Beyond the Wild Rose

 Last week I had the opportunity to spend three days in the classrooms of first-year 7th and 8th grade teachers, and those days once again rekindled my love for teaching. This is the third year I’m participating in the BDUSD mentoring program, and I see tremendous potential in the ways it can benefit those newbies to teaching.

There is something special about walking into the classroom of a first-year teacher. You see the excitement, the preparation, the nervousness, and occasionally that look that says, “I hope I know what I’m doing!” But you also see something else—potential. These young teachers have chosen a profession that asks a great deal of them, often before they fully understand just how many responsibilities will compete for their time and attention each day.

During my visits, I was reminded that teaching is about much more than delivering a lesson. A successful teacher must learn how to manage a classroom, build relationships, establish expectations, respond to unexpected behavior, plan meaningful lessons, assess student learning, communicate with parents, and somehow still have enough energy left to prepare for tomorrow. That can be overwhelming for anyone, especially someone just beginning his or her career.

What impressed me most was the willingness of these teachers to learn. They were open to conversations about what went well and what might be improved. In one classroom, we talked about the importance of establishing clear student commitments and expectations—not simply posting them on a wall, but consistently reinforcing them. In another, we discussed ways to take an engaging “getting to know you” activity and turn it into a meaningful ELA lesson involving observation, evidence, and inference.

Those conversations reminded me why mentoring can be so valuable. A mentor doesn't need to have all the answers, nor should a mentor expect a first-year teacher to become a polished professional overnight. Sometimes the greatest value comes from simply having another experienced educator in the room who can say, “I saw something you did well,” followed by, “Have you considered trying this?”

I also came away thinking about the students sitting in those classrooms. Seventh and eighth graders occupy a fascinating stage of life. They want to be treated with respect and given greater independence, yet they still need structure, consistency, and guidance. They may appear indifferent to what adults think, but a teacher's words and actions can have a tremendous and lasting influence on them. A teacher who is warm, firm, predictable, and genuinely interested in students can make a difference that may never be fully recognized at the time.

That may be one of the greatest lessons for a first-year teacher: you don't have to be perfect to make a difference. You simply need to continue learning, reflecting, adjusting, and showing up each day ready to give your best to the students in front of you.

After three days in those classrooms, my enthusiasm for teaching was renewed. The BDUSD mentoring program provides an opportunity to support new teachers during one of the most challenging—and important—years of their careers. And if we can help these “newbies” gain confidence, develop good habits, and recognize the tremendous influence they can have on young lives, then the investment of time and energy is more than worthwhile.

Teaching remains one of the most demanding professions—but it is also one of the most rewarding. Last week was a wonderful reminder of exactly why.