Josh Dietert, BSEd ’16
AP Calculus, Pre-AP Algebra II
Midway High School, Midway ISD, Waco
The first year of teaching was nothing short of a marathon at a sprint’s pace. When I look back and reflect on the last nine months, it all seems like a blur, with a few exceptions that stand out. The biggest thing that stands out are the relationships that I made with my students and coworkers.
Teaching seniors who are only five years younger than me presented an interesting dynamic in my classroom at times. However, it also allowed me foster a different relationship than most of my students found, as a relief from that of the typical “parental” figure in their teacher. The older “brother” approach led my students to receive life advice much easier than I originally anticipated. It opened the door to mentor a couple of students through the college application, selection, and scholarship process.
On the flip side, being so young also comes with times of accidental disrespect from parents, students, and staff. There were several times throughout the year that students, parents, and other staff mistook me for another student. I was very conscious of this throughout the year. Initially, this insecurity manifested itself in me being timid in planning periods and events outside of the classroom that involved parents, and even eating lunch in the workroom with coworkers.
Around Thanksgiving break, I was reminded of a verse, and it helped me to finish out the year with a new mindset. 1 Timothy 4:12 — “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (NIV)
Who’s the teacher and who’s the student?
This verse reminded me that even though we are young, we have nothing to fear. Every adult was young once; every teacher had their first year of teaching. I found that after serving my students, showing the parents that I wanted the best for their students, and sharing valuable ideas in planning periods, people were much more willing to extend me grace than I was willing to give myself. You don’t have to be perfect in your first year. You don’t have to be a perfect teacher your second year or any subsequent year.
I’ve only completed my first year, but I am already excited about the many years of teaching to come. Baylor’s School of Education program set me up for a successful first year. It helped that I stayed at the same high school where I did my internship, so I was already familiar with many of the procedures, technology systems, and school culture. However, the several semesters of student teaching led me to start the year with a confidence and calmness that surprised many of my colleagues.
The biggest pieces of advice I have for future grads from my first year are to:
- Prepare and plan as much as you can during the summer, because it’s substantially easier to do than during the school year.
- Speak up! You have a voice, and what you have to say is valuable! Other teachers want to hear your ideas.
- Love without exception. Love your students unconditionally. I promise it will be hard at times, but it will be worth it.
Note from student:
