Starting Your School Year Off 'New': 3 Perspectives For 'New' Teachers

#NewSchoolYear, #NewTeachers, #Teaching, #Perspectives

September is here and this can mean a lot of things! Especially for teachers! Everyone wants to start their year off right, but this can mean very different things. And depending of what point of your career you find yourself at. What you'll find yourself staring down can look appreciably different from the teacher in the classroom beside yours.

But what about those who are 'new' to the profession...?

As in new to teaching, new to a sublist, new to a full time teaching position or new to a school.

Well, if you are any of those things, then this blog post is for you!

Let's dive in!

A Perspective For Teachers 'New' To Subbing & Teaching On Call

You're fresh out of teacher training. If you remember correctly, you may have had an interview with a school board a hot minute, a week, or a month ago. Don't worry, as a teacher, its perfectly normal for your recollection to be a little blurry. But whether your recollection of just how you ended up here. As in the beginning of the school year. Probably with a name tag to some sort of lanyard. You suddenly realize that you are now a 'teacher' on 'call!'

So what do you do?

The difference between maybe-surviving and coming-darn-close-to-thriving as a sub or TOC is effective 'you' management. That's right, 'you' management, as in it might be a good idea to know a few things about yourself. It pays to sit down and consider what you want out of you subbing or TOC experience.

So before you get your first call --or after you've gotten your tenth one-- make sure to carve out some time to consider the following:

1. What do I want to get out of this chapter in my teaching career?

2. What steps do I need to take protect my sense of well being?

3. What am I willing to say 'yes' to...

4. What do I know I need to say 'no' to...

5. When should I politely 'pause' and find out more?

6. How do I adjust these things as I learn more about myself along the way?

Maybe you are looking to to say 'yes' to the first full time position that is offered to you. Maybe you use the 'do not disturb' function on your phone from 10pm till 6am. Maybe you make a habit of offering to volunteer to help out with clubs at schools you'd like to teach at.

Or maybe, you discover you'd like to try teaching overseas for a few years instead.

Remember, in a weird sort of way, as a TOC you have a lot more agency and control over your then might expect.

So as the new school year dawns. Aim to be good for your school board, be good for fellow teachers, be good for the students that you meet. Most importantly though, be good to yourself!

A Perspective & First-year Teacher Tips For Teachers With Their First 'New' Full Time Teaching Gig

Actually, being a new teacher can be downright overwhelming. Depending on things like the nature of your contract, your course load, the needs of the students in your class or class(es).

But no matter what sort of situation you find yourself in, the one skill which all new teachers need to develop is 'juggling...'

So as you get set to send your first few items into the air, ask yourself the following:

1. How do I buy back more of my time?

2. How can I buy into existing networks and resources at my school?

3. How do I create opportunities for creating new networks, friendships and connections?

4. How can I politely say 'no' to admin and other teachers who want to drop extras onto my plate?

5. How do I develop my ability to say 'I need more time to consider...' especially when my gut response and anxious tendency is to say 'yes'?

6. How can I get in the habit of asking for help before things start to go wrong?

And remember, even at the best of times teaching can feel lonely. So take steps to connect with other teachers and staff. Start a new teachers meetup group! Get in touch with the school's social committee. Or be the first person to start one!

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A Perspective For Teachers Who Are 'New' To A School

Although it might not always seem like it, teaching is a profession built for geographic mobility! Now whether that means moving down the block. Across town. To another city. Or to another country.

Moving to another school as an established teacher isn't something which gets talk about a lot. There are reasons for this. Things like seniority, being part of a school school community, and having established long lasting relationships with other teachers.

Yet there are many benefits as well! As well as a few things to consider.

So get creative and consider you can:

1. Get acquainted with your new school's calendar and game plan appropriately.

2. Treat your experiences from other schools as something to be valued and shared.

3. Find ways to reach out to, network with, and connect with other teachers.

4. Find ways of connecting with the new and newbie teachers at your school as you are in a unique position to serve as a mentor.

5. Don't be afraid to bring ideas, clubs, or practices that you enjoyed to your new school.

6. Don't be afraid of adopting a new persona or trying something new.

Going someplace new as a teacher will always present new challenges. It will also present new opportunities as well. Gaining an outside perspective is something which is often hard to achieve in teaching. Bringing a new perspective is still rare enough that the experience can be said to be quite novel indeed.

Don't be afraid to leverage what you learned from where you were to improve upon the experiences you'll have where you are now!

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