Coming out of college, into a new school, meeting new people, and teaching is a hard task to do. Every year teachers step up to the plate and face a classroom of students as they attempt to gain control and pass their knowledge on to them.

This year, the district took on 26 new teachers. To some of these teachers it will be their first year teaching in their own classroom, but to all, it will be their first year in the halls of Triton Regional. This can be intimidating to new teachers young and old, so what are some words of wisdom our experienced teachers can pass on?

Every day students see the familiar friendly faces of their teachers but stop for a brief moment as they take in the face of someone new. These new teachers, however, may be quivering on the inside knowing that they are the new kids this year. They not only have to establish the relationships with the kids but also earn the respect of the teachers they are working with.

So who should they go to when asking for advice? How do they know what is the right thing to ask? After asking a few senior teachers at Triton, they passed on a few wise words to the new teachers.

This year is Ms. Jamie Richards second year at Triton High School. She went through the tough, learn-as-you-go, year last year.  When asked what advice she would give to new teachers, she answered, “Write down everything you do in a day so that you can work off of that calendar for the next year coming in because the second year it’s nice to know what you did the first year, modify things that work, things that didn’t, next year you can work off of that.”  She thought for a second and laughed as she said, “Be prepared for how exhausting the job is… I didn’t realize how tired I would be. By 2:13 I just want to nap,” The biggest and most important advice she gave would be, “Make connections with the students right away, it makes it easier for them to identify with you if you know them personally.”

For new teachers who may be intimidated by the students, Mr. Richard Dube, a math and business teacher, offered his advice on the topic: “You’re their teacher, not their friend.”

For the teachers who are concerned with the amount of time they will have to finish their work, Mr. Colby, a math teacher, said: “Come in early and leave late, I found that I am most productive when I am grading in my classroom alone.”

All of the teachers at Triton have learned through experience. They found what works and what doesn’t for each of their individual teaching styles. New teachers should know that their biggest resource is each other, and there is always a friendly teacher willing to lend a helping hand to the new kids on the block.