Forty to fifty percent of new teachers leave within their first five years on the job. Why? Because teaching is hard. More is expected of teachers than they could comprehend before starting the job. Teachers are lesson-planners, disciplinarians, fundraisers, administrators, emotional-support systems, and more.
At AdoptAClassroom.org, we work everyday to give teachers a hand with classroom supplies, but we also strive to be a community where teachers can connect and feel supported. For this series, we asked last year’s rookie teachers to share their reflections from the first year. We hope that their insights and advice will help this year’s rookies feel more confident and less alone.
For the first post, we’re looking at the basics: how to run a classroom. Here’s what the rookies had to say:
On lesson planning
On discipline
On letting go:
Did you know? AdoptAClassroom.org has a pilot program in the Twin Cities to support first-year teachers. We know that most teachers spend a significant amount of their own funds on classroom supplies. This financial burden falls particularly hard on first-year teachers who are stocking a classroom for the first time and have more limited financial means. Our goal is to reduce attrition among first-year teachers in order to reduce costs for schools and improve student achievement. To give to this fund, click here.
This is the first post in our series “First-Year Teachers, Here’s what you need to know: Advice from last year’s rookies”
Look out for the next two posts, and in the meantime:
Teachers–sign up for an AdoptAClassroom.org page here.
Everyone else–check out our Featured Classrooms to find a teacher who needs you today!
Are there other stories you’d like to see from AAC? Email our Social Media Coordinator, Shelby with your ideas.
