This school year is starting unlike anything you could have anticipated. If you're a new teacher, perhaps you didn't even get to have your graduation to mark the milestone of completing your degree, or are still saddened by not getting to properly wrap up the year with last year's class. Months of isolation may be in stark contrast to the daily routines, favorite activities, and interaction with your family and peers. And now you're about to be a teacher, right in the throes of a pandemic.

When you step into the classroom on the first day of school, you also step into the lives of hundreds of people. The one commonality we are certain to share with our students and their families is the loss, grief, and change we have all experienced in some degree over the past few months. Regardless of how you'll be teaching, you’ll have group of students and the fabric of all they have endured since March meeting you on the first day of school. Here are some steps to work through the feelings of disappointment and other emotions you may be having prior to the start of this school year.

For more guidance on how to prepare for teaching in a year of unknowns, go to erinsponaugle.com and download your free copy of my ebook The Thrive Guide: Beginning a Teaching Career in Uncertain Times. There’s something in there for everyone, but especially if you are starting your teacher journey.