Each year, new educators set foot in their own classrooms for the very first time. These newly trained educators are eager to put their skills to use and make a positive impact. Are they prepared?

In most cases, the answer is yes and no. These teachers know enough to get started, certainly. They’ve received training, mentoring, and education in best practices and current trends. They have the passion and the dedication to carry them through unexpected challenges. And we as a society believe in them! Most likely, they’ve already received a plethora of inspirational quotes about the importance of teaching—maybe even a “World’s Greatest Teacher” mug or two.

Even so, many veteran educators say those first couple years in the classroom can be humbling. Despite excellent training, the learning curve can be steep.

So, if you’re a veteran educator, what can you do to help ease this transition for the newbies? And if you’re a newbie, what kind of advice are you seeking?

We found “What Should We Expect Preservice Teachers to Know” by Peter DeWitt to be a great read—for new and seasoned educators alike. This Education Week* article elaborates upon several tips, including “video yourself,” “don’t talk so much,” and “no death by ditto.” The tips make good sense in today’s classrooms and contain important nuggets of wisdom from those who have “been there, done that.”

While we agree with all of DeWitt’s tips, two of them—“collect evidence” and “expectations matter”—connect particularly well to Read Naturally.

The importance of collecting evidence cannot be overstated. Not only should teachers use research- and evidence-based curricula, they should amass data to ensure those programs are working for their students. Read Naturally programs are an ideal fit. All of our programs have a solid research base, and data collection is always an easy, built-in step.

Expectations matter is a more important tip to keep in mind than some educators realize. It’s common for teachers to be too hard on some kids and too easy on others. That’s why Read Naturally programs have detailed placement procedures to ensure each student is working at an appropriate, individual level. We offer detailed resources in our Knowledgebase about monitoring students’ progress to keep them challenged but not frustrated.

Click here to learn more about research-based Read Naturally programs and how they work to accelerate student progress.

If you’re a new teacher this year, we wish you all the best this coming school year and would love to support you along the way. And if you’re a veteran teacher, be sure to spend a little extra time with those who are walking in these shoes for the first time. You have more wisdom than you know.

*Note that Education Week articles are accessed on a tiered subscription model. Nonsubscribers can enjoy three free articles per month.