Don't reinvent the wheel...Use the resources that other teachers have made from your school, or the internet. M. Sherwood - Corona, CA

it only gets easier.  The first year is a work in progress, just remember to learn from your mistakes... C. Gibson - Corona, CA

Hang in there your first year, you only have to do it once! N. Ridge - Corona, CA

Be consistent. Do not promise or say something that you can't back up. You should be a reliable, trustworthy person in the lives of your students. E. Christensen - Corona, CA

You don't have to grade everything. It may be hard to throw some of your students' work away, but it's OK. If an assignment is preparation for a culminating activity like a test, just grade the test. Don't kill yourself trying to grade everything. S. Rangel - Corona, CA

My advice would be to stick to the rules you set. Don't start giving in because it feels easier. It is all well and good to be able to be flexible. There are times you will have to own up and say something didn't work. That is different, however, than just giving in because you don't feel like you can dish out the consequences you said you would. I can't give in every time a preschooler tantrums, and you can't either when older students have thier own "adult" versions of the tantrum. - Boxcar from theteacherscorner.net

Remember, you are the students' teacher- not their buddy. Keep a distinct line between you and the students. It's okay to joke with them, to show that you care about them, even to show that you aren't an old fuddy duddy; however, you need to always keep your role as an authority figure! - MissTeach from theteacherscorner.net

If I'm talking to someone who is starting their first year, I would tell them not to forget to save time for themselves/significant others/family. You can get lost in the chaos of year one. - SS Rocks! from theteacherscorner.net

Develop a set of procedures for everything. Teach them to the kids - even if it is something they should know - like when to sharpen a pencil. Be consistent in using the procedures. Time spent teaching procedures will pay off big time during the year. - muinteoir from theteacherscorner.net

Best advice I could give is that the kids WANT your respect. In turn, give them that respect. Talk to them like adults, if you teach high school of course, and try to avoid talking down to them. In the end, you'll get results. - gocolts from theteacherscorner.net

Be the person you needed when you first started teaching. It goes right along with be the change you wish to see in the world.

Be able to laugh a lot. If you can't laugh and find humor in the job, you will die on the first day. Surprises happen all the time. How you react to them is how your survive with as much of your sanity intact as possible.

Expect the unexpected because it happens--accept it, don't stress over it, and go with it. When it happens, you can handle it better. Sometimes we don't always know what we are going to do, and that is okay to need a moment to think.

Pretend administration doesn't exist and handle everything as much as you can--especially discipline. In one of my roughest teaching years, one teacher who wasn't assigned to help me took me under her wing and showed me how to handle discipline and follow procedures, and it all begins with the teacher, parent, and student. Teachers need the support of administration, but not all administrators offer that support, and not all teachers learn the very much needed strategies. Administrators love teachers that can handle discipline with limited help from administration. New teachers need help from administration, but no one tells new teachers that. If you handle your own discipline as much as you can without bothering administration, when an administrator is needed, they are there. That isn't the way it should be, but that is the way it is. Administrators want to see interventions taken before they step in.

Be friendly, helpful, and polite to all, but stay under the radar. Monitor the kind of attention your bring to yourself and keep it positive.

Back to administration: Don't bother them with too many complaints or problems-depending upon the severity of the situation. Some teachers never leave the administrators office, and all they do is tell on other teachers. Some teachers demand, demand, demand and whatever else. Administrators have people to answer to as well and they handle a ton of complaints. The less you bother them or ask of them or if they associate you with positive stuff, they can't complain much either. When you do finally ask for something, they don't even mind helping you get it.

Sad it comes to that, but its pretty much the same way in the business world. Think about the relationships you make with people all the time. - MsCoffeeLover from theteacherscorner.net