New Teacher Success & Survival Secrets – What Principals & School Boards Don’t Tell You

As a new teacher I was eagerly hired with a smile by my principal, but thereafter treated much like a slave. The sudden shift in interpersonal approach was a bit of a shock. Nevertheless not expecting my employer to carry me, I happily moved forward to complete my job.

The school board after initial orientation never contacted me, nor kept in touch to see how I was doing. My school teaching mentor was more interested in her masters degree than helping me. When she finally got around to evaluate my lesson plans and provide suggestions, there were only a few weeks left in the school year.

As a new teacher you need to be extremely proactive and seek out help from your teaching mentor (often when you don’t even know you need help). By taking your work to your teaching mentor, asking questions, and being circumspect about every detail and facet of your teaching you are more likely to get the guidance you need (and discover areas for improvement).

Often teaching mentors are already overloaded with work, which means as a new teacher if you are not proactive and fail to seek them out, much of the helpful information they could potential impart and add to your career will never occur or be transferred.

www.PaulFDavis.com – worldwide speaker & life-changing author of 18 books including “New Teacher Success & Survival Secrets – What Principals & School Boards Don’t Tell You”

Invite educational consultant and speaker Paul F. Davis to your city to speak to your staff and educators.

RevivingNations@yahoo.com

New Teacher Success Secrets: Feeling Used & Abused?

I felt as a new teacher I was not adequately prepared for all of the many administrative tasks involved in teaching. I also was not adequately trained on how to use the computer networks, but thanks to my ESOL chair eventually figured everything out. It was a very overwhelming experience.

As a new teacher I often felt as if I was a burden whenever I asked for assistance, asked a question, or sought clarification. Predominately I was told to read the emails and usually nothing more.

Hence near the end of the year I felt violated, used, and abused.

Perhaps you feel the opposite, as if your students delivered the most abuse toward you. Depending on the age group you are teaching that is very likely. My deans were awesome and did a great job helping me manage my classrooms whenever students got unruly or became uncooperative.

The extent of the abuse I felt was more based on neglect and the lack of emotional support I received throughout the academic year. Yet my administrators were kind not to pressure me to attend atheltic events, etc. as I was recovering (medically and financially) from a car accident.

Nevertheless I now understand why new teachers quit being educators. Here are some secrets to uplift your spirit and keep you going daily.

1. Remember all of your summer vacation you get as an educator.

Your life consists of time and educators keep a lot of it for themselves in the grand scheme of things. Holidays off are a blessing and you rarely have to work on the weekends.

2. Remember you are uplifting, molding, shaping, and impacting future leaders.

The younger generation you teach and impact daily are being groomed for greatness because of you. Therefore keep your heart and mind focused on your students and don’t let the little things distract or get you down.

3. Discover your own teaching style and be true to yourself.

Pinpoint your passion and unique gifting. Grow and develop it to best serve your students and your school.

4. The sun always shines above the clouds.

Focus on the good things and eliminate the negative (most of which you cannot change anyhow) from your mind.

www.PaulFDavis.com – worldwide speaker and author of New Teacher Success Secrets – 101 Survival & Success Secrets

Invite Paul to speak to your teachers and administrators about teacher retention. RevivingNations@yahoo.com

New Teacher Success Secrets: Don’t Demonize Administration

As a new teacher, I quickly realized how much administration does to keep a school running. I don’t care about making six figures, because if I had to be an administrator and live at the school night and day, I surely couldn’t do it.

I therefore encourage new teachers to always be respectful of administration. I know it’s not always easy as I often felt like administration was my worst nightmare. I love teaching, but dealing with all of the administrative tasks and assignments can be overwhelming.

Remember however that we all are servants of the county school board, administration included. We all therefore have to answer to somebody along the chain of comman. It isn’t any easier for administration than it is for new teachers. In fact it often might be more difficult for administration, because they feel the same discouragement and thoughts of being overwhelmed as new teachers feel (but they’ve made a career out of it).

New teachers are still assessing whether or not they want to stay on for another year or two, or make a career out of being an educator. Administration also can feel like the bad guys on campus, always being demonized by kids, and inwardly feeling disliked by teachers.

Administration is just doing their job, not an easy job I might add. Yet they keep the school running orderly and daily. Therefore show some gratitude toward administration, lend a helping hand whenever you can, and be courteous.

I once stopped gossip in the employee lunch room being spread about my principal. I stuck up for her and mentioned I’d never had a problem with her. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt and remind my peer teachers that her job is not easy.

It felt good to be positive and merciful. We all need that once in a while.

Show some mercy and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Be thankful for adminstration new teachers for the job they have given you and the tasks they do so you can be sheltered from the many storms you never see, nor know of.

www.PaulFDavis.com – worldwide speaker and author of New Teachers Success Secrets – 101 Survival & Success Secrets

Invite Paul to speak in your city! RevivingNations@yahoo.com

New Teacher Success Secrets: Managing Emotions, Feel Like You’re Dying Inside?

As a new teacher, I often felt like I was dying inside. Not because of my kids, but because of the demands and ongoing pressure from administration. I felt most at ease in the classrom and comfortable. Yet whenever having to deal with all of the administrative bureaucracy and demands, I felt like I was forever being barked at and dehumanized.

Nevertheless I respectfully kept my mouth shut, said “Yes sir!” and “Yes mam!” while pressing on relentlessly to stay focused on my teaching assignemnt.

Part of surviving and succeeding as a new teacher is managing your emotions. New teacher success means mastering your emotions, refraining from reacting when you feel like you are going to explode inside. Yet not holding it all in either, so as to let it fester and pollute your within.

Find a family member or friend to vent to outside of work. I particularly don’t like to talk about work after work. I leave work at work. Going to the gym or health club for a workout does the trick to release emotional pressure for me. Maybe yoga, playing golf, going for a walk, or taking a nap (my mother’s favorite survival method every afternoon after 30 years of teaching) will help you reduce stress and manage your emotions.

New teachers have an enormous amount of responsibilities and requirements. It isn’t surprising how many quit and leave the job altogether. Yet there are benefits if you can endure the first year. Remember you get your summer off and all of the holidays.

Remind yourself of the rewards as you endure the difficulties. Love the kids and don’t let everything else around you (or those around you) get you down.

Keep your heart alive and survive as a new teacher.

www.PaulFDavis.com worldwide speaker and author of New Teacher Success Secrets – 101 Survival & Success Secrets

Invite Paul to speak in your city. RevivingNations@yahoo.com

Student Success Stories – Academic Success Secrets

If you have a compelling and telling story that you would like to share in Paul’s soon to be released book “Academic Success Secrets” kindly put it in an MS Word document and email it to Paul at RevivingNations@yahoo.com

In your email mention the document by name and agree to give Paul permission to edit and print it in his upcoming book. If Paul decides to use your submission, he will contact you beforehand to congratulate you and work with you on editing it before print.

Sincere thanks for taking the time to share your student success story and improve academic success throughout the world for every student.

www.PaulFDavis.com – worldwide speaker & author of 17 life-changing books

RevivingNations@yahoo.com

ps. Paul is usually traveling and writing. If he delays in replying to you this is why, or perhaps your email got directed to his spam inbox. Therefore after a week you might want to resend it if you have not heard back from him.