If you have recently decided to become a teacher, congratulations! You have the ability to influence and impact the lives of future generations. This is an exciting and emotional job that carries a lot of responsibility. Although the global pandemic has definitely shaken things up at schools, education is still crucial and new teachers are essential.

You have embarked on a career that allows you to challenge and motivate students. You will be able to see them grow, develop, and become well-rounded adults. However, teaching is no simple task and, if you are new, the whole process can seem rather overwhelming. Here are four things that every new teacher should know.

There is No Set Rulebook

Every child in your classroom is a unique individual with their own understanding of the world and how it affects them. Therefore, there is no set rulebook for teachers to follow when deciding how to educate their classrooms. Not everyone learns at the same pace and students may not be motivated by, or interested in, the same things. Take your time to get to know the class and keep in mind that no two students are the same. You may find that certain students are motivated by positive feedback and encouragement, whilst others are motivated by incentives.

Make Your Classroom a Community

You want to make sure that your classroom is a safe space for your students. They should feel excited and happy to come to school each day. There are several ways you can encourage this feeling of community, one is by asking them to help you pick some classroom themes. Themes are a great way to brighten up the classroom and spread encouraging messages. You want to focus on making your classroom a positive place where your students can open up and truly benefit from the experience of education.

Confidence is Key

Confidence is one of the greatest things you can instill in a student. Apart from teaching them valuable skills like literacy, math, and science, you should also encourage kids to be confident. Many students lack this kind of support and a little faith can go a long way. Confident children benefit from a greater sense of optimism and independence as they learn to take greater risks in life. A great way to teach a kid to be more confident is by delegating age-appropriate tasks. This can be something simple, like asking a student to help you water the plants in your classroom.

Have Faith in Yourself

Teaching isn’t an easy job; it can take some time to adjust to the busy school routine. Take a breather, keep focused, and most importantly have faith in yourself. Give yourself some time to create meaningful relationships at school, not just with your students but also with your colleagues. Teaching is a rather demanding job and the easiest reaction to have when things go wrong is to lash out. Keep calm, assess the situation, and learn from your mistakes.