Advice for New Teachers

I was sitting here randomly thinking about my personality and teaching style and started remembering my super-awesome student teacher this past year. (I need to check in on her! I REALLY hope she found a teaching position by now…it's so hard to find positions lately with all the budget cuts!). Anyways, I was thinking of the her and thought about all the new teachers starting next week or in the next few weeks.

I remember one of the things I found myself telling my student teacher was the importance of flexibility. Things change so often (and sometimes with little or no notice). You make plans and find you will need to squeeze other things into the schedule. Or you make plans and it takes longer (or not nearly as long) as you thought. You make plans, assess, and find that you're going to have to stay on the same skill a little longer. You know what I'm talking about. I think FLEXIBILITY is an essential trait for a teacher (at least if she wants to keep her sanity).

If you were to give advice to a new teacher (one word, tip, motto, whatever), what would it be?

Let's hear YOUR advice!