"Oh young Melissa. There is so much I need to warn you about and sadly, I cannot."
I can't help but think of that Office quote every time I think back to my first year as a teacher. How full of promise life was. How many ideas I had. And...let's get real...how young I looked! Here, see for yourself!
Whoa. I look like a baby. It's amazing to think that I was trusted to teach 12 year olds. I remember going to The Limited to buy that shirt because it made me look like a legitimate, professional teacher. But I digress.
I have often wondered what the conversation would be if my current teacher self ran into my first year teaching self. Not only would that circumstance be amazingly Inception-like, it would be a true meeting of the minds to discuss two very distinctly different kinds of teachers who both share the same end goal: to change the lives of kids. So, without further ago, here is my list of what I wish I'd known as a first year teacher.
I have often wondered what the conversation would be if my current teacher self ran into my first year teaching self. Not only would that circumstance be amazingly Inception-like, it would be a true meeting of the minds to discuss two very distinctly different kinds of teachers who both share the same end goal: to change the lives of kids. So, without further ago, here is my list of what I wish I'd known as a first year teacher.
#1: Wear Sensible Shoes
This is advice my very first (and very wise) principal gave me. My first year of teaching, I wore heels every day except Friday. My feet were incredibly sore. Heels were not cut out for the job of a teacher who was on her feet every day teaching science. They even put me in Urgent Care when I dropped a piece of wood on my heeled foot one morning before school. If I had to do it all over again, I'd skip the heels and go for the flats.
#2: Don't Listen to All of the Advice You Receive
I understand the irony in this statement, as this post is an advice post, but I feel like this issue must be addressed. As a first year teacher, EVERYONE was giving my advice on how I should run my classroom. It's polite to nod and take it all in, but weed out the advice that doesn't work with your teaching style or your kids. I can remember teachers in my first building actually telling me that I needed to, "Shut my door and learn how to teach in my own classroom." She even said that the engaging activities I was doing was "showboating." If I had listened to her advice, I would have never done my layers of the Earth activity, dressed as Sir Isaac Newton, or rapped about the water cycle. I would DEFINITELY not have won District Teacher of the Year or found my teaching style. My point is, smile and nod and then decide for yourself what's right for you.
#3: Find a School "Mama" to Take Care of You
Boy, was I lucky to find my school "Mama" early on. Mine was a teacher in the science department named Mary. When things got tough, I'd go in her room and cry. She'd tell me that I was tougher than I thought and to "keep on keepin' on." Without her, I don't think I'd have lasted as long as I did in middle school. I wish that my first year I would have realized the value in not only having a mentor, but a seasoned sassy work Mama to keep me afloat.
#4: Just Say, "NO."
I think most veteran teachers agree with this one. As a newbie, you are tempted to join every committee, sponsor every club, etc. My first year, I tried my hand at multiple committees in my building, and found myself incredibly stressed. I could barely concentrate on my lesson plans when I had a meeting every day after school! I wish I had found more time to focus on enjoying my first year rather than focusing on being present on every task force in my building.
#5: Be Yourself
My first year of teaching, I was definitely finding myself, not only as a teacher, but as an adult. I distinctly remember when the light switch turned "on" and I realized my teaching style. I was teaching about metamorphic rocks and could see my students' eyes glazing over. I ran to my cabinet and grabbed some fabric to make a cape and "morphed" into a metamorphic rock superhero. Instantly, my students were hooked. I realized that I could use my acting background to teach my kids, and from then on I've been teaching from the top of my desk. I wish someone had encouraged me to be myself as a teacher in those early years.
#6: Get Plenty Of Sleep
Boy, did I not listen to this my first year of teaching! I stayed up late perfecting my PowerPoints, woke up early to arrive at school by 5:30 AM most days, and stayed late after school to prepare for the following day. Looking back, I wish I had realized that I could have been spending more time with my family instead of worrying about "that song I should download for animal adaptations." Which brings me to...
#7: You Don't Have To Grade EVERYTHING
If someone had mentioned the above to me during my first year, it would have saved me a LOT of time and headache. I didn't realize until much later on the value of formative assessment. Furthermore, I never realized that not everything needed to be graded like a summative assessment. My first year I spend HOURS grading science notebooks filled with student notes. These notebooks weren't giving me any indication of real student learning...they were just valuable tools students could use for tests! I wish I had known that not everything is for a grade in the real world of teaching.
#8: You Don't Have to Be Friends With Everyone
My husband has a saying. He says that some people are "work friends" and some people are "friends." My first year of teaching, I thought I needed to befriend everyone in my building. I had that "they need to like me, no really like me," complex that so many new teachers have. I have found in my later years that it's great to be friendly at work (and necessary in my opinion), but that it's okay to not be best friends with everyone in your school.
#9: Just Let It Go
You're singing the song now aren't you? I can remember being so rigid my first year. I thought that every lesson needed to have an anticipatory set, a lesson, guided practice, independent practice, closure, etc. but that isn't the real world. My first year one of my all-time favorite students found a mysterious sock in the back of my classroom. That led us into a DNA lesson and forensics investigation that had the entire class engaged and interested in the learning. It did not have the "formal" components of a lesson, but it was a day we never forgot. I wish I had that perspective that things don't have to be perfect in my early years.
#10: You CAN Reach Every Kid...Despite What The Haters Say
My first year I had a student that we shall call, "Sandy." Sandy was a real tough cookie. She came from a rough home. She had all of the characteristics of a "problem kid." I was determined to get her to love school. Many teachers in my building did not share my same vision for Sandy. Their experience jaded their vision. They had "had students like her before." I heard every excuse in the book. However, at lunch one day when I was helping Sandy with her studying, she thanked me. I knew that even if it was just for that one moment, Sandy appreciated school. Sometimes it takes YEARS to realize the impact teachers can have on students, but it happens. I'm so glad that I haven't lost that determination to reach every student, every day in some way, just like Sandy.
What do you wish you had known your first year?
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