Starting your teaching career comes with a mix of excitement, nerves, joys, challenges, and a million memorable “firsts” throughout the year. From figuring out how to set up your classroom to classroom management to writing engaging lesson plans, there’s so much to learn all at once! The best news, though? You do NOT have to do it alone. Not only can you trust seasoned teachers right down the hall for practical advice for new teachers, but you can also rely on our Teaching With a Mountain View community. 

This blog post is PACKED with practical advice for new teachers, straight from experienced teachers in our free Inspired in Upper Elementary Facebook group. Each of our community members has been exactly where you are and is eager to share the strategies that worked for them in their classrooms. You can think of our group as an uplifting virtual teachers’ lounge where everyone wants you to feel more confident, prepared, and supported as you start your career.

Advice for New Teachers

Teaching is hard, but it’s a little easier when we lean on each other. If you need advice on classroom management, tried-and-true organizational hacks, or just a little reassurance that you’re on the right track… this collection of tips is here to help! 

Work-Life Balance and Self-Care Tips

• “I saw a reel today that said, ‘Work on your obituary, not your resume!’ That was profound to me. It’s your job, not your life. I would say know your worth and stand up for your personal boundaries. Your family is your first priority, not your job.” — Kim B.
• “Go home at a decent time, the work will still be there tomorrow. It is not more important than the people at home who love you more than anyone in that school!!” — Patricia J.
• “Don’t work nights or weekends. It’s your job not your life!” — Laura L.
• “Set limits for yourself. Literally set timers when working at home. Enjoy your family.” — Valerie L.
• “Be fully present and amazing during your work day, BUT, remember you have a life. Prioritize family ALWAYS, use your sick and personal days… mental health days count! Don’t stay past your contracted time and don’t take work home with you. Most importantly, and I know this might sound unpopular… they don’t care about YOU. If you die, they will have your job posted before the obituary. Love those kids, inspire them and make a difference BUT, please take care of you.” — Bette S.
• “Don’t be afraid to ask for support.” — Angie D.
• “Manage your work life balance. Don’t compare yourself.” — Emma K.
• “Give yourself grace!” — Tishia B.
• “Give yourself some grace. Some days you will not be the best teacher, for any number of reasons, and that’s okay!” — Joan E.

TLDR? Teaching doesn’t have to be your entire personality: Set boundaries, go home on time, take care of your mental health, and never forget—your job matters, but your life matters more!

Classroom Management and Organization

• “Don’t grade everything. Score what’s important, mark everything else as practice, and enjoy your family with the freed up time away from schoolwork. I was a different person in my final years before retirement when I finally learned this out of exhaustion.” — Nancy K.
• “Assigning my students a # based on the attendance roster list and having them write their assigned # on the top right corner of every assignment saved me so much time alphabetizing all their assignments and accelerated the time to enter their grades so much faster was absolutely brilliant!” — Grace’s Tutoring
• “Don’t work during your lunch! I’m still working on this one.” — Cassie L.
• “You gotta eat and it’s more fun when you can be socializing with colleague friends at lunchtime, BUT I’d rather get things done at lunch to be able to leave earlier for time with family.” — Nancy K.

TLDR? Work Smarter – Not Harder: Save your time (and sanity) by streamlining grading, setting boundaries during lunch, and ditching the pressure to do it all. Efficiency = more time for yourself.

Parent Communication and Boundaries

• “I had a principal tell me 30 years ago… you’ll never be able to please 10% of your parents no matter what you do, so let it go. Don’t let disgruntled parents destroy you. That message helped me through a lot of rough times and I’ll never forget it.” — Nancy K.
• “Don’t spend your own money on your room or materials.” — Donna P.
• “Don’t spend your own money! Take care of yourself and your retirement.” — Lynette C.

Joy in Teaching

• “Start a book of the things kindergarteners say….” — Megan S.
• “Write down everything – the good, the bad and the JOY. Address it to yourself and read it in 10, 15 years as a reminder to not give up.” — Shawn P.
• “Write all the memorable stories down! It’ll be your retirement best seller!” — McKenzie S.
• “Write down the comments, statements, stories etc. Then write a book when you retire.” — Molly U.

More Encouragement

• “It’s going to be tough, but it will lead you towards a prosperous retirement. Hang in there! And remember – you’re working with kids. Love on them. Support them. They need you.” — Jana T.
• “Don’t worry. You may not know much now and you feel like you’re failing your kids due to your inexperience but one day you will be great at what you do and your babies will come back to visit you because you did make a difference. It’s not always about what you taught them but how you made them feel.” — The Two Crew
• “Only move forward!” — Stasia S.
• “Enjoy the time with your classes and learn from them not books. Don’t be hard on yourself.” — Mel T.

New Teacher Tips Email Series

If you enjoyed those tips, we have even more!

Sign up for our FREE email series filled with first-year teacher tips for classroom management, lesson planning, parent communication, and more! Even if you aren’t a first-year teacher, you’re welcome to join us as we cover the essentials. It’s LOADED with new teacher tips and reminders applicable to anyone.

More Helpful Posts for New Teachers

After you’ve been in the classroom for a few years, you pick up teacher hacks and strategies for classroom management that make you think – how did I ever live without this?! I asked several teachers in our FREE Inspired in Upper Elementary Facebook group what their best hacks were, and I compiled them in this post, along with my own personal teacher hacks. From organization, systems, and classroom management, this is your ultimate list of teacher hacks!

We also have a large library of back-to-school-focused posts. You can browse these posts for classroom setup inspiration, curriculum advice, classroom management tips, and more!

While you may not want to think about it yet, we also have a series of posts dedicated to rocking your classroom observations. Whether you’re preparing for a scheduled observation or want to ace your next unannounced walkthrough, I compiled a few tips that I’ve gathered over the years for you!

Engaging in professional development activities can provide fresh perspectives, new strategies, and valuable skills that will benefit both you and your students. Visit this page to browse my FREE professional development opportunities. These resources can help you reflect, set goals, and invest in your continuous growth as educators.

Teaching is one of the most rewarding journeys you’ll ever take, and it’s not one you have to do alone! Remember, every teacher starts as a beginner. Trust yourself, lean on your community, and celebrate each victory along the way! YOU are making a difference.

If you’re looking for even more advice, inspiration, and a supportive space to collaborate, we’d love to have you join our Free Inspired in Upper Elementary Facebook group. It’s the best place to explore our resources, connect with fellow educators, and build confidence as a new educator! We’re excited to have you join us.