I am SO excited about this post! It doesn’t take long to realize that to be a good teacher, you need to rely on other good teachers. I’ve gotten fabulous advice, tips, and tools over the last seven years that have truly helped mold me into the teacher I am today.
This summer I have the pleasure of being an instructor at my district’s New Teacher Institute! I can’t wait to facilitate conversations and discuss teaching with some fresh new faces, all excited about teaching! And, even better I get to do it with my fabulous friend, Lyssa, from My Mommy Reads!
Since Lyssa and I will be instructors, we thought it would be fun to get some advice from other fabulous teachers to share at our training and with beginning teachers, everywhere! So, we created this fun linky party to help beginning teachers {ROCK} their first year teaching!
Build Relationships! I’ve learned this is one of the MOST important parts of our job. Build positive relationships with your co-workers, your students, your parents, the secretary, the custodian, everyone. It is amazing how far a simple smile and a positive attitude can take you, not only in teaching but in life! I’ve been moved to two different schools in my somewhat short career and each time it has not been by choice. One was even a few weeks into the school year! It sucked! Each move I’ve always made sure to smile and be positive- even when I wasn’t feeling so positive. Things don’t always go your way, but it’s important to keep your head up and stay smiling! The relationships you build with your co-workers can truly make or break your school year!
The same goes with the relationships you build with your students and families! It’s important to always, always, always start on a positive, because teaching is hard! It’s nice to have your students and their families on the same page as you!
Be Strict! This is probably one of the harder things to do as a beginning teacher, or at least it was for me! However, you have to make sure that your students know who is in control of the classroom from the very first second they walk in! If they think they can be in control, I promise, they will be! You can be strict without being mean- but those first few weeks of the school year are so incredibly crucial!
Try to Stay Ahead! This is another tough one, but it makes things so much easier throughout the year! My first year teaching I always made sure to have everything I needed for the next week prepared and ready to go before I left Friday afternoon. It wasn’t always fun staying at school later on Friday, but walking into school on Monday morning with everything ready made everything better. When you’re prepared, the kids can tell and things seem to go more smoothly. When I am unprepared, I can tell the behaviors in my class start to get worse! It really helps to have a curriculum map to help with lesson planning!
Spending Money! It’s bound to happen, you’re more than likely going to spend A. TON. of money as a new teacher. Even after your first year, you’ll still spend a lot on your classroom. However, be smart. You probably don’t HAVE to have that game or all those pretty new pens! I will say, that as teachers we spend a ton of time in our classrooms, so I did spend money on my classroom decor and making my classroom a place my students and I enjoy being in. But, I wasted a TON of money on games and resources that I’ve never even used!
Family Time! School can take over your life, but don’t let it. Always make sure to put yourself and your family first. At the end of the day, that is what is most important! It’s easy to lose your Sunday to lesson plans, but make sure to work some time in for yourself and your family!
This is an amazing quote for teachers! It’s really hard to not want to do everything. But, to be perfectly honest- it’s impossible. One of the best parts of our job is that we get a fresh start every year. Remember that! If something (or a lot of things) aren’t going the way you want them to, start small! Change a little bit and know that you can do things completley differently the next year!
I truly hope that something in this post helped you! Good luck with everything, and remember YOU are a ROCKSTAR!!!!
Now, it’s your turn! Grab the image below and share your own tips for a beginning teacher! Make sure to link back up with us!
I love your piece of advice; it's so true and something that we all should try to remember 🙂 Thanks for hosting the link up!
yes yes yes! The spending money one is HUGE! I fell into that trap because I started collecting things while I was *still in teacher's college!!* …so I really didn't KNOW what I actually needed and a lot of it ended being a waste of money :S Lesson learned!
Great topic, I enjoyed linking up 🙂
Sam
Fun With Firsties
I love your advice! "You can do anything but not everything" is awesome and so true! Trying to take on too much can lead to burn out and leave your feeling incompetent. In reality, we are not machines. This is advice that even 18 years I still need the reminder of. My type A personality wants to be able to do it all. I can't and it's not fair to me or my family to let that mindset set in. Thanks for hosting a great linky!
~Julie
Being strict was hard for me for the first several years! Not being consistent with it made my job a lot tougher!!! I love your advice-you can do anything just not everything! So true!!!! Thank you for sharing and hosting this link up! It is great for beginning teachers as well as those who have been teaching for a while:)
Jill
I love the advice! My first year was super difficult because I was thrown into the classroom in the middle of the year after the students had been with different subs for two weeks! Yikes! I would say that you HAVE to let (make) others help you! Do NOT feel bad asking for help! My poor students my first year just got random things thrown at them from that I had taken from all the other first grade teachers! HA
Totally agree with not letting it take away from family time. You must set limits for yourself: leave school by _:___ every day. If you take work home with you then, stop working at a certain time. My first year I had NO life outside of school, which really takes away from your teaching in the long run because you aren't happy!
Well.. I've nearly written enough for a blog post, so I might as well post about it on my own blog! Thanks for the idea! 🙂
ferventfirstgradefrenzy.blogspot.com/
I wasted a ton of money, too! I bought cute games thinking the kids would learn so much from them. I realized they just had a bunch of pieces that got lost.
Stacy
Made with Love
I loved linking up!! This was my favorite blog post to write! EVER! I can't wait to read all the link-ups. And I totally agree with the "wasting money" problem…I blame TARGET, Dollar Tree, and my lack of self-control. Hahah. I'm definitely still working on that one!
Thanks again for hosting this link up!!
Amy Jacobson
The Kinder Life
akinderforlife.blogspot.com
You gave such great advice! I love your advice to not to everything your first year! It is so important to get established and keep your head above water your first year! There's enough to stress out about, don't add to your list!
Thanks so much for hosting such a fun link up, this is great even for seasoned teachers to read!
Warmest Wishes,
Erin
Kindergarten Dragons
First off, THANK YOU for this link up!! What an awesome idea!
Second, love your tips!! My goal is to set expectations and keep them there! Bookmarking this page for my year ahead 🙂
I so agree with being strict! I have learned that one the hard way. You can have more fun if students know how to behave that that comes from you following through with your expectations! Great advice!
Trying to back track to being strict after you've already lost control is very hard. Very good advice.
Great link up and great advice! So glad I was able to participate!
Karen
An Apple a Day in First Grade
I have appointments this morning, but will definitely come back this afternoon to read everyone's advice! I'm so happy to be a part of this link!
ReadWriteSing
Oh my goodness! I absolutely love this link up. Your advice is on point and so true. It took me a long time to handle the family time correctly. With 3 little ones I still struggle with turning off my teacher as soon as I get home. I loved reading all of the great advice. Thanks for hosting this wonderful link up and I'm so excited to participate!!
Marisa
Yee-Haw in Kindergarten
Thanks for hosting a really cute linky!
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