CONGRATULATIONS! YOU GOT A JOB!
We've all been there. So excited! But also: so nervous! When I first started teaching, I had a bachelor's degree in psychology - not education. I wanted to be a school psychologist (funny how these paths have crossed!), but that didn't come to fruition. My mom was a teacher, and it had never occurred to me that I might be a teacher one day too. 😅 But finding myself out of college without a job, and finding that a local high school needed a special education teacher... The stars aligned, and 19 years later, here I am!
It's funny how these things happen. Now, 2 degrees and 2 endorsements later (M.Ed. in General Special Education, Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, and endorsements in English to Speakers of Other Languages and Administration and Supervision), I would never want to do anything other than Special/Exceptional Education.
It's also not lost on me that many people go into Special Education wanting to make a difference and because they have a heart for kids. But after realizing they learning (almost) NOTHING in school that would prepare them for the daily grind (supervising other adults, a massive caseload, constant data collection and paperwork, soo many meetings, student behaviors - oh my!) the burnout among sped teachers is real.
Here are some tips that I hope may help make your first year (or second or third!) easier:
1. Ask questions!
No one expects you to know everything. AND we've all been there. ASK!
2. Find your people
This may be hard if you're an introvert like I am, but I am always looking out for people who will make me better or more knowledgeable. In special education, sometimes this is MORE difficult. You may be the only sped teacher in your building. If this is the case, try to build community with people in other buildings in similar positions. Either way, find people who will invest in you - or take you under their wing! This could be a veteran teacher, or could also be a new-er teacher who wants to pay it forward.
3. The hours will be long, but your hard work will pay off.
I'd be lying if I said the hours get shorter 😬, but I am more efficient with my systems and my time. Don't go into your first year thinking you'll be able to get it all done within working hours. Of course, set boundaries, but keep realistic expectations. This leads me to #4, but also related to #2:
4. Build your systems!
Look to colleagues for systems that work for them. Do they batch photocopy? How do they use their instructional resources? How do they use their planning time? How do they collect data to write IEPs? How do they project new goals? How do they communicate with their para team? Gen ed teachers? Do they have tips for parent communication? What are their class rules/expectations? How do they build relationships with students? How do they keep track of all of their passwords? Even better if they're willing to share templates or checklists that you can duplicate and edit.
5. Give yourself grace
For self-critical (perfectionist tendencies, anyone?) people like me, sometimes it's hard to see things that are going well. Focus on student growth, not mastery. Focus on systems you're implementing that are effective. Even if it's just building relationships with kids or colleagues, there is always something positive to celebrate.
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