Tips & Advice for First Year Teachers

Written by Allison Scott

Entering the world of teaching is an exciting time and a great career path; the first year of teaching is all about learning for the teacher and their students. With that comes highs and lows, but the lessons learned in the first year in the classroom will set up the remainder of a teaching career.

While student teaching is valuable for prospective teachers to get into the classroom, have first-hand experience with students, and learn tips for teaching, entering the first year of teaching opens several opportunities to grow.

For instance, new teachers can approach the classroom with fresh sets of eyes and the benefit of recent educational experiences. That can be something to leverage when doing things like lesson planning or managing behavioral issues, and taking advantage of recent lessons learned can make the future of teaching a lot simpler.

When entering the first year of teaching in a classroom, regardless of if it is the first job post-graduation or a second career, it is important to soak up all of the teacher tips possible from others who have been there. Here are a few tips for teachers to make the first year run more smoothly.

Stay Organized

Organization is a big part of teaching and a common theme in advice to new teachers from current ones. There are so many papers, files, and other documents to be kept in the right spot for success, so explore options and find the right system that works. A few are:

Physical files: Having a folder for things that need to be graded, things that are being graded, and documents ready to go back to students can be super helpful.
Digital organization: For any digital files, look at different storage options. Consider having one folder for each year, starting in year one, and build on it from there.
Color coding: Digital or physical documents can be color-coded by topic, class, or any other grouping that makes sense. It can be especially helpful for teachers who teach multiple topics.

Regardless of what system works, it is necessary to have some way to stay on top of things in the classroom. When in doubt, ask others for new teacher advice and what they recommend starting with. Ultimately, advice for new teachers is based on what has worked in the past.

Build Strong Relationships

First-year teachers will rely heavily on the relationships they make to be successful. From the students in the class to fellow new teachers, creating connections with the people around the classroom is key. And these relationships are one of the best ways to learn about new teaching resources, making them that much more valuable.

Other new teachers: Discussing trials, tribulations, and wins with fellow new teachers is a great way to build camaraderie. It can help with feelings of loneliness.
Experienced teachers: Lean on other teachers with more experience to understand how they have overcome challenges in their tenure as educators.
Students: Perhaps the biggest group of people teachers are tasked with interacting with are their students. Be intentional with creating a safe and supportive environment for students by being inclusive and stressing the importance of using teachers as part of their support networks.
School leaders: For more overarching concerns, chat with administrators, the parent-teacher association (PTA) members, and the principal to find solutions. Most people in those roles have some experience in education, either themselves or through their children, so there are a lot of insights to glean.

Remember that teaching advice does not have to come exclusively from the field of education. Chatting with friends who work in different fields can provide valuable knowledge on how to manage conflict, ways to improve processes, and more.

Keep that in mind in conversations with friends and family and take what is possible to apply to education to build those relationships. Ultimately, doing so is a skill that needs to be intentionally worked on throughout a career.

Befriend the Veteran Teachers

As a new teacher, consider teaching advice from those who have been in the field for years. Remember that tenured teachers experienced their first year in the classroom and have learned every year since.

A few things to ask seasoned educators as a first-year teacher include:

Biggest lesson learned in year one? The great thing about this question is it will likely vary from teacher to teacher, providing several perspectives to consider.
Favorite teaching-related piece of advice? While they likely picked something up from a tenured teacher when they were new to the field, this question will also provide awesome insights.
How to manage challenging classes? Many things can impact a student's ability to behave in the classroom. Dealing with behavioral issues can be challenging for any educator, but it is especially hard on new teachers. Knowing how others have managed to tailor their teaching technique or approach for more challenging classes or students can be immensely helpful.
What should be purchased? Classrooms require a lot to keep going throughout the year, and some of that cost may be a teacher's responsibility. Ask long-time teachers what they recommend to buy up front and recommendations for how they asked parents to pitch in without coming across the wrong way.

Like in any career, learning from those with more experience can help pave the way for the future generation. Take advantage of those nearby with insight and pick their brains to be set up for success.

Ask for a Mentor Teacher

To help navigate the first year, many new teachers are paired with mentor teachers with years of experience. They can teach the mentee things they wish they knew when they started and answer questions as they come up.

Some good questions include lesson planning tips, how to befriend other teachers in the same subject area or grade level, and any regrets or things they wish they would have done differently. These types of questions can help put their experience to use and allow them to reflect on what they have accomplished.

Of course, as a new teacher, it is helpful to see this process, but it is also a great way to make the mentor feel appreciated. They can build their confidence as a leader and guide a new teacher through the process. It truly is a mutually beneficial relationship.

If a mentor is not provided, it is also okay to ask for one. Think about someone who has experience or approaches admirably educating young people. From there, ask if they mind being a mentor and walking through things they found helpful when starting.

No Such Thing as the "Perfect Teacher"

Relinquishing the pressure to be perfect is another way to have a better, more successful first year as a teacher. Mistakes will happen, and it is best to keep moving forward to continue learning and growing. Looking back, it will be a great lesson and make future years easier in the classroom. Negative experiences can also make for helpful examples to share with prospective mentees.

Ultimately, the first three years or so of teaching are a learning curve. While teaching strategy resources are a great place to start, adjustments are required, whether adjusting to the schedule and routine or finding out how to balance lesson planning and grading with personal life endeavors. Give yourself grace throughout the process because it is a lot to manage and figure out.

No one is a perfect teacher, even those with decades of experience. Making mistakes is a human aspect of the job, and perfection is unrealistic. Let go of that pressure or expectation, and the first year of teaching will be much better.

Teacher Responsibilities

When choosing to enter the field of teaching, it is important to realize that educators wear many hats. Some people fail to realize the physical, emotional, and technical aspects of teaching until they experience it.

A few of those include:

Coach: If sports are a passion, it may be worth exploring becoming a coach in addition to teaching. While it is extra work and requires additional time and effort outside of the regular school day, working directly with students in a sports role can open the door for a vastly different educational experience.
Emotional support: Teachers sometimes find themselves in tough scenarios to emotionally support their students. Young people can go through a lot between the time they are small children and young adulthood, so teachers may want or need to help them through it.
Advocate: One other aspect is the requirement to report concerns and advocate for students and their health and safety. In most states, teachers are considered mandated reporters for situations like child endangerment or concerns over safety. This vital role in a child's safety can weigh heavily on educators.

Almost nothing about being a teacher is an easy task, but it truly is all worthwhile to help educate future generations and make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people. The experiences set up teachers for a bright future in any education career path.

Maintain a Good Work Life Balance

Being a teacher is not all about teaching, though. Educators do and should have lives outside of the classroom, and finding a way to balance feeling fulfilled at work and outside of work is key to a successful and long-term career in education.

Time management is one of the most valuable skills a teacher can develop throughout their career. It is vital for balancing teaching time, grading, lesson planning, and personal time throughout the school year. Even though most teachers take advantage of summer breaks to recharge, doing so throughout the year is necessary to avoid burnout.

Some ways to balance life with work as a new teacher include:

Time blocking: If time management skills are not a strength, consider exploring time blocking. This technique allows someone to designate a certain amount of time for a specific task. For the block of time, that task is the focus. When another time block starts, a new task becomes the focus. This can help break up the day and ensure high-priority things get done.
Focus on self-care: A happy teacher is a healthy teacher. Prioritize mental and physical health because both are imperative to being a successful educator. Whether it is five minutes of meditating before going to school for the day or an hour of exercise, anything that allows time to focus on yourself is worthwhile.
Lean on support systems: From mentors to coworkers to friends and family, a support network is important to maintain balance. Communicate with loved ones about how school is going, but avoid it being the only topic of conversation. Sometimes, the best way to resolve issues is to let them sit for a while and come back with a fresh perspective.

Emotional Regulation for Students and First Year Teachers

Remind yourself that students are dealing with their own challenges in school and at home. From personal life changes, like moves or divorce, to educational struggles like learning disabilities to trouble in certain areas, kids deal with a lot during their formative years.

Try to remind them that teachers are resources for them to leverage if they need to, and educators are always there to listen and provide advice if that is what is needed. In more serious cases, it may be necessary to enlist the help of a guidance counselor or other mental health professional, so discuss any situations that may be of that sort with a mentor or the principal to be sure.

Students are still learning emotional management and how to understand their feelings. Be the guiding light that can help them whenever possible, and try to remain calm, even in challenging situations.

Expert Advice for your First Year of Teaching

What is one piece of advice you wish you had when you were working to become a teacher?

Hyeri Hong

Kremen School of Education at California State University

"Love your students first! Love teaching and interacting with students. I felt that if I love my students, my job as a teacher is very fun. Listen to them and be patient with them. Have fun in the classroom."

Merinda Parrish

Welch College

"Take time to observe another teacher using a strategy you are interested in implementing and ask questions about how they taught the students to implement it."

Dennis Eastman

Biola University

"Positive relationships with students act as an accelerant. When students perceive they are seen, known, and wanted they are more likely to respond to your instructional efforts."

Sarah Tham

Tabor University

"To accept the fact that what I learned in college was helpful but it was the experience in the classroom that was really helpful."

Brian Hibbs

Dalton State College

"When I entered my teacher education program, I had a relatively naive view of what teaching entailed. I assumed that I would simply come into class and teach content and that students would be receptive to what I was teaching them. It wasn't until my student teaching internship when I realized what all teaching entails. Teachers are not just educators; they are unofficial psychotherapists, nurses, pseudo-parents, etc. I wish I had realized this earlier in my education."

Lindsay A. Vance, Ph.D.

Lourdes University and Tiffin University

"I was fortunate to work with many inspirational teachers; however, I wish I would have known that teachers aren't always perfect. There is not one single way to be an effective teacher. Teaching is both an art and a science, and it takes time to develop who you are as an educator. It is important to be knowledgeable about your content, have a 'tool-kit' filled with instructional strategies, and build relationships with your students, but you also have to be authentic and true to yourself if you want to thrive in the classroom."

Kerri D. Mahlum, Ed.D.

Casper College

"I wish I had been given strategies to help create a work/life balance. As a young teacher, I felt an enormous weight on my shoulders to prove that I "knew what I was doing". As the newest member of our teaching team, I felt the way to prove my worth was to be the first to arrive, the last to leave and to be at the school every weekend preparing for the next week's teaching. After a few years, this laser focus on work took a toll and I had to step back and reevaluate. I learned the strategy of work smarter, not harder."

Terri Hessler

Ohio State University at Newark

"That children with special needs are not that different from "typical" children, and that teaching them has the potential to be far more rewarding."

Dr. Carrie R. Giboney Wall

Pepperdine University

"(1) take pictures of bulletin boards or learning centers in order to replicate them in your own classroom, (2) have a digital or physical filing system in which to store instructional materials, handouts, learning activities, etc. you come across in your clinical experiences, (3) embrace all opportunities to teach — just as a cook learns to cook by cooking, so a teacher learns to teach by teaching (not just watching someone teach), (4) when you encounter an instructional decision by your mentor teacher that bothers you, take a moment to reflect on why it was off-putting and what you would do differently if it was your own classroom, and (5) in addition to honing your content-specific knowledge and pedagogical skills, be sure to also cultivate your "teacher dispositions" such as treating all students fairly and equitably, being a collaborative team-player, responding with compassion, behaving and speaking professionally, implementing organizational skills, and being a person of integrity."

Cathleen Kim

Pacific Lutheran University

"As one works with and observes cooperating teachers, mentors, advisors — always ask for the why and the how. What is seen and heard are not just practices one might hope to emulate (or not) but what goes on inside the head of the practitioner, the rationale for each instructional move or decision, or the set-up and back-end work! that lead to the classroom interactions you see. You don't have to agree as you develop your own philosophy and practice, but it is essential in interpreting and understanding the larger and often complex systems at play."

Jeffrey P. Bakken

Bradley University

"My advice would be to get into classrooms as soon as possible -- elementary, secondary, and high school settings. See what teachers do and have to deal with. Talk with teachers, principals, and students. Get a sense of what is happening in schools (the good and the bad) and what skills are needed to be successful. Make sure you understand what teaching is all about so that your decision to become a teacher is well-informed. Teaching, in my opinion, is one of the best professions, and seeing children learn is awesome, but everything is not rosy and teaching is hard. The field needs dedicated teachers that are willing to do the hard work for our children and families."

Nathan Herzog

East Tennessee State University

"The importance of the relationship. It took me a few years to understand how important the relationship is between the educator and the family."

Lisa Simone Kingstone

Montclair State University

"You can't engage every single student every single class. And it's not always about you--sometimes they are exhausted, have things going on in their personal lives, or don't feel well. I used to always take it personally if they weren't all totally bright eye and attentive, but when I talk to them, it's never what I thought. One student who always fell asleep told me "I love your class, but I am up very late with my job and just can't stay awake."

Malissa A. Scheuring Leipold, Ed.D.

Iona University

"One piece of advice I wish I had when I was studying and working to become a teacher is that it is about the bigger picture of changing one child's life at a time. I understand that there are concrete skills and knowledge that must be obtained to become a teacher of children, however, all too often the paperwork becomes the focus and not the greater meaning of being a teacher. If there was more of a focus on the amazing role a teacher plays, perhaps educators would be provided more stamina to get through the incredible daily demands of the profession."

Lauren Evans

Former Teacher of 5th-6th Grade Science and 1st-5th Grade Technology

"There will almost always be more to do, but not everything is at the same level of importance. Figure out what's most important and/or necessary and dedicate your time and energy to those things. Also, not everything has to be graded."

Lark Trumbly

Former Teacher of 6th-12th Grade

"Make friends with the veteran teachers at your school and ask them for advice on how to handle .... pretty much anything. They know the systems, they know the students, they know the admin, and they know the parents, so use their experience to inform your own teaching strategies."

Chloe Donnelly

Former ESL Abroad Teacher and Middle School/High School English Teacher

"Invest time into deconstructing your understanding of "grades" and "correctness." You may be bound by institutional rules to some extent here, but the more creative ways you find to credit your students for their labor, the more you will help them succeed. Read about labor-based grading contracts."

Gabrielle Taloma

Former Teacher of Kindergarten, 4th, and 5th Grade

"One piece of advice that I would give to a first-year teacher is to build strong relationships with your kids. Take every opportunity you can to learn from them. Greet them at the door when they enter for the day and say goodbye to them at the end of the day. Try to remember small details about them and mention it later in a conversation or include their name in math problems or however you can. Sometimes you may be the only adult that pays attention to them that day and ask how they are doing as a person instead of only being concerned with them academically."

Teacher Tips: Guide for First Year Teachers