You’ve finally done it. You’ve completed all of the courses, final exams and placement tests. You succeeded during your time as a student-teacher and have finally landed your first full-year gig as a full-time teacher. As excited as you might be, you can’t deny that you are also extremely nervous and worried you will mess the whole thing up. Ask any current or former teacher and they likely all have great first-year stories filled with successes, failures and utter embarrassments—it’s almost like a rite of passage.
So, as you brave the school house halls bearing your new title of “teacher” have faith that, yes, things will go wrong. Unexpected challenges will arise, plans will be changed and possibly ruined, but that’s part of life and you need to be able to adapt. However, to help you cope with this stressful year of ups and downs, I’ve outlined some tips to follow. Read on to learn more.
Don’t Get Defensive
During your first year as a teacher, you will probably receive criticism from your peers, superiors, parents and possibly even students. I mean it is customary for a principal or some other administrator to even sit in on a full day of courses to accurately evaluate your performance. However negative the feedback might be, remember to take it all in stride.
Not meant to hurt your feelings, the comments are merely there to make you a better educator, and should therefore be handled professionally. Sure, some of the issues might not be as legitimate as others and could very well just be misplaced venting, but regardless take them like a champ. If you can’t take constructive criticism for what it is, you will never grow as a person and definitely not as a professional and will therefore get nowhere.
Take a Deep Breath
There’s no denying that the life of an educator can be a stressful one. I mean, you are only help shape the future generations of the world—no big deal, right? That being said, there will undoubtedly be times when you are pushed to the limit, when your patience is gone and you want to pull all of your hair out. When that happens, my best advice is to simply pause, take a few deep breaths and think back to why chose this path in the first place. You felt called to do this job, and honestly couldn’t see yourself doing anything else.
You’ve always been a natural nurturer and teacher, so any other profession would pale in comparison. So, if you find yourself getting overwhelmed (and since you’re human this WILL happen), give yourself some time to gather your thoughts. Also, talk with the more seasoned colleagues around you. Trust me, they have all been there done that, and will likely have some sage words and advice to share. Use them, they are the best, most accessible resource available to you.
Stay on Top of Your Grading
Nothing adds fuel to an overwhelming fire than mountains and mountains of paperwork you have let go ignored for practically the whole grading period. To keep this from happening to you, stay on top of your students’ assignments. They will appreciate the speedy feedback and you will thank yourself when you aren’t scurrying at the last minute to get your grades in. Just as you and your fellow teachers look down on the procrastinators in your class, so too, do your superiors at work.
Overall, as you immerse yourself in your first year as a full-time school teacher, remember that things will not go as planned. You likely will be challenged and tested more than ever before, but if you keep these simple tips in mind, you will make the whole experience much more bearable and pleasant. Happy teaching!