First-Year Teacher? Take a Bow.
You weren't perfect, but that's not the point. Here's some encouragement to reflect upon as you head into summer.
There I was, 22 years of age, with a packaged math curriculum—including a coveted teacher’s edition—ready to teach about 115 7th and 8th graders pre-algebra and algebra curriculum. How hard could this be? The teacher’s edition even gives me lesson suggestions!
I had spent over $50,000 on college tuition, completed 900 hours of unpaid student teaching and practicum hours, and earned a degree to get ready for this moment. The kids were going to love my class and love math even more. They are going to be solving equations in their sleep. I can’t believe a school is even going to pay me to do this.
Let’s go!
...Well, I wish it was that easy.
It turns out, nothing can fully prepare you for the chaos of your first year.
But looking back now, I know this for sure: You did something extraordinary this year. You finished your first year of teaching.
A Few Reflections From the Other Side of Year One
While it’s been almost two decades since I taught my first class, here are a few points of encouragement in celebration of your first year of teaching being in the books:
1. It’s Demanding (More Than You Thought)
Remember how excited you were when you started that first unit of instruction? You were ready. Energized. Hopeful.
Then the realities of the classroom showed up—tough students, apathy, challenging parent emails, unexpected collaboration difficulties with staff (read: differences of opinion), paperwork, hallway duties, more emails, tech issues. You started to feel frustrated at some point. Everyone does.
Whether you’re teaching preschoolers or 18-year-olds, it’s a universal feeling to be overwhelmed. It can take a spiritual, emotional, and physical toll.
But the good news?
2. It Gets Easier... Sort Of
I remember all those late nights in my first year—grading assignments, making copies, lesson planning for the next day—and wondering if it would ever slow down. It felt never-ending.
But if you talk to most veteran teachers, they’ll tell you: by year 3 or 4, you start to find your rhythm. You get your core instructional strategies, classroom management, communication systems, and time-saving habits down. You find your “voice” and the classroom feels slower. Sure, you’ll still adjust and improve—but you’re no longer starting from scratch.
3. Focus on Your Own Progress
As you head into year two, keep this in mind: growth is deeply personal.
One of my kids is a long-distance runner. I often remind her: celebrate your own progress and care very little—if at all—about how fast others are going. Sure, it’s good to know the competition, but your own journey is the most important metric. Don’t beat yourself up if you weren’t better today than last week. Not doing better than last month or a year ago? That’s okay—just connect with colleagues and make some adjustments.
The same is true in teaching.
Even if you’ve never set formal professional goals and looked back at your progress, I promise you this: with good mentorship, you will feel a greater sense of ease next year. Why? Because not everything will feel new.
Muscle memory is a great teacher! Learn from your colleagues. Soak in all that wisdom and expertise, and then do it in a way that works for you.
Student and parent challenges may still come—but now you’ve got experience under your belt. And that matters.
The Ministry of Showing Up
In the quiet moments—when you stayed after to encourage a discouraged student, or wrestled with how to serve the student who made you want to quit—God saw it all.
“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant... just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve...”
— Matthew 20:26–28
Teaching isn’t just a job—it’s a form of service modeled after Christ Himself. And when you serve your students, your colleagues, and their families with humility and love, you reflect the heart of Jesus.
Relax in this: you don’t need to have all the answers. Dallas Willard was once asked to describe Jesus in one word and he said, “Relaxed.” We should regularly reflect on this idea as our new lives grow in Christ (Colossians 3:3).
Teaching will absolutely humble you. It will stretch you. And it will continually push you to ask for help—from the Holy Spirit, from God’s Word, and from your community of brothers and sisters in Christ. Embrace it. That’s where the real strength comes from.
So if you’re wondering whether this education calling is really for you, take heart—God is equipping you and growing you through it all.
Congratulations!
😊