teaching Archives - One Delightful Life

When you’re a new educator, veteran teachers will tell you “don’t smile until Christmas.” That’s just crazy talk.

Some days a smile will come naturally as you greet your students as they enter your classroom door. Some days you force a smile when you don’t feel like it so your students don’t think you’ve boarded the crazy train. And other days you won’t smile hardly or at all. The Back To School Teacher Survival Kit is a list of must-have items that you must pack before your first in-service day back. I’m not talking about stashing away bits of chocolate somewhere in your desk. (Oh, you’re going to appreciate those too, which is why chocolate made the list.) I’m talking about items you will need to get you through school days that seem to last forever that include parent-teacher conferences and IEP meetings scheduled during your planning period.

Clearly, there is a reason why I think I need to write this post. When I was a new high school teacher I didn’t realize I needed a Back to School Teacher Survival Kit. After teaching seven years in public school, I can assure you that you need to stock up on the following list items to arm yourself for school so that you don’t want to quit before Christmas. Print this list and start hoarding away these items now.

Cough drops. These babies come in handy when you’re talking all day, every day. Yes, some of your lessons allow you to take a minor break from talking but overall your throat is going to feel scratchy and raw. Warning: Don’t pass cough drops out to ailing students even when they beg for them. It’s considered a “medicine” by important school authority people.
Tea bags. Why? See reasons noted in #1. You can make tea in hurry during your passing period, a much faster option than coffee, if you run down to the break room. Passing period time is precious so use these minutes wisely.
Gum. Remember that teacher from your school days who leaned in to help you at your desk with atrocious breath? Don’t be that teacher. Plus, chewing gum is proven to help your productivity.
Deodorant. It’s embarrassing to teach with pit stains just because the school’s air conditioning isn’t working or you’re just having a stressful day. Kids will talk about your pit stains. If you’re a choir teacher or the kind of teacher who speaks using their hands, this item is an essential one.
Coffee. If you don’t drink coffee, think of some other caffeinated drink you prefer because you’re going to need a pick me up after the lunch hour when you, like your students, start to feel like a nap. Plug in a Keurig or another coffeemaker with a self-starting brew timer. Set it to start up just before your planning period. The kids might say the room smells like coffee. Well, at least it doesn’t smell like freshmen body odor, right? Truth.
Snacks. Granola bars, apples, boxes of raisins, bananas, applesauce cups are snacks that can be eaten in a rush between classes. If you don’t care about your diet, stash snack size chocolate bars in your desk cubby or drawer. No one likes to learn from a hangry teacher. (These snacks are also smart to have on hand when a student admits that they didn’t eat anything for breakfast or lunch. Sometimes they won’t admit it. It’s just obvious they’re hungry.)
A second pair of comfortable shoes. Coaching after school? Wearing brand new dress shoes the first day back after summer? You’re going to want a comfortable backup pair hidden under your desk.
Room deodorizing spray or a wax melt burner. When your class comes back from recess or gym class, you’ll thank me. (Note: I never sprayed room-deodorizing spray in front of my class because it is distracting and the kids begin commenting it. Just spray a bit before they enter when you hear the bell ring.)
Paper plates and plastic cutlery. If you pack your lunch and forget your fork or your yearbook class is hosting a deadline work night with food after school, you’ve got what you need on hand.
Jacket. The air conditioning and heater at your school is just there to torment you. It is hardly ever set on a comfortable temperature. In fact, you might just dress yourself in layers. Did you know most classroom thermostats are just placebos? Adjusting them doesn’t make a bit of difference. You also may need an umbrella on the days it’s your turn to monitor recess.
Chapstick. Remember how I said you’re going to talk a lot?
Hand sanitizer. Go to Sam’s or another big box store and buy the super tall mega size sanitizer with a pump. Every surface of your room is covered in germs including all those student papers.
Hand lotion. Sanitizer is drying. Washing your hands is drying. It’s hard to pass out papers when your fingers can’t grip the papers’ corners.
Ibuprofen or anti-headache medicine. Teaching one hour, let alone the entire day, with a headache is agony. Besides, you’ll be another teacher’s hero when you respond to their all-school email in need of headache medicine.
Band-Aids. Educators suffer from massive paper cuts. The kind of slices to the finger that should require surgery so stock up on Band-Aids. Plus, a student will ask you to go to the office for a Band-Aid at some point in the year. No pass, no go! You’ll have Band-Aids in your desk drawer.
Another dress shirt. Spill coffee on yourself when Billy ran into you at the door? Hosting parent-teacher conferences in your room until late at night? Changing your shirt may just be what you need to feel refreshed.
Cell phone charger. It’s important to not show this item on display to students or they will bug you relentlessly to use it. Hide it in your desk drawer and break it out when your phone is about to die because you forgot to charge it last night. You’ll want a fully charged phone for those slow moments in the basketball game’s ticket booth or between appointments during parent-teacher conferences.
Framed family photo. Looking at those warm smiles staring back at you while you eat your lunch at your desk in fifteen minutes recharges your energy. It’s like a virtual hug.
Emergency sub plans. Stop telling yourself you can teach while you’re sick. Don’t be a hero. Go home! These plans are also important to have on hand in case your family needs you away from school.

You’re going to have amazing, joyful moments as a teacher. But there will be days when you feel like you’re barely holding on and you’ll be glad you prepped your survival kit before school was in session. Don’t forget to restock these items as you need them or at semester break.

And about those teachers who will tell you “don’t smile until Christmas,” they’re the grouchy ones that students admit they don’t like. S-M-I-L-E.

Get yourself SUPER prepared for the school year by setting yourself up for success by clicking on my Teacher Resources tab. Need ideas for grab and go breakfast recipes? Try my recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Honey Overnight Oats that includes an info graphic of mix-in options.

Veteran Teachers: What did I forget from this survival kit list? I’m sure I forgot something. Add your must-have items in the comment section below. I’m sure there is something I left off the list. (Dang! I should’ve included bringing a radio to school for your classroom. A backdrop of music is key when you’re grading papers at your desk during your planning period or after school.)

Since it’s back to school time, I’m offering 10% off my photo course Fundamentals of Photo Composition. It expires August 18 so reserve your seat in this class to learn how to take your photos from basic to beautiful.

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After over a decade working with school children in different roles including seven years as a high school teacher, I feel there are tips for incoming new teachers that college professors and building administrators NEVER tell you. What Nobody Tells a First-Year Teacher But Should is real-life advice they should have told you in order for you to be successful your first year of teaching. I’ve compiled this list of topics after talking to fellow educators and some serious reflection.

Note: Clearly, this list was generated from my experience as a teacher and may not reflect every teacher’s experience. If you have veteran teacher advice to add, type it in the comments section below.

back-to-school

Understand the deductions on your first paycheck and who the labor union rep is in your building. You may not be inclined to join the union, but getting to know who in the building goes to bat for teacher and student rights is paramount. They help teachers negotiate for better salaries, supplemental pay, benefits, calendar days, and understand contract language.
Administration wants you to sign up for anything and everything when you’re a new teacher but you don’t really have to do it to please them. You’re the new kid on the block so don’t burn yourself out working after school as a ticket taker, basketball game scoreboard operator, or club sponsor yet. Several other teachers in your building are tired of these roles and are ready to give them up. Here’s the thing. You don’t have to sign up for anything, if you don’t want to, in order to be considered a great teacher. Your job is to teacher children well in your classroom and if you’re after school schedule doesn’t permit picking up supplementals, then don’t feel obligated to do so.
Teacher in-service days are bittersweet. Yes, you get to go out to lunch with your cronies and have a break from school children. That’s great, right? However, most in-service days included helpful information presented to teachers in the first half of the day and the second half of the day is spent watching the clock due to boredom. Districts typically use your in-service time to present on technology in the classroom, standardized test requirements, and budget concerns. Some districts bring in motivational speakers who work for themselves and travel to schools and inspire teachers. Bringing in a paid speakers costs money, something many districts lack, so you can count on most inservice days spent grading standardized tests, meeting to discuss school policies and procedures, and listening to your district technology director present about computers.
Not all principals are people-people. What?!? It’s true. Why are they working as administrators then? Because they didn’t want to teach in the classroom anymore and couldn’t support themselves by simply coaching. This kind of administrator delegates by email from his or her desk. So, what should a new teacher do if they realize they work for that kind of principal? Seek out the assistant principal or another veteran teacher/mentor teacher for advice. Often times you can rely on other people in the building, including the secretary or janitors, to help you with your needs.
The head janitor and their crew are invaluable to you and the students. They are the backbone of the building and basically know how to clean, run, and fix everything in the building. If you’re a coach or club sponsor, your students should thank them often. You tend to lean on the custodial staff to set up tables, clean the gym after your team’s game, open the bleachers for club picture day, set up risers in the auditorium, and the list goes on. Thank you notes go a long way.
The school is more or less ran by the front office secretaries and they’ll often let you know this during your first month on the job. Who’s going to help you if you don’t know how to e-req textbooks? Who’s going to help you find a substitute at the last minute when your kid is sick at home? Who’s going to balance your club or team’s spending budget? You got it! The secretaries. If they are brash to you during your first month on the job, it’s because the beginning of the year is an extremely busy time in the office. Happy secretaries are hard to find so cheer them up daily by asking about them and taking an interest in their interests.
You don’t have to have the perfectly decorated classroom or organized space by the first day of school. You will benefit much more by having a well-written syllabus and a policies form for parents to sign rather than color coordinated cubbies and bulletin boards.
When you find a great substitute teacher, keep requesting them. Some schools use an online sub finder like Aesop which allows you to rank their performance. Talk to other teachers in your building when you know you’re going to need a sub. Experienced teachers know which subs actually run a smooth classroom and are not afraid to discipline. Wouldn’t you rather have a sub who reads your sub notes aloud to the class than one who lets them sit around and play on their phones or talk? Request a well-respected sub for your first day off from work. Remember to leave well-written sub plans. Your building secretary often requests a copy of these notes. A substitute binder should be well labeled and sitting out in the open near or on your desk every day. The sub should find the bell schedule, lunch schedule, reminders, attendance roster, extra copies of the daily assignment(s), and an area to leave notes. They really appreciate an organized teacher and will want to sub for you again. Leaving a chocolate bar also makes them quite happy.
You’re going to be observed by your building admin a lot in the first couple years of teaching but then the frequency waivers or they don’t observe you at all. Depending on the administrator visiting your room during an announced or unannounced observation, they may stay five minutes or the full hour. Some administrators ease drop by your door or simply cruise by the classroom and consider that your observation. They never give evaluation feedback right away. When called in to go over your evaluation, ask questions. Reflect on their notes together and discuss opportunities for improvement. Don’t just sign the evaluation comments form and return to your classroom. Ask questions. In fact, challenge any comment you disagree with and discuss it openly with your administrator. Discuss your evaluation with a mentor teacher.
Veteran teachers know how to double-dip and make the most money possible in their position. Ask them how to increase your paycheck. If you do have time after school to sign up for extra duty, find out which one pays the most amount of money for the least amount of time spent. You’re still going to need time to grade papers at home at some point.
Lean on other teachers if you have questions or if you are unfamiliar with the curriculum. They probably have lesson plans, advice, and curriculum maps to help guide you.
If given the opportunity to present during a teacher in-service, do it. You’ll quickly earn the respect of teacher in the building you never see like the gym teachers or the art teacher. This is important so you show off your knowledge and confidence. Plus, it looks good on your resume.
Ask for the classroom supplies you need at the beginning of your first year. Building administration is more generous when you’re new than later on when you ask for a new desk chair or filing cabinet.
CYA. Cover Your A## by documenting every bad behavior incident, reason for a particular assignment grade, discussion with a parent, and/or the reason a student athlete or choir member didn’t make the team. You will be happy you did should a parent ask for a meeting with you and the principal, which rarely happens but can.
You won’t always feel this exhausted as you do the first couple weeks of school. Promise. You’re probably not used to standing and speaking all day. Your body isn’t used to these hours. It will get easier. Sleep in on Saturdays, if possible. Don’t forget to make up some “me” time for you.

Vintage school chalkboard purchased from The Cottage Collective (not an affiliate).

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