10 Things New Teachers Need to Know

You've gone through numerous education courses all showing you how to be the best teacher for your students. But now the day has come — first day of school as a teacher. Even after all those courses, actually being a teacher is totally different from what you've learned in college. Honestly, it's like that for most majors.

But, don't freak out just yet. Yes, the tips you were taught in college are definitely going to be used in your day-to-day routines during school, but there are also other aspects when it comes to teaching a group of kids. Kids can be intimidating, needless to say they're judging your every move and the way you teach. But don't let them get to you entirely.

To be aware of what you're getting into, here are the things new teachers need to know before starting their first day on the job!

Be organized.

This is a great tip out of the things new teachers need to know. Organization is crucial! Organize your desk, your file cabinets, your drawers, everything you have in your classroom, organize it. Especially in a classroom, it's so easy to lose or misplace things.

Not only will being organized help you teach better, but it'll impact you, too. Just being organized feels great and gets you motivated — you'll want to do more when tidying things up around the classroom!

Never yell.

This is a big one when it comes to things new teachers need to know. Things can become very stressful in the midst of teaching, grading, etc. Your students can also get to you, but never let them! Remember, they're kids, individuals much younger than you, which means you shouldn't yell at them.

Instead, having a one-on-one talk with them can really clear things up. This also goes for any problems between students such as bullying. Taking them outside of the class and speaking to them can solve the majority of problems. Yelling is never the answer in these situations.

Write down all of your good ideas.

Either you're on break during work or you're casually sitting at home, ideas always pop into your head. So, if you happen to have a really great idea, write it down! The second it appears in your head, you better quickly find a pen and paper and write it down.

If you don't, it'll most likely vanish from your mind and never be brought back again. And who knows, one specific idea can really change the way you teach certain lessons and you can even pass on these ideas to your fellow teachers.

Stick to a routine.

From the list of things new teachers need to know, sticking to a routine is really important — especially if you're new to the teaching.

If you have a great lesson routine that works out well for you and your students, stick to it! Don't suddenly switch things up once you're starting to get the hang of your current routine. Save the new stuff for later, or else you'll be mixing up everything and you'll end up completely lost — along with your students.

Be patient with your students and with yourself.

You have to have patience for teaching in general. Remember, you're teaching a bunch of young students, older students, or even one student, new things. Most of the time, they will be clueless before you really get into the details.

So, throughout the process, patience is key and always will be key. Don't be frustrated over your student for not keeping up with you and never be annoyed by yourself either for not making it clear enough. It'll always work out in the end, but at the moment, be patient!

Be well rested.

Believe it or not, a lot of teachers don't get enough sleep. It's not just the students here! They'll be up grading tests, quizzes, homework, etc. or they're tweaking their lesson plans — there's always a reason why teachers get less than eight hours of sleep per night.

So, as for the things new teachers need to know, always be well rested. Always. The lack of sleep will soon catch up to you even in the midst of teaching a lesson — your words will start to slur and your vision will begin to blur. Don't let this happen, I've seen a teacher knocked out on his desk while we were taking our test. Do I have to mention that the majority of the students cheated off of each other? Please, don't let this happen to you. Sleep is important for your health, as well.

Connect and socialize with other teachers.

You don't want to be sitting alone during your breaks, right? Mingle! Talk with other teachers... communicate and connect with them. This is so important, because not only will you be having outings with them, but you can learn SO MUCH from other teachers.

When you're interacting with other teachers, they will most likely show and tell you their lesson plans and even how they manage student dramas, fights, etc. You can learn a lot from other teachers and use their tips and advise for yourself. From the things new teachers need to know, new teachers should always connect with other teachers.

It’s OK to make mistakes.

Many teachers look down upon themselves for even making the slightest mistake... don't worry about it too much. You will always learn from your mistakes and become cautious to never pull that same move again.

For one of the things new teachers need to know, don't think about your mistakes too much. Just remember to be extra careful in the future.

Decorate your classroom!

This is a great tip for new teachers — decorating your classroom can really help students be more comfortable in a home-like room. Put up motivating, confident posters on the walls, throw in some potted plants, even have a few stuffed animals around your desk — get creative! Not only will your classroom look cozy and fun, your students will be more comfortable sitting and learning in your room.

However, don't decorate your classroom too much. Throwing in a lot of colorful decorations can actually distract your students from learning. So keep the decor to a minimum.

Students have opinions, too.

When it comes to teaching and the things new teachers need to know, teachers don't always have the wheel. A student's voice is important, too, because they're the ones learning.

So, when a student has a suggestion on teaching a lesson or she mentions the best method she can learn by, take that into account. The whole point of teaching is for the students to acknowledge what they're being taught. Therefore, you're trying to find the best way to show it to them. It will make teaching much easier if you're showing the lesson in the way they need to view it.