Five Reasons to Love Teaching in Autumn

Five Reasons to ‘Fall’ in Love Teaching in the Fall

Autumn—when the weather is crisp and the air feels full of potential—a new school year begins and offers teachers a chance to start fresh. Fall provides many reasons to love teaching. We detail our top five reasons in the post below.

5. Friday Night Lights

Student athletes are back in gear and ready to represent their schools in the sports of their choosing. Whether you have been counting down the days until the beginning of football games under Friday night lights, or you can’t wait to tee-up and support your school’s golf team, the fall sports season offers something for everyone.

Sports offer students a chance to learn leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. Furthermore, student athletes learn and experience the need for perseverance and the ability to overcome obstacles. Perhaps most importantly, school athletics help foster a sense of community which serves not only the student athletes, but also the school and local neighborhood as a whole.

Each year, coaches realize their love for coaching and shaping young minds; many move to further their connection with students by becoming teachers.

4. Back to School Supplies

As much as students love picking out their coordinating back-to-school supplies, they aren’t alone in this excitement. Teachers also gleefully stock up for the coming school year. Teachers often purchase the basics in bulk, like pencils and notepads, to give to students in need.

Additionally, teachers decorate their classrooms in festive and welcoming ways. The changing foliage, autumnal crops like pumpkins and gourds, and holiday decor all provide excellent classroom backdrops.

Even if you’re teaching virtually this year, you can still decorate your teaching nook in your home. In this video, you’ll see how one teacher organized little school supply packets to send her students so that they could all participate in classroom activities while learning virtually.

3. Homecoming & Spirit Week

Is there anything better than a full week devoted to celebrating school spirit? From pajama day to dress-like-your-hero day, Spirit Week has got it all! Younger students love Spirit Week for the dress up, and because it provides a change of pace and something new to be excited about. Older students love that Spirit Week culminates with Homecoming.

No matter what age you teach, the excitement surrounded Homecoming and Spirit Week is palpable in schools. It’s a great time to be a teacher!

2. Holidays

How lovely it is that the entire first semester of a new school year is scattered with holidays. Labor Day provides more than a three-day weekend; it provides the opportunity to tie historical lessons to present times. Other holidays like Halloween and Día de Muertos, Eid al-Fitr, Christmas, and Hanukkah give teachers the chance to discuss different cultures and communities.

If you’re teaching virtually students may use this opportunity to “show and tell” spots in their homes that have been decorated for their cultural holidays.

1. New Beginnings

Perhaps the best parts of the Autumn equinox are the new beginnings that accompany it. Teachers have the opportunity to implement the new skills they acquired through summer professional development, and students enter the classroom with a clean slate.

In particular, teachers working virtually or in the classroom can appreciate a fresh start. Students are adapting to masks in the classroom. Other students are learning virtually, but are finding more success as they grow more accustomed to the process. Treating each day like a fresh start can be a key to success as we all work to navigate learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you’ve been active in your local school and been considering becoming a teacher, this could be the new start you’re looking for. Use this fall to start your teaching career! Read more below

How to Become a Teacher

The first day of Fall is here and we couldn’t be more excited for the new beginnings it brings! If you’re looking for a new career, this is the perfect time to fall in love with teaching. Learn more at www.americanboard.org.