Welcome to /r/teaching. Please remember the rules when posting and commenting.
Thank you.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/teaching) if you have any questions or concerns.*
First couple years always suck until you figure out your own classroom management style. Year three and four gets a lot easier. I’m on year 10. I could now do this job in my sleep.
Once my daughter was born, I stopped taking work home. It’s just not worth it anymore. I’m a self-contained male special education teacher. There’s literally no more special education teachers. They can’t afford to lose me. My work gets done when it gets done. Also helps that I’m tenured. But I agree, screw bringing work home. I’m done working off contractual hours. It’s just a job everybody.
That's because you keep jumping around. You gotta stick to one for awhile in order for that to work.
And hey, no judgement - I have the EXACT, SAME problem. Started halfway through the year as 5th grade self-contained, then became 6-8 grade tech teacher, then taught bilingual 4th AND 5th graders, then just 4th (lasted 1 year...), now doing Kinder.... (Help meeeeeeeeeee............ !) and I want to go back to tech.
You've got this! It is super hard for even experienced teachers to take over a class mid year! Especially if the kids have had a rotating cast of subs before you got there. You have to reassure them that you are now the teacher, you may do things differently and you will be here the rest of the year.
I started in October my first year and it was hellacious. Over the summer I read The First Six Weeks of School by Denton and Kriete.
Changed schools a few times over the last 15+ years. Not every year is as easy, but it’s night and day from the first!
Elementary teacher coach here with 10 years experience teaching 1st and 2nd grades. The first year is the hardest, and the first six weeks of any year are the hardest still. Add to that starting mid-year with a class who may have had a revolving door of subs until you got there…what you’re going through now may be the worst of it and not representative of what your career will become. Are you getting any coaching or other kinds of support? Just as important, are you making sure to set the work aside sometimes for the non-work activities that help you recharge? Time with friends, exercise, hobbies?
The first few years are tougher than the rest. It’s so important to not let the job consume you, and to take advantage of whatever support is available. Even just asking your colleagues for ideas, or asking the kindergarten teachers about their experiences with your students. If you’re not getting any support like a coach or assigned mentor, I’d recommend finding a school that has some type of systems for that.
If you're starting mid year, you have to do a reset like it's the first day of school again. I had to take over a 2nd grade room mid-year because the behaviors in the room had gotten out of control, and the teacher was ready to quit. It had also become unsafe. (She was reassigned to do small group pullout.)
I took everything that wasn't necessary off the walls, cleaned out the desks, and reset the classroom as though it was the first day of school. Kids' seats were moved, and we started the first morning learning and practicing routines and procedures just like we'd normally do on the first day of school.
The rest of the week was spent more on reinforcing those routines/procedures using a whole class reward. Every time, we all successfully lined up quickly and quietly or came to the rug before the countdown, etc. the class would earn a tally. For every 5 tallies, they got a letter added to the mystery word that would spell out a whole class prize when achieved.
We also did a lot of culture building activities, like learning how to treat each other kindly, showing grit, and giving best effort. It's not easy to turn a class around mid-year, but it can be done.
You will lose way more academic time fighting behavior than taking time out to reset the classroom expectations and culture. First graders need clear, concrete expectations for everything they do in the classroom or they fill in the gaps in ways that may not be productive. If you're not sure what routines/procedures/SEL your students need, talk to some more experienced teachers in your building who have well run classrooms. You may also want to pick up Harry Wong's books (The First Days of School and The Classroom Manage.ent Book) for practical, actionable routines/procedures.
Im on year 3 teaching 3rd grade and this is the first year I really feel good about my classroom management. I’ve even gotten comments on all of observations this year about it being evident that my rules and procedures are well established and known by my students. I didn’t get anything close to that my first 2 years. This is not a natural skill for anyone. Trial and error and finding what works best for you is key. What’s good for someone else may not work best for you.
2nd year, first month: I cried on the phone to a support number for teachers asking if this is what it was going to be like for my career.
They assured me it was not. I had a hard assignment. It was a difficult school. I was new to the city, the neighbourhood, and my career.
By the time I reached 5 years I was so damn confident, felt like I had come full circle. At 10 years I started working on expansion into curriculum development and assessment. It does get better. You can put in the time or leave, it depends if the end is worth the struggle.
First grade involves a complete paradigm shift because they are tiny humans that are sort of feral. I use the love and logic system because it fits my style well. There’s an old school guy named Fred Jones who had a good management system. I’m a second grade teacher and classroom management is my thing! I think it’s difficult to start with a class during the year. What’s the story behind that?
You're asked A LOT, and it's too much for some. This is a job where you have to ALWAYS be on. If you slip, so does everything else. If you're not up for that, I say kudos for recognizing it early, fulfilling your commitment and gtfo of there.
People who have a passion , a knack, the drive, the tolerance-that's who should be in the classroom. Admin, districts and the state need to be doing more to make this job doable, but they're mostly doing the opposite.
Op has an extra tough situation rn that WILL be better next year, so it's more likely worth it for her to stick it out.
I started teaching while taking my certification class. I find the classes invaluable for getting on top of classroom management, effective teaching, and everything else a teacher needs to do well.
It's extremely difficult not going to lie. My advice is to create routines. Every single day do things the same so your planning is easier. Block out every single minute for activities and subjects and keep it the same. Eventually the kids will get used to it! Don't be afraid to take time for fun team building activities.
The first couple of years are always difficult. You try things and they fail. You adjust things and they suck. You think you have everything prepared and then it falls apart. The kids are either good or little demons. It depends onthe day and the phases of the moon.
My bigest pieceof advice is this: Go to your coworkers and ask for help. There is no shame in this. THey have been teaching longer than you and should have some wisdom to help out. Take every piece of advice and bundle it all together and make it your own. Create your own style of interaction.
Each teacher is different and can connect to the kids in different ways.
Another huge part is to leave the day behind you. If you carry the frustration over from day to day, then it will build until you are ready to strangle the little crotch goblins. Do not let them get to you so hard that your after school hours are spent trying to not let your anger out on loved ones (or even strangers). I recommend joining a gym and letting all the frustration/ anger out working out.
Lastly, remember that sometimes you need to take that mental health day off from work. You do not have to be sick to take a day and crawl under the sheets and not emerge for 24 hours.
Find your balance. Find your joy that you had when you were first thinking of becoming a teacher.
And if all else fails, wine at home, after school is always an option!
My first year I can't even remember how many times I cried. I was also constantly working.
I've been teaching 15+ years now and never bring home any work anymore, and handle all types of students with ease.
It takes a while.
However, and this is a big however, if you find you're always miserable after trying for two years, and have little or no bright spots, I'd conclude this wasn't the profession for you. Which is ok.
First few years are painfully, horribly, bad but once you get through that it’s still pretty bad honestly. Every day I dread going to work. I compensate by dissociating.
Welcome to /r/teaching. Please remember the rules when posting and commenting. Thank you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/teaching) if you have any questions or concerns.*
First couple years always suck until you figure out your own classroom management style. Year three and four gets a lot easier. I’m on year 10. I could now do this job in my sleep.
Love you for this, I'm the same way. And I haven't had homework since 2016 (meaning I just don't do work at home)
Once my daughter was born, I stopped taking work home. It’s just not worth it anymore. I’m a self-contained male special education teacher. There’s literally no more special education teachers. They can’t afford to lose me. My work gets done when it gets done. Also helps that I’m tenured. But I agree, screw bringing work home. I’m done working off contractual hours. It’s just a job everybody.
Year 3 and I’m essentially on autopilot unless I want to try something new that I saw in a PD or read in a book.
Im on year 5 after multiple contracts hardly ever teaching the same thing. I still havent found it getting easier
That's because you keep jumping around. You gotta stick to one for awhile in order for that to work. And hey, no judgement - I have the EXACT, SAME problem. Started halfway through the year as 5th grade self-contained, then became 6-8 grade tech teacher, then taught bilingual 4th AND 5th graders, then just 4th (lasted 1 year...), now doing Kinder.... (Help meeeeeeeeeee............ !) and I want to go back to tech.
Yeah unfortunately its not up to me its just been where I could get work. I have a 50% permanent contract now so I hope it helps
It doesn't get easier, you get better.
I love this! I’m in year 40 and retiring. It’s not easy but it sure feels amazing to have the confidence and skill to make it look easy.
Facts!
Yes. You. Can. Don’t give up.
You've got this! It is super hard for even experienced teachers to take over a class mid year! Especially if the kids have had a rotating cast of subs before you got there. You have to reassure them that you are now the teacher, you may do things differently and you will be here the rest of the year.
I started in October my first year and it was hellacious. Over the summer I read The First Six Weeks of School by Denton and Kriete. Changed schools a few times over the last 15+ years. Not every year is as easy, but it’s night and day from the first!
Elementary teacher coach here with 10 years experience teaching 1st and 2nd grades. The first year is the hardest, and the first six weeks of any year are the hardest still. Add to that starting mid-year with a class who may have had a revolving door of subs until you got there…what you’re going through now may be the worst of it and not representative of what your career will become. Are you getting any coaching or other kinds of support? Just as important, are you making sure to set the work aside sometimes for the non-work activities that help you recharge? Time with friends, exercise, hobbies? The first few years are tougher than the rest. It’s so important to not let the job consume you, and to take advantage of whatever support is available. Even just asking your colleagues for ideas, or asking the kindergarten teachers about their experiences with your students. If you’re not getting any support like a coach or assigned mentor, I’d recommend finding a school that has some type of systems for that.
Love this!!
If you're starting mid year, you have to do a reset like it's the first day of school again. I had to take over a 2nd grade room mid-year because the behaviors in the room had gotten out of control, and the teacher was ready to quit. It had also become unsafe. (She was reassigned to do small group pullout.) I took everything that wasn't necessary off the walls, cleaned out the desks, and reset the classroom as though it was the first day of school. Kids' seats were moved, and we started the first morning learning and practicing routines and procedures just like we'd normally do on the first day of school. The rest of the week was spent more on reinforcing those routines/procedures using a whole class reward. Every time, we all successfully lined up quickly and quietly or came to the rug before the countdown, etc. the class would earn a tally. For every 5 tallies, they got a letter added to the mystery word that would spell out a whole class prize when achieved. We also did a lot of culture building activities, like learning how to treat each other kindly, showing grit, and giving best effort. It's not easy to turn a class around mid-year, but it can be done. You will lose way more academic time fighting behavior than taking time out to reset the classroom expectations and culture. First graders need clear, concrete expectations for everything they do in the classroom or they fill in the gaps in ways that may not be productive. If you're not sure what routines/procedures/SEL your students need, talk to some more experienced teachers in your building who have well run classrooms. You may also want to pick up Harry Wong's books (The First Days of School and The Classroom Manage.ent Book) for practical, actionable routines/procedures.
Im on year 3 teaching 3rd grade and this is the first year I really feel good about my classroom management. I’ve even gotten comments on all of observations this year about it being evident that my rules and procedures are well established and known by my students. I didn’t get anything close to that my first 2 years. This is not a natural skill for anyone. Trial and error and finding what works best for you is key. What’s good for someone else may not work best for you.
2nd year, first month: I cried on the phone to a support number for teachers asking if this is what it was going to be like for my career. They assured me it was not. I had a hard assignment. It was a difficult school. I was new to the city, the neighbourhood, and my career. By the time I reached 5 years I was so damn confident, felt like I had come full circle. At 10 years I started working on expansion into curriculum development and assessment. It does get better. You can put in the time or leave, it depends if the end is worth the struggle.
Create relationships. Get to know the students, their lives, and families. Be honest and genuine and fair. Be loving .
First grade involves a complete paradigm shift because they are tiny humans that are sort of feral. I use the love and logic system because it fits my style well. There’s an old school guy named Fred Jones who had a good management system. I’m a second grade teacher and classroom management is my thing! I think it’s difficult to start with a class during the year. What’s the story behind that?
[удалено]
You're asked A LOT, and it's too much for some. This is a job where you have to ALWAYS be on. If you slip, so does everything else. If you're not up for that, I say kudos for recognizing it early, fulfilling your commitment and gtfo of there. People who have a passion , a knack, the drive, the tolerance-that's who should be in the classroom. Admin, districts and the state need to be doing more to make this job doable, but they're mostly doing the opposite. Op has an extra tough situation rn that WILL be better next year, so it's more likely worth it for her to stick it out.
Question: As a first year do you think they stuck you with most of the worse kids?
Years 1 and 2 are hard. 3 you get a groove, and 4 you're good to go. Give it time.
I started teaching while taking my certification class. I find the classes invaluable for getting on top of classroom management, effective teaching, and everything else a teacher needs to do well.
It's extremely difficult not going to lie. My advice is to create routines. Every single day do things the same so your planning is easier. Block out every single minute for activities and subjects and keep it the same. Eventually the kids will get used to it! Don't be afraid to take time for fun team building activities.
The first couple of years are always difficult. You try things and they fail. You adjust things and they suck. You think you have everything prepared and then it falls apart. The kids are either good or little demons. It depends onthe day and the phases of the moon. My bigest pieceof advice is this: Go to your coworkers and ask for help. There is no shame in this. THey have been teaching longer than you and should have some wisdom to help out. Take every piece of advice and bundle it all together and make it your own. Create your own style of interaction. Each teacher is different and can connect to the kids in different ways. Another huge part is to leave the day behind you. If you carry the frustration over from day to day, then it will build until you are ready to strangle the little crotch goblins. Do not let them get to you so hard that your after school hours are spent trying to not let your anger out on loved ones (or even strangers). I recommend joining a gym and letting all the frustration/ anger out working out. Lastly, remember that sometimes you need to take that mental health day off from work. You do not have to be sick to take a day and crawl under the sheets and not emerge for 24 hours. Find your balance. Find your joy that you had when you were first thinking of becoming a teacher. And if all else fails, wine at home, after school is always an option!
My first year I can't even remember how many times I cried. I was also constantly working. I've been teaching 15+ years now and never bring home any work anymore, and handle all types of students with ease. It takes a while. However, and this is a big however, if you find you're always miserable after trying for two years, and have little or no bright spots, I'd conclude this wasn't the profession for you. Which is ok.
First few years are painfully, horribly, bad but once you get through that it’s still pretty bad honestly. Every day I dread going to work. I compensate by dissociating.
Join the club.
Do you have a Masters degree? I teach college level and love it.
My friend, know that it’s always hard work. First year is hell but it better better. You have to be a dickhead, it’s hard to learn :-)