Dear New Teachers,

Dear New Teachers,
I was you just 3 years ago. I was excited. I was nervous. I was giddy one minute and crying the next. I promise you are not the only one feeling this way! I have a few tips for you as you get ready for your BIG 1st year. Today, we will focus on getting ready for this school year. Here we go:

1. DON'T spend the ENTIRE rest of your summer working in your classroom. I know you feel overwhelmed and that there are way too many things to do but I promise you, one way or another, it will all get done.

2. DO spend time doing something fun. Want to go lay out by the pool? DO IT! Want to go out with your friends? GO! When school starts, you will have plenty to do and not much time to go to the pool. Do it now.

3. DON'T feel like you have to make everything you have pinned to your "Classroom Board" on Pinterest. I had so many projects that I started and was never able to finish. I promise, you are not a failure of a teacher if you don't have every cute & fun thing from Pinterest in your classroom.  It's ok. BREATHE.

4. DO pick one or two things from your Pinterest board that you REALLY want and you REALLY know you will use. Don't waste your time on something that you aren't sure about yet. We have long weekends every so often. We have Christmas break. We have Spring Break. Once you have determined there is a need for that cute "Where Am I" magnetic board or that "I'm Done, Now What?" bulletin board in your classroom, make it during one of those breaks! Just don't do it before you see the need. (Side note: That magnetic "Where Am I?" board that I HAD to make that first year is still sitting in my closet. It's never been used.)

5. DO stock up on the quarter and penny deals at the office supply stores. You will need the extra supplies and it sure is nice to buy that stuff on sale rather than pay full price later in the year!

6. DON'T compare yourself to all of your teacher friends whose rooms are done and look like they came out of a magazine. Your room is YOURS. You will spend 10-12 hours a day in that room your first year. Make it feel like home. Make it somewhere you enjoy being.

7. DO check out the "dorm" sales at Target & Wal-Mart. This is the best time to buy a refrigerator or microwave for your classroom (if your school allows it, I promise it's worth the $$ to have these things in your classroom).

8. While I just told you to spend $$ in #7....you will have to spend some $$$ to get started but DON'T go crazy! First year teachers usually don't get their first paycheck until the end of September (unless you are lucky and get paid the end of August....I didn't.) If you have to buy some of the cheap-o stuff from Dollar Tree to get started, DO IT! You can always invest in better stuff later. Just don't get yourself in a financial bind before school starts.

9. DO start making friends with EVERYONE in your school NOW! Yes, you will spend the most time with the people in your grade-level BUT it is so important to make friends with everyone in your school. Think that 5th grade teacher can't help you out because you are teaching Kinder? Think again! I got some of the best ideas from the teachers in the "upper" grades. Plus, it's nice to have lots of friends :)

10. Last but not least, ENJOY this time! It is exciting! You are about to embark on a year that is fun, hard, rewarding and a HUGE learning experience. Take the advice of the teachers who have been around for a while. I promise, they know what they are talking about!


Be looking for the next "Dear New Teachers," post in August. I'll fill you in on what you need to know as the year is getting started!

Do any of my experienced teacher friends have any other words of wisdom to share? Leave your advice in the comments below!

Now, get off Pinterest & quit blog hopping....GO TO THE POOL!