Revisiting my first year of teaching, which dates back to the 1995-96 school year, requires delving deep into my memory. Despite the challenges, it’s always nostalgic to reflect on those times. For every new teacher out there, these struggles are familiar. Remember, you’re not alone, and you will conquer them! I assure you!
After graduating from Iowa State University in May 1995, I was accepted into the CADRE Project at the University of Nebraska-Omaha for the 1995-96 school year. This program placed me as a full-time teacher in a classroom within one of the surrounding public school districts while pursuing a Master’s Degree simultaneously. As part of the program, I had a “Master Teacher Mentor” who periodically visited my classroom, offering guidance and advice to navigate through the initial year. I was assigned as a 4th-grade teacher in the Omaha Public Schools.
My classroom was situated in a building constructed in 1912, maintaining its antique charm with wooden floors, towering ceilings, tall windows, an old radiator for heat, and an absence of air conditioning! Interestingly, the K-4 building had more classrooms outside in portables than in the actual structure. Fortunately, I was allocated space within the main building. Just outside my classroom door was the “office,” consisting of a large counter in the hallway for the secretary and a small back office for the principal. A security guard stationed at a small table sat right outside my classroom.
I started my teaching journey with very minimal supplies as my class was added late in the summer. The room had math and reading textbooks and a set of old metal desks. There was access to large rolls of colored paper, writing paper, and pencils in a school-wide storage room. But anything beyond basic office supplies like pens and staples required a supply order, and it took several months to get a working pencil sharpener!
Such conditions pushed me to create my own teaching materials, which turned out to be a hidden blessing. It sparked my passion for curriculum development and equipped me with skills for my career beyond teaching!
The greatest challenge in that first year was adapting to such a diverse population, both racially and socioeconomically. My teacher training hadn’t prepared me for this. Coming from Sioux Falls, SD, where my high school had minimal racial diversity and mostly middle-class students, the contrast was stark.
My classroom consisted of about 50% black students from a high-poverty neighborhood and 50% mainly white students bussed in from an even lower-income area with a homeless shelter. The transient nature of the shelter caused significant student turnover—I’d have about 18 students on average in my class, but by year’s end, I’d have had around 40-50 different kids pass through.
Around the same time I started teaching, a police officer, Jimmy Wilson Jr., was shot and killed by gang members, causing unrest in the city, particularly in the area where my school was located. One hot Friday afternoon, lacking air conditioning, I took the class outside under a big tree for our reading time. Instead of reading, a discussion about the shooting unfolded among the students. It was eye-opening; their perspectives differed vastly from mine as a white woman from a middle-class area. I learned a great deal about their lives and experiences that day, realizing how much innocence these young 9-10-year-olds had lost due to their mature exposure to life’s struggles. It was a profound and educational moment for me, fostering a more empathetic attitude toward their life experiences. The discussion offered me a deep insight into their lives and shaped a more compassionate approach to understanding their challenges.
The most significant challenge also turned out to be the most rewarding aspect. It expanded my openness and ability to collaborate within a diverse community. I ended up learning as much from those kids that year as I taught them.
Among the students, there was one in particular whose growth I felt deeply connected to. I’m immensely proud of how I was able to bolster his confidence that year. Moreover, I helped change the perspectives of others in the district who had dismissed him, viewing him solely as a troublemaker with limited potential. I proved them wrong and unveiled the remarkable potential he truly possessed.
At times, it might feel like you’re at a standstill, but you’ll overcome it. Each year following that initial one, you’ll build upon your knowledge. You’ll discover the significance of organization, the value of approaching each child with fresh eyes (avoid reading past files before meeting them), and recognize that a classroom doesn’t have to achieve a “perfect” look. Instead, investing in instructional materials outweighs the need for overly decorative bulletin boards! You don’t require a “Pinterest Pretty Classroom” to excel as a teacher!
You’ll come to realize that you can’t solve every issue, but you can certainly give your best effort. It’s crucial to safeguard your own well-being—don’t let the challenges in your classroom consume your entire life. Allocate time for your mental health to prevent burning out too quickly. Embrace your mistakes as valuable learning opportunities instead of letting them stress you out. Remember, we all make mistakes, and you’ll make your fair share too!
To all teachers, especially those starting their first year, I wish you the best of luck and many happy days ahead! Take a deep breath; things will fall into place eventually, and you’ll excel! There’s nothing quite as invigorating and infectious as the enthusiasm of a first-year teacher!
