Utah welcomes thousands of rookie K-12 teachers

Remember the first day at a new school — and that hyper-mix of excitement, apprehension, wonder and maybe a bit of doubt?

Those “Back to School” emotions aren’t the sole claim of new students.

In the coming weeks, scores of new Utah teachers across the state’s K-12 public schools are taking maiden steps into classrooms filled with new faces, while also working alongside new colleagues.

The Beehive State welcomes approximately 3,000 first-year teachers each school year. A little over half of that number are new college graduates beginning their professional careers, according to Utah State Board of Education spokesperson Marie Denson.

And each of those new Utah teachers is stepping into the job at a disruptive moment in education as policymakers and administrators are scrambling to manage AI, cellphones, absenteeism, literacy challenges and classroom behavioral issues.

To support the new cohort, many Utah school districts and charter schools implement programs to support new educators.

“In addition, all new teachers in Utah are required to have a mentor as they begin their careers — and most (schools and districts) have structured mentoring and support programs in place to help first-year educators succeed,” wrote Denson.

A cohort of new public school educators just days away from their first middle school classes are gathering this week at a “new teacher” orientation sponsored by their new employer, the Canyons School District.

Several “rookie” middle school teachers participating in the weeklong orientation at Sandy’s Union Middle School spoke to the Deseret News about the motivations for pursuing K-12 education careers — along with their classroom hopes, aspirations and, yes, apprehensions.

Counting down the days until that first class

A Davis County native and recent BYU graduate, Bethany Crandall will be teaching family consumer sciences and digital literacy at Sandy’s Eastmont Middle School.

Crandall explored a couple of college majors before deciding that a job in the family/consumer science classroom was the right fit. “It’s everything I love because we can cook and sew — and I can be with youth.”

She grew up dreaming of becoming a teacher and realized that such professional goals were worth pursuing after student-teaching at a Salt Lake-area middle school and high school.

“Both communities in those schools taught me to have a sense of humor with teaching … and I grew close with my mentor teachers.”

Crandall’s fellow first-year teacher Kaitlynn Johnston recently moved to Utah, hailing from Iowa. She’s joining the science department at Butler Middle School in Cottonwood Heights.

Johnston has long wanted to be a teacher — thanks largely to some “awesome, influential” teachers during her own middle school and high school years.

“As a kid, you’re shaping who you are and figuring out what you want to do. You’re figuring out how to be in the world by yourself,” she said. “So I had really awesome teachers — and now I’m excited to be that person for someone else; for other kids.”

Meanwhile, Brigham City native Heber Clawson will be spending his first year in the profession teaching Spanish at Union Middle School.

While attending Southern Utah University, Clawson originally planned to pursue pre-med. Later he shifted to business. He didn’t enjoy the classes. But Clawson’s Spanish courses were always fun — and he discovered he enjoyed teaching the language of Cervantes.

And like Johnston, Clawson was inspired by his own classroom mentors. “I had a ton of influential teachers, especially in high school, that really shaped me into who I am today and really helped me at such a delicate time,” he said.

“When you’re a teenager, you’re just trying to figure out life, figure out who you are and figure out your place. And I had so many teachers that helped me figure that out.

“So that’s where I fell in love with education — and I want to be that for the rising generation.”

First-year math teacher Will Fluetsch knows he’s tasked with teaching many middle schoolers at Sandy’s Indian Hills Middle School who may not share his passion for numeracy.

A Brighton High alum, Fluetsch will be teaching in the same Utah community where he once attended public schools. Initially, he had not given much thought to becoming a teacher. But after tutoring young Afghan refugees, Fluetsch discovered his career calling.

“I realized that teaching was the kind of thing that I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” said Fluetsch. “It felt really impactful and meaningful. I wanted to be in a career where I could clearly see the positive impact.”

Hanging tight to classroom idealism, with eyes wide open

Crandall, Johnston, Clawson and Fluetsch are beginning their Utah teaching careers fueled by equal-parts idealism and optimism. But their eyes are wide open. They know the challenges often encountered by teachers such as classroom behavior problems, chronic absenteeism, difficult parents and disengaged kids.

They are already strategizing methods to connect with their new students.

“I really want to make science approachable for everyone,” said Johnston, adding she is eager to help her students spot science connections in their own lives.

Crandall plans to make her first day a memorable one for her new students. “I’m trying to think of something that will surprise them and just help them feel comfortable in my classroom and know that it’s a fun place to be,” she said.

Clawson admits to feeling a bit daunted when he first walked into his new classroom. The walls were bare. The desks were scattered. And he didn’t know how to make the room his own.

But Clawson said he has already enjoyed support from some of the teaching vets at Union Middle who have stepped in to help him with classroom management and other tactics.

“It was daunting at first — but I know I’m not abandoned. That helps ease the nerves.”

Fluetsch added his Day 1 priority is instilling in every student the confidence that they can, well, get along with mathematics.

“Math makes a lot of students really scared, and I understand why. It can be very hard at times,” he said. “So my hope would be that my students feel comfortable in my classroom and that they feel comfortable reasoning and being creative — because to me, that’s so much of what math is.”

The rookie educator’s key quality: A passion for teaching

A veteran educator and administrator, Kelly Tauteoli is the Canyons School District’s assistant human resources director over secondary schools, so she works closely recruiting and supporting first-year teachers.

A passion for teaching — while also caring for each student — are qualities that new teachers can’t be taught, said Tauteoli. They either have it, or they don’t.

“So that’s the first thing I’m looking for in a new teacher: Do they want to get into the classroom, create relationships with the kids and develop them.”

Tauteoli added that the education programs at Utah colleges are skilled at crafting future K-12 teachers with the tools needed to engage students and minimize classroom behavior problems.

Rookie teachers often struggle with “just getting the hang of classroom management,” noted Tauteoli. And each student brings to class different personalities and struggles.

“And during that first year, there’s just a giant mountain of planning,” she said. “You’re teaching your classes for the first time, and then have to do so much lesson planning — and manage that with your day-to-day teaching.”

Collaboration with mentors and even fellow rookie teachers can offer first-year teachers the boost they need to be successful across their careers, Tauteoli added.

Another essential skill for first-year Utah teachers: Building relationships with parents.

“My best advice to parents,” said Tauteoli, “would be if you have a concern, just ask the teacher about it.

“Just ask the teacher, ‘Help me understand this’.”