Dear First Year Teacher, Revisited
Mary Nacey
A year ago I wrote a piece for another blog, inspired by a discouraged first year teacher, and by my own memories of being a first year elementary teacher nearing the end of the school year. Because the sentiment is as valid today as it was then, I’m sharing it again here (with a few slight edits).
Dear First Year Teacher,
It’s been a weird couple of years out there, eh? Admittedly, none of us predicted having to navigate a global pandemic, but SHEESH, starting a career in the classroom THIS year…that’s next level. I clearly remember my first year in the classroom…
…No, just kidding! I don’t think anyone really remembers their first year in the classroom! My first year teaching was the wildest whirlwind that I only remember pieces of. I have the same Swiss-cheese memory of that year as I do of my first 6 weeks with my first child as a newborn: sleep deprived, anxious, always thinking there’s something I should be doing better.
But then there are those bright spots that I can remember so clearly that it feels like a flashback. The first time I saw the look in the eyes of a student who had connected to a lesson, the first time a student said they liked my class, knowing that my students felt accepted and loved.
One thing I remember most, though, is the feeling of excitement and hope: getting to set up my own classroom, getting to meet and bond with my students, followed by the feeling of discouragement after the exhaustion and intensity of the first few months.
That’s why I’m writing this now, sweet First Year Teacher…you’re getting close to the finish line of the year, a year which has simultaneously felt excruciatingly slow and mind-spinningly fast. You are exhausted, and you are desperate to get to the end, to finish on a high note. At the same time, there is so much more you wanted to do, wanted to say, wanted to teach those beautiful faces in front of you. Hopefully these thoughts will be encouraging to you:
— You won’t have done everything perfectly, and that’s okay. Kids are resilient, and as long as you’ve tried your hardest, overall, they will be okay.
— Your students mostly won’t remember the things that you wish you could have done better. They WILL mostly remember the times that you made them feel loved.
— Teaching is a marathon, not a sprint. You came into this school year with huge ideas, and you’re realizing you didn’t cram them all in. That’s okay! You have time - next year, or the year after - to try things out and work through the process, whether it’s your classroom management style, your organizational style, or your teaching style. You WILL find what works for you.
— You are valued. I’m betting you don’t feel valued. I’m betting (if you’re anything like me,) you’re looking around thinking that everyone else has it all together, has the perfect system down, and is perfectly patient all the time. It’s not true, and someone is probably thinking it about you, too.
— It gets easier. The first year is the hardest…you’re in the real world. You are balancing actual lesson planning, actual students, and actual coworkers. You aren’t a student teacher anymore, the training wheels are off, and you know that the buck stops with you. But it gets better! Don’t underestimate the difference that something as simple as familiarity with your coworkers and school environment makes. Especially when it comes to easing stress and freeing your brain to work efficiently in other areas!
— It is absolutely worth it. Most of teaching is planting seeds that won’t bloom for a long long time. So many teachers never get to see the results of the seeds they’re planting. As long as you’re planting good seeds, trust that the garden will be beautiful whenever it blooms.
Take heart, dear First Year Teacher! You’re putting your heart on the line here, and we know it. We got your back.
Originally written for Strong Schools Movement in March, 2022