Are you brand new teacher? Starting at a new school? Moving to a new content area or grade-level?
Starting something new is one of the greatest joys of the teaching profession, but it brings a specific set of challenges.
Whether you're new to your school, new to your grade-level, or new to teaching, you’ll be juggling dozens of challenges this year. The keys to managing these challenges will be creating systems, using your time efficiently, and keeping your priorities in check.
Even before you greet students on the first day of school, prioritize relationships with your coworkers. Forming a strong alliance with one of your teammates or another experienced teacher at the school will connect you to the wealth of unspoken and assumed knowledge of your new school.
If it’s difficult to form a relationship organically, advocate for yourself and ask your principal or an onboarding specialist with the district to set you up with a teacher mentor. Mentors are extremely helpful, especially if you are a novice teacher or changing subjects.
Going to a veteran teacher with a question first will help you use time efficiently and identify ready-made solutions that you may not know about as a newbie.
In addition to finding an experienced mentor, be sure to connect with other new teachers, especially if you are a first-year teacher. The more connections you can make at your new school, the stronger your support system will be.
Before you’re ready to teach a lesson, you’ll need to know how to print worksheets and turn on your projector. These new teacher challenges can be frustrating when you are trying to do your job.
I had three years of experience when I started my second teaching assignment. But I was starting a new grade level at a new school in a new city--there was a lot to learn.
My principal made a point of getting the “need to knows” out of the way early. He walked the cohort of new hires around the school and explained all the essentials: where the staff bathroom is, how to address the faculty and administration, where to park, where the supply closet was, and how the copy machine worked.
Whether it's your principal or a veteran teacher, find someone in the building to help you quickly overcome these new teacher challenges.
If you browse #teachersofinstagram or Pinterest for resources for new teachers, then you’re definitely familiar with the dreamy images of perfectly themed and decorated classrooms.
Don’t get caught up in the race for a cute or overly decorated classroom. Save your time and money and embrace the blank canvas of a neat and orderly classroom.
Blank walls aren’t empty space--they’re gallery walls that your students will decorate as they settle into the classroom and make the space their own. All you truly need to set up your classroom are a few basics. My starting list for elementary school teachers would be:
Bulletin boards and classroom organization are important, but they shouldn't drive you crazy. Your students will feel included and love building the space themselves during the first week of school and throughout the school year.
Learn to say no to requests or opportunities. Especially if you are a new teacher or want to put a renewed focus on your work-life boundaries, declining extra responsibilities is a must.
When school and district leaders invite you to committees and after school programs, don't be afraid to turn them down by saying things like:
“Let me think about that and get back to you.”
“I need to focus on my students right now and be the best teacher I can be.”
The same strategy applies to teachers working with parents and families. Conversations with parents, especially at back to school night or the first parent-teacher conferences, are likely to lead to specific requests. Parents do know their children - but you also know how students learn.
Spend time listening attentively, but don't overcommit.
Parents and families can be a wealth of information on your students so make plans to reach out. Their insights can help you establish effective classroom management practices and also give you an opportunity to share your own classroom rules.
Ultimately, the most powerful tip any new teacher can receive is to build relationships with families.
The biggest challenge of being a new teacher? Creating lesson plans that are aligned, rigorous, and engaging. Hopefully your school or district offers effective professional development around lesson planning. But you should also find your own systems and tools, knowing that this is something you will continually learn.
“I was a new teacher last year. The hardest parts were learning how to pace a lesson or unit, finding supporting curriculum resources, and adapting lessons for different learning styles,” said Erin Sattler of Bellevue, Washington.
There are hundreds of resources and templates available online to help simplify the challenges of instructional planning, but that often makes planning even more overwhelming.
Googling “4th grade multiplication worksheet” may work in a pinch, but it will never replace a strong planning system for your instruction. Tools like TARA were designed specifically to support new teachers so don't be afraid of committing some time early on to becoming an expert with technology that can instantly make you a better teacher.
Whether you are new to your school, a brand new teacher, or a seasoned veteran, every teacher knows that there will be days when your lesson plan flops or a fire drill throws off your whole schedule.
My mentor once told me, “When in doubt, play a game.” Used effectively, a quick game is a triple threat: a classroom management tool, a community building exercise, and an energizer to get students back on track for the next task.
Memorize a few games and keep a list handy on your TARA dashboard or a notecard hung by your desk. Start with these games that work for nearly any age group and add your own as you learn them!
Finding and learning new tools always sounds like a lot of extra work to do - and if they are not truly designed for your teacher workflow, they probably are. But good technology exists for a reason and it's time we as educators become more proactive about taking advantage of what education technology is out there. Instead of relying on your district to pick what's best for you, we encourage you to spend time building your own toolkit. And if you end up loving what you use, recommend it!
All of that said, if we had to suggest one tool (in addition to TARA of course :), then it would have to be ChatGPT. It essentially is a chat assistant that can create content for you - math problem sets, essay prompts, unpacking standards, assessments - it's pretty amazing. And pretty soon, TARA will bring the power of ChatGPT to you, with predesigned tools to auto-create any content you need.
In the meantime, check out these how-to videos if you want to see what it's like!
Being a new teacher is hard, no matter how prepared you are. This year is not going to be perfect, and mistakes will happen.
Give yourself grace and focus on being your authentic teacher self for your students. When you need help, reach out to a veteran teacher.
Like any profession, teaching is a craft that takes time to become great at - but you will get there!
Need to get organized? Looking for more graphic organizers or engagement strategies? Create a free TARA account today and have 100s of resources built into your HQ homepage immediately!
Because when teachers come first, students win...and teachers stay.