in my experience, teaching soft skills will get you far far greater in the work place (i instruct for a job that is strictly people based at college) and will net you a longer career.

I notice most often 15 minutes tends to be the max that my students can keep focused on a lecture . . having a proper plan for that and activity ready is a great way to go.

creating a notecard activity where the students write about themselves gives you a nice learning fact about the student and saves them from having to speak in front of the class if they're nervous on the first day.

It's very important to also make sure you are using the correct editions and you are staying up to date on them. I remember in college buying books that weren't the updated edition to save money and it never paid off.

Becoming a motivator is one of the most critical aspects of being a teacher. It gets the kids excited for what they are preparing for and learning and also gets them to understand and respect what you do for them.