As we think about support for first year teachers, let’s think back to our own first year in the profession. For me, the feeling of overwhelm encompasses my season of teaching for the first time. There were so many ups and downs!
Sarah Besand, a teacher and Possip Reporter, shares three ways to foster and encourage first year teachers.
I remember working in my classroom hours after school and still feeling disorganized when it came to my daily to-do list. I remember helping my students through hard emotions and carrying this home with me. Feeling so depleted, but also extremely proud of the work I was doing. Even as I recall it now, I feel compassion for this young teacher with so much to learn.
If you’re anything like me, I bet your experience was similar. Even with the best of support systems, this profession comes with a huge learning curve. Statistically, so many new teachers will find employment outside the teaching profession within their first 5 years. To meet this challenge, we must not only support our new teachers, but strengthen them as well. Here’s our ideas on how to strengthen new teachers at your school.
Design or Implement a Mentor Program
To continue to strengthen our teachers, a mentor program can be extremely helpful. Mentor programs can vary depending on school needs, but the important part to remember is leading these programs with compassion and empathy as a core tenant.
To do this, think about ways you can design a space that elevates new teachers’ experiences while also allowing mentor teachers to share ideas for them. In my own mentorship program, I remember learning so much from the curated advice my mentor imparted on me. Through this balance of empathy and wisdom, new teachers can find strength by realizing they are not alone. Every teacher has experienced being new in their career, and have tricks of the trade to show for their time invested.
A monthly cadence typically works well for this. Try setting aside a part of your faculty meeting to allow your mentors and mentees to learn from each other!
Check-In Regularly
In addition to mentor teacher meetings, check-ins with you as a principal can really show you care! Administrators, we know you have so much on your plates already, but checking in with your new teachers can be beneficial for your retention from year to year.
The main reason for this is boosting teacher confidence. Just like our students–when you believe in your staff, they will rise to the expectations you set. They begin to see themselves how you see them–capable, achieving, and confident new educators. Checking in with new teachers and celebrating them can be the key to their success.
Provide Extra Support as Needed
With new teachers, there comes a vast array of different needs they may have. Some may seem mostly self-sufficient, while others may need more support as the year goes on. Through mentor and administrative check-ins, you will be able to glean what those needs are.
Now, it’s time to uncover how best you can support them on their journey. This may look like connecting this teacher with an instructional coach as they navigate a new curriculum. It could look like helping this teacher co-teach a lesson. It could also look like providing them with coverage for their class so that they can observe how a master teacher navigates student behaviors. Whatever support you choose, your teacher will be able to feel the compassion at the core. Your actions show that you care about strengthening their teaching practice, and that goes a long way in the quality of the instruction at your school as well as staff retention from year to year.
We hope this article was helpful as you continue to create systems to support and strengthen the first-year teachers on your campus. We know that meeting these teachers with compassion and the goal to help them grow will help them transform in their first years in the profession. We are excited for your journey as you support your new teachers!
