Relationships are key in establishing classroom management. If we want them to treat us—and each other—with kindness and respect, those qualities must come from us first. Hold yourself accountable for the things you ask of your students. If it matters to you that your students keep their desks neat and tidy, your desk cannot be the messiest one in the room. If you want them to walk quietly in the hallway, save the lengthy conversation with your colleague for another time.

You are the expert and the leader in your classroom, but you are not a human computer. No one expects you to have all of the answers, so do not panic when a student’s question leaves you stumped. Take every opportunity to let your students know that you are learning, too. This is not because you are new or inexperienced—it’s because we are all still learning and growing every day. Sometimes we need to keep looking or ask someone else when we have questions we want answered. Sometimes we get it wrong and need to make corrections.

Let your students see you as someone who can learn along with them. It will have an amazing impact on your relationship with them and their trust in you as a guide for their learning.

5. Remember, it’s not supposed to be easy. Good teachers still struggle and still have to learn new things, no matter how long they’ve been teaching. You will always think of ways you can improve. Aim to do so next time. It doesn’t mean you failed; it means you’re a reflective teacher with a growth mindset.

You are in charge of a room full of young, diverse minds with a variety of needs and interests. You care about them and want the best for them. It’s not realistic to think that you will walk out of your neat and tidy room each day as the bell rings and not think about them again until they arrive in the morning. They matter to you, and you will work hard for them. Don’t feel like a failure when something takes extra effort.