When you are just starting out in a career in education, there are many things that you can do right to ensure that it all goes as smoothly as possible. At the same time, there is also a lot that you can do wrong, which certainly needs to be avoided in any way you can. Taking this into account, the following blog post is going to take a look at some of the errors that can be avoided.
Thinking That You Have It Cracked
Just when you think that everything is going swimmingly, this is exactly the time when you can have the day from hell that is going to derail all of those thoughts. Taking this into account, you should never take for granted that you already know it all and you cannot improve. In fact, people who have been in the profession for decades can always learn something. A big part of this comes down to the fact that there is always something new to pick up along the way, as well as thinking that is constantly changing in one way or another. There are plenty of different ways available for learning and developing, but some of the best ones include structured programs such as a 100% Online Educational Technology Certificate.
Trying to Avoid Making Mistakes
There are some jobs that have a steeper learning curve than others, and there is no doubt that being a teacher fits firmly into this category. However, this does not mean that you should simply be shying away from the potential mistakes that you could be making and avoiding them entirely. Otherwise, you are going to end up in a situation in which not much learning can be done. For this reason, it is important to have other people observing your lessons and for you to listen to the feedback that they are giving you rather than simply trying to avoid it because it makes you feel uncomfortable in one way or another. In fact, it is always going to be worth bearing in mind that learning often does make you feel uncomfortable, but it is so much more satisfying once you have overcome all of the obstacles that are in front of you.
Not Having a Mentor Figure
When you are entering a school environment, it is always a good idea to have a teacher that you are able to look up to and admire as much as possible. This way, you can emulate what they are doing. At the same time, they should also be able to provide you with some useful words of wisdom that you can put into practice along the way. These can prove to be invaluable in so many different ways and are worth taking into account.
Being Too Lenient
Not every single teacher needs to be of the mold that is constantly strict and shouting all the time. However, there is certainly an issue involved when you establish your expectations and do not follow up on them. This way, it is going to be taken that they simply do not matter, which can see your classroom become looser and looser. The challenges are likely to mount up during the year, and it will be highly difficult to get them on your side all over again. Once you have established a type of environment involving mutual respect, this can really make all the difference long into the future.
Giving Up on Some Students
It is always going to be worth bearing in mind that you probably got into a career in education so you could help out every single person in your class rather than focusing on some of them and excluding the rest of them. Taking this into account, you should certainly not fall into the trap of giving up on any of your students at all.
Avoiding all of these common mistakes in the world of teaching can really make all the difference in your progression up the education career ladder. First of all, you should accept that mistakes are going to be made along the way. Not only this, but you need to have a mentor who is willing and able to help you out on your journey. You should also avoid the type of thinking that tells you that you already know everything. It is exactly at this stage that everything can start to go wrong, which can totally derail all that you have worked so hard to achieve. You should also avoid being too lenient right from the start. Otherwise, you can easily end up in the type of situation in which the students are being given an inch and are taking a mile.
