5 Things I Wish I Had Known as a New Teacher Part 2

6. Do you stay late at school trying to make sure your lessons are engaging and that everything is ready. Almost EVERYONE is not working as hard as you. Go home. Keep things simple.

7. Pick one day and go home at contract hours. You may think this is hurting your students, but actually you will be more refreshed if you take some time to take care of your life and yourself. Your body and mind being refreshed will bring enthusiasm to your teaching because you are refreshed.

8. In my many years of teaching I can only remember my lesson plans being requested four times. That is it! Did you fret because you didn’t write the perfect lesson plan? Why? No one will be looking…in fact even if you don’t have one, no one will know but you. Now, I don’t recommend not having plans!! However, if something came up, and you didn’t have time to write one you will be okay. As long as you have an idea of what you are teaching, you will be fine. (Now the only exception to this may be if you are in a high needs school that is being looked at with a fine toothed comb.)

9. Even the nicest parent at the beginning of the year, can turn on you and go crazy at the end because of something that happened right before summer break. Having about one parent do this at the end is normal–most likely it wasn’t something you did.

10. Don’t depend on your school’s retirement plan as your only income when you retire. Put money into other investment opportunities such as a Roth IRA or maybe even rental property. Vanguard funds are great for both long and short term savings I learned about them from another teacher.