Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1480924
F O R N E W T E A C H E R S , year one in the classroom is exhausting, overwhelming and often chaotic, but veteran teachers say it'll also be joyful. You'll realize every decision you make will have an impact in the lives of the kids you teach. You've spent years learning your craft. Now it's your chance to put what you've learned into action. 1. Prepare for a roller coaster. There will be transcendent moments. Other times, you'll feel lost and demoralized. Consider writing a note to yourself: "Don't be surprised when this is hard." Keep it someplace handy. It'll give you perspective when things get difficult. Whether in the teachers' lounge or online, try to avoid neg- ative talk, and seek out positive growth-oriented colleagues. They 'll be your support system and there when you need to vent. 2. Set grading parameters. New teachers often spend too much time grading. It's a recipe for burnout, and it overwhelms students. Limit yourself to three high-priority comments on everything you grade or don't grade at all. Try a one-in-four rule, grading only 25 percent of assignments. Teach students to use peer-to-peer feed- back or rubrics for self-assessment to lighten your load. 3. Focus on relationships. Students will test your boundaries, and you'll be tempted to confront every infraction. Instead of trying to fix all misbehavior, pick your battles. Just go after the bigger issues that may impact your whole class. Put more energy into relationship building. Greet students at the door. Give brief surveys to get to know them. And consider regular check-in activities like morning meetings so you're constantly building connections. The goal is to find a balance between being firm and friendly, and that takes practice. 4. Seek out support. Great mentors are essential for developing great teachers, even if your instinct is to go it alone. Connect with positive, experienced teachers, the ones who know how to listen with empathy. They 'll help you prioritize and ultimately make a tough job more manageable. 5. Make reflection a habit. A consistent habit of meaningful reflection is at the heart of every good teaching practice. But finding time for it can be difficult , so keep reflection simple. During transi- tions in the day or after class, jot down notes in a note-taking app or record voice memos to review later. Focus on just one or two areas of improve- ment , and let the rest go. 6. Set your boundaries. To avoid burning out, set firm personal boundaries early and try to stick to them. Consider removing access to work emails from your phone so you're not tempted to respond after hours. Learn to say no to extra duties for now, like coaching an after-school team. Finally, work will drift into your weekends and evenings, so consider picking one day a week to work long hours. Remember that it will get easier, but until then, making a habit of these practices will help ease stress and allow for progress in all the right places. This article originally appeared in Edutopia. Watch Edutopia's video at edutopia.org/video/ 6-helpful-tips-new-teachers. Helpful Tips for New Teachers 6 Making a habit of these practices can help you avoid burnout and thrive in the classroom during your first year — and beyond 50 cta.org Teaching & Learning