After a decade of teaching, I like to think that I’ve figured some things out about being a teacher. I’m definitely a different teacher than I was on my very first day of teaching . Here are five tips for new teachers…
Use your breaks for you.
When I was a student teacher, I asked my mentor teacher what her most important piece of advice would be. She told me, “Pee when you get the chance!” I laugh when I think about it, but it’s absolutely true! It’s so easy to get caught up in all of the responsibilities that come up throughout at day of teaching that teachers will put aside even the most basic needs like eating and using the restroom.
Find a mentor.
Teaching thrives on collaboration. As a new teacher, you learn so much from talking and sharing with your colleagues. Find a veteran teacher you feel you can trust and learn from. If you don’t feel someone like that exists at your school site, there are many teachers on social media and education forums that you can communicate with and learn from. In my opinion, having a mentor is essential to your growth as a teacher.
Set up a detailed before- and after-school schedule for each day of the week.
The responsibilities of a teacher are seemingly endless. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by all that needs to be completed. Outline what your responsibilities are and when you’re going to take care of them. Just like you have a detailed daily schedule for your class, set one up for yourself.
Prioritize.
Prioritizing goes along with what I previously wrote about setting up a detailed schedule for yourself. However, when I think of prioritizing, I think of also the lives teachers have outside of school — homes, spouses, children, pets, etc. Don’t ever forget that you exist beyond the school site, and those areas need you just as much as your school does.
Be reflective.
Everyone benefits from taking a step back, and taking a look at what’s happening and where to go next. To help out, I’ve created my very first teacher resource on my newly created TeachersPayTeachers store!!! My teacher reflection sheet can help new teachers set the course for their education adventure. Teacher Reflection Guide
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