New teachers are often overwhelmed at the insane amount of things to balance and teach effectively. Here’s an article by Catherine Wilcoxson, Ph.D. of Northern Arizona University that helps new teachers stay focused on the important things.

Here are the main ideas:

1. Don’t worry so much about doing the right thing.
2. Relax.
3. Teaching is hard work.
4. Standards cannot be ignored and should not be feared.
5. Write objectives that focus on student learning, not on today’s task.
6. Smile, and do so frequently
7. Respect your students.
8. Believe in your students even if they don’t believe in themselves.
9. Don’t isolate yourself.
10. It is not appropriate to teach the way we were taught

The whole article is a good read. It’ll take you 10 minutes or less to read, but it’s worth the time. Dr. Wilcoxson’s conclusion is that, “Effective teachers are constantly learning from their successes and failures. To be effective, teachers must look back on their practices and assess what works well, what doesn’t, and how they might improve as teachers. Keeping a journal is an excellent means of keeping track of your performance, and it can provide valuable information for your own professional development.”