As the school year begins, many schools are welcoming candidates fresh out of college. Some have student teaching under their belts, while others are entering classrooms with degrees completely unrelated to education. Given the current climate, some new hires have little to no formal training, and understandably, they’re wondering:
“What the hell am I doing?”
As someone who has mentored and worked with many first-year teachers from all walks of life, I can tell you this: that question is universal. It doesn’t matter how you got here, the fears are often the same. There’s a constant hum of “Can I really do this?” running in the background.
Let me stop right here and say: Yes, you can.
And also: Yes, it will be just as hard as it sounds.
One of the biggest challenges you’ll face is behavior management. It’s one of the most critical pieces of the puzzle, and you’ll spend a lot of time thinking, tweaking, and adjusting your approach.
But let’s zoom out for a moment — why are we doing this in the first place?
On any given day, your mind is juggling lesson planning, staff politics, student needs, parent concerns, and a to-do list that feels never-ending. The truth is, you won’t get to it all. Some days will end with piles of paperwork, unanswered emails, and nagging thoughts about things people said that got under your skin.
If I could give you just one piece of advice for your first year, it’s this:
Let that shit go.
I spent far too much of my first year trying to please everyone (and honestly, many of the second, third, and fourth years too). I wanted to be perfect, to be liked, to never mess up. But the reality is, I made mistakes. I let people down, including my students. And you will too, because you’re human.
Teaching is an art, not a formula. It requires constant self-awareness, reflection, and the willingness to grow.
You’re going to mess up. What matters most is what you do next.
Will you let it define you?
Will you wallow in self-doubt?
Or will you get back up, rework that lesson, and start building the relationships that truly make a difference?
You might plan every detail perfectly, and it still won’t go the way you imagined. I spoke to several veteran teachers while writing this, and many of them said the same thing: some of your best lessons will be the ones that come out of thin air, and some of the worst are the ones you agonized over.
Does that mean you should stop planning? Of course not. But it does mean you have to stay flexible. Some days, your lesson might need to be paused for something more urgent. Maybe what matters more than protractors that day is addressing the bullying that’s been poisoning your classroom culture.
Be willing to adjust. Be okay with the uncomfortable.
Make your classroom a place where students feel safe, because if they don’t feel safe, they won’t be able to learn.
So now you’re probably thinking, “Well, that’s great… but now what?”
The truth is, it’s up to you. But a few essential places to land are time management and the environment you create within your classroom.
Yes, it’s your room. While you’ll likely have to follow certain protocols, pacing guides, or daily schedules, you get to decide the energy and the feeling your students experience when they walk through that door. And instead of letting that responsibility overwhelm you, let it empower you.
I highly recommend sweating the small stuff when it comes to classroom management (yes, you read that right — see the article “Sweating the Small Stuff” for more on that). The little things are the big things when it comes to building an environment that promotes trust, growth, and strong relationships.
And when all hell inevitably breaks loose?
Be willing to forgive yourself.
As for time management, take a moment to ask yourself: What’s truly important to me? What really needs to get done?
Everyone’s brain works a little differently. Maybe you’re a list writer like me. Maybe you use phone reminders or post-its scattered all over your desk. If it works — awesome. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too. You might find a communication or organization tool (insert your preferred resource here) that helps you streamline.
Regardless of your style, spend your time wisely. The quickest path to burnout is bringing your work home every night when you should be enjoying your life outside of school. Reward yourself. You worked hard all day. Don’t drag it all back with you.
Last, but certainly not least, take care of yourself. Consider this your rally call — your epic, dug-out conversation before you completely kill it on the field. Whether it’s your first year or you’re about to retire from a remarkable career, lean on your colleagues for support, make those to-do lists, correct those disruptions, and give yourself the well-deserved grace you not only deserve, but need to not just survive, but thrive this year with your sanity intact.
Your students will thank you, your admin will thank you, and your own mental well-being and rejuvenation will thank you.
Have something to add?
I’d love to hear from you! Whether your first year has been epic or a little less-than-epic, please share your stories, tips, and tricks in the comments.
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Bridge Builders Ed 
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