In the weeks before my first teaching job began, I alternated between feelings of exhilaration and feelings of total fear. It was my dream assignment, teaching 11th graders U.S. History. Thanks to my time student teaching, I felt confident in my teaching ability. And, I knew the content. But, it is completely different to step into someone's class and teach versus being in charge of your own classroom. I learned a lot that first year. It was challenging and one of the hardest of my career, but what I learned helped shape me and helped me become a better teacher.
Here are a few things I wish someone had told me before I first set foot into my classroom.