I hope everyone’s school year is starting out great. (Virtually, in-person, hybrid)
I’ve had several messages asking me what is a great gift for a teacher. So, I thought I’d share a few great gifts and a few over gifted items. ** You do NOT have to give teachers gifts. It’s SO appreciated but not a must.**
Gift Cards
If anything else fails, teachers love gift cards. Not only are they easy to gift, they are practical. I always use coffee gift cards to treat myself or target gift cards to buy myself something nice. Always include a nice note. Those kind words go a LONG way.
2. Anything homemade from your student
In my classroom, I have a bookshelf dedicated to things students have gifted me that they have made. I have a plastic cat made from melted beads that one of my first year babies gave me and a pipe-cleaner bracelet that a student from this year mailed to me. These things mean so much to a teacher because they aren’t something you can buy at a store. Sometimes when things get tough, I just stare at that top shelf and it reminds me of why I keep going.
3. Personalized things
Personalized things are the bees knees (especially for teachers like me who are changing their last name and everything says “Ms. Hilburn” I have received so many personalized items over the years and they have always warmed my heart. A lot of these gifts were from the businesses of the families who gifted them to me. I always shout out those parents to give them more business.
4. FOOD of any kind
I can’t stress this enough, TEACHERS LOVE FOOD. Every time we receive an email about food in the break room, it looks like the entrance to a 1D concert in the early 2010s. I’ve had parents surprise me with donuts for breakfast, snacks, candy and even lunch. Those things go a long way! *Always ensure the teacher does not have food allergies first. My parents know about my recent food allergies but I would always ask!*
Things NOT to gift:
Mugs. When I tell you I have 50 mugs, I mean it. BUT, I LOOOOOVE mugs. I will accept any mug that is given to me because I love collecting them. But, some of my teacher friends said that if they received another mug their husbands would divorce them. (HA!) It honestly just depends on the teacher. Personalized cups, rae dunn mugs, cat mugs ANY mugs are welcomed in my house.
Things for us to cook… If only I had time to cook.
NO MATTER what you give a teacher, they will love it. Right now, the best gift you can give is support, kind words and patience. Those things do not cost a dime. I love receiving a random message about my teaching is impacting their student’s life. It really makes a difference!
If you are a teacher and you have some great gift suggestions, comment below!
Where did 2020 go? I can’t believe it’s already August. I can’t say I will be sad to see 2020 go but there are a few highlights from this year that make me hopeful. (Wedding in less than 4 months!) But do you know what August means? BACK TO SCHOOL.
Yes, this year is a little crazy already. Our school has already declared we will start out virtually. My favorite thing about back to school is getting to know my brand new students. I’m a teacher who is “all in” when it comes to student and parent relationships. This year with virtual or hybrid learning, it is even more important to establish relationships with your students and their parents. So, I have some ideas to help you create relationships with your students and parents that last longer than one school year!
Include facts about yourself and your philosophy of teaching in your “Welcome Letter”
In some cases, the parents in your classroom may know you or your teaching style but the majority won’t. I always include a bio in my “Welcome Letter” to make the parents and students feel like they’ve met me already when maybe they haven’t. Some items I include are:
my educational experience (how many years I’ve taught)
my education (degrees)
my philosophy of teaching (what I truly believe is most important)
a few fun facts (family, pets, favorite things, etc.)
This helps the parents feel a sense of welcoming even before the school year starts. This is a big deal for most parents because they are trusting you with their child all day. It creates a relationship before you meet them in person.
2. Start communicating from the beginning
At the beginning of the school year (and continued throughout the school year), I write down each student’s name on a list. Each week, I choose 5 students to write positive emails to their parents telling them something I noticed about their students throughout the week. This is in addition to all the positive emails I send out anyways. When I’ve emailed all the parents, I start over! When you establish a positive relationship upfront and you show how much you care about their student and if you ever have unpleasant news, they will know its because you are coming from a good place because you truly care about their student.
*I would always call parents to give them positive news to make it more personable but most parents are fine with an email.*
3. Make Every Moment Count
In my classroom, students can earn rewards. The usual ones: prizes, candy, extra time on technology, pick a center first, etc. One of my rewards that students can choose to eat lunch with me! You would be surprised at how many students choose this. Although we are starting out virtually this year, I will still have 30 minutes where we can Zoom and eat lunch together (If they so choose). This will also help build community because they will be eating with their classmates. In the morning, students arrive at 7:30 a.m. but the school day would not start until 8:00 a.m. During this time, the students would pick a free center where they could play with their friends. I would also set up a center that would meet with me where we would play games, review work, or just talk. The students really enjoyed having some special time with just me to tell me stories or just to play a game. I plan on still implementing this virtually once a week with a sign-up. Although those little moments may not seem like much to you, they mean to world to your students and their families!
4. Although It May Be Hard, Keep Those Relationships “Professional” Over “Personal”
With social media, it is hard to find that line between “professional” and “personal” when it comes to relationships with parents. My number one rule is: I don’t add on any parents on social media accounts until I know their student is out of my class. (Except one parent & its because they are pretty much family) This is not because I don’t love the parents in my classroom, but because of its actually a rule at my school! I share so much via ClassTag, our Happy Camper Campground, and a variety of other online platforms I have, my personal Facebook is where I get stingy. And do be honest, I don’t post interesting things on Facebook. If you are a teacher that adds all your parents, go to you. No teacher shaming here. Just make sure you keep that “professional” relationship as well.
Tips:
Remember your student’s name or something small about them. This will make them feel special. Such as remembering their sibling, something they like or something they’ve shared. This will make a bigger impact than you think.
Respond to parent emails when you can. During the school day, I lose my phone 100+ times a day. But when I can find it, I respond back to parent emails when I receive them. I do this because 1. It will get lost in my inbox and 2. I will forget to reply. My parents know that there is a 24 hour grace period (48 hours on the weekend) before I can respond. If I can’t answer the question at the moment, I still reply to let the parents know that I read their message but I will respond later (via email or phone call) This makes the parents feel heard.
Continue to build those relationships even past the first week of school. I’ve created AMAZING relationships with families over the years, simply because I’ve kept the relationship going past the school year. My students and families know they are ALWAYS welcomed back into my classroom.
Give your classroom a name. My classroom is called “The Happy Campers”. It makes the students feel like they are a part of something. They love telling their friends that they are also in the camping room. (or bunny room because of our class pet, Graham!)
Share, share share! I weekly post pictures of the students learning in the classroom to our ClassTag page. The parents LOVE seeing their student learning and it creates a classroom community. (Stay away from classroom Facebook pages or other social media unless given permission from school officials.)
ClassTag is what I use for central communication for my classroom. Sign up here!
No matter what, relationships with your students and parents will make the biggest impact on their education. Teachers make a huge difference in student’s lives every day when they build these crucial relationships. Although this school year might bring its challenges, you must think creatively to reach those students and families.
However you are starting out this year, GOOD LUCK! You got this.
So, on Facebook I’ve seen a ton of these “What Type of Teacher Are You?” and it made me curious. I decided to make my own…
Unorganized Teacher:
Yes, we all know this teacher. We walk into their room and say “What happened in here?!” Not because it’s dirty but because it looks like a bomb went off in their room. Books over here, games over there. How do you find anything!? This teacher also has a planner, but nothing is written down. “When is that meeting again?” they ask you.
There is nothing wrong with this teacher. If you ask for that math unit you wanted to borrow, they go right to the 2-foot stack of papers and pull it right out. Their world may look unorganized to you, but it’s perfect for them.
The “Yes Man” (or woman):
You are always questioning, “How do they have enough time in the day to sleep at night!?”
This teacher says yes to everything they are asked to do.
Will you join this curriculum team? Yes.
Will you help decorate the bulletin boards? Yes.
Will you help with this activity after school? Yes.
And the crazy part, most of these people don’t drink COFFEE.(!!)
But, they do everything they say yes to with pride & no complaints.
The Brainiac:
Before you even started reading this, you already pictured that teacher friend in your head. This teacher knows how to do EVERYTHING. MAP data? They got you. How to work with the new online math program?! They got you. Anytime you or the Principal has a question, they always go to them. (not because favoritism but because they truly know everything.) Keep these teachers on your good side. You need them. SERIOUSLY.
The Impactful Teacher:
This teacher leaves an imprint on students for years to come. You know this teacher is impactful because her/his student’s from YEARS ago still come to her/his room to say “hey!” every morning or STILL get her/him a gift on Teacher Appreciation Week. This teacher not only impacts a student’s educational career but their life. She/He takes the time to get to know each student on a personal level. They create a family within the classroom and make each student feel special. She/He works with families to figure out issues with students, even if they are hard conversations. This teacher is a true “Mama Bear” when it comes to her students. She supports them, loves them & is passionate about being a teacher. Keep this teacher in your close circle.
The Teacher Bestie:
This person can also be called “Work Wife”. Teaching is not for the weak and some days, it gets to you. The Teacher Bestie knows that. They are always there when you need to vent, cry, or need a laugh. They know you so well that they have candy waiting on your desk before you even ask. The best part about The Teacher Bestie? They have bad days too where they need you! You need The Teacher Bestie, especially on testing weeks. They know how you are feeling just from looking at you. They can read your mind from across the room. Oh, and you can always count on The Teacher Bestie to save you a seat for the meeting. (hopefully in the BACK of the room.)
WOW. It seems like a lifetime ago that I walked the stage and graduated from college.
I remember thinking. “Ok, so what now?”
At the time, I lived with a friend and she had so many interviews and job offers.
And there I was, sending in my resume and application for the fourth time that day.
“What am I doing wrong?”
“How come I am not getting TONS of interviews? We pretty much have the same resume!”
I spent the whole summer searching for jobs and going to interviews.
But, I didn’t see myself there. Sure, the people were nice and the school was great.
But, I didn’t fit there. It didn’t feel like home.
I remember walking into a school. NERVOUS. But, I felt like I belonged there.
The interview, to my knowledge, went great. I was about to leave when one of the interviewers ran to my car to remind me that I needed to get the number of my mentor ASAP.
I did. Little did I know, I would be receiving a call that I would be working there.
Now, not all things work out that way. Sometimes, you work somewhere and it doesn’t feel like home. Sometimes, you don’t get your dream job. Sometimes, you get your dream job wayyyy further than you expected. (I was hired mid-July!)
I have some words of advice to any teachers who just graduated:
Find a place that reflects you as an individual and as a professional
When I was looking for jobs, I was thinking about the future. I thought about where I wanted to live and where I wanted to be in 5+ years. I also thought about what was my “philosophy” as an educator and found a place that helps me build that.
a.) If there is a teacher shortage, find a job first, and do part 1 next.
When I graduated, there were a TON of jobs in the area. There were also a lot of graduates who just graduated with the same degree searching for those same jobs. Which means lots of competition. If jobs are scarce, find a job. After that, you can decide if you need to go back to part 1.
2. Target dollar spot is your friend but also your enemy.
YES. I KNOW. They have the cutest stuff and it’s only a dollar. A lot of the stuff in the dollar spot is useful in the classroom. Notecards, some manipulatives such as mini erasers, cute knickknacks for your desk, and table bins. Other than that, pass. You can save your money and spend it on heavier duty stuff that will last you a lot longer.
3. Reach out for help
When I first graduated and I was looking for jobs, I had NO clue where to begin. I reached out to several teachers in the area that I knew to observe their class. I also asked several people that were already teachers to give me their best advice. It really helped to get advice before starting in my own classroom so I could try different things once the school year started.
4. Make a teacher Instagram or social media account. (Or just follow other teachers)
At the end of my first year, I dove into the “teacher Instagram” world. Did I expect to get anything out of it? Nope. Over the years, I have connected and followed TONS of fellow educators and TPT creators who give amazing advice and resources. I am also able to give other teachers advice and resources!
*If you do create a teacher Instagram (or any social media) account, PLEASE do not put your student’s pictures on there EVEN if you get permission. Just don’t. So many violations, not enough time to name them all*
5. Enjoy your first year
I call the first year of teaching “The Experimental Year” because you get to try all the things out that you like and get real live feedback! Yes, that classroom management plan looks amazing on paper, but does it work? Take the summer before to write down all the ideas you like and try them out! You’ll never know what works and what doesn’t work unless you try it.
*Disclaimer: Each year is DIFFERENT. Just because something works one year, doesn’t mean it will work forever. I’ve used SEVERAL behavior management tools alongside my main one. If something isn’t working for a particular group of students, you always tweak it until it works. That’s education. Forever changing.*
Finally, be proud of yourself. You decided to become a world changer. Not because of money and fame. (lol, sometimes I do feel like a celebrity though) You decided to be an educator because you wanted to make a difference in students’ lives. No matter where you go or where you end up, never forget that! You will make a difference no matter what classroom you are in.
I know it has been a while but I’ve had something tugging at my heartstrings lately: Remote Learning.
On Sunday, March 15th at 6 p.m., I was out to dinner with my family when I received news from our Governor that we would be out of school and completing virtual learning until the end of March. (This was extended later until the end of April and we are still waiting to see for the rest of the school year.) Edit: We are not going back to school until August….maybe.
Although we had gathered materials as a school and got the ball rolling for online learning, we still jumped into uncharted territories. So many questions flew threw my mind:
“What will the kids be learning?”
“How long will this last?”
“Will we ever return to the classroom?”
That Friday when the students were leaving school, it was business as usual. I give each student a hug, high five or “pound it”, I tell them to “Stay safe, have a great weekend, see yah Monday!” Little did I know that Monday would never come and that would be the last time I would see those students for a while…
If you know me or if you have worked with me, you know my students are my “kids”. I call them my kids and I treat them as if they are my biological children. I spend 110% of my time in the classroom creating a bond, an understanding, and a relationship with these students. I create a classroom that is a safe space where they can be themselves.
Remote learning is not a vacation for me. It’s a heartbreak.
I wake up every day and I am excited to see “my kids”. If you think about it, during the school year I spend more time a week with them then they do their actual parents. Over the school year, we become a family.
Remote learning is NOT a vacation for me. It’s a heartbreak.
In the classroom, its business as usual. It’s our home and we have the same schedule every day. (Except when I forget about fire drills. Oops.) We can look at each other and know if it’s a bad day, a good day, or if we just need a hug. It’s because we are a family.
Remote learning is NOT a vacation for me. It’s a heartbreak.
Some days, it’s nice. I can get up and drink my coffee before it’s cold. I can catch up on hobbies I’ve put on hold because I’m too busy Monday-Friday and weekends are catch-up days. But, I worry about my students every minute of every day. I worry that they aren’t learning enough. I worry that I am not doing enough.
Remote learning is NOT a vacation for me. It’s a heartbreak.
In the end, I know this all happened for a reason. I know there is a bigger plan. But, it’s hard to see the positives so let me point a few out for you:
All of my students are healthy and safe
They are able to spend more time with their families that they didn’t have before
I am healthy and safe (!!)
I can still see them, it’s just different
I can still reach them with the help of technology.
This too shall end
I sent a thank you letter to my parents last week thanking them for stepping up during this uncertain time. I thanked them for working with me through this whole process. I reminded them that yes, virtual learning IS important, but cherish this time. Students learn in all sorts of ways: cooking, playing, games, investigation, etc.
If you aren’t a teacher, message a teacher and give them praise. A simple ” You are doing an awesome job! Keep up the great work.” will go further than you know.
If you are a teacher, I encourage you to message your parents and tell them ” You are doing an awesome job! Keep up the great work.”
I hope you are finding some calm after the B.O.Y. storm. I feel like I BLINKED and we’re already HALFWAY through October. Time is flying by!
I wanted to make you aware of something:
Yes, I said it. There is also no award for “Working on school work every Saturday” or “Staying up super late during the week to plan.”
If there was, I would have that award every month in my first year of teaching.
Teachers: TAKE BACK YOUR WEEKENDS. Make time for yourself. Make time for your family. Make time for your friends.
Last year, I was full-time teaching while trying to balance a weekend job. I felt like I had no purpose. I woke up, went to work, came home and completed work then went to sleep. I barely had time for friends (because I was BURNT OUT) and I didn’t dedicate time for myself. At the end of the school year last year, I WAS DONE.
That’s when I decided something had to change. I ended up quitting my weekend job, finding hobbies & completing a goal of mine: enrolling & being accepted into Graduate school (I start in two weeks. Excited & nervous doesn’t even cover it!) Since I have been there, done that, I have some tips for you:
Make a Schedule & Stick To It:
This was the first & easiest step to “taking back my weekends”. First, I decided ONE (or two) days out of the week I would stay late at school. I decided my two days would be Wednesday and Friday. I chose Wednesday because on Tuesdays I plan with my team and then I go home to create my “skeleton” lesson plans. This helps me find activities & worksheets I need for the next week. On Wednesday, I make copies & gather all the activities I need for the week from my file cabinets. I place these on a shelf behind my desk. Once my copies are made, I GO HOME. Unless my teacher bestie is at school & we start talking and I look at my phone and it’s almost 5. (It’s always worth it though. It’s like hot soup on a rainy day, good for the soul! ) On Friday’s, I get all of my worksheets and centers organized. This takes me MAYBE an hour. I get everything prepared on Fridays because Monday Ms. Hilburn doesn’t like to walk in to see that Friday Ms. Hilburn is a slack individual. 😉
2. STOP TRYING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL
Did you find something that works for your class? Then don’t change it. My literacy centers are always prepped because they are simple.
Independent Writing: At the beginning of the year, the students were given a sentence to copy and draw a picture to match. Since we have worked on sentence structure and stretching words, the students are given a sentence starter and they must write the sentence starter and stretch out a word to complete the sentence. Then, they must draw a picture to go with the sentence. SIMPLE. We having “Writer’s Workshop” every day so the independent writing is to see what they can do independently. Easy prep never changes.
Word Work/Sensory bin: I have a Word Work center that rarely changes because it has so many materials. They are all hands-on (no worksheets) so I never have to prep anything. All I have to do is pull out the materials I want students to use for the week and it’s DONE. Examples of things in my word work center are: magnetic letters, whiteboards, and markers, dry erase handwriting sheets (HWWT), chalkboard, sensory bin (pull a sight word), stamps & salt bins (for tracing sight words).
Guided Reading with Ms. Hilburn: Obviously this changes each week and is differentiated depending on my groups. This is where I spend most of my time planning for Literacy groups. I include several skills in my lesson plans such as phonics, phonemic awareness, reading strategies, decoding skills, guided writing & the list goes on and on. These lesson plans depend on what each group needs, what book they are working on & what their goals on.
iPads: They are working on a program that our school purchased for us. Once my assistant logs them on, they are independent. She is able to walk around the room to help students in other groups.
Independent Work: This is the most flexible group withing my literacy centers. Each group has its own bucket. Depending on what skills we are working on for the week, this could change. If I notice my students are struggling with handwriting, I might choose to put handwriting sheets for them to practice letters we have learned so far. If we are working on a literacy skill such as Beginning, Middle, End or “The Important Questions” (who, what, when, where, why, how), I might have them write or draw the different parts of a book we read aloud the day before.
Game Center: I also have a game center that allows groups to practice skills that they need more help. I have a rainbow cart and each group has its own drawer. During this center, they will pull out a game and play it together. This is an easy prep game because I pull out games that are already prepped from my file cabinets. If you do not have games already prepped (first-year teachers, teachers switching grade levels) this might be your more time-consuming center to prep for. I love having a game center because it reinforces skills and it also gives students a chance to talk and opportunities to work as a team.
*Note: If my students are getting “bored” of a center, I always have a center prepped to replace it. For example, if students are not getting along or have a hard time playing a game as a group, I can change their game to the “listening center” until they are ready to play a game. Or, you can also practice playing the game in your guided reading group and reintroduce it to their game center when they have shown they can play it as a group.*
3. Your List Is Never (I repeat NEVER) Going To Be Completed…
Every day before the day starts, I write a to-do list of things I want to be accomplished. I divide this list into “Must Do” and “Optional”. This helps me prioritize things that must be completed today and things that have more of an expiration date. For example, the end of the quarter is coming up and I have assessments that must be completed. But also, we have a Fall Review day & Halloween party coming up. Instead of spending my time looking for games and cute things for those events, I finish the “must do” list before I move on to the next list. I will not move on from the “Must Do” list until they are finished. If it’s time to leave school and they aren’t finished, they go on the top of the next day’s list. It is ok to go home even if your list is not completed. You aren’t a failure. You are human with only so many hours in the day. Be gentle with yourself.
4. Make Every Minute of the Work Day Count
If only there were 1.5 billion hours in a day. Oh man, the things I could get completed. But there isn’t. But, there is “downtime” throughout the day that you can complete small things. Do you have a 20-minute lunch break? Same. (more like 10 but it’s fine.) Enjoy it. Spend it with a teacher bestie and talk. It helps to see other humans throughout the day. But, you may also have 20 minutes after school before it’s time to go home to complete one small thing. Make some copies. Email parents. Find activities. Make that to-do list for the next day. Something! I know, I know. My brain is DEAD by 3:30 p.m. and all I want to do is sit in my chair. But spending the time to complete small things saves you time on the weekend. (and after school)
5. Ask For Help:
If you are staying till 5 every day of the week & you are also spending time on the weekend to work on school stuff, reach out and ask for help. In Kindergarten, we are blessed to have assistants to help us complete the things we need. But, what if you don’t have an assistant? Create assistants within your team. If you work on a team, delegate things for each teacher to do. Maybe one teacher can make the copies for the team while one plans the whole group lesson. Or one teacher can find the books and math games for the week while the other finds resources for a writing lesson. Reaching out for help does not mean you are struggling or not a great teacher. Reaching out for help means you are trying to accomplish things for your students to better their education. I am always willing to help a co-worker if they are struggling.
Of course, if you are a teacher that enjoys staying till 5 every day and working on the weekends, these do not apply to you. There is nothing wrong with staying after 5 or spending your weekends finding amazing resources for your students. If you enjoy that, you go Glen CoCo. But, I was feeling burnt out. I need self-care time. I needed hobbies. I wanted to do other things like writing this blog for you! 🙂 As teachers, our jobs are stressful. We take on 26+ students’ stories each day. We feel their stresses as well. We are constantly working. Take some time for yourself. Find a hobby. Cook a new meal (hahaha right? Like who has time for that after school). Go release some stress by working out. Whatever it may be, make sure you make some time for you. Like I always say, you cannot pour from an empty cup!
*If your week is thrown off by missing school one day, sickness, you are out or if ANYTHING comes up during the week, this may be difficult to maintain. It’s not a strict “to do list”, its suggestions.*
I hope you all had a fabulous weekend (spending time for yourself, right?!). I wish you all the best week back at work! 🙂
-Ms. Hilburn
*I do not own rights to any of the images placed in this blog post*
It’s been a while since I’ve posted because school is back in session. I FINALLY feel like we have a routine down. In little over a month, I start grad school so my routine is going to change again. (go figure)
I’ve had something on my mind for the past few weeks. Back to school is so shiny, clean, and nice. A few weeks into the school year, you are filled with fatigue and your room is filled with germs. (#sickseason)
I wanted to write a post for those teachers that are struggling. That “can’t even right now”. For those teachers that are looking at other teachers and are envious of their class and how well it’s going. (I’ve been there!) I wanted to give you 3 words of advice: “Yes You Can!”
Now, I know how Negative Nancy’s work. They want you to tell them that their situation sucks, that they won’t make it out alive & sulk with them. But who does that serve? I wanted to drop some actual truth bombs:
Despite what you are dealing with, you are a bomb teacher!
In an ideal world, our class would raise their hands before speaking, come with amazing background knowledge and just do what we ask the first time. But sadly, we live in reality. We can’t CHOOSE the students we have. But guess what? THAT’S AWESOME! If we were given perfect students, would we even be needed? We were chosen to be “those student’s” teacher. In the end, they need someone to care for them. They need someone to make them feel important and YOU are the person chosen for the job. Those are big shoes but THANKFULLY you have big feet. Now go and change lives, Nancy! 😉
2. Some students don’t make academic growth, andTHAT IS OK!!
In your class, you have already noticed different things your students need to work on. This may be math, literacy writing OR it may be fine motor skils, social skills or adapting to a structured environment. Despite what the “data” shows, you know what growth your students have made. That student that wouldn’t speak to anyone but you? Now he is running free on the playground with TONS of friends. That student that couldn’t hold a pencil? Now she can write paragraphs of ideas and stories. Don’t only rely on data to show YOU that YOU are doing your job. Look at your students and the individuals they have become. It’s because of all your blood, sweat and tears. & THAT deserves recognition.
3. Let each day go and start fresh! (easier said than done)
YES! I said it. LET. IT. GO! You cannot change what happened yesterday or even an hour ago, so let it go! All you can do is ask yourself, “What would I do differently?” or “How can I avoid that situation again?”. As teachers, we create a community within our classroom. My students and I have a “family” inside my classroom. We learn a lot and have TONS of fun. But sometimes, things don’t go as planned. Sometimes (haha only sometimes?) teaching is stressful and hard. Failing doesn’t make you a horrible teacher. The key to being a successful teacher (or person, honestly) is what you do with failure. Do you sulk and hold on or do you let it go and grow? Do you keep recreating the failure in your head and give up or do you take the opportunity to brainstorm new ideas and soar? It’s all in your attitude, Nancy. Is it ok to get frustrated? Of course, it’s healthy. But, it is not healthy to stay in that mindset. You are in the situation, how are you going to make the best of it?
In conclusion, you have 180 days with these students. How are you going to make an impact for life? (educational or not) Drink two cups or more of coffee, & own the day. There is no one who can teach like you! You got this!!
xoxo,
Ms. Hilburn
PS: Don’t be a Negative Nancy. Just be you. That’s good enough. 🙂
PSS: #Sorrynotsorry if you are now singing the Frozen soundtrack.
I can’t express how much fun we had on our cruise. The Bahamas were beautiful as always. It gave me a much needed break before school starts!
Before the school year starts, I wanted to share some simple organization tips I have learned over the years. I want to start out by saying that I am the WORST about being organized. Over the last few years, I have realized how much organization plays into my day to day life as a teacher.
End of the Year: Packing up Your Classroom
Every year, we have to put everything away so that our wonderful utilities team can clean our rooms and wax our floors. Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful! With everything going on at the end of the year, packing up your entire room while you are still trying to teach seems IMPOSSIBLE. I have a few tips and tricks that will help you survive the end of the year. (packing and all)
Label, Label, Label
This advice is one I did not follow my first year. I did not know how much time it took to pack up a room and I did not have the time to label things before putting them away. Let me tell you from experience, it’s awful. When packing up your room, labeling allows you to know what you have without unpacking a thing. It also allows for you to unpack easier. In our school, our items have to be put away in the storage that is hung on the wall. If we have anything else, it can be stored in bookshelves as long as they are covered. When I am putting things away, I list everything that is in that bookshelf or storage area with a sticky note. This helps me when putting my room back together or if I need to purchase something for my class.
Store Like Things Together
When you are starting to pack things away, make sure you place things that are the same together. For example, when I packed up my room this year I made sure that I put all my manipulatives, books, centers and guided reading items together. This allows me to put them back where they go faster. This will also allow me to unpack my room in sections if I choose to.
Donate (or trash) Things You Have Not Used
We all know someone who hoards things and says “I’ll use them next year!” or “I forgot I had these!”. My rule is if I haven’t used in the past school year (without valid reason), I donate or toss it. My first year, I grabbed everything under the sun that other teachers donated because I thought I needed it. 75% of the stuff I grabbed I didn’t even use in my first two years. At the end of this school year, I donated AND trashed a lot of stuff that I did not use. This allowed for me to pack faster and to have more storage space during the school year. (& your classroom won’t look like an episode of Hoarders.)
Keep As Much On Your Walls As You Can
This tip will not always be applicable. At the end of this school year, they decided they needed to clean and paint our walls. Since they had to paint our walls, we had to take EVERYTHING off the walls. Although I am thankful, it is a lot of work taking things off the wall, storing them and then putting them back up two months later. So if possible, leave as much on the walls as possible. This will save you so much time going up and down a ladder.
Beginning of the Year: Unpacking Your Classroom
I am one of those teachers. I am the teacher that is eager to go back into the classroom to set up. Do I enjoy my summer? OF COURSE! But the excitement of newness and a fresh start eats me up while I wait for the floors to be finished. My favorite part is watching my classroom transform into a safe and magical place for each student who enters my room. Hopefully my tips I learned the hard way will help you while you are setting up your classroom.
Come to your classroom with a plan
Chances are you are in the same classroom that you were the year before. If not, hopefully you know what your classroom looks like. Before I step foot into my room and move anything, I come with a plan. I plan the set up of my room by drawing a diagram of what I would like for the room to look like. When you draw a plan out before moving furniture, you can see if things will or will not work. For example, you decide you want your guided reading center on a certain wall in your classroom. After setting up your room, you decide to move it to the other side because its too close to a center that is too loud. If you drew a plan out before, you could catch this and be able to move the centers without moving one piece of furniture!
Invest in a measuring tape
This tip is mostly for people who are entering a new classroom or they are not familiar with the room they are in. If you are unable to move furniture, you can always measure your classroom and draw your plan at home. This will allow you have an idea of what your classroom will look like.
Take Everything Out
When I first enter my class, the first thing I do is move the furniture to where I want it located in the room. After all the furniture is where I want it, I pull all the stuff out of storage. Since I packed my room so that all the like things are together, I put them together when I unpack them. This allows me to see everything in my room at one time and I can slowly start putting things back where they belong.
Act out the daily hustle and bustle of your class
Yes, this sounds silly but its helpful! There have been so many times I have set up my classroom and it does not work with the daily life of my class. “How will my students rotate to centers? Where will they line up when they are leaving the class? When the students have their chairs out, will there be enough room to walk around?” These questions are valid when putting your room together. When your furniture is placed, walk through like your students would and see what they see.
More helpful organization tips
Keep things in the same place all the time
I am Nicole and I am guilty as charged. I am the worst about not putting stuff back in the same place. Over the past couple of years, I have gotten much better about this. If you have a set place for things in your classroom, you can save time not looking for it. When the school year is in full motion, your students will be able to help you keep the classroom together. If you have things in the same place every day, there will be no confusion for your students on where things go.
File Cabinet
In my classroom, I have a 4 drawer file cabinet that I use to store all my worksheets and games. Each subject area has its own drawer. Within the cabinet I have hanging file folders for each major skill I will teach in that particular subject. Inside the file folder I have worksheets and games that go with that skill. When I am teaching that certain skill, all I have to do is take the whole file folder out. Once I am finished with it, I can put everything back in it and stick it back into the drawer.
Dedicate the time
Over the years, I have tried to be a more organized person. What I have noticed throughout this journey is that you need to dedicate time if you want to be an organized person. Being organized takes time to prepare materials and to KEEP them organized. (because it takes no time to just stick something is a place it doesn’t belong) Although being organized takes time, it takes MORE time to reorganize everything when you need it. In the end, if you are willing to dedicate time towards organization you will save time in the end.
Well guys, we have 24 days until school officially starts! Where did summer go? I hope these tips and tricks help you when you are transforming your classroom into your “home away from home”! Until next time! 🙂
This post is coming to you a lil’ early because I will be spending 5 days in the Bahamas! I am so excited to spend 5 days without internet, school distractions or “adulting” responsibilities.
This year, I will be entering my 3rd year of teaching. Over the past two years, I have learned a TON of important information. I wanted to share some advice for teachers who are in their first, second or even tenth year. (Hey, we all need refreshing every now and again!)
My very first day of Kindergarten! Wow, how things have changed! Such incredible memories we have had in this room so far!
Advice #1: Be a “master of one” not a “master of all”. At the beginning of each school year, I set a big overall goal with a list of ways I can reach that goal. I also list smaller goals. My first year of teaching, I wanted to be a “master” in small group instruction. Instead of focusing on trying to be good at EVERYTHING, I solely focused on small group instruction and found my rhythm. Once I felt like I found my “groove” in small group instruction, I decided to start working towards other big goals. Trust me, I have tried being a “master of all” and it just doesn’t work. You are always about 20-50% great in each area but you don’t have a strength. Making a goal on something you want to master will help you focus in and be AMAZING! 🙂
Advice #2: Stay within your comfort zone BUT take risks. I know this sounds contradictory but hear me out. As a first or even second year teacher, it’s better to stay within your comfort zone. Trying to go all in flexible seating or an elaborate new curriculum is not ideal. When you are in your first years, you are just getting your feet wet. With each new year, you get new challenges. For example, my first year I did not have flexible seating. As the whole year went by, I noticed that my students would benefit SO much from it. Instead of changing the entire classroom into flexible seating overnight, I started with one piece. First, I lowered a table and the students loved it! Then, a month later I introduced bouncy seats that another teacher donated. TOTAL. DISASTER. If I would have turned the whole entire room into flexible seating, I would have been disappointed. I stayed within my comfort zone but I took a risk. If you are wanting to try something new, start small! Maybe you are thinking about a new behavior management system. Introduce it in a small way but don’t take away the old. This allows for you to see if it will work without diving head first. Trying new things helps you evolve a classroom into YOUR classroom!
Advice # 3: Take advantage of the “trial and error period”. One of the best pieces of advice I was given going into my first year of teaching was “Take advantage of the new teacher status. Rather than asking for permission, beg for forgiveness!” As a new teacher, you have a TON of ideas you learned in undergrad and in your internship. How will you know if they are awesome if you never try them for yourself? When it comes to lessons, take advantage of trial and error. The best thing about teaching Kindergarten is that if something goes horribly wrong during a lesson, the kids usually have NO idea. As a new teacher, you have permission to FAIL and fail hard. Thats the only way you will learn! Try a new teaching strategy. If it fails, never use it again! My first year, I was trying to figure out small group instruction. As I was learning different strategies, I failed so hard. Eventually, I found what worked best for my students and I. Without trial and error, I would still be using strategies that do not benefit my students.
My teacher friend and I (shout out to Ms. Buelo) decided on a whim to put our classes together and make Oobleck. WHAT A MESS. But man, it was so much fun!
Advice #4: Don’t buy the WHOLE dollar spot, just a few things. I promise I am NOT calling anyone out. I am calling out Ms. Hilburn in her first year. Y’all, I LIVED at the Target dollar spot. I bought tons of little games, activities, and cute trinkets for my students to use. I used nearly NONE of those things my first or second year and let me tell you why. First, the games are nice and cool, but you can find AWESOME FREE games online. There are ton of free games online that are researched based that are just as much fun as those dollar spot games. I learned the hard way on that one. I have spent so much money on manipulatives in the dollar spot for them to be no use in my classroom. I realized after a lot of them broke why I should spend my money on quality materials for my classroom. NOW, I have found SEVERAL items in the dollar spot that I love such as the mini erasers, smaller building blocks, coins, and cute decor items. I have also bought storage items, containers, and even prizes for students. What I’m saying is, you don’t have to buy that stuff to be an amazing teacher. But if those things make you feel like one, buy away!
Advice # 5: Over plan, Over plan, Over plan! Yes, OVERPLAN! (Did I say it enough?) When I was a first year teacher, I felt as if I was a First Grader trying to learn time. I had no idea how long guided reading groups should be, how long it took to read a certain book or how long it took Kindergarteners to eat a snack. (seriously, they could go on forever.) There were so many times I planned an AWESOME lesson and it went incredible. Then, I looked at the clock; 15 minutes still left!! (!!) Yes, I could put on a GoNoodle. I could do a brain break. But, when you are in an observation and you put on a GoNoodle, it can’t be good. So, in my second year I always over planned. Once you are still figuring out your lesson pacing, its better to have more than less. When over planning, don’t plan something crucial the students may need. I always add a “wrap up” to the end of each lesson in case I have time to spare. This can be quickly going through sight words, a movement game with beginning sounds, our phonics song or anything to fill time. Yes, GoNoodles are awesome! But, you never know when you are going to be observed. It’s better to have something as a back up when you have more time. Last year, I was being observed and we had about 7 minutes until it was time to go to Related Arts. Well, I busted out our ABC cards and we did our phonics song. My principal LOVED it and she actually recorded it. It shows an administrator that you are quick on your feet and well planned.
Advice #6: Find your “teacher tribe”. Can we all agree that teaching is hard? Teaching is not for the weak or the lonely. Teachers can’t do this alone. That is why I am so glad I found my “tribe”. A “Teacher Tribe” is your group where you feel comfortable sharing ideas and thoughts. It is a group where you feel like you can share the craziest ideas and ask for honest advice. There has been so many times I’ve shared something I wanted to do and they just went “NOPE, total disaster Nicole.” because they have TRIED it. They have been there. You also need a tribe because teaching gets hard. Sometimes, you want to cry. Sometimes you are trying to reach a student and you just don’t know how. Chances are, someone in your tribe has been there and they have advice and techniques. Sure, you can google it. Sure, you can try it yourself, but it’s better when someone you trust can give you advice because they have been there themselves. And sometimes, you just need someone to give you a bathroom break, a snack or a pat on the back. Sometimes, you need a good long cackling laugh after a hard day. Teaching is hard. Don’t do it alone. Get you a “teacher tribe”.
My AMAZING assistant, Mrs. Ramsey. She’s the Buzz to my Woody. My biggest supporter!
Advice #7: Finally, soak up every minute. My first year of teaching FLEW by. Before I knew it, it was June and the students were giving me their goodbye hugs. My final advice is to soak up every minute of everyday. Don’t forget to stop each day to tell your students you love and care about them. Give them hugs (even if they have already given you 25 that day) because one day you won’t be able to hug that student every day. Take pictures and videos. I love looking back saying “WOW, we did that? I forgot all about that!”. Make each day magical for every student, especially the ones who need it the most. Teaching gets stressful. The hustle and bustle of the school year is overwhelming. But, you were given each student in your class for a reason. You have an opportunity to change their life. You have the opportunity to make them LOVE school. You have the opportunity to give them a safe space where they feel comfortable and loved. Don’t forget to laugh with your students, cry with your students and smile with your students. You have the power to change a student’s entire life. Why not use it?
He or She, you can change the world!
As always, thank you for all your support! I write these blogs because I love to do it. No, I am not a writer. I do not use correct grammar or punctuation all the time.(LOL) No, I am not an expert. I am just a teacher who wants to help other teachers. Thats it. Nothing serious. Thank you for following along.
Your ambition is inspiring. The way you wake up each morning, jump out of bed and rush to school and get there 30 minutes early is inspiring. The way you put everything you have into your lesson plans is inspiring. The way you jump in your car every day at 3:30 with so much love. How you never gave up even though you were working 40+ hours at Starbucks and doing a full time placement. AND you didn’t even drink two cups of coffee a day back then.
The was the first day I met my mentor. Shout out to Dr. Burton! I was equally amounts excited, nervous & had no idea what I signed myself up for.
I remember your first day of your placement. You were nervous. You were scared. The words “Would they like me?” and “I can’t wait to meet my students!” flooded your head the whole way there. I remember you walking in and your heart was FULL of joy. You were so eager to love on each student, learn everything about them & make sure they left each day knowing that they were cared for.
Do you remember how stressed you were when being observed? Your heart could have beaten right out of your chest. Remember when you thought you would fail them!? HA! Jokes on you! I knew you would pass every single one. Remember edTPA where you worked for 15 hours straight in the library to make it perfect. You lived off Diet Coke and snacks that day. You doubted yourself. You were constantly nervous, checking every paragraph and page for mistakes. But, I knew you would do awesome. And you passed with flying colors!
Do you remember all the lessons you planned? Wow! So integrated and so wonderful. You engaged every student and they didn’t want the lesson to stop. That year, you learned all there is to know about guided reading and you ROCKED it. By the end of your placement, you were running guided reading all by yourself. Although it took you FOREVER to plan one lesson, you never gave up. You stayed up for hours to plan. And when a lesson didn’t go right, you kept it moving. You got the best compliment that year from your supervisor. “Nicole, you were meant to be a teacher. Your passion, your skills and your knowledge.” That is a compliment I’ll never forget.
Do you remember the last day of your placement? When you had to tell all those students goodbye? The ones that pulled on every heart string. The ones that were so excited to see you everyday. Oh man! You cried the whole way home. You even cried when you read the cards they got for you. You thought you would never be the same. You still to this day think about those kids and wonder where they ended up.
My graduation day! I was smiling but not only did I graduate, but I had this amazing cake. Honestly, this was one of the best cakes I’ve ever eaten. It tasted a lot like vanilla and victory! 😉
Do you remember when you were down and out because you didn’t have a teaching job yet? All your other friends had contracts, classrooms and schools to call “home”. And you had nothing. BUT! I knew you would get a call. I knew you would rock that interview. I remember how excited you were when you finally got the call that you would be working at a wonderful school! (& one of your good friends would be right across the hall!) I remember when you walked into your classroom that day. You called your Mom and told her all about it. Your head was spinning with all the ideas of how you could decorate. You were thinking of all the things you could do. All the things you wanted to implement. You wanted your classroom to feel like home to each and every student that stepped foot into your class. That day, The Happy Campers was born.
The Happy Campers circa 2017. We have grown so much since this day.
Now, we’re going into Year 3. What a journey we have been on. Yes, a piece of our heart still breaks when our students leave for the summer. I am still as nervous and excited as I was when I walked into my placement for the first time. I am SO eager to get to know these new students. I still have so much love and passion for teaching. We have learned SO much since that first day. Each year, you create such a warming and positive classroom environment. You put your heart and soul into everything you do. You go above and beyond for each student, academically and socially. You have created an amazing relationship with parents. You have met so many educators along your way and have a pleasure to call most of them “friends”.
Teacher Candidate Ms. Hilburn, you have accomplished so much. I am so thankful for everything I learned in my placement and everything I have accomplished in my career so far. You have reached so many goals and now you are going to Graduate school! Everything I have accomplished as a certified teacher is only because all the work Teacher Candidate Ms. Hilburn put in. All the hours, tears, hard work & stress were all worth it. Thank you for everything, Teacher Candidate Ms. Hilburn.
I had to wear this badge every day of my placement. I remember the day I got it. I was smiling from ear to ear. I wore this badge with pride.
mshilburn 