I was so nervous as I prepared for my first year of teaching! I worried that the kids wouldn’t listen, their parents would think I was too young to teach, and the first day would be a disaster. But then, when the first day actually came, something happened that completely changed my outlook.

That morning, one of my students’ parents asked if she could take a picture of me and her son. This simple gesture renewed my confidence and made me feel excited for the year ahead. I saw that a bridge between home and school had already been laid by parents, and I realized that my third-grade students were probably feeling nervous, too. As my student’s mother snapped the picture of us, I remember thinking “It’s going to be a picture-perfect day!”

My advice to new teachers is to remember you have many more days. Don't try to do everything at once! What I’d like to remind all teachers is that baby steps are the key to making lasting changes. Start with something you feel is manageable—practice it, reflect on it, and tweak it . . . then repeat! Once that thing feels as if you’re closer to mastery, choose something new to work on. If you’re looking for an idea, interactive modeling is a great practice to focus on. Using it makes a world of difference when it comes to starting the year off right!
 

Read the previous post: "First Day Memories"