Welcoming new teachers to your school is essential for creating a positive work environment and promoting teacher retention. The transition into a new school can be overwhelming for teachers who are not only adjusting to a new setting but also trying to form relationships with their colleagues and students. By offering a warm, supportive welcome, schools can help new teachers feel more comfortable, valued, and ready to succeed.
As a teacher transitioning to a new school this year myself, I can tell you things can be overwhelming. And, sometimes, other employees can do things that make the new person feel isolated and unwanted. So, I’m about to share some effective strategies for welcoming new teachers to your school.
Start with a Personalized Welcome
You can start with a personal welcome. A new teacher’s first few days are crucial in setting the tone for their experience at the school, trust me. And, a personalized welcome goes a long way in showing them that they are a valued member of the team.
During the summer while I was getting my room ready, the Assistant Principal and the custodian made it their business to come and give me a personal welcome and a hug. I both shocked and delighted at these warm welcome. I’ve changed schools several times, but I’ve never had this to happen. And, it was nice.
Welcome Package
Consider giving your new staff members a welcome package. Prepare a welcome package that includes essential information about the school, schedules, a list of contacts, and perhaps some thoughtful gifts like stationery or school swag. Again, my new school district provided me with a welcome package and two new shirts to wear. (Another plus!) 😉.
Personalized Tour:
This goes without saying. Provide the new teacher with a personalized tour of the school. Introduce them to staff members in each department, explain where resources are kept, and go over any unique features of the school.
Assign a Mentor:
Pair the new teacher with a seasoned mentor. The mentor can act as a point of contact for any questions or concerns they might have and can help them navigate through the school culture and processes. This can go a long way when welcoming new teachers into your system.
Over the years, sometimes, I’ve had a mentor and sometimes not. This year was a “Not”. But, I am a veteran teacher, so it was assumed that I didn’t need a mentor.
🙅♀️🛑What Not to Do:
Ignore Them: Make sure new teachers don’t feel overlooked. Leaving them to figure things out on their own can cause stress and isolation. And, I have felt a little ignored at one or two jobs. It’s like they don’t think I know what I’m doing, or they are too busy to be bothered with me. 🤷🏾♀️
Foster Inclusion from Day One
Creating a culture of inclusion helps build a collaborative team where new teachers feel like they belong. This can be achieved by fostering relationships both inside and outside the classroom.
Host a Welcome Event: Plan an informal meet-and-greet or coffee break where the new teacher can interact with colleagues. This provides a relaxed atmosphere to get to know each other.
The school I just left did a welcome event for the new staff the second year that I was there, and I enjoyed attending. Although I wasn’t new teacher, I still thought it was a good idea. I got a chance to meet the new personnel and learn a little about them.
Include Them in School Events: Whether it’s attending school committee meetings or social gatherings, make sure the new teacher is invited to events and has an opportunity to participate. Often, we want to participate.
Encourage Teamwork: Assign the new teacher to a collaborative teaching team or suggest they participate in team-based projects, so they can learn from and contribute to their peers.
🙅♀️🛑What Not to Do:
Whispering and Gossiping: New teachers are likely to pick up on negative undercurrents if they overhear whispers or see cliques forming. Gossip, especially about other staff members, can create an unwelcoming and hostile environment. Gossiping puts a negative vibe in the atmosphere, and it can be easy for us to pick up on it. So, when welcoming new teachers to your school, try to avoid whispering and gossiping. I know I have picked up some negative vibes this year and my first year at my last job.
Excluding Them from Social Groups:
Cliques or established social groups can sometimes unintentionally exclude new staff. Ensure that your school’s culture encourages openness, where all staff members feel comfortable interacting with each other.
Offer Meaningful Professional Development Opportunities
One of the best ways to welcome a new teacher is to help them grow professionally. The more resources and support they receive early on, the more successful they will be in their role.
Provide In-House Training: Offer professional development opportunities that focus on your school’s curriculum, technology, or policies. A training session can also serve as a platform for new teachers to ask questions and become familiar with school expectations.
Encourage Observations: Suggest that new teachers observe a variety of classroom styles. It can be immensely helpful for them to see how different teachers manage their classes, deliver instruction, and interact with students.
Check-in Regularly: Regular check-ins are a key part of welcoming new teachers to your school and your district. Don’t worry. We don’t (well, I don’t) consider this snooping. Instead, I see it as you trying to help me with classroom management and other issues. Schedule regular check-ins to discuss the new teacher’s progress and ask if they need any additional resources or training. Regular feedback helps teachers grow and gives them confidence in their new role.
🙅♀️🛑What Not to Do:
Overload Them with Unnecessary Information: Avoid overwhelming new teachers with an abundance of non-essential information right away. This can cause Information Overload! Stick to what they need to know immediately, and gradually introduce more complex aspects of the role.
Dismiss Their Questions: If a new teacher approaches you with questions or concerns, don’t brush them off. No matter how trivial the question may seem, they may genuinely need the information to navigate their new role effectively.
Provide Emotional and Moral Support
Starting a new job can be stressful, and teaching is no exception…trust me. Providing emotional support is just as important as offering professional resources.
Check in on Their Well-being: Ask how they are doing and if there’s anything they need. Sometimes new teachers might feel overwhelmed but may be hesitant to ask for help.
Encourage Work-Life Balance: Promote a healthy work-life balance by offering tips on managing stress, time management, and self-care. It’s essential for new teachers to understand that their well-being is as important as their job performance.
Provide a Safe Space for Feedback: Make sure they feel comfortable voicing concerns or frustrations. Offering constructive feedback in a supportive environment helps them improve while knowing they are backed by their team.
🙅♀️🛑What Not to Do:
Teasing: Some colleagues might tease new teachers in a playful manner, but this can backfire. However, when welcoming new teachers to your school, it is important that you think before you speak. Even well-intentioned jokes about their inexperience can erode confidence. I decide to work in another state this year, and I get teased a lot about where I’m from. I try to take it with a grain of salt, but it does get a little annoying.
Being Unapproachable: If new teachers feel that their colleagues or administrators are distant or unapproachable, they may internalize their struggles rather than asking for help, which can lead to burnout.
Create a Collaborative and Open Environment
A school thrives when its teachers work together in a spirit of collaboration. Make it clear from the beginning that the school fosters teamwork and open communication.
Promote Open Communication: Encourage new teachers to ask questions, share their ideas, and voice their opinions. Make sure they know that their thoughts are valued and that they are part of decision-making processes.
Set Up Collaborative Planning Sessions: Offer opportunities for new teachers to with other staff members during planning sessions. This not only helps them integrate into the team but also exposes them to valuable teaching strategies and resources.
Be Transparent: When discussing school policies, classroom management, or grading systems, be clear and transparent. New teachers need to understand how things work so they can align their methods accordingly.
🙅♀️🛑What Not to Do:
Hoard Information: When welcoming new teachers to your school, be sure that they are well-informed. Some teachers might unintentionally keep critical information to themselves, assuming that the new teacher will “figure it out.” This can lead to confusion and mistakes.
I worked at one job that was really “hands-off.” Although I like the freedom to do things my way, I didn’t like not knowing things.
Being Competitive: Teaching should never feel like a competition. If there’s a competitive atmosphere where teachers are trying to outperform each other, the new teacher may feel unwelcome or undermined.
Celebrate Their Contributions
New teachers bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the school, and recognizing their contributions can help them feel more confident and motivated.
Acknowledge Their Successes: Whether it’s a well-managed classroom or a creative lesson plan, make sure to acknowledge the new teacher’s achievements. This can be done privately, but it should definitely be done publicly. New teachers want to know that they have done something right. A simple note or email recognizing their hard work can go a long way.
Offer Opportunities for Leadership: Give new teachers the opportunity to lead school committees, extracurricular activities, or clubs. Offering leadership roles early on shows that the school believes in their abilities. For me, this is one way that makes me feel included. But, every teacher is different.
🙅♀️🛑What Not to Do:
Assume They Don’t Have New Ideas: Just because a teacher is new doesn’t mean they don’t have valuable contributions to make. Dismissing their ideas or opinions because of their “newness” can be demoralizing.
This has been done to me recently. And, I was highly offended. I love to contribute, and I feel that my ideas are just as good as everyone else’s.
Neglect Their Accomplishments: If a new teacher excels in something, don’t fail to recognize it. Everyone likes to feel that their hard work is appreciated.
Help Them Navigate the School Culture
Every school has its own unique culture, and new teachers need help understanding both the formal and informal aspects of how things are done.
Explain Unwritten Rules: Boy, is this one a big one! In addition to the school handbook, take time to explain any unwritten rules or traditions that the new teacher might need to know. This could include anything from dress code expectations to how school events are typically handled. Remember, “We don’t know what we don’t know.”
Encourage Open Dialogue About Culture: Encourage new teachers to ask about the school’s culture and to feel comfortable asking about norms or expectations that might not be obvious.
Support Cultural Adaptation: Understand that adjusting to a new school culture takes time. Offer patience, guidance, and encouragement as the new teacher gets acclimated.
🙅♀️🛑What Not to Do:
Assume They’ll “Pick It Up” on Their Own: Don’t leave new teachers to figure out the nuances of your school’s culture on their own. Failing to offer guidance can leave them feeling like outsiders.
Enforce Rigid Expectations: Be flexible with your expectations as new teachers adapt to the school culture. Allow them time to adjust without putting unnecessary pressure on them to conform immediately.
Avoid Creating an “Us vs. Them” Mentality
Finally, it’s essential to ensure that new teachers don’t feel like outsiders. Schools should avoid behaviors that create a divide between veteran staff members and new hires.
Encourage Inclusivity: Foster an environment where new teachers feel they are just as much a part of the team as those who have been there for years.
Create Collaborative Spaces: Provide shared spaces such as faculty lounges or workrooms
As a teacher new to a different school district this year, I can tell you from experience that things can be scary. So, when welcoming new teachers into your school or your district, try to help your new coworkers feel welcome. You can start by trying some of the suggestions above.
Happy Teaching!!!