5 Simple Ways to Support New Teachers

It's no secret that we have a teacher crisis in America. The statistic remains that most teachers do not make it past five years in this career.

So, if we know that people are entering our field feeling overwhelmed...so overwhelmed that they leave, how can we make them feel more supported?

The trick is helping people feel supported when we ourselves already feel stretched too thin and overloaded with work. Should it fall on the teachers' shoulder to make new teachers feel welcomed and supported? Probably not. But, in the day-to-day life of teaching, a new teacher's team is his or her lifeline.

So, in a perfect world there would be mentors, coaches, and admin flooding new teacher's classrooms helping them with every detail of their day. But, we do not live in a perfect world. We often need to support our teammates on our own.

The good news? It doesn't have to be complicated. Today, I have five tips for supporting new teachers without adding more work to your own plate!

Avoid the Question “How Can I Help You?”

Asking a new teacher what they need help with is so kind, and so well-meaning.

But the truth is that a new teacher needs help with everything. Their brain feels like a swirling cloud of overwhelm and data and behaviors and emails and exhaustion. To pluck one thing out of the mass in their brain and explain it to you and how you can help with it is honestly just adding more to their plate.

So, make your questions more specific.

Ask: “What questions can I answer for you about report cards?”

Or: “What can I print/copy for you for next week?”

Or: “How are thing going with X student. Do you need any help with that situation, or just a second to vent?”

Give the new teacher in your life one thing to focus on for a minute. Even if you can’t help with a dozen things at once, you will help with ONE thing, and that will make them feel like they are finally making progress on something.

Model What You’re Doing, and Release Responsibility

Over the years, I’ve had a wide variety of teachers on my team with a huge range of experience. One thing that consistently frustrates veteran teachers on teams that I’ve been on are the new teachers in their lives not pulling the same amount of weight, or not being able to jump in and do things at the same level that they are.

Because we’re all teachers here, we know that the best way to teach someone how to do something is to model what it looks like. Have a new teacher sit in with you while you’re doing your section of the plans. Or let them watch you plan your small groups and let them talk through planning their own with you.

Make yourself available and invite new teachers on your team to sit in and observe the things that you are already going to be doing.

But, here’s the key: always have them meet you half-way with the work load, and eventually release responsibility to them so they are doing things on their own. Avoid the temptation to just do things for a new teacher every time they need help. It’s kind, for sure. But in the long run it does not help them feel successful at their jobs. Guide and mentor, instead.

Be Empathetic

You were once a first year teacher. But, depending on how long ago you started teaching, the landscape you entered teaching with is probably different from what new teachers are facing now. Yes, you’ve adapted to all of the changes in education over the years. But, you’ve had the advantage of being able to learn things small doses. You learned how to teach, and then things shifted and you had to adjust. New teachers today are drowning in data, technology, behaviors, parent expectations, community pressure, testing, and a flood of information about the best ways to teach every subject they are in charge of.

So, every conversation you have with someone who is new to this field will go better if you lead with empathy. Acknowledge to yourself (and out loud to them, if you can), that they are doing an extremely hard job. And they’re still here showing up. So, if they seem lost and confused, it’s understandable. :)

Get Personal

Being a new teacher on a team of veterans is very isolating. You constantly feel like you’re the weakest link in the room, and like you have nothing to offer. One way to help a new teacher feel more welcomed and comfortable with speaking up is to get to know who they are and ask them personal questions. If they are engaged, dating someone seriously, house hunting, married, have children, etc…remember their personal situations that they share with you. Ask follow up questions later. Ask them about their breaks. Just knowing that they are cared about will help the job feel less lonely. You can push through a LOT in teaching if you feel like the team is there for you.

Give them Chances to Take the Lead

It’s important for new teachers to remember that they did not get this job by accident. They had to qualify for a teaching program, complete a student teaching experience, pass a bunch of licensure exams, then interview and be selected to teach at this school. They don’t know everything, of course. But, they know some things! I remember being a new teacher and feeling so timid about sharing my ideas. I didn’t think anyone would want to hear what I had to say.

But, over time, as my teammates invited me to share my thoughts, I felt more confident in my job. The more confident I felt, the better I became!

I hope that these 5 tips give you some ideas on how to better support the new teachers in your life!