When we start out as educators, I think it is fair to say there is a steep learning curve for the best of us. For myself, I had a lot to learn and was not a natural to say the least. There are 3 major areas that make those first few years difficult: A lack of pedagogy, content knowledge, and reputation. Some are easier than others to overcome, and some are a function of time and intentional growth. Other teachers and educators can help a lot along the way if we let them. But let's take a quick examination of these three areas.

1) Lack of Pedagogy Skills

Like many of us at the beginning of my teaching career, I was woefully inept in many areas of teaching. I struggled with discipline and setting my classroom routines. I thought that because I was the teacher in the room the students would simply respect that role and cooperate accordingly. I wasn’t able to find the ebb and flow of a class or realize effectively that not everyone best learned the same way that I was most comfortable teaching. I didn’t know which battles to fight and which to let slide, nor could I always tell what things were important and which things weren’t. 

As I learned and grew, I gained in skillset. I started learning which things worked and which things didn’t. I learned how to switch gears when something wasn’t working and to be able to read the room better. I could neutralize an escalating situation by changing a student’s seating or asking them if they needed a quick break before they blew. I developed scripts that helped to navigate the various situations that I would encounter over and over again. Most importantly, I figured out that I was teaching kids and not just curriculum and what that really meant. 

Until you start to gain those skills, life as a teacher can be difficult, and depending on who and where you are teaching it can be very difficult! Being reflective here is key since if you cannot honestly assess where you are and how things are working out, you cannot identify the areas you need to grow in and work on them.

It can be difficult to learn these skills simply observing other teachers since you don’t see the time that went into establishing the routines and relationships of their classrooms, all you often see is a snapshot after that is developed. Learning how to set up your class, sharing best practices, delving deeper into your colleague’s practice is key. Most teachers are only too happy to share what they have learned and help out! 

Be mindful though that a well-controlled classroom does not necessarily mean it is an optimal learning environment or that students are learning. Also be mindful that there are things that I have observed that I cannot replicate and I learned quickly to stop trying because my personality was too different from the person I was observing. You will need to find the things that work well for you based on your own personality and style, but with a mind focused on growth, you will absolutely find them.

2) Lack of Developed Material

When you are first starting you out you are learning the material you are teaching. You are likely familiar with the concepts but maybe not with the pacing, the timelines or the particular activities along the way. You need to develop these thing and make them your own.

Historically, there have always been teachers willing to share materials and now with the interconnectivity of the internet this has never been easier. When I started I can remember there was always a scramble to get teaching materials from colleagues and stockpile whatever you could just in case it you might teach that course someday. When a teacher retired and there was an almost ceremonial passing over of the binder with all the notes and assignments prepared and you thought you had hit the jackpot.

Fortunately, most educators now realize that we must constantly evolve our practice and adapt it to the learners in our classes. The same lesson plan year after year won’t work effectively unless it is responsive to the needs of the students, and no two classes are alike. However, it is generally much easier to do the adapting and customizing once you have a solid command of the material and this comes with time and experience. You will find great strategies that will work better than others and continue to use those and abandon poor practices, each year tweaking and refining it a little more to better meet the needs of your students. Also with the rise of the digital age is has never been easier to share and adapt materials, or connect with a professional learning network who may have unique insights into the material and can help you navigate it.

3) Lack of Reputation

A reputation is essentially an artificial, one-sided relationship. We feel we have a connection or insight into someone with someone even though we may have never met them. People do this all the time with celebrities where they know their likes and dislikes and feel they have a connection somehow, despite the celebrity being more or less unaware of your existence.

The longer you are in a school, the more the students (and parents!) know you long before they ever sit in your class. A mentor of mine used to say that once you have been in a school longer than the kids, you got them. Students know if you have their back long before you meet them. They also get a pretty good idea of what your expectations are and how you run your class without ever having set foot in there. So when they finally do enter your class, you are only confirming what they already know. 

This of course, only works if you get a positive reputation. If you get a reputation for not being a champion for students then they may dread your class or set themselves against you before you even start. This can be incredibly difficult to change if you fall into this. But if students know that you will give them a fair shake and that you are there to support and work with them, you will likely be just fine. Students need to know they can trust you. Stephen Covey writes in the Speed of Trust, trust has two major components: Your character and your competence. Rest assured that students (and others) are paying attention to both.

This being said you don’t need to worry about being their favorite teacher. Your relationship with students is also not one of friendship but rather one of a caring and responsible adult in their lives. You can be a 'fun' teacher where students have fun but don't learn anything and your class may feel like a free-for-all. Our goal is to make sure they leave with an education, and having a relationship of a caring adult in their lives is a key component of helping them to get it. If you are struggling with building one with a particular student then ask around, there is bound to be someone who has a good relationship with that student that can help you with some insights and approaches. Even if it is difficult, you can always turn things around with a student. Doing this, will go back towards enhancing your reputation as being a champion for students who won't give up on them.

At any point in your career these things can change or need updating. Changing schools may mean you need to rebuild your reputation all over again with the students. Taking on a new course means that you are developing new material. Even your pedagogy needs to grow and evolve if you plan to stay in the profession since society is constantly changing. Remember that teaching is a Team Sport, don’t try to go it alone and there are a lot of people who can help you learn what you need much faster than trying to fly solo. This may sound like a lot starting out, and it certainly can be, but it is worth knowing and working on to help enjoy a rewarding career that much more.