Put Your Best Foot Forward in the First 90 Days
The first 90 days back to school can be filled with stress and anxiety, especially if you are at a brand new school or teaching for the first time. In an attempt to avoid stepping on anyone’s toes, getting on the wrong side of a new co-worker, or making a mistake, it’s often tempting to just keep your head down and lay low. But to do that is to miss a big opportunity—often, these first three months are the perfect time to really catapult yourself forward at the school.
The minute the school year begins it’s time to find ways to make an impact in your classroom and on your team. Your first months back to school are crucial because during that time the students, parents, the principal, and fellow teachers will be forming impressions that will last throughout the year. The ideas below will help you gain quick wins for a positive impact in the first 90 days.
Quick Wins for the First 90 Days:
- Ask veteran teachers to share their most successful strategies
- Conduct check-ins with all students about their progress
- Communicate student success to all parents
- Volunteer for a school committee or project
When you hit the ground running, you can immediately start adding value to the school. Highly successful teachers will see that you are genuine about contributing to the success of all students and they’ll be much more willing to invest time in helping you develop and teaching you the ways of the school. If they don’t see potential in you as a team member, they may move on to mentoring someone else.
We say all of this not to make you more anxious about starting that first day of school, but to encourage you to be a results-focused team member right from the start. Your first 90 days at school will set the temperature for the rest of the year so it’s important to make them count.
Asti Kelley, TeacherReady®
