Why New Teachers Struggle (And What Actually Makes It Better)
Teaching is hard, especially during the first few years. In my conversation with veteran teacher and author Carlton Glassford, we talk about why new teachers struggle, how long improvement really takes, and why classroom management, seating charts, routines, reflection, and small daily improvements can completely change your teaching career.
9/19/2026
New teachers are often surrounded by people telling them how to become great.
Read this book. Try this strategy. Build relationships. Write better lessons. Differentiate. Manage behavior. Learn your curriculum.
But here's the problem:
You're just trying to survive Tuesday.
That's one reason I enjoyed my conversation with veteran teacher and author Carlton Glassford so much.
Carlton's philosophy is called Suck Less Tomorrow.
It sounds funny, but there's a great idea underneath it.
You don't have to become an amazing teacher tomorrow.
You just need to get a little better.
Carlton wasn't a natural when he started teaching. In fact, he was essentially told after his first year that he wasn't going to be brought back.
My experience wasn't much different.
My first few years tore me down. It probably took me around seven years before I really felt comfortable as a teacher.
That's why I think we need to stop pretending new teachers should walk into a classroom already knowing how to do this job.
Teaching is complicated.
You're managing 30 different personalities while taking attendance, teaching content, following IEPs, answering questions, dealing with behavior, monitoring the room, managing technology, and figuring out what comes next.
Of course you're overwhelmed.
But here's the thing...
You can get better.
Carlton described a simple approach.
When a day goes badly, ask yourself:
Why did that suck?
Then identify one thing you can change tomorrow.
Maybe you didn't reinforce your quiet signal.
Maybe two students shouldn't be sitting together.
Maybe your transition took too long.
Maybe you didn't have enough planned.
Whatever it is, don't try to fix everything.
Fix one thing.
Later in our conversation, Carlton and I discovered that we'd both start in exactly the same place with a struggling teacher:
Classroom management.
And we'd probably start with something even more specific:
A seating chart.
That's not fancy.
It's not revolutionary.
But that's what struggling teachers need—practical things they can actually do.
From there, start building.
🪑 Create a seating chart. Decide where students sit instead of allowing problems to organize themselves.
🔁 Build a starting routine. Students should know what to do when they enter your classroom.
🤫 Teach and practice your procedures. Don't just explain them once and assume students understand.
Carlton told a great story about making his students walk back into the hallway and practice entering class three times.
Why?
Because routines don't become routines because we put them on a PowerPoint.
They become routines because we practice them.
You aren't going to become the teacher you'll eventually be during your first year.
That's okay.
Find one thing.
Work on it.
Then come back tomorrow and get a little better.
Or, as Carlton would say:
Suck less tomorrow.
If you'd like to watch my full conversation with Carlton Glassford:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBk7BraOfOo&list=UULFQOIbqNhb_gseSVU6bE3uUA