The Brand New Teacher

For the brand new teacher who is so Excited to start off their 1st year in the classroom this is for YOU!!

Here are some tidbits as you start thinking about your upcoming School year and Classroom!

Let's start with the classroom:

1.Ask your family/friends/neighbors/facebook friends for the following items

Old magazines- students can cut and add to their journals

games- for rainy day indoor reccess

treasure chest toys- especially kids meal toys are great for prizes

dominoes

playing cards

stationary/colored paper

stickers

envelopes

baby wipes 

bean bags/ comfy pillows- great for reading to self

kids socks- to wipe off their dry erase boards

childrens books-(sometimes kids grow out of books)

I have learned over the years that I have friends who are constantly throwing unused items away and will call me to see if I would like these items.

2.  What will your classroom walls look like? Will you use the paper from school or buy fabric?  I have gone both ways and the past two years I have used fabric!

( Side note- Walmart has really cute fabric)

3. What will you hang above your outside door?  I put a cute piece of fabric with Miss Smith on top with bling on each letter.

4. Layout of your classroom- What will be on each bulletin board?  Will you have a place for student work either inside your classroom or in the hallway? What type of letters and borders will you use?

5. How will you arrange your desks?  Will they be in groups of 3, 4, or 5? Where will your teacher desk be?

6. Will you have different stations in your classroom?  I  highly reccomend reading the book Daily 5! This helps you with implementing a structure were your students are successful, you are using your time more efficiently, and you can focus on guided reading with your kids!

With Daily 5 in my classroom I have incorporated stations around the room but the students can go get their supplies and then head back to their desks or an empty area in the room to work.

7. Classroom Library- You start small and build up- Remember I have been teaching for 12 years.  I started with clear long containers from the Dollar Store and cereal boxes.  

How will you code your books?  I havewritten on the outside of the container on a book of the genre/author/theme with a number on the outside of the container and on each book inside it has the exact number on the top right hand corner.

8. Calendar- I have a calendar on the wall each month I put a holiday/special event/field trip/birthday on the day of that month.

9. Birthday Chart- this is HUGE to keep up with students birthday- How will you celebrate their birthday? Will you give them a birthday certificate or sticker? (Talk with your team on how they implement things!)

10. Tooth Chart/Graph- In the lower grades (K-2) they loose lots of teeth and the kids are so excited!  I have given my students a sticker that says I lost a Tooth!

11. Fun incentives- Kids love pencils, bookmarks, and certificates!  

12. If you have cubbies/backpack hanger will you use a cutout to label their cubby. Will you do a number or their name?

13. Nametags--  You will want to help the specials teachers out on the first day by having nametags on each student!

14. How will you do your lunch count?  Will you do it on stickers for the child to do choice 1, 2, 3, or brought lunch?- I bought the star sticks from the teacher store and let my students put it in their choice each day!

15. Classroom Jobs- What will that consist of?  How often will you change them?

16. Music- Do you have a cd player or an iphone deck- check with your campus library to see what you have access to!

17. What will you put the students extra supplies in?  I have containers that are labeled that I put the extra supplies in and when students need it I get it out!

18. Classroom meeting area- Will you have a special chair you sit in?  Will you have a rug of some sort?  (which Target or Walmart has rugs pretty cheaply)

19. Bulletin Boards around the room- I have a Math wall, Writing, Daily 5, Kids Work, Word Wall, Technology- on my storage cabinets- to show what we are learning

20. What will your classroom rules be?  Last year my class and I made a poster that had our rules/expectations.  Then each child colored a little doll representing them and we laminated it to our poster.  This was a great way to reinforce all year what we created as a Class!

Being a Teacher is a blast- but Yes starting out can be overwhelming- so if you have any questions I would love to help you!

From the Life of a Teacher,

Jenn