Advice to New Teachers

My first job out of college was working as a teacher. During 2001-2002, I taught English for a year in the Japanese public schools on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. There are many differences between the Japanese public school system and the schools in the U.S., and although my job responsibilities as an Assistant English Teacher were nowhere near as complicated as those of full-time “real” teacher in America, I learned a lot about what it takes to succeed as a teacher – and which mistakes to avoid.

Build relationships – with your students and your fellow teachers. It’s important not to become isolated as a new teacher. Even if you’re not the most outgoing person, take the advice of Keith Ferrazzi and “never eat alone.” Even if you’re not the life of the party, make an effort to at least be approachable. Smile and laugh with the kids. Look for ways to help lighten the load for your fellow teachers and staff. Always be willing to pitch in and help.

Maintain discipline – with yourself most of all. Discipline is about more than keeping order in the classroom, it’s about cultivating a presence that the kids will respect. The biggest part of discipline is “self-discipline” and managing your emotions. If you’re having a bad day, try not to let the kids see it. If you’re feeling frustrated, don’t take it out on the kids. Never do anything to undermine a fellow teacher or administrator – even if you don’t agree with a particular teacher’s actions, you have to maintain a united front for the kids; if needed, talk privately with your fellow adults.

Find a mentor. One of the most important things that a new teacher can do is find an experienced older teacher to help show them the ropes. Find a teacher who you respect – whose style you’d like to emulate, or who has a real knack for working with the kids – and take them out for coffee sometime after school. Ask for feedback on your teaching. Brainstorm lesson plans together. Commiserate after a tough day. Mentoring is such an important part of teachers’ professional development than many school districts are making it mandatory to help keep new teachers in the classroom.

Keep learning. Just because you’re out of college doesn’t mean you can stop learning – far from it! Hopefully one of the reasons you wanted to become a teacher is that you have an innate love of learning and you want to be, in some ways, an eternal student. So read all you can about your profession – new teaching techniques, creative new lesson plans, emerging trends, research and best practices in how to energize your students. Take advantage of opportunities for professional development – seminars, online courses, continuing education.

Take care of yourself. Being a new teacher can feel like drinking from a fire hydrant – there’s so much new information, so many new faces and names to remember, such a whirlwind of activity through your classroom each day. And then once the final bell rings, you have to grade papers, plan lessons, and supervise after-school activities! Make sure to get plenty of sleep, eat well, and find ways to restore your energy – whether that’s jogging in the park, meeting friends for dinner, or having a quiet evening at home with a good book or a Netflix movie.

Ben Gran is a former teacher, freelance writer and marketing consultant based in Des Moines, Iowa. He is an award-winning blogger who loves to write about careers and the future of work.
Whether you’re a new teacher or a grizzled veteran, you can find teaching jobs at http://www.educationjobsite.com/