Cramming It All In {The Super Sparkly Teacher}

We all know that it can be such a challenge to fit everything into our busy schedules. There is so much reading, teaching, and assessing to do. In the first grade world, sight words require much attention. I have found a few ways to work them into our jam-packed day.

I have replaced many of my GoNoodle brain breaks with HeidiSongs. My kiddos are still dancing, moving, and having fun, but shh... they're learning too. They ABSOLUTELY love the HeidiSongs videos. I recently stocked up on DVDs during her Labor Day Sale, but I'm sure there'll be another sale soon enough. Also, if you can't afford the DVDs right now, some of her videos are on Youtube {click HERE}.  #sneakyteacher

You can also play or sing the songs during transitions. My kiddos have already learned a few to the point where they can just sing them aloud. We sang them as we transitioned from one class to another during a school-wide event.

It's taken time, but I've learned how to make the most of my time. When we visit the library, I always take my assessment materials. I pull a few students and work in sight word practice and/or assessments. I always have up-to-date information on where my kiddos are. Is there a time when you can sneak in a little practice with even just one kiddo? Even on Picture Day I carried around my sight word list. #beefficient

I hope that you too are able to find some ways to cram it all in and have a successful school year!

What I Wish I had my First Year of Teaching (The Friendly Teacher)

It's Hannah here from The Friendly Teacher! I am coming to share everything I wish that I had my first year of teaching! 

#1 Flexible Seating

I LOVE FLEXIBLE SEATING! I wish I had flexible seating with my first year kiddos. They would have LOVED this! Flexible seating has changed the way I teach and I LOVE it! It keeps my students focused, they enjoy school more, and they are comfortable! I still have home seats for my kids at the tables! This way if they ever need to be in a seat they have one! I also have medicine balls, many comfy chairs, yoga mats, a sitting table, and a standing table! 

#2 My Student Information Binder

My student information binder has saved my behind many times since I started using it! It makes parent meetings so much easier and I never have a problem with documentation. Everything that I ever need to document is in one spot, so it keeps life EASY! I provided everything in my binder for FREE here! Go check it out!

#3 My Happy Planner

One of the biggest things that I wish I had is the Happy Planner! I have the Happy Lesson Planner and the Happy Life Planner! These planners keep me organized, they are adorable, and they are extremely inexpensive compared to many planners! I honestly LOVE this planner! You can find these at your local Michaels or Hobby Lobby!

#4 My Next Week Tubs

My first year of teaching I would have papers EVERYWHERE! I love to copy early and plan weeks in advance. But, I was never organized. I put all the papers for the next week in this cart. Then, when it is time to organize I move them over to my daily bins. It seems like a small thing, but it has kept me so much more organized! (Labels from Miss West is Best)

Do you use any of these items in your classroom?!

What I Wish I Had My First Year Teaching ( Peppy Zesty Teacherista )

My first school was not well equipped with math manipulatives and I learned the hard way that they are so important for student learning. 

These are the ones I use in my classroom:

This is the first year that I have implemented whole class fidgets in my classroom. I have a table caddy for each table that has various fidgets. The table caddies get put on the desk when we start out lesson. This is an excellent way for kids to use these to get their wiggles out while still maintaining focus. 

How cool that the only meeting we've had this week (I know so lucky!) they had fidgets for US to use to keep focused! This opened my eyes that all kids can use fidgets so I ordered a bunch from Amazon!

A photo posted by PeppyZestyTeacherista (@peppyzestyteacherista) on Aug 17, 2016 at 4:42pm PDT

These are the fidgets that I purchased for my classroom:

My first year, I felt like I was giving out the same information to different parents! Even though I sent a newsletter. By having a classroom website, I had a hub for everything so the only thing I needed to do was email them a link with the information. 

I also embedded a Google Calendar! 

You can read more about that 

{HERE}

I hope these were some Peppy Zesty ideas for you! 

What I wish I knew my first year teaching (with iTeachSTEM)

When I graduated in 2006 and started looking for my first teaching job, I had no real understanding of what was required of a teacher. Oh, I could rattle off a bunch of buzz words and "talk a good game", but until I actually got into my first classroom and started teaching I had NO CLUE. 

It seemed like all the other teachers had it together, and I was the only one scrambling day after day to stay above water. I felt like everything I had learned in college had been a waste of time. Great in theory, but totally useless in the real world!

Did anyone else feel this way? 

Surely I can't be the only one...

So as I began my 10th year of teaching last fall,

I started to think of all of the things I wish I had known my first year. And as I begin my 11th year, each and every one is STILL just as relevant.

You can't do it all.

Period.

You've GOT to take some time to prioritize what you can/want to accomplish. 

My first year I signed up for every volunteer event, helped on numerous committees, created most of my lessons from scratch, gave cute little gifts to my students for every national and obscure holiday, called parents daily, rearranged the seating charts every month, and NEVER SLEPT.

A person can't keep going like that.

Physically, mentally, or emotionally.

Your "planning time" isn't really yours.

It's really a time for meetings with administration, parents, and other teachers.

You're lucky if you get a few minutes to use the bathroom!

And on the rare occasion that you don't have something scheduled, something will come up making it impossible to get anything done on your to-do list.

Student teaching is pretty much NOTHING like having your own classroom!

Day one I welcomed my students into the room and felt panic rising to my chest as I realized that I had to figure out what to do with them for the entire day and had NO ONE ELSE to pick up the slack! Nobody gave me any guidelines for what to do and when. What worked in my student teaching placement didn't work with this new set of kids. 

Planning is important, but be prepared to change your your plans more often than not.

I was terrible at guessing how long an activity or lesson would take. I would end up with too much time left over or not nearly enough time to get what I needed done.

This takes practice and experience. There is no way around it. 

It used to take me 8-10 hours to plan my week. Sometimes more.

I STILL over plan to be sure I use each and every possible teaching minute productively, but I also realize that most of my plans will be put off to the next day/week depending on how that first day goes.

Find other teachers who you admire and ask them for advice.

Someone once told me that the best way to make a friend is to ask a person for a small favor.

It breaks the ice and lets them feel helpful.

And who knows?

You just might learn a few useful tricks!

But remember, YOU have ideas and experiences to share as well. Don't be afraid to share and collaborate with others.

Students do not instinctively know how to do things. 

It is VERY important to explicitly teach and model the routines and procedures you want in your classroom. This needs to include all those little things you don't often think about because they seem obvious to an adult.

TEACH THEM EVERYTHING.

I promise that it will save you time, energy, and your sanity.

Talk less.

I still struggle with this one.

But kids need to express their ideas, collaborate and struggle a bit, think for themselves.

During a typical period, I try to keep my talking time to a minimum.

Yes, there are days when it's gonna be a straight lecture/take notes type of day.

But those are my least favorite lessons.

The kids are less engaged. And I get bored.

Give your students a challenge or even the opportunity to construct knowledge on their own.

You should act as the facilitator as they work together to build their understanding during hands-on activities related to the content you want them to learn.

Let the students teach each other!

Be kind but firm.

I always wanted to make sure the students liked me. I would give chance after chance after chance until I was so frustrated that I lost my temper and started yelling.

I really HATE being "that teacher".

I learned that setting clear expectations and having specific and consistent consequences led to much better behavior overall. And less yelling.

You'll never be able to live on a teaching salary alone.

At least independently.

Plan to have a second source of income.

You'll need it to support your growing addiction to school supplies and classroom decorations.

I used to work at summer camps until my own kids got older.

Now I own a paint your own pottery studio, sell hand-built ceramic monsters, and create digital resources at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Or you could marry someone rich. (I'm just sayin'.)

Give yourself a break.

Nobody is perfect.

Teaching is really hard.

You will learn, grow and improve.

But there will always be another chance.

Another lesson.

Another student.

What else do you wish YOU had known when you first started teaching?

What I Wish I Knew My First Year Teaching {The Learning Chambers}

I am just about to start my eleventh year of teaching.  Oh man, has it really been that long ... that makes me sound super old ... big sigh!  Oh well, I definitely still remember my first year of teaching.  I got my first teaching job less than a week before new teacher orientation.  I was excited, nervous, and a bit overwhelmed!  Here are two things that I wish I had known my first year of teaching.

My first thing that I wish I knew was to write to-do lists and prioritize them.

I'm not going to lie, I totally still struggle with this BUT I am getting better.  My first year of teaching I would stay FOREVER at school and then I had an hour commute to my apartment.  

I wish I had setup a daily to-do list to help me prioritize.  Here are some quick tips to help you setup a daily to-do list.

IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE CUTE!

I know, I know it makes my heart hurt and I love pens and stickers just as much as any other teacher ... but it's a waste of my time!  When I write my daily to-do list, I normally either write it on a sticky note or on a dry erase board that I have hanging next to my teacher area.  Done and done ... and it saves me time!

PRIORITIZE, PRIORITIZE, PRIORITIZE

I so wish that somebody had told me my first year that it didn't all have to get done TODAY!  I learned to prioritize but not till much later in my teaching career.

One thing that I do now is that I try my best to accomplish five tasks from my to-do list each day.  I definitely have to prioritize those five tasks, so I ask myself the following 3 questions...

1) What NEEDS to get done today?  Will I need it for tomorrow to accomplish my lessons?

2) What can wait till tomorrow?  What won't I need to accomplish my lessons?

3) What is not important?  Do I really need to do _____?

I will say that number 3 is the one thing that I wish I had asked myself my first year.  I remember my first year teaching I was determined to have a big paper tree in my classroom library.  It was a BIG pain and a BIG waste of time.  Was it really important?  NO!  Could I have spent my time more wisely?  TOTALLY!  So make sure you ask yourself number 3 when you are trying to prioritize your to-do list.

SKIP THE CHIT-CHAT

Ok, I know this is sooo sooo hard to do but trust me it will give you that extra time to accomplish your to-do list.  I love spending time with my teammates but you really need to have time by yourself in your room to get stuff done.

My friend Megan from I Teach What's Your Superpower has an awesome post about posting a sign when you are busy working and can't chat.  Isn't it beautiful?!?!  (#ALL THE HEART EYES!!)

You can read her post HERE and trust me you want to read it because she shares an awesome printable that you can post on your door during your work time.  I hope it helps you get that to-do list accomplished and knocked out!!

The last thing I wish I knew was to not be afraid of using technology in the classroom.

I am super super embarrassed to admit this but my first few years of teaching I did not use any technology in my classroom.  I used Discovery Education but that was it!  I know, it's super shocking!

I so wish that I had used more tech in my classroom and had just jumped in.  You learn so much from trial and error.  The more you try the easier and better you will become at it.

Here are two of my favorite tech tools that you can use in your classroom.

 

Click HERE to read a blog post all about using QR Codes for Reading Respones.

Click HERE to read a blog post all about using Tellagami.

So the top two things that I wish I had known my first year of teaching were ...

Write To-Do Lists and Prioritize Them

Do Not Be Afraid of Using Technology in the Classroom

What do you wish you had known your first year of teaching?  Make sure you comment and let me know!

What I Wish I Knew My First Year Teaching {Tickled Pink in Primary}

I will never forget my 1st year of teaching. It was a time of learning, growing, and building relationships with students, parents, and colleagues. I feel like every year we learn so much that makes us a better teacher, but I do wish I knew a few of these tips 10 years ago. 

When I look back on my early years as a teacher, I wish I had trusted my gut instincts more. There are times when I followed the textbook and curriculum even though I didn't think it was what was best for my students. I was too nervous to say something to my principal because I was a new teacher....do I really know what's better for my students than what these teachers have been doing for years? The answer is YES! No matter if it's your 1st year or 10th year, do what is best for kids! 

We had to do these math worksheets every day during small group or whole group. They were miserable!! The kids were so bored and I was so bored covering the material the way the textbook said.  I love to be creative and do more interactive lessons, so I would have thrown these worksheets in the trashcan! 

Ask for help, you can't do it all! Ask anyone and everyone to come in and volunteer. The students absolutely love helpers and the helpers love getting a chance to help students learn. My first few years, I didn't ask for as much help as I probably should have. Then I realized how nice it is to have volunteers work with individual students or a small group to give them some extra attention. When I taught in my hometown for a few years, my grandmothers would come in and help. They absolutely LOVED it!!!

It's so nice to get some fresh air, so take your learning outside more often. I wish I realized how much just a little break from being in the stuffy classroom could help. Students can take their books and do reading outside, use clipboard to do worksheets, or even take some games and just play them in the grass instead of on the rug.

I always had a classroom website so my parents could see what we were up to in the classroom. However, I was always the one taking the pictures. Finally about my 7th year of teaching, I started to let students use the iPad and take pictures of their work. They had to take pictures of something they were proud of, not just silly pictures. My students really enjoyed taking these photos! Then I'd give a few kids an opportunity to share the photos with the class after center time. Look how cute they are just posing next to their work while a friend takes their photo!

I'm such a neat freak, so having a messy room is really hard for me. However, when I look back at my years of teaching, some of the things I think my students liked the most, was when we did projects. I would get out all kinds of craft supplies and let students use whatever they wanted and spread out all around the room. They loved the creativity of it and having so many choices. They were very good about cleaning up after we finished, but I have to admit, it was hard for me to deal with the big mess!

Good luck with your 1st year teaching!