You likely became a teacher because you know the potential a good education holds for good living. Don't lose sight of that belief, and keep that belief at the center of all that you do in education.
You also likely became a teacher because you enjoy working with students, and it's likely that you chose to teach an age group that you feel you belong with and can teach well. We need good people to teach and work with children of all ages. Never allow others to judge you based on the ages of the children you teach--it is integral to a good society and a peaceful culture that our children are well served and cared for.
And, I bet you love to learn, and you chose teaching so you could continue to invest in awesome learning opportunities with your students and for your students. To teach well, we have to be lifelong learners.
To teach well depends on keeping yourself centered on the reasons you decided to teach, reasons related to a love of learning, service to children/families, and the awesome potential for good living that education holds.
It is also critical that you enter education with a focus on the following areas too:
Professional conduct
Teaching calls us to be our best selves at all times, and to be our best selves means that we work with others with respect, honesty, care, and collaboration. Covey's book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is a good place to start as you think about your professional self.
Positive Relationships
Teaching calls us to relate to so many people everyday and it's critical that you work to build and maintain positive relationships. This isn't always easy, but it's important. My most successful colleagues do this very well. You won't be able to relate deeply to everyone in the teaching/learning community since it's such a densely populated institution, but you need to be intentional about all relationships, and you need to develop positive relationships with those you work closely with.
Teach the children first, and the content second
Developing strong relationships with the children you teach with optimal listening skills and attention to who they are, what they like, and what they need will help you to teach well.
Know the content
It's critical that you understand the content you're charged to teach, and that you grow your knowledge in that area in deep and meaningful ways.
Be choosy about professional learning
Seek the best venues, experts, and materials for professional learning. Read the best books related to your professional questions. Follow the experts in the fields you're responsible for and sign up to meet or see them in person. Create study groups to move your learning and teaching ahead. Sign up for professional opportunities and organizations that will help you to become an expert in the content area you are teaching.
Analyze, reflect, and revise
Continually analyze your teaching/learning effort and revise as needed.
Ask questions, seek support, team with colleagues
It's impossible to do your best work completely on your own. Reach out and collaborate to learn more and teach better.
Exhaustion is the enemy of good teaching
Some of my worst days as a teacher can be traced back to exhaustion; take care of yourself and get the rest and relaxation you need to do the job well.
Speak up
Letting problems fester is not a good idea. Some additional worst days of my teaching career occurred because I let problems fester rather than speaking up--it's important to speak up when there are problems and frustrations.
Allies
To make good change in schools, you need allies. Ally yourself with your teacher's union and like-minded colleagues in real time and online to develop the teaching/learning program in ways that well serve students, families, educators, and the community.
Partner with families
As soon as I partnered with families, my teaching improved. Families, like you, care deeply about their children. When you work together, you serve children better.
Make the time upfront to prepare a welcoming teaching/learning environment
Put in the time upfront to create a teaching/learning environment that welcomes children--make your teaching/learning space a home away from home.
Perfection is the enemy of good
Focus on positive development rather than perfection. Good teaching is not static, but instead it's a step-by-step journey of positive development. Have a growth mindset. Know that you can continue to hone your skills and develop your craft. Don't be afraid of responsible risk and reach.
Create goals and vision for your professional growth
Make a plan to rise on the salary schedule and achieve professional growth. Think about who you want to be in the profession in ten or twenty years and work towards that. Always remember that your administrators will be the ones writing your recommendations for professional opportunities in the future, so work with them with honesty, respect, and kindness.
When I started my career, I wish someone had shared these points with me. That would have helped a lot. I hope you'll share these points with those you know who are embarking on a professional career in teaching. If there's anything you would add to this list, let me know.
