Common Sticking Points for New Teachers (and How to Get Past Them)

Scott Gibbons

As a high school teacher and department chair, I often had the opportunity to work alongside and mentor many first-year teachers. In my current role teaching college education courses and supervising student teachers, I'm noticing that novice teachers—whether in training or on the job—share similar challenges. Over the years, I've compiled advice for how new teachers can prepare for these common sticking points.

1. Write clear learning objectives. Writing learning objectives can be challenging. I often ask novice teachers, "What are do you want students to be able to do better today?" Their responses often help focus instructional strategies, set assessment goals, and make defining learning objectives a lot less daunting.
2. Start small; keep it simple. Many novice teachers attempt to cover mounds of information in record time. Do not try to do too much! Implementing one or two activities and digging deep into content or skill building is better than racing through five or six activities that only scratch the surface but may cover an entire section of the course outline.
3. Use writing for everything. Writing helps students think through problems and gives teachers a glimpse into those thought processes. So, have students write whenever possible, no matter the content area. Remember that not all writing needs to be graded; you can review written responses quickly for common themes or challenges and then address those areas later in instruction.
4. Provide evidence that what you are teaching is applicable and practical. If you expect students to provide evidence and examples with their work, then you must be sure to provide evidence and examples of what you are asking of them, too. Even better, if you can relate the content or the skill to something that students recognize, then students may be more likely to buy in and engage with the lesson.
5. Keep time, but don't be rigid. If pacing is a challenge for you, consider using a timer in class. It's helpful for keeping students on task, but remember that you control the tone and tempo of your lesson, not the timer. If students are working hard and need more time, don't allow the timer to make decisions for you.
6. Supplement instruction, and spark interests, with additional resources. Not all students respond the same to instruction, but an easy way to help more students grasp a concept is to supplement instruction with additional sources. These additional sources can take the form of texts, podcasts, videos, or images. Help students to understand that the content or skill spans many platforms, which may encourage more students to engage with the content.
7. Model instruction to reduce repetition. Repeating directions is probably the bane of my existence. I have found that when I model an activity or show examples, more students hit the ground running. This does not eliminate the need for specific directions, but it often eliminates the need to repeat oneself multiple times.
8. Make assessment a priority. Assessing student learning can seem tedious and at times disturb the flow of class, but it's a key part of understanding students' learning. You can create a series of formative assessments to conduct throughout the lesson. Remember, formative assessments are not limited to quizzes. Formative assessments can be group discussions, a writing prompt, or a drawing. You can also create a brief summative assessment for the end of the lesson that covers all of the content you taught.
9. Create a classroom culture that breeds good behavior. Many teachers struggle with behavior management. Instead of trying to change student behavior, think about how you are managing your classroom and how the previous items of this list support a positive learning environment that encourages student engagement and good behavior.

During my first year of teaching, I was grateful for any advice that shortened my learning curve as I worked to build mastery. In my experience, when a teacher exhibits confidence in his or her own pedagogical abilities, students display a similar confidence in the teacher's ability to make learning productive and meaningful.

Too often, teachers isolate themselves from those who can help them most—their peers. By being open about the common challenges we face and sharing our unique solutions, we pave the way for a more supportive environment for every educator.

Scott Gibbons is a doctoral candidate of curriculum studies and teacher education and a preservice teacher supervisor at the University of Cincinnati. He is also a communications officer in the Learner Engagement Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. Visit his website.

ASCD Express, Vol. 14, No. 33. Copyright 2019 by ASCD. All rights reserved. Visit www.ascd.org/ascdexpress.