Find Your Feet - Advice For Beginning Teachers
Good luck to all the teachers just starting out this year on class. It can be daunting due to the unknown but if you go in with a positive mindset and with a few tricks up your sleeve you should be right. You will find yourself on a huge learning curve as the year goes on. Try not to get overwhelmed, just pace yourself.
The main things you want to get a handle on pretty quickly are classroom management, expectations and building relationships with your students.
By establishing these rules and routines early on, your students will be more settled and comfortable and you will gain that respect that is critical to success in your teaching and the students learning.
Further advice for beginning teachers includes;
Wear comfortable shoes
Be organised
Read over your lessons plans each morning so you know the material. Do further research if needed
Take your lunch break. Find others to have lunch with
Get to work a little earlier than normal and use this time to get everything organized for your day
Keep a notebook with ideas and things that have worked well
Do not take feedback personally
Be extra kind and friendly to the office staff and the cleaners
Seek out a good mentor teacher at your school. Talk to them often. Do not be afraid to ask questions
Collaborate with colleagues. Do not try to recreate the wheel. There is plenty already out there.
Get help and support when needed
Don’t feel like you need to stay late every day
Things will not go as planned and that’s okay
Stop and take a breath when you need to
Build relationships with your students as your first priority. Show them you care. Be kind. They won’t learn from you if you don’t gain their trust. Treat them with respect
Be firm, fair and consistent
Work on your classroom management strategies – start from the first day clear with your expectations and don’t wavier. Don’t yell or scream. Make sure you have everyone’s attention before you begin.
Learn through experience - make mistakes. no one is perfect. Even the most experienced staff will still be making mistakes
Use professional learning opportunities but don’t overload yourself all at the one time
It is easy to let teaching consume your life - make a conscious effort to ensure it does not. Try to have a healthy work/life balance
What is your best advice for teachers just starting out? Or are you a beginning teacher that has received some helpful advice from another teacher? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.
