Free resources, mentorship, and a community that has your back.
Many new teachers are a combination of nervous and excited. That's normal! It means you care about doing a good job. Here's a roadmap to get you ready for the adventure ahead of you.
Use this step-by-step guide to prepare during the summer, navigate the first few weeks, and stay on track throughout the year.
First Year GuideResources hand-picked for new teachers
Guidance from someone who gets it
A great mentor can change the trajectory of a teacher's entire career. Experienced teachers are here to help.
Find a MentorNot sure where to get started?
Talk to a mentor or ask on the forums.
Common Questions
Start with the First Year Guide. It's a free, practical walkthrough of everything you actually need to know before your first day, during your first weeks, and throughout the year. From there, browse the resources filtered for new teachers, and consider connecting with a mentor who teaches the same grade or subject as you.
It's all free. Everything in The Faculty Lounge: the First Year Guide, the resources, the mentorship program, the tools, the Forums. Creating an account is free. Teachers give enough as it is.
School onboarding usually covers logistics: paperwork, procedures, where things are. The Faculty Lounge covers what nobody tells you, like how to handle a class that won't settle, what to do when a parent comes at you, how to survive the first week when nothing goes to plan. It's practical, honest, and written by teachers who've been through it.
That's completely normal. And it's exactly what The Faculty Lounge is for. Start with just one thing: read the first section of the First Year Guide, or post a question in the Forums. You don't have to figure everything out at once, and you don't have to figure it out alone.
Yes. That's exactly how mentor matching works. You fill out your profile with your grade band, subject area, and what you're looking for support with, and we surface mentors who match. The goal is to connect you with someone who genuinely understands your specific classroom context, not just teaching in general.