Illustration with various teachers and text that says "New Teachers: Start Here"

Hannah Bogenreuther for Edutopia

New Teachers

A Starter Pack of Resources for New Teachers

We’ve pulled together articles and videos in which educators—both veteran and new—share what they wish they knew on day one about classroom design, assessment, working with parents, and more.

July 30, 2024

New Teachers
The Emotional Roller Coaster of the First Years of Teaching
The first two years have a lot of ups and downs. To help you prepare, one teacher shares the feelings of excitement and stress she experienced.
Audra Lynam
New Teachers
6 Principles to Remember This Year
It won’t be easy, but if you prepare for turbulence and set reasonable goals, you’ll stay calmer and make progress in all the right places.
Stephen Merrill, Sarah Gonser
New Teachers
How to Start Your First Year With Confidence
A set of strategies ranging from the simple—like organizing your room each day—to more complex ideas like turning your teaching philosophy into actions.
Candice Batson

The Research Is In
The Science of Classroom Design
Our comprehensive, all-in, research-based look at the design of effective learning spaces.
Youki Terada, Stephen Merrill
Classroom Management
How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment
After visiting thousands of classrooms, the authors share a high-level overview of the common elements they’ve seen in rooms that hum with learning.
Cheryl Abla, Jim Bridges
The Research Is In
Dos and Don’ts of Classroom Decorations
What you put on your classroom walls can affect your students’ ability to learn.
Youki Terada
Learning Environments
4 Effective (and Frugal) Ways to Decorate Your Classroom This Year
Teachers can use classroom decorations to promote and showcase student learning while spending little or no money.
Crystal Frommert
Culturally Responsive Teaching
If My Walls Could Talk
Teachers can enhance students’ sense of belonging with classroom decor that incorporates their cultural backgrounds.
Michele Lamons-Raiford
Learning Environments
5 Tips for Decorating Your Classroom
A quick primer on how to think about the decorations in your classroom, with five research-backed tips for getting it right.

Classroom Management
The First 5 Days: The Key to Success
Make the start of the new school year go smoothly by preparing for students’ questions and anxieties before the first day of class.
Cheryl Abla
School Culture
First Day Tips for New Elementary School Teachers
Making sure the first day of school goes smoothly for yourself and your students is all in the prep.
Phillip Done
Classroom Management
Handling the Crucial First Minutes of the First Day of Middle School
Students may be anxious about the first day of middle school, but there are things teachers can do to make it go more smoothly.
Crystal Frommert
Classroom Management
Creating a Sense of Community in High School From Day 1
At the beginning of the year, using class time for team building can help ninth graders with the transition to high school.
Kati Begen
Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
4 Ways to Start Connecting With Students in the First Week Back
Prioritizing relationships in the very first week of school can help teachers and students build the foundation for a classroom community that will last the whole year through.

Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
Beginning the Elementary School Year With SEL
An elementary classroom’s layout and routines that begin on day one can help start the year with a focus on social and emotional learning.
Lauren Barry
Classroom Management
Social Contracts Foster Community in the Classroom
When students and teachers collaborate to create shared behavior expectations, the whole class is invested in the norms.
Classroom Management
Relationship Building in the Secondary Grades From Day 1
Strategies for fostering relationships with middle and high school students starting on the first day of the school year and then growing them all year long.
Kimberly Hager, Sarah Arenz
Classroom Management
Building a Belonging Classroom
In order to learn, students need to feel safe, cared for, and emotionally connected to their teachers and each other.
Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
10 Powerful Community-Building Ideas for All Grades
Strategies for ensuring that students in every grade feel like they’re part of the classroom community.
Emelina Minero

New Teachers
Classroom Management Tips for New Teachers, From a New Teacher
A first-year elementary teacher transformed her classroom with a focus on social and emotional learning—and a little help from Penny the Positivity Penguin.
Hallie Marie McErlain
The Research Is In
How Novice and Expert Teachers Approach Classroom Management Differently
A 2021 study reveals the ways in which new and experienced teachers think about discipline—plus 6 takeaways for managing your classroom effectively this year.
Youki Terada
Classroom Management
Building Strong Foundations With Classroom Routines
Investing time early in the year to establish procedures and expectations lets teachers and students enjoy a classroom that runs more smoothly (almost!) every day.
Classroom Management
Co-Creating Classroom Norms in the Secondary Grades
Middle and high school students generally feel invested in norms if they work on creating and committing to them together.
Amanda Adams
Assessment
A Late Work Policy That Works for Teachers and Students
Creating clear boundaries around when students can submit assignments after the due date can boost morale for everyone.
Lindsay Mitchell
Classroom Management
19 Big and Small Classroom Management Strategies
Successful classroom management relies on a handful of fundamental strategies and a larger number of quick interventions.
Todd Finley

Formative Assessment
7 Smart, Fast Ways to Do Formative Assessment
Within these methods you’ll find close to 40 tools and tricks for finding out what your students know while they’re still learning.
Laura Thomas
Formative Assessment
8 Quick Checks for Understanding
Formative assessment is a proven technique for improving student learning, and the strategies shared here by Jay McTighe work both in the classroom and remotely.
Jay McTighe
Assessment
The Case Against Zeros in Grading
Teachers can rethink their grading practices to make them more mathematically fair for students and allow for redemption for a missed assignment.
Alexis Tamony
Assessment
Taking a Playful Approach to Assessment in Grades 3–5
When teachers bring collaboration, creativity, and choice into assessment, anxiety and dread give way to confidence and joy as students show off what they have learned.
Assessment
How to Get Students to Focus on Learning—Not Grades
With a few shifts in the classroom, teachers can encourage students to pay more attention to the skills they are building than to a number or letter score.
Homework
The Case Against Grading Homework
When homework is meaningful and contributes to their learning, students are more likely to complete it.
Crystal Frommert

Technology Integration
A Powerful Model for Understanding Good Tech Integration
Good technology integration isn’t about using the fanciest tool, it’s about being aware of the range of options and picking the right strategy—or strategies—for the lesson at hand.
Youki Terada
Technology Integration
Fostering Collaboration Among Early Elementary Students Using Digital Tools
With plenty of scaffolding, lower elementary students can successfully work together online.
Debbie Tannenbaum
Technology Integration
Do I Need to Use Tech for That Lesson?
These tips for finding the right technology for your students, and knowing when to go screen free, can help support middle school students’ learning.
Kasey Short
Technology Integration
10 Student-Tested Chrome Extensions
Many teachers and students use the popular browser, and it’s easy to customize with these extensions that really benefit students.
Kathryn Nieves
ChatGPT & Generative AI
6 Ways to Use ChatGPT to Save Time
Teachers can use the artificial intelligence tool to effectively automate some routine tasks.
Todd Finley
Technology Integration
Leveling Up Your Use of Edtech
Three simple strategies for implementing education technology in your classroom effectively.
Jorge Valenzuela

New Teachers
A Phone Call Home Makes All the Difference
You don’t have to reserve phone calls to parents for bad news. Try these tips to deepen communication and trust with families.
Rebecca Alber
Family Engagement
7 Ways to Promote Positive Communication With Families
Teachers and administrators can use positive messages to strengthen the link between families and the school.
Ari Gerzon-Kessler
Family Engagement
Responding Calmly to Upset Parents
When an angry email shows up in the inbox, it can be tempting to respond in kind. These five tips from a middle school principal lead to better responses.
Jessica Cabeen
English Language Learners
6 Tips for Engaging the Families of English Language Learners
Schools can better support students who are still learning English by working to involve their families in their education.
Louise El Yaafouri
Family Engagement
Emphasizing Growth, Not Grades, in Parent-Teacher Conferences
You can involve students and their parents or guardians in conferences by focusing on growth and goal-setting.
Lory Walker Peroff
Family Engagement
Tips for Calling Parents—Even If You’re Dreading It
Some calls to families can be tough, but there are strategies teachers can use to make them a little easier.
Sonja Cassella

Professional Learning
Building Your Professional Learning Network
Teachers need ways to connect with peers, exchange ideas, collaborate and share resources, and engage in meaningful discussions.
Rachelle Dené Poth
Administration & Leadership
The Power of Finding a Thought Partner
Teaching can be isolating, and finding a like-minded colleague to talk things over with has a lot of benefits.
Darcy Bakkegard, Jennifer Carlson
Professional Learning
3 Ways to Unlock the Wisdom of Colleagues
Sometimes the best ideas are inside your own school. Here are three thoughtful practices to find—and share—inspiration from your peers.
Suzie Boss
Professional Learning
Leveraging Social Media to Build a Digital PLN
Tips for building a professional learning community online, whether you seek personal relationships or just want to follow other teachers.
Kyleen Gray

New Teachers
How Perfectionism Holds New Teachers Back
The insidious internal drive for perfection, especially in the early years of teaching, is a recipe for frustration and burnout. Here’s how to embrace the messiness of learning.
Sarah Gonser
New Teachers
14 Essential Reads for New Teachers
We asked educators in our community to share the most important books they’d recommend to the next generation of teachers. Here are their top picks.
Paige Tutt
Student Engagement
Small Shifts to Limit ‘Teacher Talk’ and Increase Engagement
Guiding students to regularly direct their own discussions brings academic rewards as they gain confidence working independently on challenging tasks.
Andrew Boryga
Teaching Strategies
14 Effective Opening and Closing Routines for Teachers
Stimulate thinking at the beginning of class, and check for understanding at the end of it with these engaging opening and closing activities.
Andrew Boryga
New Teachers
Personal Finance Tips for New Teachers
Consider these strategies for making the most of your earnings today so you can be better prepared for tomorrow.
Aaron Pribble