Dear New Teacher,
I am sure you have heard many teachers in your college classes, your mentor teacher, or even friends of yours who may have graduated college before you talk about how difficult the first year of teaching is. You have probably heard about the steep learning curve, the lessons that do not always go as planned, or even the student who ate his nametag on the first day of school. Maybe you have heard stories of that one parent that makes teachers cry, or the one who unexpectedly brings you coffee on the day you just happen to need it the most. None of these stories could have prepared you for the immense difficulty of these past few years in the classroom because of The-Virus-That-Must-Not-Be-Named.
This learning curve? Oh, that’s more like a vertical incline.
If this is your first experience with having your own classroom, I encourage you to hang in there and keep an open mind. It will get better. On the days I feel like giving up, I try to revisit the reason why I became a teacher in the first place. When I was fresh out of college, I wanted to make a positive impact on my students’ lives and show children that learning can be, and is, fun. Now, a decade later, I still have the same “why” although the reasons behind the why are different.
I have seen new teachers struggle with the unexpected and temporary challenges that The-Virus-That-Must-Not-Be-Named has thrown at schools. I have heard stories about the overwhelming stress and unhappiness that it has caused many new teachers. At times these past few years, I have been demoralized and overwhelmed too. For a brief moment during hybrid teaching first graders in the Fourth Quarter of the 2020-2021 school year, felt like the fire had once been my passion for teaching was extinguished. I got through it by remembering my “why” and knowing that the difficulties I was facing were temporary problems. Honestly, starting my personal summer break countdown a little earlier than usual helped a bit, too.
It is not always going to be this hard. You will find your teaching style and things will get easier. The child who eats his nametag will not phase you as much, or you might even spot this child on the first day of school and just know that you need to keep an extra close eye on him. You learn how to deal with difficult parents better, and you find that there are more parents who brighten your day. But just in case – start your summer countdown now.
Sincerely,
A Veteran Teacher
P.S. – 31 days.
Caitlin Gawlowski
Caitlin was born to be a teacher, although she did not realize that teaching was her calling until she went to college. She has always loved to write, and began college with the mindset of becoming a journalist. Before beginning her freshman year of college, she changed my major to Elementary Education on a whim and has never looked back. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Arizona State University, and won the Outstanding Student Teacher Award during her student teaching experience in the Cave Creek Unified School District. Caitlin spent 9 years in the classroom teaching 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. She became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2018, and holds a certificate in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy: Reading/Language Arts. The 2021-2022 school year marks the beginning of her 10th year teaching, where she will be working as an Academic Interventionist, and supporting other National Board candidates on their journey toward National Board certification. If she is lucky enough to have free time, you can find her traveling Arizona with her husband and son, spending time with her friends and family, taking group fitness classes, or enjoying a good book.