The joys and pains of starting a teaching career often go undiscussed. This field guide dives deep into the personal side of teaching, offering crucial advice, empathy, and new-teacher support. The author details six phases every new or first-year teacher goes through (anticipation, survival, disillusionment, rejuvenation, reflection, and second anticipation) and outlines targeted classroom strategies, teaching tips, and self-care practices for each.

Transcend the emotional, mental, and physical problems teachers face in the classroom:

• Understand the feelings and teaching challenges of each phase during a beginning teacher's career.
• Practice self-care to combat beginning and first-year teacher stress and burnout; avoid the mental pitfalls that so often lead to teachers changing careers.
• Learn effective classroom-management strategies for new teachers and how to maintain positive relationships with students.
• Respond to prompts that will help you process and reflect on your first years' culmination.
• Utilize the prompts and journaling spaces throughout the book to reflect on your professional improvements and successes.

Contents:
Introduction: First Things First
Chapter 1: The Anticipation Phase
Chapter 2: The Survival Phase
Chapter 3: The Disillusionment Phase
Chapter 4: The Rejuvenation Phase
Chapter 5: The Reflection Phase
Chapter 6: The Second Anticipation Phase
Appendix A: End-of-the-Year Activities
Appendix B: Mementos
Epilogue: The Year in Retrospect
References and Resources
Index