22 Valuable Tips for a First Year Teacher

How To Survive Your First Year of Teaching: 22 Tips For Your First Year!

WOW! You made it through your degree! I know you were probably counting down so you could finally get in there and practice what you learned! It’s a very exciting time for you, so take this moment and CELEBRATE! Now, you need to take on the task of surviving your FIRST YEAR of teaching! I will be sharing 22 quick and easy tips for you to carry with you (print them out if you have to) to help you get through the year like a pro!

Now that you’ve graduated, there are some extra tools that you should keep handy in order to make your life easier as a first-year teacher. I know you’ve probably heard some horror stories about just how crazy a teacher’s first year can be! But, you are SO LUCKY to be entering the field at a time where you can have access to great advice with the click on a button! So, without further ado, let me share my top 20 tips for surviving your FIRST YEAR OF TEACHING…in ONE piece!

Tips for collaborating with your team during your first year of teaching:

1. Understand that they may have their way of doing things.
2. Honor their experience and their time invested in seeing what has worked and what has been a complete disaster (trust me, they know what works!)
3. Don’t be afraid to KINDLY share new ideas. If you are open to listening to them , they are more likely to listen to you.
4. Get to know your team members and they will have your back.
5. Don’t be afraid to try your own way, if its not what’s best for your students.
6. Be relatable. It’s important for your team members to know you are imperfect and trying to survive the year with them!

Tips for Classroom Management during your first year:

1. Understand that this is your NUMBER ONE priority coming in. (you can have the best lessons but if your kids are out of control, your observations will NOT be pleasant for you).
2. Set and model your expectations from day one and FOLLOW THEM. It’s important to start from day one, so the kids know their routines and expectations. Don’t worry about academics that first week. This is your time to really focus on setting these procedures and expectations. If you work on this first, your lessons will go better.
3. Remind your students, calmly, about their expectations, whenever they act up.
4. Follow through with consequences. If you say they are sitting out at recess, follow through with it.
5. Keep in constant communication with parents regarding behaviors. They can help you!
6. Establish good relationship with the kids. They will be more cooperative if they know and trust you.

Tips for Instruction, Planning, and Curriculum during your first year:

1. Use and follow a pacing guide. This is usually provided by your school district. This helps guide you in your planning throughout the year. It will help you stay on track (which is so important!!) and to see what students will be learning in the course of a year.
2. Do not plan for a PERFECT lesson…its never gonna happen. Plan for the lesson and make sure you are hitting those standards, learning objectives, etc. but don’t stress if it doesn’t go as planned.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask your team or coaches for help with strategies that have been proven effective in your school.
4. If you need tools or supplies for your lesson, ask your instructional coaches if they have it or can find it for you. You won’t believe how many times I bought my own supplies for ONE lesson and turned out they had a closet full of them!
5. If you’re trying something NEW, always have a back up in case it doesn’t work out.

Tips for YOU, boo.

1. DO NOT STAY TOO LATE!! Instead, learn to improve your time management. If you get in the habit of staying late every time you have a lot of work, you’ll never learn how to manage your time so you can have you time.
2. Don’t go crazy spending your salary on classroom stuff. Invest in YOURSELF first.
3. Ask for help and be proud of it. There is NO shame in my game on asking for help.
4. Don’t take work home with you. USE EVERY MINUTE of planning time while you are AT WORK…to work. That way, you feel accomplished enough to go home, relax and prepare to do it all over again.
5. Stay away form negativity, drama, and gossip. It will show people you are professional and focused on working hard for your students.

for more related posts about your first year of teaching click here!