Teaching Is Not For Wusses

Posted by Ashley, Special Educator

I’ve recently had quite a few conversations with new teachers about their first-year experiences in the field.  The common theme of these conversations is that most new teachers start out feeling overwhelmed, incompetent, and sleep deprived!  That’s exactly how I felt my first year of teaching as well!  This is no reflection of how much you love your job or your students.  It’s just a tough job, especially in the beginning!  I don’t think that any one, or any educational program, can truly prepare you for your own classroom.  It’s sort of like being thrown in the deep end of a swimming pool.  You feel a little shocked, your feet don’t reach the ground, and you have to decide pretty quickly if you’re going to sink or swim.  Not to mention that you’re not exactly sure how to swim!  Sure, you’ve taken some classes, watched some videos, but you’ve never had to do it on your own, you’ve never had to do it without your life jacket.  But, here you are, in the deep end, with no lifeguard.  It’s just you (and a bunch of children you’re responsible for!)  That can be a pretty scary feeling, and is a feeling that I think a lot of new teachers can relate to!