Advice for New Teachers – How to Make Your First Year Teaching Less Stressful

Whether we like to admit it or not, summer is here and then gone. Before we know it all of the attention turns back to school. As a teacher myself, it can be challenging to not view the days of July as a dreaded countdown to where everything begins again with a brand new school year. As teaching is a significant passion of mine and the back to school season is one of my most favorite times of the year. Which is exactly why I am so excited to share a word of encouragement and advice for new teachers preparing for the upcoming year in the classroom.

Whether you’ve been teaching for just a few years or this year is the very beginning of your start as a classroom teacher. Or maybe you have been teaching for a while, but are in need of a little motivation and teaching inspiration. This message is for you. Encouragement and advice for new teachers to thrive!

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Back to School – Advice for New Teachers

This is a message so very dear to my heart. A message full of encouragement to empower brand new teachers. Specifically, a pep talk to the brand new teachers out there. A message of encouragement, sharing specific pieces of advice for the teachers that are just starting out their careers in education with the hope of giving you a little bit of encouragement that you CAN do this!

I remember in college, when I was in my upper level classes preparing for secondary education, there was a lot of talk that dominated majority of the conversations as to how stressful teaching is. How challenging it is, and how overworked and exhausted teachers are. Basically take every other negative thing and insert it into the equation.

I remember as a very young, hopeful student that was so eager and excited to start my career as a teacher, I remember thinking, does anyone have anything positive to say about teaching? And now here we are, ten years later, in the midst of my tenth year of teaching, and unfortunately, it’s only gotten more negative and more discouraging.

A Moment of Honesty from a Teacher in the Classroom

Now, if I am being honest, teachers, myself included, have been through the thick of it over the past few years. We have gone from everything being normal to then teaching through a pandemic. From personal experience, that was extremely challenging, figuring out how to navigate teaching both in person, as well as virtual at the same time.

Then, finally we jump back into what appears to be more normal. And we have to deal with the aftermath of all of the things and the social effects of a pandemic. Not to mention all the politics. Things have become extremely political. While, I am not going to go down that road, if you are a teacher, you are familiar with what I’m talking about. The growing pressure and stress that is happening within our profession every single moment. With the rest of the world feeling the need to tell us how we should be doing our jobs.

Hey Teacher, You Got This!

So if you are a new teacher, I want to tell you most importantly, that you got this! If you are a seasoned teacher, I also want to remind you, that you absolutely got this! We can live our lives focused on the negative, focused on the feelings of inadequacy, focused on the discouragement. However, when we choose to live with that narrative, we are limiting ourselves and our potential.

While, I don’t want to ignore all of the hardship, or the challenges, or the stresses that teaching can bring right now, I instead want to focus on a message of hope. A message full of encouraging tips for new teachers. And I have been struggling on my own in preparing my heart for another year in the classroom. Especially now as a mom to a toddler boy. However, it was through preparing this message. It was through working through and sharing my heart on tips for new teachers, that I too, felt encouraged.

A Message of Encouragement for New Teachers

Through thinking deep within my heart as to what is was that I wanted to share with new teachers, my heart felt encouraged and ready to start another school year. My hope here is that this message of encouragement would provide you with a more solid ground to stand on. While, I am obviously very aware of the culture in our society and very aware of political and current events. Believe me, I am not immune to that. But, I am an optimist. I am a hopeful human being that chooses every single day to really find the good and the positive.

Specifically, my mission here is to help you with encouragement for your very first year teaching. I am currently in the midst of my tenth year teaching high school social studies. I teach in a public high school in Marietta, Georgia and have taught all prep levels from freshmen, to juniors, and my most favorite seniors. So far, my ten years of teaching have filled my heart with incredible joy and fulfillment.

Tips for New Teachers No Matter What Grade Level

And while this message is based on tips for new teachers from the perspective of a high school teacher, my hope is that no matter what grade you are teaching, no matter the level of education you are at, my hope is that these tips can absolutely bless your heart and encourage you. Because no matter which grade you teach, while each grade presents its own different behavior challenges and curriculum instruction, and overall classroom management, the actual profession of teaching in general is very similar. As well as, the expectation is shared similarly throughout all grade levels.

Now, I also want to say that I feel very, very fortunate. I teach at an amazing school, and the students are amazing. The parents, community, the faculty, my coworkers are all incredible. I understand that not every school is that way. Additionally, I understand that there’s a lot of places to teach where the physical environment can present a lot more stresses. Therefore, I want to be honest that I am presenting this information to you from my own experiences at a school where I have always felt supported, and appreciated.

This is my experience and the experience from which I am sharing these tips and advice for new teachers. And the whole reason of doing this, my heartfelt intention is to hopefully make your first year teaching less stressful.

15 Tips for New Teachers – Advice for New Teachers

Alright new teacher, are you ready to feel encouraged for the start of your teaching career. Sharing with you FIFTEEN tips. Fifteen stellar pieces of advice to help make your first year teaching less stressful. And, can I ask a big favor. I would love more than anything for as many new teachers as possible to be able to hear this message. For as many new teachers as possible to feel encouraged as they prepare their minds and hearts for a brand new school year. Therefore, if you found this message encouraging, could you do a big favor and share it with a teacher friend!

Advice for Teachers #1 – Remember Your Why

The very first piece of advice for new teachers is to remember the why you want to teach. The very first thing to have right there at the front of your mind and the very top level of your heart is to remember why you want to teach.

Know your passion so clearly. Be so clear on your exact reason for teaching. This was your motivator for making it through your practicum, for surviving student teaching, for keeping you going every single day. Remember the why. Remember why you want to teach and know that passion so clearly.

Tell Someone Your Reason Why

And a little bonus tip connected to this, tell someone. Don’t just keep it to yourself. A great idea is to let your students know the reason why you teach. Personally, I have always shared at every open house my reason for teaching. I have been very honest from the beginning with both students and parents that this is a passion of mine and something I feel an incredibly blessed and called to do. I tell them that I view it as a very important job to be in the classroom with their children. And that’s something that I value immensely and don’t take lightly.

I love being able to share that with the parents of the students that I teach. I want them to know that this matters to me. That their child’s education matters to me. I want them to know that the fact their child is underneath my wings in the classroom, within the four walls of my room. That I don’t take that lightly. I communicate very clearly that it’s a big deal to me. Therefore, the first piece of advice for new teachers is to remember why you want to teach. Know your passion so clearly. This is so important to keep in mind as you enter in and embark on your first year teaching.

Advice for New Teachers #2 – Set Healthy Boundaries

The second important piece of advice for new teachers is to set healthy boundaries. In all honesty, teaching for the very first time is a lot of work. There is a learning curve. So much that has to be figured out. As teachers, pretty much everything you are doing during the school day is teaching in the moment. Then you have to figure out (during some other time that apparently exists in the day) what all needs to be done in preparation for the next day.

Of course, this doesn’t include the grading or the building out a strong, solid classroom environment. There’s so many things that go into teaching. Truly, there is not enough time in the day to do so. However, I want to tell you right now, from the very beginning, set healthy boundaries.

I poured everything of myself and more into the first several years of teaching and while I was very passionate about it and it was something that I truly, loved to do. I didn’t regret any moment of spending that much time pouring into my classroom or pouring into students. However, it definitely did not set up a healthy relationship with me and my own personal boundaries for my career.

Now, I will tell you, since becoming a mom, this has absolutely changed and that has pretty much forced me to establish healthy boundaries with my work. Now, I am very rarely bringing things from the classroom unless it’s an emergency. Such as a grading deadline is due or a large pile of essays to grade.

Establish Healthy Boundaries for Yourself

Start out now by setting those healthy boundaries. But realize as a first year teacher, there are going to be times where you need to put in the little bit of extra work. You want to feel prepared. As a high school history teacher teaching world history and US history, there’s been times where I’ve had to prepare extra in order to know the content well enough to feel comfortable giving a lecture the next day.

Therefore, allow yourself the freedom to spend the extra hour when you need to in order to get done what you need to get done so you can feel comfortable and confident in your career. So you can feel confident in what your task is. But definitely set healthy boundaries.

I strongly encourage you to have one day during the weekend where you don’t even touch schoolwork. Additionally, set aside a couple days, during the workweek where you either limit or don’t bring anything home. These are just a few things you can do to create a healthy relationship with your work. This is an extremely important piece of advice for new teachers, therefore I strongly encourage you to establish healthy boundaries.

#3 – Give Respect to Get Respect

The next important piece of advice for new teachers is to give respect to get respect. This is something that is really important to me. Not just with my coworkers, but mainly with my students. Especially as a very young female teaching in a high school setting. It was very important to me to hold a boundary and demand respect from my students.

Now, I demanded respect from my students by making it very clear and obvious that I cared about my job. That I cared about what we were doing every single day in class. It was important to me, for them to know that the lesson I had for them to learn was something that was a big deal to me. Something that they could learn from, and that I spent my time preparing for them to succeed.

The Importance of Respect in the Classroom

In demanding respect, I also gave respect and I treated every single person in my classroom, whether they were a guest, or a student, as a person who is fully respected. The expectation was we will respect each other. We will support each other, and hold each other accountable.

I tell my students on the first day of school that this is a safe place to take a chance to step out of your comfort zone. A space to not be afraid to say something. If you don’t feel comfortable saying something in front of the whole group to come to me separately and to reach out.

But in order to make your first year teaching less stressful, you are going to want to give respect to the students in your classroom and trust that by giving them respect, you will get respect in return. This is so incredibly important.

#4 – Dress the part

Another essential piece of advice for new teachers is dress the part. Depending on what school you teach in, there might be some blurry lines between what the actual professional dress code is, whether it’s strictly business or business casual.

My suggestion is to dress the part. Don’t look to what everybody else is doing. Go ahead and set in stone that you are going to dress professional. Determine that you are going to look the part. That you are going to be in the right uniform. Be in the right teaching wardrobe uniform, so that way you are showing up to do your job and you can feel confident in it.

You Can Be Your Best Self Based on What You Are Wearing

There is a real purpose and a real truth to feeling as your. best self, based on what you are wearing. Usually, the days where I am the most stressed or the most exhausted or the most anxious about some sort of lesson. Or maybe there’s a lot that I had to teach that day and I’m not really feeling a hundred percent confident in it. Maybe, I didn’t have the time to fully prepare as I would have liked to.

On those days, I wear one of my favorite outfits. I usually throw on a blazer with some different work chinos and a blouse and a great pair of mules. I feel good. I feel comfortable and confident, and it’s amazing the ability to deliver a lesson from wearing something that you feel confident in. Therefore, number four, dress the part.

#5 – First Impressions Matter

The fifth important piece of advice for new teachers, impressions matter. First impressions absolutely matter. Show up early. You’re most definitely going to want to show up early. Take whatever time it is that you are supposed to be at your job and try to be there 15 minutes before that. The earlier you can show up, the better equipped you are going to be for the day. The more prepared you’re going to be for the day.

Additionally, it allows you to have time to yourself to make sure everything is set up in the classroom the way that you want. It allows time for if the copier runs out of ink and you and all your coworkers are fighting each other to see who can get that last ream of paper printed in time for class.

Be On Time Which Means Early

You’re going to want that time to yourself, even if it’s just to drink your coffee and sit at your desk and mentally reflect and prepare for the day ahead. Then, at the end of the school day, don’t be the first to leave. Especially as a first year teacher, I strongly suggest at the end of the school day, having things ready for the next school day before you even leave the door.

If you want to write something on your board, go ahead and write the next lesson on your board. If you have things that you need to print for the next day, go ahead and make those copies. Furthermore, If you have an activity that you want to set up and put together, go ahead and do that before you leave. This ensures that you have one less thing to worry about the next morning.

Advice for New Teachers #6 – Observe Other Teachers

Another really important piece of advice for new teachers is to observe other teachers. Especially as a first year teacher, you are always going to look for opportunities to continue to learn. How can I do this better? Therefore take advantage and learn from all of the amazing people around you. There is so much you can learn and value you can gain from your coworkers.

Even if they teach a different grade, or a different subject matter. There is so much value in observing other teachers and finding little golden nuggets that you can take to implement in your classroom. I love that they did this, or I love how they presented this material, or this was a great tool for classroom management. Therefore, in order to have a less stressful first year of teaching, make it a priority to observe other teachers. Know that by doing this, you are going to learn so many wonderful and valuable things that you can then implement into your own teaching practices. Which will help make you an even better teacher.

#7 – Ask Questions

The seventh piece of advice for new teachers is to ask questions. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not shy away from them. Absolutely ask questions. Find someone that you can utilize as a mentor. Maybe it’s a close friend or somebody that teaches the same grade as you. Find somebody that you can turn to for advice or for help. Especially if you get into situations that you’re experiencing for the very first time. It’s great to have somebody that you can go to, to look up to and to seek out for advice.

Another situation where it’d be really helpful to ask questions as a new teacher is when a student asks you a question and you don’t know the answer. That’s a great moment to say, you know what? This is a great question. I love when you guys ask great questions. I actually do not know that question myself. I am wondering the same thing too. I am going to get back to you. Can you please remind me tomorrow because I’m going to find out that information.

The Importance of Honesty

Another quick little tidbit for you. A bonus piece of advice for new teachers. Be honest. You want your students to know that they can trust you. Therefore, don’t get caught in a lie, especially if it comes to something from a school practice. Somebody’s asking a question and you think you might know the answer to it, so you just mumble something. Then you realize later, oh, I didn’t realize that was actually a formal rule in the rule book.

Simply put, do yourself a favor. Ask questions, find yourself a mentor, but also be honest if you are asked a question that you don’t know. There’s nothing wrong with saying, I don’t know. That’s a great question though, and I will find out and I will come back later. This is incredibly important advice to remember in your first year teaching.

Advice for New Teachers #8 – Plan a Commute You Can Look Forward To

The eight important piece of advice for new teachers is to plan a commute that you can look forward to. This is absolutely key. Ensure that your drive into work is something that excites you. This is why I love podcasts so much. I have a series of podcasts I listen to every single day. I know exactly what I will be listening to on my way to work each day of the week and that absolutely excites me.

I also have playlists I can turn to. Or I know I have my iced coffee that I can look forward to and drink. Be purposeful ahead of time in planning a commute that you can look forward to. This is going to help you as you physically commute to work to make sure that you are in the right mind space, headspace and heart space.

#9 – Use Your Drive Home to Decompress

The ninth piece of advice for new teachers, similar to the morning commute, is to use your drive home to decompress. Be intentional with your drive home from work. For instance, if you had a tough day, roll down the windows and listen to some feel good music. Or, if you need to talk it out or vent it out. Then do that. Maybe you want to use your drive home to connect with a family member or a friend.

Or, maybe your preference is to use your drive home to truly unwind. View your drive home almost as a physical release of the stress and the anxiety of whatever happened to you during the day. Allow yourself to use that drive home as a separation from your anxious thoughts. Absolutely use your drive home to decompress, that way you can ensure you are taking care of you and helping establish that healthy boundary that is absolutely needed in our lives.

#10 – Create a Classroom That You Love

The next major tip for new teachers is to create a classroom that you love. You will quickly come to find out that your classroom is your home, away from home. Therefore, take the time to create a classroom that you love. I know it’s expensive. It can be time-consuming. My very first year teaching, I took the time to completely build the classroom of my dreams. Through decorations, inspiration, and motivation.

At the start of my fifth year teaching, our school moved into a brand new building, and I replicated the exact same decorations as my first classroom because that’s how much I loved the decorations. That’s how much I loved what I purposely chose to put on my walls. And in fact, I love it on orientation. I love it when students come to my classroom for the first time and they truly sit and look around. They tell me that my classroom is a happy place.

I remember specifically, at an open house, a dad sitting in a desk looking around the room and he goes, “wow, there’s so much inspiration here.” That was one of the most meaningful comments to me. My response is always the same. Honestly, if a student is having trouble, concentrating, I hope they at least can look around the walls and read some encouragement or truth that can help impact their day.

Create a Classroom That You Love

So definitely create a classroom that you love. It is worth it. It is absolutely worth it to invest. In your space because when you make that investment, that time investment, right? Yes. It is a financial investment. I know not everybody is able to, you know, make that investment. I have fully funded pretty much everything in my classroom, alright.

Um, within my own decorations and that’s hard. It’s not easy to do. Um, but. As much as you can create a classroom environment that connects with you, that can be a home and that can motivate and inspire your students.

#11 – Think about what you want your classroom to embody and how you want your students to feel when they are in your classroom

Another important tip for new teachers is to actually take time to think about what you want your classroom to embody and how you want your students to feel when they are in your classroom. This goes beyond the physical decorations. Focus more on what you want your students to feel when they walk in your classroom. Create a mission statement for your classroom. Not just for your class, or your course, but for the feel of your room. In your room, how do you want people to feel? What values do you want your classroom to embody?

Know the Mission of Your Classroom

Know the mission of your classroom. Write it down. Have it somewhere where you can see, and you can be reminded every single day. That way you are constantly reminded of what is important to you. So your students also know what is important to you. And then tell your students. Let them know clearly the expectations. What they can expect from you, as well as what you expect from them.

For me, I want my students to feel safe when they walk into my classroom. Additionally, I want them to feel that they can trust me. I want them to know that they are valued. Furthermore, I want them to know that they are seen, that they are heard, and that their life has meaning and purpose. That I believe in them, and I tell them that.

I have this conversation with every single group of students at the start of every semester, every single year. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite conversations to have with them. And whenever I feel like they need to hear it again. I don’t hesitate for a second. Therefore, a really important tip for new teachers, take the time to think through what you want your classroom to embody and how you want your students to feel when they are in your classroom.

Advice for New Teachers #12 – Be the teacher you were created to be

The next important tip for new teachers is to be the teacher you were created to be. This is so fundamentally important. Believe that you have a purpose in the classroom and trust that you are walking in that footstep and that you are walking towards that destination. Seriously, be the teacher you were created to be.

If you are funny and you love to present things with humor, don’t be afraid to do that. If you use great examples and can really make real life meaningful examples out of any part of the curriculum, do it. Or, if you love to encourage and inspire and motivate, do it. Additionally, if you have a crazy passion about your subject, let your students see that. Be the teacher you were created to be. That’s the whole reason why you are here in education for the first place. So do not be afraid to be you.

Tip for New Teachers #13 – Be flexible

The next tip for new teachers is to be flexible. Things are going to happen. Things will come up. Some crazy weather or event is going to happen and change everything. Specifically, within my first semester of teaching, there were seven snow days in Georgia over the course of a few weeks. I actually remember thinking to myself, “hey, this isn’t bad. I can, I can do this schedule.”

Which is why it is so important to be flexible. You are going to have to move things around. Yes, you may create a specific schedule at the beginning of the school year. But you will most likely not follow it exactly and that is okay. Know that it’s okay to move things around. Additionally, know that you may have to change what you’re doing during a day at the very last minute. Or the technology might not work and you have to be willing to go with the flow.

Simply by knowing that as a teacher, you need to be flexible will save you. If you know this from the beginning, you are going to be in a really good place. One of the best tips for new teachers, embrace the concept of being flexible and being okay with it!

Tip #14 – Read the Room

The forth piece of advice for new teachers is to read the room. As a teacher, it is so important to read the room. It can be so fun to get lost in our own thought bubble and our own passion for whatever subject you are teaching. But we have to be able to read the room. It is imperative that we connect with the spirits of our students to and to see if things are okay. They are going to go through seasons that are hard and stressful. During which you want to make sure that you can be a resource for them and a voice to them to help them through it.

I spend a lot of time teaching seniors. There’s always a week in October where a lot of the college admissions, essays, scholarships, etc are due. Additionally, it also is combined with a lot of classwork and assignments at school. It’s this one week specifically where the students feel tremendous pressure and I usually know exactly when it is because I can read it from my students.

Whenever I sense that week is happening, I stop and I have a heart to heart with them. No matter whatever I was planning on lecturing that day, I know that it can wait. I know that I can make it up the next day. Things can be rearranged and I can teach something in a different way in order to get through the content a little quicker. I make a point to speak to them where they are at, to encourage them, and let them know this. They may feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders, but they’re okay and it will be okay, and that they will get through this.

The Absolute Most Important Piece of Advice for New Teachers – Read the Room

Please, if you only take one piece of advice from this entire list, let it be this one. Read the room. Every single student who is going to walk into your classroom is going to have their own life and their own experiences. With that, they’re going to have their own feelings and their own emotions. Additionally, they are also going to have their own tragedies.

Your students will have their own wins and their own losses. And for a lot of students, their own losses are going to feel like really big things. No matter how big or small they may be. It is your unofficial job as a teacher in the classroom to be there for your student, to let them know that you are there for them and that they can trust you. That you are here with them to walk them through whatever they need. Please, new teachers, read the room. If this is the one thing you take from this, let it be this, and let this tip guide you through your entire career.

Tip for New Teachers #15 – Give yourself and your students grace

Finally, the last tip. My final advice for new teachers as you head into the first year in the classroom. Give yourself grace and give your students that same grace. The truth is, there are going to be days that are hard to teach. There are going to be days where things are really difficult. Additionally, there are going to be times where you’re having to teach something that just doesn’t sit well with you in those moments.

As a high school teacher, I’m honest with my students. I can think of a few different examples over the course of the last few years where there have been very, very real things that have happened within our country that have bothered me and I know have bothered my students. When these situations have occurred, I have shared that with them. Right now, as a teacher in public schools, you have to be very careful with not speaking in direct political terms. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t talk to your students about being concerned or being worried.

Extend on the Hard Days, the Good Days, and All the Days in Between

You can have those conversations aside from political party. You absolutely can! Additionally, you want to be able to give yourself grace, and extend that grace to your students on the hard days, the good days, the ordinary days, and the beyond stressed days. Give yourself grace and extend that grace to your students.

Of course, when you’re giving yourself and extending grace to your students, that does not mean that you’re flimsy with boundaries. Nor does that mean you’re moving a rule or a procedure. That is absolutely NOT what that means. Instead, it means to let them know it’s okay. That things are still okay. To remind them, while they may have fallen short in this one area or one assignment, or one task. Remind them that they have an opportunity to try again. That they can do better and you’re going to help them get there.

Encouragement for New Teachers – Your First Year Teaching Doesn’t Have to Suck

There you have it, an overwhelming 15 tips for new teachers. Advice for new teachers to help make your first year teaching less stressful. Real quick recap for you:

1. Remember why you want to teach. Know your passion so clearly.
2. Set healthy boundaries.
3. Give respect and get respect in return.
4. Dress the part.
5. Impressions do matter.
6. Observe other teachers.
7. Ask questions.
8. Plan a commute that you can look forward to.
9. Decompress on your drive home.
10. Create a classroom that you love.
11. Take time to think about what you want your classroom to embody and how you want your students to feel when they’re in your classroom.
12. Be the teacher you were created to be.
13. Be flexible.
14. Read the room
15. Give yourself grace and extend that grace to your students.

An Overload of Encouragement and Advice for New Teachers

There you have it! An overload of encouragement and advice for new teachers. Furthermore, know that you can do this. You were made for this. Additionally, you are going to be an amazing teacher this school year. Yes, it’s going to challenge you, but you have the ability to rise up to that challenge and to overcome it. Yes, you will be stretched, but you are going to grow. And you are going to learn so much along the way.

Lastly, to remind you of what an amazing opportunity it is to be able to have a career where your life is so greatly impacted by the lives of others. I could do a whole series on the the lessons that I have learned as a high school teacher and the (many) things that my students have taught me.

The Many Lessons Learned as a High School Teacher

But in that note, the things that I have learned the most, from being a high school teacher have been empathy and compassion. The ability to be impactful through words and through actions. And it’s my students that have taught me that. I cannot wait for YOU to have your own memories and to learn your own lessons from the students that you get the amazing opportunity and privilege to work with.

While, as stressful, and as conflicting, as times are, that we live in. Remember, you were made to be a teacher. You have the ability within your heart, within your mind, within your voice and by how you lead your classroom to impact and shape the future. There are going to be individuals one day that look back to you as the leading voice, the leading inspiration in their life, and that is something that makes every single thing worth it.

I’m wishing you the absolute best for this school year. It is going to be life-changing and I am so excited for you! If you are ever wanting to talk, or want support, please reach out. Come connect, hang out with me over on Instagram. Let’s talk things teaching, back to school. Or if you are just in need of simple encouragement and motivation, I can absolutely be your girl. Cheering you on and believing in you every single step of the way! Have the best day!