Teacher Talk Tuesday

Today is all about giving advice to new teachers at I'm Blog Hoppin'. Sometimes I feel like a new teacher, so this is going to be tough for me.

Take care of yourself.
Whether this is your first time spending all day every day with kids, or you've worked at a daycare in the past. You will get sick because there is NOTHING like having 25+ kids in your room sniffling. Ish! Take your vitamins, get a good nights' sleep and relax a bit on weekends!

Be flexible.
When I graduated from college, I didn't really want to be a kindergarten teacher. I had gotten a taste of 3rd grade and LOVED it. I secretly wanted to hold out for a 3rd grade position. However, that wasn't in the cards for me. I was offered a 4-Year-Old position and took it because it got my foot in the door. You have to start somewhere and why not accumulate seniority/tenure as soon as you can? I think you should also stay flexible because it's your first year... you learn the most once you're in the thick of things! Also, things don't always go as planned, so taking a lesson in a new direction on the spot is needed sometimes.

Rituals and Routines are KEY!
Establish those rituals and routines the first day and model a lot throughout the year. Things will become second nature for the kids and your days will run smoothly!

Communicate!
You need to communicate early and often with parents. Building a positive, honest relationship with them will be beneficial. You want parents to trust you! You also want to make sure that you communicate clearly with your students. Be explicit and tell them exactly what you want and what things are supposed to look like.

Collaborate
Not only do you learn while you actually teach, you learn a lot from those around you. Create things with your grade level team, share things, and don't be afraid to ask for things!

Remember the Golden Rule
Stay positive and polite. Making friends with many people, if not everyone, at your school will be beneficial. You never know when you might need help.

Have fun!!