120 Tips

For New Teachers

From the Edutopia Community
120 Tips for New Teachers
Welcome
A
s a new teacher, you’re at the start
of an incredible journey. You likely
chose teaching because you care
deeply about making a difference in
children’s lives. But every profession has
its secrets—wisdom gained after years of
polishing your craft—and education is no
different. Fortunately, you don’t have to
figure it all out on your own.
We asked Edutopia’s community of more
than 1 million experienced teachers,
administrators, instructional coaches,
and other pre-K to 12 professionals what
advice they’d give to new teachers.
Thousands of educators weighed in. To
save you time, we’ve narrowed down their
advice to 120 must-read tips, organized
by topics that are especially relevant to
beginners.
Whether it’s setting up your classroom
for success, managing behavior, engaging
students, or dealing with colleagues and
parents, these tips are sure to boost your
confidence and help you to get through
the hard days. Some might even make
you chuckle.
And while they may not help with all the
curveballs that teaching will throw at
you, they should get you started off on
the right foot. Read on to find out why
shaving cream is a necessity (see tip #68
under “Tools, Tricks, and Clever Hacks”),
and why you should keep that tissue box
as far away from your desk as possible
(see tip #102 under “Wellness”).
Edutopia would like to thank everyone
who contributed to this tip sheet. And to
our new audience members, welcome to
our community!
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120 Tips for New Teachers

Contents

Setting Up Your Classroom for Success 4

Classroom Management, Culture, and Norms 5

Connecting With Students 6

Behavior 8

Teaching in Action 9

Grading and Assessment 10

The Importance of Joy and Play 11

Tools, Tricks, and Clever Hacks 12

Colleagues and Caretakers 14

Getting Through the Hard Days 15

Wellness 16

Purpose 18

Honing Your Craft 19

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120 Tips for New Teachers

Setting Up Your Classroom

for Success

01 You don’t need to dress up

your room with a theme before
the kids come in. Create the
06
space with your students as the
year evolves. Be sure to cover
the walls with their amazing
work.
—Barbara M.
Put your desk at the back of the
classroom. You sometimes see
more that way, and if students
need to ask for help, it’s less
embarrassing to be behind
everyone than in front of them.
—Jean F.

02 Don’t decorate your classroom

in ways that isolate students.
07
Shoot for inviting, neutral,
helpful, and—when all else
fails—funny. Yes, you spend the
entire day there, but the room
shouldn’t be mostly about you
or your comfort.
—Joshua T.
Have a space in your room
where students can take a
break. Some students get very
stressed out during academic
tests, quizzes, etc. Teach your
students to self-care.
—Trina G.

03 The best advice I ever got

was to keep one wall empty.
I often look there when I have
to think or plan, and I have seen
students do that too.
—Karen H.

04
Every once in a while, when
your classroom is empty, sit at
every desk and try to visualize
what it is like for your students
to sit there every day. You will
get many insights. 08 Have your classroom ready to
go for the next day before you
leave at the end of the day.
—Barry T.
—Tammy F.

05 Not every student has to sit in

their seat. Some need to stand.
Some need to lie on the floor.
Be flexible.
—Eria S.

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120 Tips for New Teachers

Classroom Management,
Culture, and Norms

09 You have to learn the difference

between being controlling and
being in control.
15 Do more fun and silly team-
building activities than you think
you should, especially the first
—Earlene C. couple weeks. Make sure they’re
safe and inclusive—get feedback

10 Let them make the classroom from kids on the best ones.
rules and come up with the Don’t underestimate the power
consequences—then they have of laughter and relationships.
to abide by THEIR OWN rules... —Jen M.
not yours.
—Doug J.
16 Use a predictable, rotating,
weekly job chart. Everyone has

11 Take time to teach rules,
procedures, and expectations.
Don’t assume your definition of
“walk quietly in the hall” is the
same as theirs. Don’t assume
they know how to study for a
biology test. Be deliberate, but
age-appropriate.
—Jason J.
a job, and no one gets left out.
Everyone also knows what their
job will be for the foreseeable
future. Use names on Popsicle
sticks.
—Sagit B.

12 When you ask kids to do

something, give them time
to transition.
—Barbara B. NAME
JAR
13 Kids do better when they feel
better. That’s through a sense
of significance and belonging,
and safe boundaries you set.
—Sarah W.

14 Don’t listen to other teachers

gossip about a student. Your
experience with them may be
totally different from theirs.
—Victoria S.
17 You can actually smile. Just
be fair and follow through
with consequences.
—Mary H.

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120 Tips for New Teachers
Connecting With Students
18 Take your job seriously,
but don’t take yourself too
seriously. Laugh. Kids learn
best when they are happy!
—Renée G.
19 Greet your students in the hall
before every class. Let them
know you are glad they are
there and that you are happy to
see them.
—Jeff W.
20 Learn their names and
pronounce them correctly.
Respect their desire for
nicknames or preferred names.
—Beth S.
21 It is important to have time
away from students during
lunch, but once in a while eat
with your students just for
conversation. They love it!
—Lori E.
22 They are people first, students
second. Treat them as such,
and your relationships will be
better and they will be open to
learning more from you.
—Eftihia T.
23
All the correct teaching
techniques in the world cannot
compensate for a lack of
genuine, healthy connection
with students. If the students
are on your side, and you are on
theirs, they will show you in a
thousand ways how to improve
your teaching.
—Matt R.
24 Don’t be afraid to admit you
don’t know something. Working
with the students to find an
answer will teach them a lot
about humility, curiosity, and
research.
—Stacy H.
25 It’s OK to show emotion and
vulnerability. Use discretion,
of course, but don’t be afraid
to be yourself. Appropriate
sharing about your life outside
school, combined with authentic
listening to the kids about their
lives and their dreams, will go a
long way toward building a safe,
nurturing community of learners
in your classroom.
—Michael W.
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120 Tips for New Teachers

Connecting With Students

26 For the longest time, I thought

my students would only want
to hear about my life outside
28
of school if it was exciting,
but some of the easiest
conversations with kids have
started with me just saying
You [might not] like all your
students, but the trick is to
never let them know which ones
you like and which ones you
don’t.
—Karen B.

29
that I have to go do something
totally mundane. They can
relate to those topics and like
to share their experiences, no
matter how small.
—Margaret Z.
Trust your intuition when there
are children in your classroom
you worry about. A friendly
word can go a long way.
—Rachel M.

27 Find something positive to say

about each and every student.
30 If students are doing a brain
break, join in! Dance, jog, wiggle,
and shake to that stellar song!
Hold on to that positive In all seriousness, not only will
nugget when one of them it help you decompress, but
invariably gets on your nerves. students will LOVE it!
Remember that not everyone
likes you all the time, either. —Jason H.
And teach kids that tomorrow
is always a new day with fresh
choices.
—Kirstin H.

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120 Tips for New Teachers

Behavior

31 Shaming a kid never works. If

you need to discipline them, do
it in private and be sure to give
them dignity.
—Tosha K.

32 Don’t take anything a student

says to or about you personally.
They’re kids. Anything they say
is more about them and what’s
going on at home than it is
about you.
—Jessica F.

33 Let the little things slide.

Children cannot be still for
36 Find your reset button and hit
it daily. Keep in mind that when
dealing with children, every day
hours at a time. When I made is a new day.
my expectations more childlike,
my classroom management —Tonya S.
was a breeze.
—Monika L.
37 PRACTICE classroom
management strategies with
someone! Think through

34
Handle disruptions from a place
of care. No matter how big
and tough a kid acts, there’s
something going on.
—Erin M.
scenarios and how you want
to respond before the start of
the year. It will make those first
redirects and interventions less
intimidating.
—Emily T.

35 When reprimanding, get down

38
to their level. If someone from Don’t fight the pencil battle…
across the playground can tell just give them a pencil.
by your body language you’re
angry, you’re doing it wrong. —Kaitlyn K.
—Holly L.

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120 Tips for New Teachers

Teaching in Action

39 Meet your students where they

are and not where you think
they should be.
44 Don’t be a helicopter teacher.
Walk away and let them work.
Teaching independence is one
—Aundrea S. of the greatest gifts you can
give a child.

40 Less is more. Don’t cram too

much into a lesson. One or
two skills at a time. Slow and
—Liz H.

intentional until kids are ready

to move on.
—Marianne L.

41
Prioritize. You will have a
million things coming at you.
Find out what is absolutely
necessary and do that first.
—Sharon S.

42 Don’t feel pressured to do

everything the veteran teachers
are doing. Do 60 percent of
what everyone else is doing,
and do it really, really well.
—Corrie T. 45 Classrooms tend to be
extrovert-friendly spaces.
Remember the different needs
of introverts, and include
43 You don’t have to know
everything! Great teachers
inspire and empower students
activities that *gently* build shy
children’s social confidence.
to search for answers to their —Sheila M.
questions. The hard work of

46
teaching, I’ve found, is slowing Introduce the word “YET.”
down and really listening to Meaning: “I don’t know how
students so that I can create to do it YET, but I will soon.”
lessons that engage their —Lhani L.
curiosity and guide them
toward ownership of their
own learning.
—Sarah L.

9
120 Tips for New Teachers

Grading and Assessment

47 You don’t have to grade every

piece of paper students touch.
The work is for THEM.
49 Teach students to self-assess
and peer assess. Use a scoring
rubric, and teach to it. They
—Hilary D. learn so much more from doing
the evaluation rather than YOU
making marks on papers.
—Denise O.

50 Have homework be what kids

don’t finish at school. This
always kept my kids on task
during independent work
time, and those who didn’t finish
had a minimal amount
to finish at home.
—Elaine I.

51 It’s the quality of feedback

that helps students learn
—not the quantity.
—Sue M.

52 Data is not the end goal—it is

an assessment of the end of the
goal. Keep striving toward what
really matters—quality learning.

48 Make it an option at the —Mitchell F.

end of projects for kids to
propose their own creative
ways to show what they know.
One kid proposed writing
53 Listen to your students. They
will tell you and show you
what they need.
love letters and hate mail —Sean F.
between cell organelles; I have
never laughed so hard at a
completely accurate project!
—Maja W.

10
120 Tips for New Teachers
The Importance of Joy and Play
54 If you are bored, the kids
are bored.
—Melisa D.
55 Find a reason to make the kids
say “Wow” and “What?” Also
giggle a little every day. Don’t
try to be their best friend, but
their best teacher.
—Annelise G.
56 Play music, have fun, let the
kids talk, and have lots of
stimulating discussions. Read
good books together and go
off track if a great idea comes
along. The best lessons are
sometimes unplanned ones.
—Dana B.
57 Find ways to infuse joy and
play as much as possible. It’s
the best classroom discipline
plan and fastest way to build
organic community and intrinsic
motivation.
—Kristin B.
58 Sometimes the best learning
happens in the midst of what
looks like chaos. Don’t be afraid
to get messy.
—Leah H.
59 Students want to move around
and speak to others. If you can
find ways to build these two
items into the classroom, you’ll
be golden.
—Mario B.
60 Let your students be the
teachers every once in a while.
You’d be amazed at what they
teach themselves and others!
—Kristin D.
61 When it snows, stop and let
everyone go to the window and
look.
—Dawn D.
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120 Tips for New Teachers
Tools, Tricks, and Clever Hacks
62 You don’t have to know all the
edtech tools out there. Find a
few that are functional and help
65
you facilitate activities to meet
the learning goals for your
students, and use those!
—Ashley Y.
63 Make a couple of new-student
packs with all the materials
you want your students to
have. You’re GOING to get new
students, and it’s so easy if all
of the materials are ready to
go, along with a welcome letter
to the parents.
—Cicely B.
66
64 Keep a four-in-one screwdriver
and needle-nose pliers in your
desk drawer.
—Kay V.
67
68
Make sure you have: nail-polish
remover, safety pins, shoelaces,
a flashlight, duct tape, a small
sewing kit, an extension cord and
surge strip, your own step stool
or ladder, broom and dustpan,
bandage strips, tweezers, and
even one of those instant cold
pack things in a survival box.
Also, [ready-to-eat meals] plus
some small plates, plastic forks,
knives, spoons, and cups. It is also
important to have coffee filters.
You WILL use them.
—Linda K.
Make a substitute folder that
can be pulled out if you are sick.
Include a schedule of classes,
expectations of the class, passes,
phone numbers to the office,
seating charts with pictures
if possible, procedures, duty
stations, etc. Don’t beat yourself
up if you get sick.
—Christy E.
If a student approaches stating
their stomach hurts, take a step
or two out of the way and/or grab
the wastepaper basket.
—Dot L.
Always keep a can of cheap
shaving cream on hand. It
neutralizes vomit smells instantly,
plus it covers up the gross mess!
—Brandi M.
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120 Tips for New Teachers

Tools, Tricks, and Clever Hacks

69 Have a set of cards: thank

you, happy birthday,
congratulations, condolences,
73
and some blank all-purpose
ones. Between students,
coworkers, and parents, you’ll
need them all.
—Becky O.
Create a hygiene drawer or
cabinet for students in need of:
toothbrushes, toothpaste, body
wipes, deodorant, combs and
brushes, and menstrual supplies.
Your students will learn better
when their other basic needs are
met.
—Holly C.

70 Never pass up a chance to get

free copy paper.
—Todd L.

71 Get a coffee mug with a lid.

The walk from the coffee pot to
your desk can get messy.
—Nicole L.

72 If you commute 30 minutes

or more one way, keep an
overnight bag in your car trunk.
Have a complete professional
outfit, a casual outfit, and
sleeping clothes, along with
any necessities to survive. Also
keep bottled water and snacks
in case you are stuck in traffic.
—Janet W.
74 Wear comfortable shoes. In 20
years, your feet and back will
thank you.
—Sarah L.

13
120 Tips for New Teachers
Colleagues and Caretakers
75 Go to the lounge every day if it
fills you with goodness. Avoid
the lounge if it’s a breeding
80
ground for negativity.
—Jessie B.
76 Surround yourself with other
professionals you want yourself
to be 10, 15, 20+ years from now.
—Patricia L.
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77 Listen to the teachers who
make you laugh.
—Jodi H.
78 Be especially kind and
respectful to the custodian
and the secretary. The school
custodian runs the building,
and the school secretary runs
the school.
82
—Jane D.
79 Praise other teachers when
they do excellent work. We’re
all on the same team, and
applauding another does not
take [away] any of your own
83
sparkle.
—Grace A.
84
If you’ve created something that
worked well, don’t be afraid to
share it with others. Collaboration
is a useful tool, and it could create
new opportunities, help your
colleagues learn something new,
and also help other students.
—Crystal M.
Team-building with parents at the
start of every year sets the tone.
Keep a log of every conversation
you have with parents. Put dates
and follow-up steps. Be sure to
follow up on those steps and note
it.
—Amy G.
Keep a portfolio of every student’s
work to share with parents at
conference time to let them see
for themselves how their child has
progressed.
—Linda B.
Make template emails to get
you started on basic responses.
Don’t sit there and compose from
scratch every time. You can easily
lose your entire prep to emails.
—Kaz S.
Do not answer parent emails
during non-work hours. If you do
for some reason, don’t send it out
until your workday starts. Set that
boundary with parents.
—Lena O.
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120 Tips for New Teachers

Getting Through the Hard Days

85 Find your people who you can

go to for support, questions,
help, to love on you! You need
89 Use your funny bone over your
wishbone and backbone. Laugh
your way through the chaos.
your network for the highs and —Kim H.
the lows.
—Sarah C.
90 If you don’t want people to get
your goat, don’t leave your goat

86 Create a “feel-good” box. Put

the nice little things kids give
you in there: notes, drawings,
out where people can get it.
—Wėndy B.

91
trinkets, etc. Then, on those
days when you wonder what
you were thinking by becoming
a teacher—and you will have
those days—look in your feel-
good box to be reminded that
you are loved and are making
a difference.
—Lisa H.
Bring a change of shoes. When
you are feeling wiped out,
sometimes a change of shoes
breathes new life into the whole
body!
—Jenni C.

87
Remember that the only
person you can control is
yourself. Not students, not
parents, not administrators,
and not other teachers. You can
motivate, encourage, be honest
while being professional, but
believe in yourself enough to
do what’s right.
—April G.
92 Keep a journal to remind you
about the wins, because the losses
tend to be what we dwell on. And

88 Don’t buy into the superhero

teacher myth. You’re only
human. You’re a better teacher
when things go wrong—because
they will—use them as a chance to
learn.
if you show your kids who you
are. Teach with compassion and —Kim J.
empathy.
—Kristina H.

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120 Tips for New Teachers

Wellness

93 Make your boundaries clear to

everyone—including yourself.
—Sandra D.
98 Sleep is more important than work
100 percent of the time.
—Howard I.

94 Don’t martyr yourself for “the

kids.” We provide some of
kids’ earliest models of what
99 Mental-health days are sick days,
not personal days!
—Lisa-Brit W.
professions look like, and I

100
would never want to suggest
to them that employees should
put their own health, well-
being, and relationships last.
Model the boundaries in your
professional life that you want
them to assert for their own
benefit someday.
—David N.
Your first year, your immune
system is bombarded by the little
germ-spreading phlegm faucets.
Eat very well. Get lots of rest, and
de-stress whenever possible. Keep
hydrated. Wash your hands like
a fiend. And stock up on chicken
soup and tissues.
—Anne M.

95 You will never be finished, so

choose when you are going to
stop, and then stop.
—Tracy M.

96 Don’t add your work email

to your phone. Don’t add
colleagues to your social
media. My first principal gave
me this advice, and I really
appreciated the boundary
suggestion.
—Lisa M.

97 “No” is a complete sentence.

People pleasing is a quick path
to burnout.
101 Create a personal first-aid kit for
yourself: Tylenol, cough drops,
antacid, nail clippers, Band-Aids,
etc. Having these little items on
—Andre’ R. hand can curb minor discomforts
and get you through the day.
—Leslie L.

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120 Tips for New Teachers

Wellness

102 Put the box of tissues across

the room from your desk. You
will catch a lot of colds from
the students during the first
year anyway, but there is no
point in letting your kids blow
their noses close to you.
—Marion D.

103 Have some protein at breakfast

so you’re not running on fumes
by lunch.
—Michelle B.

104 Figure out the times during the

day you can use the restroom.
Make a schedule with your
hallmates if you have to.
—Suzanne B.

105
Always have something
planned on Friday night. Mani-
pedi, movie, dinner, visiting a
friend. Something! It’s good to
have something to look forward
to. Helps when something goes
wrong.
—Kari H.

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120 Tips for New Teachers

Purpose

106 Teach with your heart—a really

big, open, yet firm, heart. Your
students will always remember
110
you and love you for it.
—Leigh T.
Remember you are planting seeds.
You may not see them blossom,
but you have to have the faith that
somewhere, sometime, they will
sprout and flower with your help
along the way.

107 You will learn more from your

students during your first year
than they learn from you. Trust
—PJ H.

the process.
—Kim A.

108
Teaching is hard. It’s one thing
to know something, another
to teach it and teach it well.
Be kind to yourself. It’s a
craft—it takes skill, confidence,
knowledge, relationships to
make the magic of learning
happen.
—Filiberto C.

109 This is human work. You have

to love children, not just a
subject. You will deal with
difficult students, difficult
parents, difficult colleagues,

111
and difficult administrators,
but there are so many great
humans in this world. Try
to focus on those positive
ones, and don’t let negative
interactions rule your thinking.
—Carmen M.
Be you. It matters. Find the
right fit—teachers are needed
EVERYWHERE. Don’t stay in a
situation that feels contrary to
your long-term “you.”
—Annie H.

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120 Tips for New Teachers
Honing Your Craft
112 The first year is survival
mode. Anyone who tells you
differently is lying. Try all you
115
can, and then at the end of
the year reflect on what went
well and what you want to do
differently next year. It will take
3 to 5 years to get into a good
groove.
—Michelle C.
113 Focus on getting great at one
thing at a time. Be OK with
being good enough in others.
116
Give yourself permission to
grow in your craft.
—Eva M.
114 Start a running list by
month, and jot down the
“aha” moments you want to
remember for next year. When
you’re planning next year,
117
check the list to see what tips
you left yourself about the
unit, season, school activity,
whatever! Having them by
month means you’ll see them
when you need them!
—Lorraine P.
Ask who the best teachers in the
building are and observe them.
Find the strictest teacher in the
school and the most laid-back and
observe them, too. If you have
some tough kids, try to observe
another class that has those kids
in it and watch how the other
teacher handles it.
—Michelle F.
Ask your kids for feedback if you
try something new or different,
or if something succeeds beyond
your greatest hopes or if it fails
miserably. Sometimes they are the
experts for what works best for
them, and that is OK!
—Amber B.
Remember that not every student
will learn the way you do. It’s your
job to adapt to methods that help
them learn, not their responsibility
to change how they think to fit the
way you do.
—William M.
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120 Tips for New Teachers

Honing Your Craft

118 Read books written for the age

of students you teach. Some of
the books I’ve read have helped
120
me remember what it was like
to be their age and understand
them in ways I never would
have otherwise.
—Michelle F.
You will never know all there is to
know about this profession. There
is no formula for being a great
teacher. Every year changes, and
learning to adapt and modify
to short-term and long-term
changes is key.
—Anna S.

119 Be mindful of the difference

between praise and
encouragement. Praise like
“Great job! You are so smart”
teaches dependency on
external feedback, whereas
encouragement like “You
searched your mind and came
up with something new”
teaches internal validation. One
simple way to shift from praise
to encouragement is to change
“I like” to “I notice.”
—Rich M.

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