8 Pieces of Advice for New Teachers from Current Educators

Let’s be honest: starting your teaching career can feel overwhelming. Between lesson planning, classroom management, and navigating school policies, new educators often wonder if they’re truly prepared for the challenges ahead. 

But here’s the good news: experienced teachers have walked this path before you, and they’re happy to share what they’ve learned to help you build your confidence and become comfortable in your career. We spoke with a handful of veteran educators to get valuable insights and advice for new teachers about everything from setting realistic expectations to finding your unique teaching style. Keep reading below to see what they had to say. 

Be Flexible and Keep Students at the Forefront 

Lucas Gaffey has encountered almost every situation an educator can throughout his 17-year career teaching high school science and math in Seattle, so it’s no surprise that he emphasizes the importance of adaptability. 

“All students are different [and] have different abilities, and we need to meet them where they are,” he explained. “You need to be pretty flexible. At the end of the day, you’re trying to help the kids.” 

While a teacher’s flexibility can extend beyond academic accommodations when students and their families experience crises, Gaffey also thoughtfully notes that it’s ok to draw lines to ensure that the necessary standards are being met for the best interest of the student’s learning outcomes.

Establish Work-Life Balance Early

Before becoming director of technology at The Linsly School in West Virginia, Cara Gregory was a full-time classroom teacher who took pride in establishing caring, safe relationships with her students in what she described as “a very poor district.” While this provided the students with comfort and strengthened their buy-in to learning objectives, it could also be emotionally taxing on Gregory, which is why one of her most crucial pieces of advice is about establishing boundaries. 

“Because our day does not end at 3 p.m. — whether it’s prepping for the next day of class or whether you’re just worried about a kid — at some point, you do have to walk away,” Gregory said. “At some point, you have to say, ‘OK, I need my family time’ or ‘I need to just shut my laptop for the weekend’ or ‘I just cannot respond to that parent right now.'” 

By acknowledging challenging situations and setting these boundaries as early as possible, new teachers can protect both their personal time and create a healthier work-life balance. You might still have to work late at school occasionally, but by not bringing work home and avoiding checking emails after work hours, new educators can invite less stress into their personal lives.

Don’t Overspend on Classroom Decorations

One more quick tip from Gregory: “Please don’t go out and spend thousands of dollars on your classroom and the decorations. That’s unnecessary.”  

Social media can make new teachers feel pressure to create Pinterest-worthy classrooms, but Gregory advises against this because, ultimately, a teacher’s time and energy are better spent focusing on building connections with students and creating meaningful learning experiences. 

Remember: a well-decorated room won’t make up for poor instruction, but strong relationships can overcome any aesthetic shortcomings.

Find a Mentor

Veteran educators were new teachers at some point, too, and they often have hard-earned wisdom and experiences to share, whether casually or in a more formal mentorship setup. Alicia Abbey learned that firsthand before becoming principal at Morningstar Catholic School in Florida. 

“Find a good mentor,” she put it simply. “I think that was huge for me. I had some amazing teaching mentors when I was in my internship that were just full of knowledge and experience and positivity, too.” 

Trust That You’ll Get Better Over Time

As both a real estate agent and a 3rd grade teacher, Leigh Harris has a helpful perspective about learning curves and the time it takes to feel like you’re good at a job. 

“You don’t have to be perfect right away,” she reminded new teachers, “and you can adapt your own way of doing things.” 

Every teacher develops their own style and becomes more comfortable in the classroom over time. What works for others might not work for you, and that’s alright. Focusing on continuous improvement and professional development rather than immediate perfection will lead to better results in the end.

Remember It’s a Team Effort

Now that she creates educational content for a living, Rebecca Joyner looks back on her time as a science educator and wants new teachers to understand that viewing student success in as a collaborative effort leads to better outcomes and better boundaries. 

“It’s not your sole job to get this student to pass her class,” Joyner explained. “It’s you, it’s the parent, it’s the administration, it’s the resource team… This is a group project. It’s not all up to you.”

Accept Failure as Learning

A graduate of Moreland University’s TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program, Miya Hourani never planned on working in education, even though she cherishes her current career teaching middle school language arts in Kuwait. Given her non-linear professional path, Hourani emphasized the importance of accepting setbacks and understanding that you can overcome challenges. 

“You need to accept the fact that you’re going to fail and you’re going to make mistakes and that sometimes things are out of the element of your control, and that’s okay,” Hourani reflected. “Because when you do things, especially as a first-year teacher, you’re hungry and you have different ideas going on and you want to try different things and see what works, and that’s fine.” 

New teachers can view things like lessons not going as planned as learning opportunities. Hourani has even made this part of her teaching practice, noting that she never uses the same resources as she did the previous academic year because she prefers to start fresh based on what she’s learned from new experiences.

Pace Yourself

Another TEACH-NOW graduate, Rainier Lee, worked as a cultural anthropologist before entering education. He’s worked in classrooms in South Korea and the Netherlands, crossing international borders and inspiring students on multiple continents. Although that may seem hectic, Lee’s guiding principles for himself and any teacher are straightforward. 

“Make simple goals for yourself,” he said. “Just pace yourself and have fun with it, because really it’s a job.”

More Advice and Resources for New Teachers from Moreland University

Remember that the challenges you face as a new teacher are normal, temporary, and valuable for your professional growth. Focus on building strong relationships with your students, seeking support from colleagues, and maintaining perspective about what really matters. 

Teaching is demanding work, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. You have the opportunity to shape young minds, inspire curiosity, and make a lasting impact on your community — and Moreland University is ready to support you every step of the way with free resources like The First-Year Teacher’s Guide to Success and our Building Teacher Confidence and Overcoming Impostor Syndrome webinar.  

Moreland also offers 100% online professional development courses, a 9-month teacher certification preparation program, and three master’s degrees programs that can be completed in as little as 12 months. No matter where you are in your teaching journey, Moreland has something for you!