Stay Positive and Pace Yourself: A Survival Guide for First-Year Teachers
The 2015-16 school year will be my second year in the classroom. I am looking forward to the start of school with far less trepidation than I did a year ago. My first year in the classroom was hard – there’s no way around it. But I survived. For better or worse, the struggles of are fresh in my mind and I’d like to pay it forward and hopefully support some new first-year teachers in our important profession.
To be clear, the first year is going to be enormously challenging no matter what. It is educator boot camp. However, understanding how to navigate it can make a big difference. Here I’ve identified some of the most important advice that I followed (or wish I had followed), and even though my experiences are from a high school English classroom, I think they translate into all grades and contexts.
Don’t Add to the Pressure
Although it is important to have an appropriate and positive mindset about what you can do, many new teachers forget to bring this same mindset to the things that theycannot do. Your job is to be the best first-year teacher you can be. Give yourself permission to take a few short cuts that are in no way reflective of the educator you will be years down the road. Even though you have 
already learned so much in student teaching, you still face an enormous learning curve that happens as you jump to full-time teaching. You will absorb so many things every day, but may have trouble articulating and applying what you have learned. And because you’re trying to apply numerous subtle layers to everything you do (planning, grading, seating charts, anything!), it will initially slow you down. As a morale booster, constantly remind yourself that school work will take you much longer now, but that won’t always be the case.
already learned so much in student teaching, you still face an enormous learning curve that happens as you jump to full-time teaching. You will absorb so many things every day, but may have trouble articulating and applying what you have learned. And because you’re trying to apply numerous subtle layers to everything you do (planning, grading, seating charts, anything!), it will initially slow you down. As a morale booster, constantly remind yourself that school work will take you much longer now, but that won’t always be the case.For example, before starting full time, it took me 30 minutes to grade one essay – which is an impossibly slow speed once you have 100+ students. Know that you will adjust and you need to cut corners as you do so. Also, keep in mind that you cannot nor should not grade every piece of work each student completes. In fact, for your students to gain the skills you want to teach them, they need to practice them so Stay Positive and Pace Yourself: A Survival Guide for First-Year Teachers - NEA Today:
