What I Wish Someone Had Told Me

You don’t have to be the best teacher in your building this year.  You only need to become a better teacher than you were yesterday. Progress beats perfection every single time.

If you’re a lateral-entry teacher, let me say something I wish someone had told you before you walked into your classroom.

You’re probably doing better than you think.

Maybe you’re questioning yourself every afternoon. Maybe you’re wondering if everyone else knows something you don’t. Maybe you’ve caught yourself thinking, “I should have learned this somewhere.”

I’ve worked with hundreds of beginning teachers over the years. I’ve been the classroom teacher trying to figure it all out, the instructional coach supporting new educators, and the assistant principal walking into classrooms every day.

Here’s what I’ve learned.

Most lateral-entry teachers aren’t struggling because they aren’t smart enough. They’re struggling because they’re expected to learn one of the hardest jobs there is while they’re already doing it.

Most certification programs teach educational theory. They explain lesson planning, assessment, and instructional models.

Those things matter.

But they don’t teach you what to do when three students are talking over you, another can’t find a pencil, someone is crying because they forgot their homework, and your principal walks in for an observation…all before 9:00 a.m.

That’s the kind of advice I want to give you.

This isn’t about becoming the perfect teacher.

It’s about becoming a confident one.

Quick Navigation

Jump to the section you need most.

• Classroom Management Tips for Lateral-Entry Teachers
• Why Relationships Matter More Than Perfect Lessons
• Learning the Unwritten Rules of Your School
• Preparing for Classroom Observations
• Parent Communication That Builds Trust
• Knowing When to Ask for Help

Remember this…

You don’t have to be great at everything to become a great teacher.

One strong system at a time is enough.

Lateral-Entry Classroom Management Starts Before Day One

If I could only teach one thing to every new teacher before school started, it would be classroom management.

Not because it’s the most important part of teaching.

Because without it, everything else becomes harder.

I’ve observed classrooms where teachers had incredible lesson plans, but students were talking over directions, wandering the room, and missing the learning because routines weren’t in place.

I’ve also walked into classrooms where the lesson itself was simple, but every student knew exactly what to do.

Guess which classroom learned more?

The second one.

That’s because structure creates freedom.

Students feel safer when they know what’s expected.

Don’t Create Rules. Teach Routines.

One of the biggest mistakes I see new teachers make is spending hours writing classroom rules while spending very little time teaching classroom routines.

Your students need to know things like:

• What should I do when I walk into class?
• Where do I turn in my work?
• What happens if I need a pencil?
• How do we transition between activities?
• How do I ask for help without interrupting?

Those little routines will save you hundreds of interruptions throughout the year.

As I like to tell beginning teachers…

Teach the routine before you expect the routine.

Monica’s Coach Corner

Here’s something I’ve seen over and over.

A teacher tells students to line up.

Half the class stands.

Three students continue talking.

Someone asks if they can use the restroom.

Another student cuts in line.

The teacher gets frustrated.

The problem usually isn’t the students.

It’s that no one ever taught them what “line up” actually looks like.

Don’t assume.

Model it.

Practice it.

Practice it again tomorrow.

Then celebrate when they get it right.

Consistency beats perfection every single time.

What If Your Classroom Already Feels Out of Control?

First…

You’re not the only one.

Second…

Don’t panic and don’t start creating ten new behavior charts.

Instead, reset.

I’ve seen veteran teachers do this successfully in October, January, and even March.

Simply tell your students:

“We’re going to practice our classroom routines again because I want this classroom to run smoothly for everyone.”

Then go back and reteach your three most important routines.

• Entering the room.
• Getting your attention.
• Transitioning between activities.

Treat it exactly like the first week of school.

Students don’t mind practicing.

Adults usually do.

Keep practicing anyway.

Why Relationships Matter More Than Perfect Lessons

One of the biggest misconceptions new teachers have is believing students will automatically respect the adult in the room.

Sometimes they do.

Sometimes they don’t.

Real respect isn’t built because of your title.

It’s built because of your relationship.

I’ve watched teachers with years of experience struggle to connect with students.

I’ve also watched first-year teachers build incredible classrooms because students knew they genuinely cared about them.

Relationships aren’t something you do after you’ve mastered teaching.

They’re part of teaching.

Start Small

You don’t need elaborate relationship-building activities.

Start with simple things.

Learn every student’s name as quickly as possible.

Stand at your classroom door and greet them every morning.

Notice when someone gets a haircut.

Ask about the basketball game they played over the weekend.

Celebrate small wins.

When students know you see them, they’re much more willing to learn from you.

From an Assistant Principal’s Perspective

One question people often ask me is,

“What made certain teachers stand out during observations?”

It wasn’t always the fanciest lesson.

Many times it was something much simpler.

Students smiled when the teacher greeted them.

Students weren’t afraid to answer questions.

The teacher calmly redirected behavior without embarrassing anyone.

Students knew the routines.

The classroom felt safe.

As an administrator, those were classrooms you could feel the moment you walked through the door.

That kind of environment doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens because the teacher intentionally builds relationships every single day.

Monica’s Coach Corner

If you’re trying to decide between creating one more worksheet or spending two minutes talking with a student who seems off…

Choose the conversation.

The worksheet can wait.

Sometimes the best classroom management strategy starts with making a student feel seen.

Relationships don’t solve every behavior problem.

But they make almost every behavior conversation easier.

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Learn the Unwritten Rules of Your School

Every school has a handbook.

Every school also has unwritten rules.

Those are the ones no certification program teaches.

Who’s the veteran teacher everyone goes to for answers?

How does your grade-level team really plan together?

When should you handle a behavior yourself, and when should you involve an administrator?

What does your principal value most during observations?

Learning these things early will make your first year much smoother.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give any first-year lateral-entry teacher is this:

Find your people.

Look for the teacher down the hall who is calm, organized, and respected by both students and staff. Watch how they move through the day. Ask questions. Most experienced teachers are happy to help someone who genuinely wants to learn.

Remember, asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness.

It’s a sign that you’re committed to becoming better.

Monica’s Coach Corner

I’ve seen brand-new teachers struggle simply because they didn’t know how their school operated.

Not because they couldn’t teach.

Every school has its own culture.

Take time to learn it.

Sometimes the best lesson you’ll learn all year happens during lunch with your teammates.

Situation

You send a student to the office for a serious behavior issue.

Ten minutes later, the student returns to class.

No explanation.

Now you’re frustrated and wondering what happened.

Here’s What I’d Do

First, don’t react emotionally in front of your students.

Continue teaching.

Later, document exactly what happened.

Write down:

• What the student did.
• What happened before the behavior.
• What interventions you tried.
• The time it occurred.
• Any witnesses.

Then ask your mentor, instructional coach, or administrator a simple question.

“Can you help me understand how our school handles situations like this?”

You’re learning the system, not questioning the decision.

That conversation will teach you far more than making assumptions.

How to Prepare for Classroom Observations

Can I tell you a secret?

Almost every new teacher gets nervous before an observation.

I don’t care whether you’ve been teaching for three weeks or three years.

It’s normal.

As a former assistant principal, I observed hundreds of classrooms.

Despite what many teachers believed, I wasn’t walking in looking for mistakes.

I wanted to see evidence that students were learning.

I wanted to see routines.

I wanted to see students engaged.

Most importantly, I wanted to see a teacher who stayed calm when something unexpected happened.

Because something unexpected always happens.

A pencil breaks.

Someone forgets their notebook.

The technology stops working.

That’s teaching.

Don’t let those little moments convince you your lesson is falling apart.

Focus on the Basics

When you know an observation is coming, don’t try to teach the fanciest lesson you’ve ever planned.

Simple almost always wins.

Make sure students know the learning objective.

Have a meaningful warm-up waiting when they enter.

Practice your transitions ahead of time.

Think through how you’ll regain students’ attention.

Those things matter far more than creating an elaborate activity that leaves everyone confused.

One of my favorite reminders is this:

Simple and organized beats complicated and chaotic every single time.

From an Assistant Principal’s Perspective

One thing that immediately stood out during observations was confidence.

Not loud confidence.

Calm confidence.

If something went wrong, great teachers adjusted and kept teaching.

They didn’t apologize.

They didn’t panic.

They solved the problem and moved on.

That tells an administrator much more than a perfect PowerPoint ever could.

Situation

Your principal tells you formal observations begin next week.

Instant panic.

Sound familiar?

Here’s What I’d Do

Choose one lesson you already feel comfortable teaching.

Don’t reinvent the wheel.

Write a clear objective.

Prepare your materials the day before.

Practice your opening.

Think through one or two questions you’ll ask students.

Then take a deep breath.

Students don’t need perfection.

Neither does your administrator.

They need to see growth.

And trust me…

Growth is much easier to see than perfection.

Parent Communication Can Make Your Year Easier

If there’s one thing I wish every certification program spent more time teaching, it’s how to communicate with parents.

Because sooner or later, every teacher makes that first phone call.

And it can feel intimidating.

Here’s the good news.

Most parents aren’t expecting perfection.

They’re expecting communication.

One of the best habits you can develop is making positive phone calls home before you ever need to discuss a problem.

It doesn’t have to be long.

“Hi! I just wanted to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed having Jordan in class this week. He helped another student today, and I wanted you to know.”

That’s it.

Two minutes.

Those two minutes build trust that pays off for the rest of the year.

When a difficult conversation eventually happens, you’ve already established a relationship.

You’re no longer the teacher who only calls with bad news.

You’re the teacher who notices the good.

Monica’s Coach Corner

Parents remember how you made them feel.

Lead with kindness.

Lead with honesty.

Lead with solutions.

Those three things will carry you through almost every difficult conversation.

Situation

An upset parent calls unexpectedly.

They’re frustrated.

You’re caught completely off guard.

Here’s What I’d Do

Don’t feel pressured to solve everything immediately.

It’s perfectly professional to say,

“I want to make sure I give this conversation the attention it deserves. May I call you back this afternoon after I’ve had a chance to gather all the information?”

Then do exactly that.

Look into the situation.

Talk with anyone involved.

Organize your thoughts.

When you call back, you’ll sound prepared instead of defensive.

That one simple habit has saved countless teachers from saying something they’ll later wish they hadn’t.

 

You Are Allowed to Ask for Help

If you’re anything like many of the lateral-entry teachers I’ve coached, asking for help probably doesn’t come naturally.

You came from another career where you knew what you were doing. You were confident. People came to you with questions.

Now you’re the one with the questions.

That can be uncomfortable.

But let me remind you of something.

You’re learning a brand-new profession.

No one expects a first-year teacher to have all the answers.

In fact, the teachers who grow the fastest are usually the ones who aren’t afraid to ask questions.

Need help with classroom management?

Ask.

Not sure how to handle a parent email?

Ask.

Wondering if your lesson plan is on the right track?

Ask.

Teaching isn’t meant to be done alone.

One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is finding people who want to see you succeed.

Build Your Teacher Support Team

Think about the people already around you.

• Your mentor teacher
• Your grade-level teammates
• Your instructional coach
• Your assistant principal or principal
• The veteran teacher across the hall

You don’t need to ask everyone everything.

Find one or two people you trust.

Those relationships will become some of your greatest professional resources.

I’ve watched brand-new teachers become incredible educators simply because they were willing to learn from experienced colleagues.

None of us got better by pretending we knew it all.

Monica’s Coach Corner

One of the biggest mistakes I see new teachers make is trying to solve every problem by themselves.

You don’t earn respect by struggling in silence.

You earn respect by learning, growing, and improving.

Teaching is hard enough.

Don’t make it harder by believing you have to figure everything out alone.

Remember Why You’re Here

Somewhere along the way, you’ll have a rough day.

Maybe even a rough week.

A lesson will flop.

A student will test every ounce of your patience.

You’ll drive home wondering if you made the right career choice.

Every teacher has those moments.

Yes, even the ones who make it look easy.

What you’re seeing today is usually the result of years of practice.

You’re comparing your first chapter to someone else’s twentieth.

Give yourself permission to be a beginner.

Because that’s exactly what you are.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

From an Assistant Principal’s Perspective

I’ve observed teachers who were in their first month of teaching.

I’ve also observed teachers with more than 25 years in the classroom.

Here’s something that may surprise you.

Experience doesn’t always determine effectiveness.

I’ve seen first-year teachers create classrooms where students felt safe, engaged, and excited to learn.

I’ve also seen experienced teachers who struggled because they stopped growing.

The teachers who continue improving all have one thing in common.

They stay teachable.

Never lose that.

One Last Thought

If I could sit down with every lateral-entry teacher before the school year begins, this is what I’d tell you.

Take a deep breath.

You don’t have to know everything on the first day.

Your students don’t need a perfect teacher.

They need a teacher who shows up.

A teacher who cares enough to keep learning.

A teacher who treats them with respect.

A teacher who stays calm when things don’t go as planned.

Over my 30-plus years in education as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal, I’ve learned that great teaching isn’t about having the cutest classroom, the most creative lessons, or all the answers.

It’s about building relationships.

Creating consistent routines.

Learning from mistakes.

Showing up the next day ready to try again.

That’s how great teachers are made.

One day, you’ll look back and realize the things that once felt impossible have become second nature.

Until then, keep learning.

Keep asking questions.

Keep showing up.

Because your students don’t need someone who’s perfect.

They need someone who’s committed.

And I have a feeling that’s exactly the kind of teacher you’re becoming.

Ready for More Support?

If this article encouraged you, don’t stop here.

Here are a few free resources that can help you feel even more confident before students arrive:

✔ Download my First 10 Days Checklist for New Teachers to make sure you don’t overlook the little things that make a big difference.

✔ Read my article on The Classroom Management Mistakes I See New Teachers Make Every Year to build routines that actually work.

✔ Check out What Nobody Tells You Before Your First Day of Teaching for practical advice that teacher preparation programs often miss.

If you’re looking for step-by-step guidance, my New Teacher Survival Toolkit was created specifically for new and lateral-entry teachers. Inside, you’ll find ready-to-use parent communication scripts, classroom management tools, observation tips, behavior documentation forms, and practical systems I’ve used throughout my career as a teacher, beginning teacher coach, and assistant principal.

My goal has always been simple.

To help new teachers feel confident from day one.

Because when teachers feel supported, students benefit too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a lateral-entry teacher?

A lateral-entry teacher is someone who enters the teaching profession without completing a traditional teacher education program first. Many lateral-entry teachers come from careers in business, healthcare, engineering, the military, or other industries and complete their teaching certification while working in the classroom.

What is the hardest part of being a lateral-entry teacher?

For most teachers, classroom management is the biggest challenge. Learning how to establish routines, build relationships with students, communicate with parents, and balance lesson planning all at the same time can feel overwhelming. The good news is that these are skills you can learn with practice and support.

Can you become a successful teacher through lateral entry?

Absolutely. Some of the best teachers I’ve worked with began as lateral-entry teachers. Their previous careers gave them valuable life experiences, problem-solving skills, and perspectives that enriched their classrooms. Success comes from being willing to learn, ask questions, and continue growing throughout your career.

What should a first-year lateral-entry teacher focus on?

Don’t try to master everything at once. Focus on four priorities:

• Building strong relationships with students.
• Teaching and practicing classroom routines.
• Communicating consistently with parents.
• Finding a mentor who can answer your questions throughout the year.

Those four areas will create a strong foundation for everything else you’ll learn.

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Monica Crews is a former elementary teacher, assistant principal, beginning teacher coach, and classroom management expert. She creates resources and content to help new and lateral-entry teachers feel confident from day one.