How to Prepare for Your First Year of Teaching
You just landed your very first teaching job—congrats! I bet you're buzzing with excitement and ready to shout it from the rooftops! I totally get it; I remember grinning for days when I got my call. But now, you're probably wondering, "What do I do next?" There’s so much to think about—classroom decor, curriculum, routines, organization... it's a lot! Take a deep breath. As someone who's been a new teacher, an administrator, and a mentor for newbies, I know exactly how you feel. Don't worry, I’ve got your back! Let's get you started by focusing on the most important things first. Ready? Let’s dive in!
Develop a Classroom Management Plan
This is by far the MOST IMPORTANT thing to prepare and think about prior to starting your first year as a teacher! Without a solid plan in place, I can guarantee your first year will be a struggle. Your classroom management plan is your blueprint for how your classroom will operate. It includes your student expectations, what you will do when students don’t follow classroom rules, and your routines and procedures. I have personally experienced and seen how effective classroom management (or lack thereof) can truly make or break a lesson. You can have the most epic lesson plan, but without your management plan in place it can fall flat due to misbehaviors and disengaged students. For more on the benefits of classroom management, check out this post here.
So, take the time to really think about this part of your planning. Consider what will work best for you and your future students. Don’t worry if you need to adjust your plan, even partway through the year—that’s completely normal! To get you started, I recommend doing several brainstorming sessions between now and the start of your teacher workdays. Think about how you envision your classroom environment and routines. Jot down all your ideas and fine-tune them as you go. This way, you won’t be scrambling to put together a plan at the last minute, which can result in major gaps.
Classroom Setup
Now this is the FUN part! It is also the part where new teachers tend to spend most of their planning time, and in many cases, the most money! But here’s my advice…keep it simple! Don’t overwhelm yourself by overthinking or buying too many decorations, bins, organizing stations. Start with the essentials. Trust me, I’m all about having a warm and inviting classroom, but creating that environment has more to do with your classroom management plan and how you interact with your students and the community that you build rather than with how pretty your classroom is. As a veteran teacher, I now have the classroom design and layout that I want, but it looks quite a bit different than when I started. It took a couple of years to figure out what I truly needed and what worked for my teaching style. So, remember, you can develop and refine your classroom setup over time. Focus on building a positive environment with your students first, and let the rest evolve naturally.
For this first year, I suggest the following:
· Pick a simple theme. When I started, I used a color palette like pastels or brights. You can find various classroom decorations that fit different color themes, giving you more options as you shop. Keep it simple to start; you can always add more later!
· Plan your layout and organization. Think about where to place your teacher desk, classroom library, student materials, etc. Consider accessibility and proximity to student seating. For example, I try to keep student seating away from distractions like the drinking fountain or pencil sharpener. Also, think about how you will organize “stuff.” Consider things like student copies (I use paper trays, one for each day of the week) and student materials (will there be a community supply area, what will stay in desks vs. cubbies, etc.). Don’t overthink this. Layout and organization can be easily changed later, even during the school year!
· Utilize existing furniture, books, or bins left in your room. Save yourself some money (and time) by using what’s already available. When I started, I got by with just my teacher desk and three smaller bookshelves. One bookshelf was for my classroom library, another for student-accessible materials with a few bins, and the last bookshelf for my own teaching materials, which included a few binders, file holders, and a paper tray for copies.
Get familiar with your grade level standards and curriculum
This tip will help you with the learning curve of being a new teacher and make lesson planning smoother down the road. To prepare yourself, start by looking over your grade-level standards to get a clear picture of what your students are expected to learn. Print them out and keep them in a binder for easy reference throughout the school year. Check with your administrator or grade-level team to see if there is an established pacing guide for you to follow.
If you have any adopted curriculum, get familiar with its structure. You don’t need to plan specific lessons yet, but take some time to see how a day's lesson flows and how lessons progress from day to day within a unit. This will help you understand the structure when it comes time to plan lessons for the school year. (When you are ready to start planning specific lessons in more depth, be sure to check out my most popular post, 4 Factors to Consider When Planning a Lesson!).
Once you’ve reviewed the standards and curriculum, you can start thinking about your instructional blocks. Don’t worry about creating a detailed schedule just yet—it’s wasted time and energy unless you have a finalized master schedule from administration for the upcoming year. Even if you do have your hands on a master schedule, keep your planning general. Instead, focus on the overall flow for each subject. For example, will you start your math block with math warm-ups (check out some ideas here), use a guided reading block, or incorporate centers to reinforce content and differentiate instruction?
I recommend starting with a few instructional strategies and getting comfortable with them before trying others. It’s better to start small and build on that foundation rather than trying too many things and getting overwhelmed. Trust me, you’ll feel a bit overwhelmed as it is in your first year!
I hope these tips have helped you narrow down your focus and prioritize your efforts as you plan for your very first year as a teacher! Having a solid plan in place is important, but remember, you can always reflect and make adjustments along the way!
As you embark on this incredible journey as a teacher, know that I'm here to cheer you on! If you need more support or have questions, feel free to drop me an email or join my email list for extra resources and encouragement.
Wishing you all the best for an amazing first year in the classroom!
