Latest / New Teacher Talk / Ep 143: Beyond the Bulletin Boards: How to Really Prepare for the School Year with Blake Reddick

Transcript

Ep 143: Beyond the Bulletin Boards: How to Really Prepare for the School Year with Blake Reddick · New Teacher Talk

• Welcome to the latest episode of New Teacher Talk,
• where we discuss issues that are important to aspiring and
• early career educators.
• We are here to support you in your rural, suburban,
• or urban school practice.
• Hello, my name is Blake Reddick,
• and I am a middle school social studies teacher.
• On the day we're going to talk about how to prepare for
• your school year.
• YES, yes, how to prepare for your school year.
• Your school year begins far beyond lesson plans and
• classroom setup.
• A great school year starts with intentional preparation
• outside the classroom.
• It's about building relationships, organizing your time,
• and setting yourself up to be successful as an educator.
• Let's explore some key strategies you can use to be
• successful before the first bell rings.
• One of the most impactful things you can do as an educator
• is build relationships with your kids, with your families,
• but most importantly, your colleagues.
• If it's possible, if you can,
• try to talk to your families early by sending them letters,
• emails, newsletters,
• connecting with them early so that you can have that...
• you can foster that sense of relationship with them early.
• If you have opportunity to meet with your department chair,
• your department, your colleagues,
• start planning and start grouping,
• start thinking about how you are going to attack your
• curriculum or how you're going to engage with the students
• early.
• But also familiarize yourself with your students who you
• know have IEPs and 504 plans so that it's going to be a
• shocker to you when you first enter the classroom.
• But that's very important in how to prepare yourself for
• your school years,
• building relationships early with your colleagues,
• with your students, with your families,
• so that you don't come instilling in loss.
• Second thing much about organize your time and commitment.
• Outside the classroom,
• manage your schedule effectively is essential.
• Before school begins,
• block out time for key tasks about planning, grading,
• meetings, and breaks.
• One thing I've realized and one thing I know,
• I do not take work home for me because home is home and
• work is work.
• So throughout that day,
• I try to plan out what I need to get done before I leave
• home for that day or for that break or for whatever,
• because you never want to take work home with you.
• It's very important to use your calendars,
• use your planners to map out important dates like staff
• meetings, parent nights, professional developments.
• Planning ahead helps you avoid last-minute stress.
• Yes, it does.
• I heard one of my old teachers say, if you fail to prepare,
• prepare to fail.
• As an educator, we never want to fail.
• We never want to fail to prepare.
• We want to stay on top of it,
• make sure we're prepared for whatever may happen.
• For now, we need a school calendar to look on your calendar and write those dates in. Write when you may have doctor's appointments. Write everything on that calendar so nothing catches you by surprise and you can plan accordingly. Prepare mentally and emotionally. Listen to me. This is the very most important thing. Mental health is real. The school year will get stressful. The school year will be intense and sometimes it may take a toll on you.
• But one thing I know, teaching is rewarding,
• but it's demanding.
• Taking care of mental and emotional wellbeing before school
• starts is crucial.
• Over the summer, take time to relax, enjoy your hobbies,
• enjoy your families, enjoy your friends, take vacations,
• take trips.
• Do what you have to do for YOU.
• Establish those routines that help you relax and recharge.
• Whether it's exercising, meditation, or hobbies you love,
• a healthy mindset helps you stay patient and energized
• throughout the school year.
• Practice setting those boundaries early so when the school
• year begins,
• you're not looking lost and looking crazy. Familiarize yourself with your school policies and resources. Every school has policies, every school has resources. Take time out of your day to look over those things, familiarize yourself with those things so that when things happen within inside your classroom or outside your classroom where you come out of uniform policies or cell phone policies because that's the biggest thing that's changing across great countries.
• Cell phone policies are changing.
• Uniform policies are changing.
• Know the protocol for attendance or discipline or
• detentions or even emergencies.
• You never know what's going to happen. And,
• also identify yourself with the point of contact,
• the principal, the dean of students,
• the assistant principal, the counselor,
• the guidance counselor, the social worker.
• Make sure you know all these people,
• and you know the key policies before entering that
• classroom.
• And if you have time,
• try to familiarize yourself with your curriculum but also
• engage in professional learning.
• If you have an opportunity to visit our attend PDs,
• workshops, webinars, take that time and do that.
• You want, like a sponge,
• take in all that you can as an educator because it's a
• wonderful opportunity to grow as an educator.
• As an educator, we never want to be stagnant.
• We always want to grow,
• that's the most important thing ever.
• And to remember to think about outside the classroom is
• preparation is so important.
• Take your time out and relax, recharge,
• get to know yourself, get to know your school,
• get to know your culture.
• Get to know all those things because if you prepare now
• setting those boundaries, prepping,
• you will have a much smoother transition into your school
• year,
• and your students will see the results and you will see the
• results.
• My name is Blake Reddick.
• You can contact me via my handle social media underscore
• Reddick, r-e-d-d-i-c-k facebook Blake Reddick.
• I am always willing to help and be a resource.
• Thank you.
• Thanks for listening to today's New Teacher Talk episode.
• Stay connected with us on Instagram and Blue
• Sky @NewTeacherTalk, where we share our Tuesday Teacher Resource and Thursday Thought each week.