NAfME collegiate advisor


Navigating Student Teaching: Routines and Relationships Jenny Hutton, WMEA State Chair, NAfME Collegiate Advisor


For many preser- vice educators, stu- dent teaching is the first extended op- portunity to work with students in a classroom setting. Demonst ra t ing one’s skills in this new environment


can be both exciting and stressful. In this article, I address two challenges of student teaching, changes in routines and changes in relationships. Knowing what to expect can help you craft strategies to navigate these challenges successfully.


New Routines, Settings and Stressors


One of the major stressors in life is starting a new job. The stress comes from the many changes: meeting countless new people and learning their names, acclimating to a new work culture, engaging in new processes, navigating a new commute and location, and learning to meet new professional expectations. All these changes occur at the start of student teaching. Meanwhile, student teachers might feel financial strain and pressure to secure their first full-time teaching job. It can be a difficult time.


Expect Exhaustion at the Start Because new settings take more energy to navigate than familiar settings, expect to be exhausted as you begin student teach- ing. Fatigue near the beginning does not indicate that you’re not up to the task; it simply reflects the challenges of a new role. To help with the adjustment, allot time to absorb new information – to review the names of students and staff members, to learn how to operate the copy machine, to figure out the best times for bathroom breaks, etc. Recognize that you will likely feel less drained after acclimating to the new environment.


STEP ON THE STAGE


for acceptance in 2026-27


AUDITION DATES


Sat | Nov 8, 2025 winds, brass, & percussion only


Wed | Jan 21, 2026 Sat | Feb 7, 2026


uwec.ly/mus-the Sat | Mar 7, 2026


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The Music and Theatre Arts Department offers a wide variety of majors, minors, certificates, ensembles, and performance opportunities. Even if you’re not a music or theatre arts major or minor, many musical groups and theatre experiences are open for general student participation. Whatever your passion is, you’ll find experts to help your interest flourish. Through music, theatre, dance or whatever else interests you, we want you to be part of our traditions that light up our stages and enrich our community!


Prioritize Sleep Science indicates this simple advice might be the most valuable: prioritize sleep. Your resilience, positive outlook, and mental sharpness are greatly affected by rest. You need the protective power of at least seven to eight hours of nightly sleep to bounce back from challenges and to maintain your energy. Because your new workday might start very early, getting ample sleep could require significant changes. Experiment with strategies that can help: wind down rituals, bedtime reminders, laying out your clothes for the next day, or making a quick, simple breakfast each morning. Craft a reliable routine that works for you, and if possible, start your new schedule before student teaching begins.


Track Your Time At first, some student teachers feel they don’t have enough time to complete the work that’s expected of them. After giving yourself a week to adjust, consider track- ing your time. Create a grid or spreadsheet and, over the course of a week, record what you do each day in 30-minute intervals, particularly during prep periods and after school. Then analyze the data. For instance, when you get home, do you spend more time scrolling on your phone than you in- tend before you eat, exercise, socialize or otherwise replenish your energy?


April 2025


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