First 100 Days of Teaching: Essential Lessons for New Educators

Make the First 100 Days of Teaching easier with practical tips for new educators. Learn how to build routines, manage classrooms, handle parents, and grow with confidence.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

LevelUp Online Education

8/19/20266 min read

Your first day as a teacher can feel exciting, overwhelming, and slightly scary all at once.

You have prepared your activities. Your classroom looks ready. Your lesson plan is printed. Then the children arrive, and suddenly nothing goes exactly as planned.

One child is crying.

Another doesn't want to sit.

Two children are arguing over the same toy.

Someone needs help opening their lunch box.

And your carefully planned activity is already five minutes behind schedule.

Welcome to teaching.

The First 100 Days of Teaching are rarely about proving that you are a perfect educator. They are about discovering what works, learning to respond rather than react, and gradually developing your own teaching style.

For early educators especially, these first few months can teach lessons that no textbook can fully prepare you for.

Lesson 1: Your Lesson Plan Will Change

Every new teacher eventually learns this.

You can spend an hour preparing a wonderful activity, only to discover that the children are more interested in something completely different.

Perhaps you planned a colouring activity about animals, but the children become fascinated by a butterfly outside the window.

Should you stop the lesson?

Sometimes, yes.

Learning to adapt does not mean you are unprepared. It means you are paying attention.

Ask yourself:

Are the children engaged?
Are they understanding?
Is the activity appropriate for their energy level?
Can I turn their current interest into a learning opportunity?

A flexible teacher understands that the learning goal can remain the same even when the method changes.

Lesson 2: Routines Make Your Day Easier

New teachers sometimes spend too much energy trying to manage individual behaviours when the real solution is a predictable routine.

Young children feel more secure when they know what comes next.

Create simple routines for:

Arrival
Circle time
Clean-up
Snack
Transitions
Outdoor play
Story time
Going home

Use visual cues, songs, gestures, and repeated instructions.

For example, instead of repeatedly saying, "Clean up now," use the same clean-up song every day.

Eventually, children begin responding automatically.

During the First 100 Days of Teaching, building routines can make one of the biggest differences to classroom management.

Lesson 3: Don't Take Children's Behaviour Personally

This can be one of the hardest lessons for a new educator.

A child refuses to participate.

Another throws a toy.

Someone says, "I don't like you."

It can feel personal.

But young children are still developing emotional regulation, communication, impulse control, and social skills.

Their behaviour often communicates a need.

Instead of immediately asking:

"Why is this child behaving like this?"

Ask:

"What might this behaviour be communicating?"

Perhaps the child is tired.

Perhaps they are overwhelmed.

Perhaps they don't understand the instruction.

Perhaps they need attention.

Understanding the reason behind behaviour helps you respond more effectively.

Lesson 4: You Don't Have to Be the Loudest Person in the Room

Many new teachers believe classroom control means speaking loudly.

It doesn't.

A calm, confident teacher can often manage a classroom more effectively than someone constantly raising their voice.

Use:

Eye contact
Proximity
Calm instructions
Consistent consequences
Positive reinforcement
Clear expectations

Instead of shouting across the room, walk towards the child and quietly say:

"We use gentle hands in our classroom. Show me how you can try again."

Your calmness becomes part of the classroom environment.

Lesson 5: Build Relationships Before You Need Them

Children respond differently when they feel known and valued.

Learn their interests.

Remember small details.

Ask about their favourite toy.

Notice their artwork.

Celebrate their efforts.

A simple:

"I remember you told me dinosaurs are your favourite. Look what we have today."

can make a child feel seen.

Relationship-building is not separate from teaching.

It is the foundation of teaching.

Lesson 6: Every Child Will Need Something Different

One child may happily follow instructions.

Another may need repeated reminders.

One child may confidently answer questions.

Another may need additional thinking time.

Avoid expecting identical responses from every learner.

Observe first.

Then adapt.

You may need to:

Give shorter instructions.
Use visual demonstrations.
Offer movement breaks.
Provide additional practice.
Allow more time.
Give choices.

The goal isn't to make every child learn in exactly the same way.

The goal is to help every child move forward.

Lesson 7: Learn to Handle Difficult Parents Professionally

Parent conversations can feel intimidating when you are new.

A parent may question a classroom decision or express concern about their child's progress.

Don't become defensive.

Listen first.

Then share specific observations rather than emotional opinions.

Instead of:

"Your child never listens."

Say:

"I've noticed that during group activities, your child often needs two or three reminders to remain engaged."

Then move towards solutions.

Ask:

"What strategies work well at home?"

This turns a difficult conversation into a partnership.

Lesson 8: Keep Observation Notes

Your memory alone is not enough.

A child may appear quiet one day and extremely confident the next.

Write down meaningful observations.

For example:

"During free play, Riya independently invited two classmates to join her pretend-play activity and assigned roles to each child."

This tells you much more than:

"Riya played well."

Observation notes help you:

Identify patterns.
Track progress.
Plan activities.
Communicate with parents.
Notice emerging strengths.
Recognise areas requiring support.

During the First 100 Days of Teaching, developing an observation habit can significantly improve your understanding of your learners.

Lesson 9: Don't Compare Yourself With Experienced Teachers

A new teacher may look at an experienced colleague and think:

"How do they manage everything so effortlessly?"

Remember that you are comparing your beginning with someone else's years of experience.

You will make mistakes.

You will forget things.

You will occasionally lose control of a situation.

That does not mean you are a bad teacher.

Ask experienced educators for practical advice.

Watch how they handle transitions.

Notice how they communicate with parents.

Observe how they respond to difficult behaviour.

Then adapt what you learn to your own personality.

Lesson 10: Learn From the Days That Go Wrong

Some of your best teaching lessons will come from difficult days.

Maybe an activity completely failed.

Maybe the class was unusually restless.

Maybe you struggled to handle a conflict.

Instead of ending the day thinking:

"Today was terrible."

Ask:

What went wrong?
When did the problem begin?
What could I have changed?
What worked even slightly?
What will I try tomorrow?

Reflection turns mistakes into professional development.

Lesson 11: Protect Your Energy

Teaching young children requires emotional and physical energy.

New educators sometimes try to do everything.

Perfect decorations.

Perfect worksheets.

Perfect activities.

Perfect documentation.

You don't need perfection.

You need sustainability.

Prioritise what directly supports children's learning and wellbeing.

Prepare reusable resources.

Keep classroom systems simple.

Take short breaks when possible.

And remember that resting does not mean you are less committed to your profession.

Lesson 12: Celebrate Small Wins

Teaching progress is not always dramatic.

Sometimes the victory is:

A child who finally joined circle time.

A student who independently packed their bag.

A child who used words instead of hitting.

A hesitant learner who raised their hand.

A parent who said, "My child loves coming to school."

Notice these moments.

They remind you why teaching matters.

During the First 100 Days of Teaching, small wins can give new educators the confidence to keep improving.

What Should a New Teacher Focus on First?

You don't need to master everything immediately.

Focus on five foundations:

1. Build relationships.
Know your children before trying to change their behaviour.

2. Establish routines.
Predictability makes classrooms calmer.

3. Observe carefully.
Look for patterns instead of making quick assumptions.

4. Communicate clearly.
Keep instructions simple and expectations consistent.

5. Reflect regularly.
Ask what worked, what didn't, and what you can change.

These five habits create a strong foundation for everything that follows.

A Simple 100-Day Mindset

Think of your first 100 days in three stages.

Days 1–30: Observe

Get to know the children, routines, classroom culture, and expectations.

Don't feel pressured to change everything immediately.

Days 31–60: Adjust

Identify what isn't working.

Modify routines.

Experiment with teaching strategies.

Build stronger relationships with children and parents.

Days 61–100: Grow

Begin developing your own teaching style.

Reflect on your strengths.

Identify areas where you need further development.

Start taking greater ownership of your classroom.

The goal is progress, not perfection.

Final Thoughts

The First 100 Days of Teaching can be challenging, but they can also become some of the most valuable days of your professional journey.

You will learn that children don't always follow lesson plans. You will discover that routines can save enormous amounts of time. You will realise that behaviour often communicates something deeper. You will learn how important parent relationships are and how much you can learn simply by observing children carefully.

Most importantly, you will discover that becoming a good teacher is a process.

You don't walk into your first classroom knowing everything.

You grow into the role one day, one child, one challenge, and one small success at a time.

So don't judge yourself by how perfectly you handle your first 100 days.

Judge yourself by whether you are learning from them.

Because the teacher you become after those first 100 days will be shaped by every question you asked, every mistake you reflected on, every child you listened to, and every moment when you chose to try again.

And sometimes, that willingness to keep learning is the most important quality a great teacher can have.