She was a special education teacher from New York, who sat next to me on a train after running the Boston Marathon. She described her training and the perseverance it took to make it through to race day. Then we began talking about teaching…in my mind, I was thinking that anyone who takes on running marathons certainly has what it takes to be a teacher! As we chatted more, she shared some of her first-year experiences as a co-teacher in an inclusion classroom. It became clear to me that she loved her students, but she was discouraged and disenchanted with the teaching profession. She felt unsupported and overwhelmed; she was ready to quit.

I thought about this chance meeting for a few days. It caused me to reflect on my own early experience and to think seriously about the importance of supporting and empowering new teachers. We need to be able to pass the torch to the bright young professionals of the future. These are my afterthoughts and my advice to the new teacher I met on the train.

1) Find a great mentor. If the district does not assign one, then seek out someone who cares enough about the profession to nurture it and support new members. Sometimes the match is less than ideal, and it is ok to also find others with whom you are more comfortable. Look outside your school and find online communities too – support and encouragement is everywhere.

2) Work on building relationships. Make connections with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. A strong network is important for a rewarding career. Surround yourself with colleagues who are enthusiastic, positive, and willing to share.

3) Reflect often and focus on what works. Keep a record of the little successes each day. Revel in your students’ “Aha!” moments and the positive growth you see.

4) Forgive yourself for mistakes and that which does not work as expected. Anticipate the ups and downs and roll with them. There will be days when nothing seems to go as planned and lessons fall flat.  Step back, regroup, and use your reflections to make changes.

5) Be flexible. There will be days of last-minute changes and surprises. A new student may show up at your door without warning. Every day and every year will be different. Sometimes you need to grab a teachable moment and run with it. That’s what keeps it interesting!

6) Keep the whole child in mind – especially if you work with students with special needs. Sometimes educator impact and student growth cannot be documented accurately through test data or measured by academic goals. The social and emotional growth you witness is important too.

7) Share your knowledge and ideas. Believe in your ability to bring something new to the table, and don’t be intimidated by veteran staff. Your youth and energy are a valuable asset.

8) Observe other teachers in their classrooms as much as possible. Take note of organization, classroom management strategies, and routines. Take time to solidly establish routines that work for you in your classroom and you might find the teaching part becomes easier.

9) Look beyond the walls of your school and develop your own personal learning network. The best professional development is self-driven. Go to workshops, conferences, and EdCamps, and use the resources online through Twitter and educational blogs – you can find information on anything! And don’t be afraid to take a risk and try something new.

10) Indulge in your outside passions. Run your marathons and climb your mountains; challenge yourself outside of the classroom. It is easy to let the responsibilities of teaching consume your energy.  Give yourself permission to put it all aside at the end of the day and enjoy your other life.

Most importantly – keep a sense of humor and have fun!

What would you say to a new teacher?