5 Ways to Show Kindness to the New Teacher

It’s no secret that I puffy heart LOVE teachers.  As a teacher, I’ve walked in those tired shoes and know how overwhelming life can be.  Teachers choose a career that is often undervalued and unappreciated yet they couldn’t be more deserving of our respect and admiration. Teachers are responsible for educating and preparing this generation for the future. We set high expectations for them and I truly believe they want to deliver. Today we are very excited to share a few tips to show kindness to the new teacher. 

Being the new teacher on campus can be challenging; with multiple classrooms of students it can take a while to get to know everyone, to earn respect and get acclimated to the school and its program. Not only are they trying to relate to a large volume of students, they have a full staff to connect with.

If you’ve been there before then you get it and I encourage you to go out of your way to be kind and make the new teacher feel welcome. Here’s how you can do just that:

Make the first move: Being the new guy is rough. You can ease that burden by reaching out and introducing yourself first. A kind word or friendly face can change someone’s entire day and can be just what they need to take their first day from good to great.

Extend an invite: Consider inviting them to join you for lunch or dinner, coffee in the morning or any type of meet up after work. Getting them out of the classroom and taking time outside of the school allows everyone to relax and get to know each other a little more, while letting the new teacher seek answers to any lingering questions.

Introductions: It can be hard to extend a hand and introduce yourself over and over. Help them out, make introductions in the teacher’s lounge, hallways or even the parking lot. Take advantage of the opportunities throughout that first week to put them into contact with the other staff members. If you bombard them the first day with a hundred people and names it might be too much information to remember.

Compliment them: A new teacher might wonder if they’re doing a good job early on or how well they measure up. Make it a point to offer a genuine compliment on something they’ve done well. Maybe their classroom looks great, they’re relating to the kids quickly or handled a tough situation well. Don’t be afraid to boost someone’s confidence but only if authentic and sincere.

Offer up your contact info: Whether you’re more comfortable with email or text, offer to be available and provide assistance. Having someone to rely on can sometime ease the strain of “what do I do”. Be friendly but not overzealous. Most won’t use it because they don’t want to bother you so don’t take it personal if they don’t. Just knowing they have someone in their corner can make a world of difference.

I know it’s not your job to welcome everyone and it is okay if you don’t. However, if you were the newbie I’m sure you’d appreciate every kind word, the encouragement and extra effort. Be the person you’d want someone to be for you and you’re golden.

Happy Teaching!