The Most Common Myths New Teachers Believe
This will be your first-year teaching, and you are all pumped up! The truth is that most teachers, new and veteran, get excited about those first days of school. So, it is understandable that you can’t wait to get to your new classroom.
Unfortunately, your enthusiasm can make you an easy target. What I mean is, you may become the victim of misinformation…or outright lies. Here are five of the most common lies that new teachers are told.
“Teaching isn’t about the money. So, don’t worry about how much you are paid.”
Well, that’s great… if you’re a millionaire, and you don’t need the money. Maybe, you plan to simply work for fun. But, if you are a person that needs to pay their bills, you should be concerned about the money. You need to know how much money you will be paid. Don’t be afraid to ask the school district how much money you will be paid. Ask how often you will be paid. Will it be once a month, every two weeks, or once a week. And, certainly don’t be afraid to ask about incentives and other perks that may come with your job.
Let me clear the air immediately. You won’t be making as much money as you are worth. Plus, you’ll probably end up spending a good bit of your own personal money on your classroom. In most states, teachers are given an allowance or debit card to make purchases. However, those purchases won’t equal up to what you will spend out of pocket. And, if you’re like me, if you really want something for your classroom, you are going to purchase it.
“Really good teachers are born. They naturally know what to do. Teaching is easy for them.”
I am not disputing the fact that teaching does come naturally for some people. But, that doesn’t make your first year easy. And, it certainly doesn’t make everything run smooth. When you first start teaching, there is a learning curve. Just like on any other job, there is a learning curve. You may be a natural-born teacher, but you may not know all of the programs and systems that you need to use. And, there certainly isn’t any shame in asking a veteran teacher for help.
Don’t let anyone make you feel bad because you just started teaching, and it’s not coming easy to you. Teaching may be your “gift”. However, it is not something that you just know how to do in an instant. You may get the hang of it quickly, but it takes time.
When I first started teaching. I didn’t feel comfortable teaching for the first three years.
“Just try it. We’ll support you. We are here for you.”
This is another untruth that new teachers are told when they are either hired for one position and switch to another one, or they are forced to fill a position that they really are not qualified for. The teacher is assured that “Nobody’s expecting a miracle.”. Most of the time, this is just not true.
Sometimes, you get thrown under the bus. Some administrators forget or don’t care that this is your first year teaching it. They don’t care if you’re out of your subject area. All they want are results.
One of my favorite “untruths” that new teachers are told is… “Teaching is a work of heart.”
It is a popular belief that because you love teaching and you love kids, everything is going to be okay. They’ll make you think that it is going to be rainbows and unicorns, and every day is going to be a happy day.
There isn’t anything further from the truth. Yes, teaching may be a work of heart, but teaching is a business. And, it can be hard, painful business.
Teaching is a business just like any other business. There will be mandates handed down by the state. There will be mandates handed down by the federal government. There will be instructions handed down by your district. Some days are going to be good days. Some days are going to be very bad days. You’re going to question yourself. You are going to wonder, “Is this the right career for me? Did I make a mistake?” There are going be days when you go to work, and you don’t like your coworkers because they’re getting on your nerves. Some days, you are not going to like your students.
Again, teaching is a business, and you have to treat it like a business.
It is vital to keep this perspective about teaching if you don’t want to burn out. Teaching requires a lot of time. It will eat into your family time if you are not careful. It will eat into your holidays and your weekends unless you make sure you set clear boundaries from the beginning, and you stick to them. There is a lot of paperwork that goes with teaching, and if you don’t careful plan, it will go home with you.
“You will like each student the same. You will treat each student the same.”
No teacher wants to admit that he or she is guilty of this. And, I will admit that I have worked very hard to avoid being guilty of it myself. However, it can get hard at times to avoid having a favorite students. In truth, I think most teachers have one or two. However, what is important is that you don’t allow yourself to openly display favoritism toward any student. A lot of new teachers tell themselves is that they are going to like all of their students the same. That’s like saying that all food tastes like chicken.
It may not be possible to avoid have a favorite. Truthfully, most of us are guilty of this. What is important is that you don’t show favoritism. You have to treat all of your students the same. Make sure that you’re consistent. This means that the same rules apply for all of your students.
How can you do this? You use rubrics when you’re grading their work. By using a rubric, you can ensure that you treat all of your students the same. Another ways to remain consistent is to have a set routine and follow it. Don’t vary your routine just to accommodate certain students. Make sure you have procedures that you followed daily and make sure that all of your students know the rules. Make a conscious effort to treat all of your students the same because if you don’t your students will know. And, sometimes, they will even call you out on this.
As you embark on your teaching journey, you can’t help but be excited. And, that is normal. However, don’t allow yourself to be blindsided by your enthusiasm. Don’t become the victim of “new teacher lies.”
Happy Teaching!!!
Articles to Check Out:
13 Stories of Life on a Teacher’s Salary: https://time.com/longform/teacher-pay-salary-stories/
We All Know Teachers Are Underpaid. But Who Imagined It Was This Bad?