How to Survive Your First Year Teaching

Advice from PSY 685 Fall 2004

1. Don’t take it so seriously. You’ll live.
2. Don’t start the lecture with “This isn’t going to be on the test.”
3. Seek support.
4. Put a lot of care into planning a syllabus- think about what you want students to achieve. Plan policies to reduce hassle.
5. Accept that you won’t reach all your goals. You will make mistakes. Forgive yourself. You won’t make everybody happy. There will be times when you walk out feeling horrible (and the opposite.) This is a learning process- this is different than being a researcher or student.
6. Just because you think you didn’t reach goals doesn’t mean you didn’t.
7. Don’t use the digital drop box on Blackboard. Stick with tried & true low tech stuff.
8. There’s no right way. There are more & less effective ways. Teach to your strengths. Be real.