This is the title of a podcast by National Board Certified Teacher Angela Watson, a transcription of which I came across on her blog The Cornerstone: Practical ideas that make teaching more effective, efficient, & enjoyable. This podcast/blog-post was in response to the following question from a teacher:
- “Everyone knows that a first year teacher is not going to perform at the same level as a 30 year veteran. I would like to be intentional about where I am cutting corners so that my inexperience has the least impact on my students. What areas do you think are most important for first year teachers to focus on? How do I ask for guidance about where I can cut back without sounding like I’m incapable of doing my job?”
As a teacher in training on the verge of beginning his student teaching before graduation from college, I found myself very much encouraged by this article. It gave the following advice to beginning teachers.
- Refuse to internalize the pressure to be as good as a veteran teacher;
- Focus on cutting corners in areas that have the least impact on students;
- Don't try to do all your lesson plans alone or create everything from scratch;
- Reach out to other teachers unabashedly;
- Cut the cutesy and let go of perfectionism;
- Reflect on what works/what doesn't so you can learn to trust your own judgment.
This article spoke to my fears of struggling through the inevitable failures of being a beginning teacher. To address this fear, I found Watson's use of the business metaphor of an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to be particularly helpful. As a beginning teacher, I am a minimum viable product that will be upgraded to the desired specifications with years of practice, reflection, and personal growth.
If anyone reading this post is experiencing similar anxiety about being a beginner in any field, I'd highly recommend getting Watson's full post either by blog or by podcast by following the links above.
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