Surviving the Final Weeks of the Year: Advice for new teachers
Towards the end of the school year, there’s a palpable change in school environment. “Everyone’s just burned out—even the principals and office staff,” says Camille Gardner, who just finished her 12th year teaching elementary students. “It’s a struggle, to be quite honest. It’s really hard.” We asked a few veteran teachers what advice they would give a new teacher during those painful last few weeks. Here’s what they had to say:
Make it easy on your students—and yourself—this time of year.
“Get all the stuff that you really want to hit home done before May. Life gets crazy in May—yours and theirs—especially if you have a family. It’s okay to acknowledge that.” Sarah Bingham, who’s taught high school English for nine years, recommends. Sunny Allen, who taught high school Psychology for 12 years before becoming a paraeducator at Baldwin High School in Kansas, says “I would try to give more independent work with generous due dates… Some years I’ve given bigger, cumulative projects, but then am stuck grading when I really want to be gone, too.”
Know that ultimately, your students have to make their own decisions.
Mrs. Bingham has this to say to her fellow teachers: “You cannot control another person’s actions or decisions, including teenagers. You can be there, nag, and encourage, but if they choose to not take you up on your offer, that’s their choice. You have done your job… You cannot take responsibility for someone’s bad decisions. If you do, then you will burn out.”
Remember why you do what you do.
Teachers sometimes describe what they do as a calling, not a job. Mrs. Gardner shares what gets her through the more chaotic moments: “When I’m really struggling, just seeing the light go on in a kid’s face when something just clicks. There are a lot of really tough things about teaching, but I love to see the kids grow and see their progress.”
What gets you through your last few weeks of the year?
