NAEYC members and readers have a wealth of expertise and stories to share. We recently gathered their advice for starting out and growing in your first position.
1. Stay curious, ask questions, and learn from others.
Being an early childhood educator offers opportunities to learn every day. Your setting is full of experiences and interactions that can spur deep thinking and reflection. Observing children can spark questions and ideas to help guide your professional development. Reading articles, attending webinars, and talking with a coach, program leader, or a colleague can help you answer those questions and gain new strategies.
2. Get to know each child and family, and use this information to inform your teaching.
Relationships with children and families offer rich opportunities to tailor your practices and help you address the strengths, needs, and interests of each child. For example, you can provide translations of key vocabulary words to reflect children’s home languages. You can talk with children about their experiences outside your setting and connect those experiences to what they’re learning. Regularly communicating with families can give you insights into how they support their children at home, and you can share strategies and materials that are working well in your setting.
3. Collaborate with the professionals around you.
Teaching can feel lonely, but know that you’re not alone. When you plan, teach, and reflect with others, you are better positioned to support every learner—and yourself. Start with the adults who work in the same room as you. Learn from their experiences, and show that you value working with them. Regularly scheduled meetings can provide a space for everyone to share observations, make future plans, address necessary changes, and exchange ideas.
4. Invite feedback.
Constructive feedback is valuable. Listening to children, working with a coach, and inviting a trusted colleague or administrator into your setting are just a few ways to learn what’s working and what may need your attention. It’s not always easy to receive feedback—even if you’ve invited it—but it can help to remember that positive feedback is valuable too. Take time to reflect on what you’re doing well, so you can build on those effective practices. When reflecting on how to improve, focus on strengthening one aspect of your practice at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
5. Boost your involvement in your professional community.
To develop your knowledge and skills outside of your setting, tap into a professional community. You can start out locally, such as an in-person gathering in your county or a NAEYC Affiliate conference. You can participate in virtual groups and events to widen your circle, including NAEYC’s Interest Forums and HELLO online forum. Explore different opportunities to learn from others, build valuable relationships, and advocate for early childhood education policies and funding. By regularly connecting with others in the field, you’ll find that you’re a part of a community that draws innovative, capable, and passionate professionals.
Helpful Hints for Beginner Teachers
Recently, NAEYC asked experienced educators to share their advice with new teachers. Their responses poured into NAEYC’s social media accounts. Here are some of the highlights.
- Smile and enjoy the time building relationships with the children. Laugh with them!
- Connect with families early, and share a positive note about their child. Your first contact with them should not be when a child misbehaves.
- Get to know the children, their families, and their lived experiences. Self-reflect on your bias and responses. Build connections, relationships, and community.
- Give children the time and space to find their place in the classroom. Allow them to use their voice and choice, as this will foster a sense of ownership.
- Stay organized and plan ahead, but enjoy the laughter, excitement, and joy that you don’t plan for.
- Focus on routines, and break everything down into the steps.
- Take care of yourself. Don’t hesitate to set boundaries and prioritize self-care.
- Remember it’s okay to ask for help—no one expects you to have all the answers from day one!
- Give yourself grace; it’s a journey.
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