7 Things Every New Teacher Experiences

As a teacher you may be employed in one institution for more than a decade, well-settled in your comfort zone, however; if you’re a new teacher, you’re in for treat. A lot of things happen within the first week of a new teaching job that are deceptively pleasant, but here are our top 7 picks:

1. A warm welcome to possibly the “best” work environment ever

Whether you join a government institute or a private one; whether it is a school or a university, the first impression is always the above. You are welcomed by beaming faces and big smiles that only concur what you’re already feeling: this is the place to be. That is a rookie mistake. Before the pressure of students arriving, paper making and checking, reports, quizzes, parent teacher conferences – this is always the impression you will get. Every institute is bound to rope in teachers with the impression that their institute is possibly the best place in the academic universe. This is partly the reason why you feel so content with your decision and will drive back home with that ear to ear smile.

2. Stepping out of the delusion caused by point number 1

It usually doesn’t take very long for the delusion of the “best” work environment to come crashing down. It only lasts a day or two – however, if you’re lucky, it may as well take a week to fade away. Unnecessarily useless and verbose books are thrown on your desk with the expectation that you will not only read them cover to cover but also retain the knowledge. You will be required to ace all understanding of planning and executing upon arrival. However, if you do not, you will casually be reminded how dispensable you are all the while complementing you on your resume.

3. The realization that you’ve got your work cut out for you!

It is when the smiles turn to shrewd comments and the light workload moves to full on bulldozer mode that you wonder what you’ve gotten into. Long before the students arrive, you will be required to be academically, intellectually, content-wise, emotionally, physically and psychologically prepared for what is to come. While you may feel smart coming up with inquisitive questions for students, there will be long stretches of existential crisis as you cut neat chart papers and cover boards edge to edge to please your forever disapproving employer.

4. The instant head-butting counterpart

Your hopeful steps into the faculty room will always be met with an amalgamation of body odor and tea. Most of all, it will be met with a woman/man who poses to be your anchor, and but will actually ensure you sink. This is the out-of-nowhere-hateful-will-not-let-you-settle-even-though-does-not-know-you head butting counterpart that will snatch even that one iota of peace from your about to be chaotic teaching experience. Their often subtle, coy, rarely explicit and overt remarks are bound to make you question how unnecessary the entire situation is.

5. The instant friend

Where there is the frenemy, there is always an instant friend. This will be your true anchor as you two sink together in the realization that you actually enjoyed sleeping in and don’t mind staying at home with no job and sanity. This is the convincing voice that will ensure you don’t resign each time you’re yelled at for “sitting on the table,” “yawning around parents,” “sipping tea without your pinky raised” and a plethora of similar mind-numbing policies.

6. You’re an unofficial and unpaid jack of all trades

You may have been hired to teach Literature, but what is a teaching position that follows the official JD? You need to also contribute to the weekend trips, are required to stay back for meetings that will not assist or help you in any way whatsoever but merely remind you that time truly can slow down. You will be required to forego several Saturday’s because it is fun to work on the weekends. If you ever take your allowed leave once a month, it will be blown into a complete sh**storm to ensure that you frantically drive to work to find out you were never needed in the first place. Yes, you can go ahead and cry now.

7. The students make it all worth it

Despite the hustle and nonsense that will strip you of everything that makes you sane; the students make the efforts worth it. Though some may make you wonder why they chose to procreate, there will always be one to acknowledge you.

That is why you do this underpaid, exhausting yet fulfilling job!

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