3. Accept that you won’ t know everything

Your first year is as much about learning as it is about teaching. Keep a small notebook to jot down questions, concerns, and small wins to track your progress and identify what you can do to be a better educator.

Also, ask for help. For example, I had some concerns about behaviors a child was exhibiting, but I didn’ t know how to approach this with my supervisor. Eventually, during a regularly scheduled meeting, I mentioned my concerns to them, along with observations I had documented. Together, we met with the family to discuss my observations and to gather the family’ s insights. In the long run, speaking up and asking for help benefited the child and everyone caring for them.

Finally, keep the learning going: I regularly ask for feedback from my bosses about my performance. I reflect on specific areas that are going well, and I reflect on specific things I can do to keep growing as an educator.

4. Seek out meaningful professional development

Not all training is created equal. Look for professional development that aligns with your interests, needs, and context. Find out if your program offers time off or other support to attend local conferences or webinars. Join communities like NAEYC and state or local early childhood networks. Learning alongside peers who have the same values and goals as you can be energizing and validating.

In my first year of teaching, for instance, I struggled with classroom management. After some searching, I completed a one-week course about strategies I could use to guide children’ s behavior. Completing it gave me the tools to be more effective and the confidence that I could learn and improve in this area over time. I applied my new learning and found that the classroom no longer felt as chaotic as before. I saw how guidance strategies increased children’ s engagement and learning. Nothing changed overnight, but what I did notice felt like big wins.

22 Educating Young Children

Fall 2026