As you enter the school on your first day as a new teacher, a million thoughts must be racing through your mind. On one hand you are excited about your new job and on the other hand you are terrified as to if you made the right choice in taking up this profession. Either ways as butterflies flutter in your stomach now it is show time.
You walk into your classroom and a bunch of kids are trying to settle in. As you look carefully, you find they are as tensed as you are, they want to know you better and they want you to know them better. Here are some pointers for every new teacher to taking the conversation forward:
1. To begin introduce yourself to the class – Tell them the story of why you are a teacher and then ask each one of them to tell their story. Take notes and remember the fine details of what they like and of course their names.
2. Prepare all your household chores over the weekend – Whether it is your lunch box menu chart or clothes to wear over the course of the week. Organise your home better.
3. Create support systems in school –Whether it is the janitor or a colleague. Look for a teacher who has been around for a while. Seek advice and help from them. They know the systems, they have been there longer than you. And remember nothing beats experience.
4. Go the extra mile – Volunteer for the activities that you find interesting. Make the extra effort to decorate your classroom. Whether you call it Law of Karma or action-reaction. When we are willing to work hard, the stakeholders realise we are in it for good and that helps build our image and shows our commitment to the job.
5. Find work-life balance – Essentially, this is difficult to maintain in this profession but to start with, create boundaries around your availability. Do not exchange your personal numbers with each and every one. Schedule your time to do things that you like. Meditate, take day-long travel trips, volunteer in your community, and follow your hobby.
6. Enjoy being the new teacher – You are new to the profession, enjoy learning the nuances of this great profession, spend time with your students they have the power to change your life, learn new technologies that can help you plan a lesson better, explore resources, read and read some more, and always remember why you chose this profession. Never let go of the passion that brought you here in the first place.
The author is Dr. Nalini Taneja, chief enough officer at Aham I Am Enough Training Group. You can reach her at [email protected].
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