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May 7, 2025
Discover how union partnerships and meaningful connections can help new teachers thrive—not just survive—in the classroom. Tune in to Episode 6 of the Welcome-to-Teaching series to hear powerful insights from early career educators and veteran AFT trainers on building support systems that truly matter.
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Throughout this school year, two early career educators led a conversation series with veteran AFT trainers to share their experiences and gain insights into different topics that are important to many new teachers. We covered classroom management, children’s well-being, collaboration, educators’ well-being, and civics instruction. But as this series wrapped up, one message came through clearly: Thriving in teaching isn’t just about mastering strategies or surviving each day. It’s about relationships and making connections. Listen to Episode 6 of the Welcome-to-Teaching conversation series now.
The early days of teaching can be isolating. The biggest stressors for many new teachers are not just student behavior or grading. There are other, sometimes invisible, challenges that were not taught in teacher training programs. Working with adults, time management, or dealing with unexpected behaviors are just some of the struggles teachers face that are not always taught in teacher preparation. These struggles, however, often can lead to stress, burnout and frustration.
I am glad to have a union behind me.
Creating spaces for teachers to talk and connect, like this conversation series, can help them know they are not alone. Whether it’s talking about specific education topics, policy, building issues or non-school topics, teachers can feel validated in knowing that others are going through the same situations and get advice from their peers.
For many teachers, those spaces and connections can come through their union. The union offers more than just protection. It provides resources, mentorship, professional development, and even benefits like discounted graduate courses that help teachers improve their practice (and increase their pay!).
The union and its leaders can offer opportunities to new teachers to help them thrive, including:
All teachers want to feel connected, supported and empowered, and the union can help make that happen. If you’re a new teacher looking to get more involved:
Developing not just the relationships with your students but with your peers, that is really going to be your survival in the profession over the years.
What’s been clear throughout this conversation series is that no one enters the teaching profession fully prepared for everything that comes their way. But with the right support system, including strong union connections, professional development and opportunities for connecting with other educators, new educators thrive. We hope these conversations offered validation, encouragement, and ideas for better supporting new teachers.
Tune in to the Welcome to Teaching series, where we follow two early career teachers as they navigate the school year. In each episode, you'll get a real-time look at their goals, challenges, and successes, with insights from veteran educators, experts, and AFT leaders in professional development. Whether you're a new teacher or simply looking for inspiration, this series provides valuable guidance and support for those embarking on their teaching journey.
