You Are Not Alone: How CarolinaTIP Supports New Teachers

For most of my life, I wasn’t good at the things I loved doing. When I danced as a child, I was always in the back row. As a teenager in the band, I had to practice more than everyone else. As a young adult competing in pageants, my total number of competitions far exceeds my wins. You could say I’m not one to back down from a challenge.

Despite my past struggles, I know I am good at teaching.

As a child who loved books and took color-coded notes, I was born to teach. For the first time in my life, I didn’t have to try hard to be successful. I instinctively knew what to do. As I moved through my undergraduate program and toward my internship, I felt calm and reassured. I knew this was my path, and I knew I could excel. I was able to deal with behaviors swiftly and build strong relationships with students and parents. “This is easy!” I thought, “I am so ready to take on a classroom on my own.” Finally, I had found my “thing” — teaching felt like a natural fit. 

So, when I found myself in a classroom of my own and received an email about the Carolina Teacher Induction Program (CarolinaTIP), I thought, “Oh, I’m already good at teaching. I don’t need that.”

It turns out I was wrong. 

Teaching is HARD. At least 24 children are counting on you to be the voice of reason, their confidant, their safe keeper, their educator, and their role model. The pressure is astounding. You must be personable but not share too much about your life. You must advocate for your students but not be (nor teach them to be) biased. You must have a deep mastery of content knowledge but be a jack of all trades. While you are teaching one thing, you are thinking about a dozen others. And yet, the teaching part is easy in comparison to all the other parts: helping students know how to interact with each other and the world, teaching them how to manage their conflicts and emotions, and making sure their unique needs are being met.

I’ve cried so many times about feelings of inadequacy. I’ve been ready to quit this thing I love because of feelings of not being “good enough.” In my first year of teaching, these feelings were exacerbated by low benchmark scores. On average, my students scored only 50% correct on each of the benchmark assessments throughout the year. How would I ever help reach every kid in my class and grow them into successful 21st-century learners?

But in CarolinaTIP I am surrounded by teachers just like me — we are all learning how to be great teachers. Some of us struggle with management or disappointing test scores. Most of us deal with imposter syndrome, exhaustion, low confidence, and many other issues.

CarolinaTIP provides us a place to share these feelings with people who can relate. Your cohort is there to commiserate, uplift, problem-solve, and support one another. Your coach is there to support you through all the things you need. 

Members of the CarolinaTIP Leadership Team meticulously craft all of the teacher sessions to meet the needs of the first, second, and third-year teachers they support. No time is wasted. Every activity, question, and grouping is intentional. This intentionality means that TIP educators leave feeling rejuvenated and capable. I leave knowing that it is okay not to be the best teacher in my hall as long as I am learning and growing. I leave with tools that I can apply on the days when I struggle to feel the impact I aspire to make (which is most days). 

In CarolinaTIP, I find myself in a community of educators who share similar experiences and perspectives. When I am surrounded by this community of people who understand my inner struggles and constant internal battles, I feel more empowered and less alone. 

By the end of the school year, despite all the challenges I faced in my first year of teaching, I was excited to begin my second year. I knew there was still room for growth, but I had come to terms with the challenges I faced in the classroom. In the middle of the summer, I received an email from my principal praising my SCREADY data. Seventy percent of my students achieved “met” or “exceeds expectations” on the end-of-year assessment. This data was quantitative proof of the growth I made as a new teacher. Of course, I know that I am making a difference much more tangible than a test score. Every hug, note, or “I love you, Ms. Coffman” shows me the impact I’m making.

CarolinaTIP gives me the courage to own that I am constantly growing.

I know that it’s okay to have off days, to feel like I am just treading water, or to feel like all I can do is my best at any given moment. Now, in my second year of teaching, I know that these feelings are to be expected, and TIP has taught me how to deal with them.

I am a better teacher today because of the valuable lessons I have received from a support system that genuinely cares about me — not just as an induction teacher — but as an imperfect human. I am always getting better, and that is enough.

All new teachers deserve a community in which they can come to the table with their doubts and insecurities and be reassured that they belong in this profession.

All new teachers deserve a community in which they can come to the table with their doubts and insecurities and be reassured that they belong in this profession. CarolinaTIP has helped me and so many others navigate the challenges that come with entering teaching. If you are considering joining the CarolinaTIP program, I can’t tell you enough how much it will positively impact you. If you are not an induction teacher but work in education, it is up to you to guide new teachers as they enter the field. Support them, help them, listen to them, but most importantly, show them that they are not alone.