How to Survive the First Year of Teaching

Surviving the first year of teaching can be difficult with lots of paperwork, new schedules and routines to adapt to, and the overwhelming nature of being in charge of a classroom. However, there are a few quick, easy steps that you can take to make the first year easier. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Ask for a mentor if you don't already have one. Most schools pair new teachers with mentors immediately so that the new teacher can ask advice and have a built-in support system. If you find that your mentor isn't meeting your needs, ask to be reassigned.
2. Focus on classroom management. Seasoned teachers will tell you that classroom management is the key to learning. You must have control of your classroom in order to communicate the information to your students that they need to succeed.
3. Pace yourself. As a new teacher, you might be excited about your work and bite off more than you can chew. Instead of taking on extracurricular sponsorships and the like, focus solely on your lesson planning, classroom management and the duties of first year teaching.
4. Build a support network in order to survive. Whether you buddy up to the people in your department or other new teachers in your school, it's good to have people with whom to blow off steam, talk shop and complain about the challenges of first year teaching.
5. Treat yourself to a hot bath and a "mental health day." Most new teachers find that they are stressed out to the breaking point at times. Take advantage of your personal vacation days or sick days to relax, get away from the grind, and recharge. Many new teachers don't survive with their will to teach in tact and jump ship before a second year because of burnout.