Imagine it is your first day of school again and your first time being in your classroom for the year. Hundreds of students everywhere are preparing for the new school year. Anxiety and butterflies hit most, if not all, of them as they are excited for a new beginning in a different grade level.
Just as the students prepare and are anxious for the new year, their first-year teacher inevitably feels the same way. With this being said, no one can tackle the educational profession alone. It truly takes a village to teach our children, and no one should be expected to handle everything that happens on a school day alone.
Building Strong Foundations
Building relationships with colleagues is invaluable. The bond that is created, along with the support that colleagues can provide, is so much more than what a textbook can offer. Colleagues experience the first-day jitters, just as any new teacher would. They also have lived this and survived the very same situation that any new teacher is experiencing. Collaboration and openly talking with your team allow for a supportive foundation to be built. Knowing that your team is behind you and there to support you in any way possibly makes each day a little easier.
Teams are not going to leap out to try to connect with new staff. Instead, all new teachers have to take a step and be part of their teams. Joining in on conversations or popping in to say good morning before the school day starts shows that you are friendly and want to connect. Being part of meetings and asking to join in on a meeting that you can offer assistance with will show your colleagues that you want to do your best and you want to be part of something much bigger than yourself.
Lesson Planning and Instruction
In order to best prepare for the school day, lesson plans can serve as a guide and offer direction for each day of the week. A lesson plan does serve so much more than required documentation that needs to be turned in. Lesson plans are in place to be sure that planning occurs. In a broader sense, think of lessons in this way. No one would arrive to give a speech without planning. This applies to your classroom instruction as well.
With this same mindset, think of how much more prepared you are in front of your classroom if you have a layout of what direction you will take your students through for the entire week. Without planning, there is weaker instruction with a big picture not in mind. Planning out the whole week keeps educators on the right track to get all that needs to be accomplished by the end of the week.
Planning enhances instruction. When planning ahead, it is important to collaborate with colleagues and be sure that the curriculum map that your district uses is being followed. We can plan out a great lesson, and it may be your best ever, but if it doesn’t align to the standards, a huge chunk of time has been wasted. Educators can get creative and follow the standards at the same time.
Self-Care and Resilience
Each day as we step into our classrooms, we want to be sure that we are giving our students our very best. Teachers are not expected to devote all of their time to their classrooms, but at the same time, anyone with experience will tell you that becoming an effective teacher takes planning on your own time outside of work.
With the amount of time that goes into your educational career, all teachers must take time for themselves. Self-care must become a priority to avoid fatigue and teacher burnout and ensure time for you to do things that make you feel refreshed and energized. There are several ways to practice self-care. Exercising can truly benefit you in several ways, especially if you are working out with a friend. Even if you exercise alone, this is a time to clear your mind and do something healthy for yourself.
Enjoying an evening out with friends or family may be exactly what is needed. Other things exist outside of your classroom, and it is important to recognize just how much your friends miss you or your family needs you. If you resign from your job today, someone will replace you tomorrow. Being a teacher is extremely important, but remember that your family is forever, and you must prioritize your time to be sure you are giving yourself the mental break you need and deserve.
At times, when things are challenging and you need help with getting through difficult times, therapy may be something that offers comfort and support. It is important to take care of not only your physical health but also your mental and emotional health. Employers also offer an employee assistance program that can help you find counseling services that can assist as well. You can always do this privately and seek help on your own, but it is worth noting that every district has an EAP that if offered to educators.
As educators, we should strive to thrive rather than just survive. By reaching out and utilizing resources at our fingertips, we can emerge from a problem and come out on top. As challenging as times may seem, a resilient teacher will reflect and grow to overcome any hurdles they may face. Setting boundaries and knowing your limits are part of being resilient. Leaving your laptop at work for a night and giving yourself time to regroup is setting boundaries so that we don’t wholly wear ourselves out.
Every day we want to ensure we bring our very best to our classrooms. By giving time to take a breather, reflect, and strive for success, we will ultimately be ready to provide the best educational experience for our students.
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