Top 10 Pieces of Advice for Teachers from Teachers.
I asked art teachers on Facebook, "what advice would you give to your "First Year" teacher self?" These are the top 10 pieces of advice.
NUMBER ONE: Start your retirement saving immediately. A Roth IRA, 401K or 403B. Retirement feels like a lifetime away, but it will be upon you in a blink. It can be painful or joyous. This was reiterated by many. You will never get rich as a teacher, the future of teacher pay is always in flux. You must always be ready to look after yourself, so start small and increase your contributions every time you get a raise.
2. Never take student unkindness personally. Their lack of "filters" is part of being a child. Their minds are not yet fully formed so expect that they will make poor decisions. Show empathy to win them over. Remember that their lives, outside of school, may be hell.
3. Don't be their friend. Students have friends. What they need is a teacher who sets clear and fair boundaries, stays consistent, and is the stable, loving anchor in their lives.
4. Don't let work pile up. Being prepared is very important, being flexible might be even more so. Plan well, create lists, and use all your contracted time to work but...
5. DO NOT give up your weekends or vacations for school work. If you are doing more than can be done in your contracted day, pull back and simplify. It is okay to say NO to others at work when you are overwhelmed.
6. The first year is always the hardest. Find a seasoned yet happy teacher as a mentor. Maybe a few. Do not be an island -- do not "do it alone."
7. Don't hang out with negative teachers, it's infectious. Visit the rooms and observe those with great attitudes and amazing classroom management even if they are not art teachers. (If you don't know who that is, ask your administration, they know.)
8. Celebrate successes. Reflect on, but don't dwell on failures.
9. Stay active, have hobbies, don't let work "define" you.
10. Don't use your own money to buy supplies. (Advice HERE)
BONUS: Make friends with the janitors and secretaries. Treat them well! Always be on their good side and life will be good. ;-)
Resource HERE for New & Student Teachers. Free if you have an Amazon Kindle account.
NUMBER ONE: Start your retirement saving immediately. A Roth IRA, 401K or 403B. Retirement feels like a lifetime away, but it will be upon you in a blink. It can be painful or joyous. This was reiterated by many. You will never get rich as a teacher, the future of teacher pay is always in flux. You must always be ready to look after yourself, so start small and increase your contributions every time you get a raise.
2. Never take student unkindness personally. Their lack of "filters" is part of being a child. Their minds are not yet fully formed so expect that they will make poor decisions. Show empathy to win them over. Remember that their lives, outside of school, may be hell.
3. Don't be their friend. Students have friends. What they need is a teacher who sets clear and fair boundaries, stays consistent, and is the stable, loving anchor in their lives.
4. Don't let work pile up. Being prepared is very important, being flexible might be even more so. Plan well, create lists, and use all your contracted time to work but...
5. DO NOT give up your weekends or vacations for school work. If you are doing more than can be done in your contracted day, pull back and simplify. It is okay to say NO to others at work when you are overwhelmed.
6. The first year is always the hardest. Find a seasoned yet happy teacher as a mentor. Maybe a few. Do not be an island -- do not "do it alone."
7. Don't hang out with negative teachers, it's infectious. Visit the rooms and observe those with great attitudes and amazing classroom management even if they are not art teachers. (If you don't know who that is, ask your administration, they know.)
8. Celebrate successes. Reflect on, but don't dwell on failures.
9. Stay active, have hobbies, don't let work "define" you.
10. Don't use your own money to buy supplies. (Advice HERE)
BONUS: Make friends with the janitors and secretaries. Treat them well! Always be on their good side and life will be good. ;-)
Resource HERE for New & Student Teachers. Free if you have an Amazon Kindle account.
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