What I Knew My First Year Teaching {Stephany from Primary Possibilities}

There are a lot of things that you will learn the first year of teaching!  Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your first year...

Don't be afraid to "stop and smell the roses"... or watch the first snowfall of winter with your students.  These are some of the best memories that you will create with your students.  School really isn't all about testing, data, and work.  The moments they will remember the most are ones like these!

Find ways to save prep time any chance you get.  Little things like laminating and reusing timed math fact tests, finding the best time to use the copy machine, or finding efficient ways to grade papers can make your life a lot easier and make your Sunday nights a lot less dreadful!

Plan ahead for days when you may be out.  It is no joke that as a first year teacher you will contract every illness your students bring in.  Preparing for subs is almost as draining as the sickness that you are dealing with.  I started creating sub packets that I could prep ahead of time and that could be used at any time of the year.  This has saved my teammates and me a lot of time and energy on those dreaded sick days. 

You can grab up my sub plans by clicking HERE.... or grab up the bundle by clicking HERE.

I hope you have a great first year of teaching!

Get Planning with Tickled Pink in Primary

I'll admit that this isn't going to be my best post :) I've been out of town for a week and on a cruise with out cell service and internet! That was hard!!! Anyway, it's kind of ironic that my post is about planning, since I didn't plan ahead and get good pictures for this post. 

I use this rainbow drawer cart that can be found at Amazon, Michael's, office supply stores, etc. I label each drawer Monday-Friday 2 times, so I can plan 2 weeks out. Inside these drawers, I put my lesson plans, along with any worksheets or small games I'll be using. I find this very helpful, bc in case I'm sick and can't come in to get things ready, a sub would be able to find everything they need in these drawers. At the end of the day, I have my leader of the week help me change the centers cards, the schedule, and lay out calendar pieces for the next day.  In case I am ever gone unexpectedly for more than 1 day, the students know how to prepare for the next day and they LOVE to be my helpers at the end of the day!

Our school has a designated "sub" folder for each classroom that we leave with our secretary in case we are absent. Inside my folder, I keep these forms so they know where my students go at the end of the day for dismissal, what to do with my students in case there is an emergency, and a lunch count paper since they won't be able to do the lunch count online like normally do. 

You can find these forms along with many more editable forms and ideas in my Beginning of the Year Forms Bundle.