Want to Help a New Teacher? Watch Them Teach.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

I was observed 18 times in my first three years—and those conversations shaped the teacher I became.

It’s almost mid-August as I write this, and I’m wishing I could go back to June and start the summer over. If you’re from New England, you know how I feel. Summers are always too short, and winters seem infinite. 

Back when I was still a classroom teacher, I also felt a little trepidation about the start of school around this time. (I loved being a teacher by the way. ) My worry was simply about the unknowns of that first day. If I’m being completely honest, I felt the same way as a student–getting my clothes and binder ready for day one of a new school year and wondering what it would bring. 

The longer I taught, the more confident I became heading into that first day. Some of that came from experience, of course. But I also think a great deal of my confidence came from the tremendous amount of support I received during my first few years of teaching.

I took a somewhat traditional route to becoming a teacher. I was a political science major in college and had enough history courses on my transcript that teaching social studies was an easy fit. I entered a master’s in teaching program to learn about the science of learning and the art of teaching–how to design lessons, engage students, assess their learning, and manage a classroom.

On paper I looked competent and ready.

But nothing prepares you for the real thing more than doing the real thing.  

During my first year of teaching, I had six full-length observations. Two each from my school administrators, and two from a fellow teacher who was also my department head. Three observations were planned, and three were unannounced, but every one of them was followed by a long conversation about what had happened in my classroom.

And we did that for three years.

That means that in my first three years of teaching, I had 18 full-length observations. (Shoutout to Gibbons Middle School in Westborough, MA!)

That was unusual then, and my guess is that it would be even more unusual today. 

I didn’t know it at the time, but research reinforces much of what I experienced as a young teacher. Studies of beginning-teacher induction and mentoring have found positive effects on teacher retention, classroom practice, and student achievement (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). A large review of effective professional development found that coaching and expert support, feedback and reflection, and sustained learning over time are common features of effective professional learning. (Darling-Hammond, Hyler, & Gardner, 2017).

Some new teachers might find many observations intimidating. I loved them. Having another teacher, or former teacher, watch my practice and then sit down with me for an honest, reflective conversation was more valuable than any course I took or book I read about teaching. 

I left that school after my third year knowing that I was leaving a very special community.  One that understood something that I have carried with me ever since: when teachers are learning, they need the same kind of support we know is important for students who are learning.

They need opportunities to try, receive feedback, reflect, adjust, and try again. 

But there’s an important distinction that needs to be recognized. Coaching is not evaluation.

Evaluation makes a judgment about practice. Coaching creates an opportunity to examine it.

A good coach doesn’t walk into a classroom looking for what’s missing. A good coach notices. Asks questions. Looks at the evidence alongside the teacher. Encourages the teacher to think about what happened and why. And then asks one of the most useful questions we can ask any learner: What might you try next?

The experience I had as a new teacher stayed with me throughout my career. I was always eager to have administrators or other teachers in my classroom. I was curious about different ways of doing things. I wanted my practice to improve.

And knowing that my teaching wasn’t, and never would be, “perfect” wasn’t discouraging to me. It was one of the things that kept me excited about teaching.

I wonder how different the first few years of teaching might feel if every new teacher had a coach regularly coming into their classroom, not to evaluate them, but to simply help them get better at the extraordinarily complex work of teaching.

School leaders know how important that kind of support can be. The challenge, of course, is finding the time to provide it consistently.

When I think back on my own first years of teaching, I don’t remember every lesson I taught or every piece of advice I received. But I remember what it felt like to know that people were paying attention to my growth. They came into my classroom. They watched me teach. They asked questions. They helped me think about what was working and what I might do differently.

That kind of support helped me become a better teacher. More importantly, it helped me see teaching as a profession in which I would always be learning.

New teachers don’t just need support getting to the first day of school. They need it in the days, weeks, and months that come after it.

How do you plan to support your new teachers this year?

Will they have someone who can regularly step into their classrooms, notice what’s happening, ask good questions, and help them reflect on their practice?

If providing that level of consistent support is difficult given the many demands on your school leaders, NHLI can help. Our Teacher Success Partnership is designed to work alongside schools and districts to provide teachers with ongoing, individualized coaching and support.

Learn more about the NHLI Teacher Success Partnership

Sources

Ingersoll, R. M., & Strong, M. (2011). The impact of induction and mentoring programs for beginning teachers: A critical review of the research. Review of Educational Research, 81(2), 201–233. 

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., Gardner, M. (2017). Effective Teacher Professional Development. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute.