WOOHOO! You made it to the end of the school year. Now, you have to wrap up and pack up all of our hard work… UGH.

I know every school has a different process for packing up at the end of the school year, so let me explain what I have to do.

Our custodians take everything out of our classroom to clean and wax the floors at the end of the summer. SO, we must make sure that everything is stored away on shelves and not out and about. Over the past 5 years of working at my school I have finally come up with a system that helps me pack up all the things AND get ready for next school year.

For each step I have an Instagram reel to go with it, so if you are a visual learner like me, be sure to watch the reels!

STEPS 1 & 2 REEL

STEP 1: PURGE

Go through ALL your things.

If you haven’t used it in the past year and you don’t think you will use it next year, throw it out or give it away. Just get rid of it! We have TOO much stuff sometimes as teachers.

STEP 2: MOVE FURNITURE

Move it to look like it will next year

If I have an idea to move some things around for next year, I like to do it before the year ends. It is just one less thing to do when we get back in September.

For example, we are getting a new Smart Board and they are putting it on a different wall. This is going to cause some furniture rearranging. So, instead of waiting until September to figure it all out, we used the last week and a half to get a feel for it. It was helpful that we still had our students so we could see what the new furniture arrangement would look like with students. We moved my teacher table, a ton of rainbow drawers and student desks to get a feel for the new arrangement.

To help brainstorm the plan beforehand, I made a floor plan on google slides. This helps myself and my co-teacher visualize what we want to do AND we must submit one to the custodial staff, so we just print it and give it to them.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A COPY OF MINE AND EDIT IT TO BE YOUR OWN!

STEPS 3 & 4 REEL 

STEP 3: MAKE LISTS

Start to make purchases and lists of things you want for next school year. This includes things you want to purchase through your school order, things you are going to purchase yourself or things you want to do before next school year.

My co teacher and I start by completing our school order, then we make lists of things we still want to purchase. Lastly, we make a to do list of things we would like to get done before the first day of school! This includes things we want to do on break and things we will do when we have teacher work days in September.

STEP 4: MAKE COPIES

This might sound crazy but start making those copies! If you have time, start! Why not?! Your future self will thank you! You can store them away in the summer.

Less stress at the beginning of the school year!

STEPS 5 & 6 REEL

STEP 5: CLEAN OUT DESKS AND SORT

Do this while your students are still there. I had my students clear out their entire desk. Next, I had my students take home or throw out their folders and workbooks. Then, I had them help me sort through all the materials (pencils, markers, erasers, crayon, etc).

I even had my students help me RESTOCK pencil boxes for my students next year. This was the best decision I made in the packing up process. Again, one less thing to do in September.

STEP 6: REMOVE THINGS FROM THE WALLS

This one is simple, and maybe not necessary for all of you. Since we are getting a new Smart Board and it will be on a different wall, we had to take down ALL our bulletin boards.

This step can also be to just cover up your bulletin boards, so they don’t fade or get yucky over the summer. You can cover them up with cheap table clothes from dollar tree, butcher paper or sheets.

STEPS 7 & 8 REEL

STEP 7: STORE AWAY

Over the summer there is ESY (Extended School Year) at my school, so admin wants us to store our stuff away so that the teachers in the summer don’t use our things. Also, after ESY is over our custodians clear out the entire room, clean it, and then wax the floors. This means our stuff needs to be packed away, so everything doesn’t fly around as they move the furniture in and out.

I take everything that is on top of shelves and store it in a shelf OR put it in lockers in the hallway. The lockers really come in handy.

STEP 8: COVER ALL THE THINGS

Reel

Once everything is stored away on shelves, stationary or moving ones, they have to be covered up! For the stationary shelves that can’t move, I just use butcher paper (bulletin board paper) to cover everything up.

For rolling carts and shelves I discovered a new hack this year… PLASTIC WRAP! I wish I could give credit to the first person that posted this hack, but I can’t find her.

I bought these 2 rolls of plastic wrap on amazon and used them to wrap ALL THE THINGS! It was a huge game changer. In the past I have used tape, but the tape leaves a terrible residue after the summer heat. This plastic wrap was the perfect solution.

I hope that you found this helpful and not overwhelming. I promise you, if you go into the end of the school year with a plan and steps to follow, you will be less stressed! Let me know if you use any of these tips! GOOD LUCK!

I have had the pleasure of being a cooperating teacher for the past year. Jess was my student teacher, and it was such a wonderful experience.

Jess had never been in a classroom before this school year, that is just how her program worked. She started with us in September coming 2 days a week. Then, in January she started coming every day. She was so nervous when she started because she did not have any experience in a classroom. She would constantly ask 10000 questions and I just kept saying, “Trust me. You have all year. You’ll be ok.” Here we are at the end of the year, and she is a confident, passionate, amazing teacher.

After an amazing year together, we have come together to give you our top tips and advice for being a student teacher or a cooperating teacher.

Tips For Student Teachers:

IT MIGHT BE WEIRD AT FIRST!!!

Going into the classroom for the first time, remember that you are a brand new to teaching and it will feel a bit weird getting up in front of the class for the first few weeks. Once you develop a relationship with your students and teachers, it will feel more natural! Be patient.

SEL is just as important as academics!!!

Make sure to teach them those social and emotional skills to be well rounded kids, THEN teach them the academics!

Every lesson will not be a hit, and that’s okay!!!

You’re still learning; that’s the whole point of student teaching. You are not expected to be able to know everything and do everything, and you’re certainly not expected to do it all well. Be patient with yourself. Even veteran teachers have lessons that totally FLOP. Get feedback from your cooperating teachers for every lesson you teach so that you can continue to grow.

Classroom management is essential!!!

Set clear expectations for your students in every subject. Also, follow through. Don’t just set the expectations and then let things slide. Your students must know that you are their teacher too, and that they must listen and respect you.

Come in early!!!

This can help prepare you for your day, so when it comes time for students to come in, you can greet them, and they can have your full attention.

Utilize your preps!!!

Get your work done during preps and lunches so you don’t have to stay late after school/ work on weekends.

Tips For Mentor Teachers to Support Student Teachers:

ALWAYS GIVE FEEDBACK!!!

Every time your student teacher teaches take notes so that you can reflect with them afterwards. Every time I took notes while Jess was teaching, I made sure to make a positive and needs improvement list. After she taught, I would sit with her and explain my feedback. Then, I would give her the paper to make a master list with. I had her type up a master list of the feedback so that she can always reflect back on it.

GET THEM INTO OTHER CLASSROOMS!!!

Allow your student teacher to observe other classes and grades. Maybe not for a whole day, but for a decent amount of time. For my student teacher, we made a list of all of the different types of classrooms/grades in our building and had her observe at least one a week.

INVITE TO MEETINGS!!!

Have your student teacher sit in on ALL meetings when possible: parent-teacher conferences, IEP, 504, faculty meetings, etc.

SUB CERT!!!

Have your student teacher get a sub cert in your school district. This way, if your school needs a sub for a day or part of a day, they can sub. This gives them great experience. Also, if your student teacher has a sub cert, they can be with your class alone if you need to go to the bathroom or be in a meeting.

MOCK INTERVIEWS!!!

Practice mock interviews with your student teacher before it’s interview time. When April comes around start practicing for interviews. I have a whole blog post about interview tips and I provide you with a list of example interview questions.

I hope you found these tips helpful! Truly, being a cooperating teacher has been one of my favorite things about teaching so far. I loved being able to show someone how to do what I love so much. Also, getting to watch Jess turn into the amazing educator she is has been a blessing!!!

Shout out to Jess for helping me write this!!

Probably the most dreaded part of getting a job…the interview! At least for me, this is the most nerve-wracking thing EVER.

Lucky for you, I have quite a bit of experience in this area. I have my principal and supervisor certifications, so my principal allows me to help him in interviews at our school. Not only do I get to attend, but I get to ask questions as well. Since I have been doing this at my school for 3 years, I have collected a TON of interview questions and tips for you.

So, let’s get into it…

TIP #1: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Practicing might feel repetitive and silly, but I promise it is worth your time. The more you practice your answers, the calmer and more confident you will sound. The best thing to do is to practice in front of other people. Have a family member or friend ask you the questions so that you can practice your answers with them. This will help you speak in front of other people and get repeated practice answering the questions. If no one is available, simply practice in front of a mirror.

USE THESE EXAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU!

TIP #2: MAKE THOSE ANSWERS PERFECT!

This tip has a couple sub-tips to go with it…

CONNECT IT TO YOUR STUDENTS

Always connect your answers back to the students! Students are the most important, and you want to make sure that the person interviewing you knows that you believe that.

• For example, if you were asked, “You had a great lesson planned, but a delayed opening was called. What do you do? How do you adjust?” My initial thought would be to answer with something about still making sure the objective is being hit, even with the shortened period. And that answer isn’t wrong but, what about our students? First thing you would want to do is make sure that everyone was able to get to school safely, see if your students were still able to eat before school, see if everyone is ok, etc.
• It is hard to think about those things when being asked about a lesson, but the individuals interviewing you will be very impressed that you thought about your students and their well-being.

HAVE GENERAL ANSWERS PREPARED

Have one general answer on hand for each topic. In my interview questions document, I have questions organized by topic: lessons, differentiation, student engagement, parents, etc. For each of these topics you should have one, very general, answer prepared so that no matter how the interviewer words their questions you can use the answer that you prepared.

• For example, almost every interviewer will ask you for an example lesson that you have taught and then some follow up questions about it. If you have one very good lesson in mind (for math and ELA) you should be able to answer any of the questions.

EYE CONTACT

Don’t forget to make eye contact. Don’t make it weird HAHA, but make sure that you make eye contact with the person interviewing you! If it is a panel, make sure that you look at each of them at different times throughout the interview!

PAUSE AND BREATHE!

PAUSE AND BREATHE. After being asked a question, it might be your first instinct to just start talking. Instead, pause and take a second to collect your thoughts. This will save you a lot of “UMMMMM”s. Picture a graphic organizer in your head and try to organize your thoughts before answering.

TIP #3: KNOW THE SCHOOL/DISTRICT

This one might seem obvious, but it is something people forget to do very often. Simply, research the school and district that you are interviewing for. You want to know things like the area the school is in, their student population, the demographics of students, what programs they offer, the curriculum that they use, etc. In addition, know the school and/or district’s mission statement. Know what they believe to be important.

TIP #4: DRESS THE PART

This is another one that can sound obvious, but often gets forgotten. Make sure you dress to impress. I am the LAST person to tell you that you MUST wear a dress or a suit. Dress comfortably, but professionally. Wearing nice pants and a blouse or a button-down shirt is just fine. Oh, and brush your hair   Even if your university is having you do mock interviews, you still want to dress the part. Principals and superintendents are ALWAYS looking.

TIP #5: BE YOURSELF!

Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Don’t try to be someone you are not just because you are in an interview and you desperately want the job. You want someone to hire you for YOU! Don’t be afraid to let your personality come out.

TIP #6: YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS TOO!

You can ask questions too! I would recommend waiting until the end, but you can definitely ask your own questions. Here are some examples of questions you might ask:

• When would the position start?
• Do I get a mentor teacher my first year?
• What, if anything, do you do to help first year teachers?
• Does your school have committees?

Tips For Demo Lessons

—Ask the school about the makeup of the class and the technology, or lack of, that you will have.

—If you will have a SmartBoard, prep slides to go along with your lesson to keep you and the lesson on track.

—Use timers on the slides to keep your time in check.

—Introduce yourself and give the students an opportunity to introduce themselves or have them make a quick name tag or name tent on their desk.

—Make your expectations clear at the start of the lesson – 3 easy rules to follow.

—Display the objective, or at least state it during the lesson.

—Make the lesson student led as much as possible.

—Have an exit ticket – even if it’s just calling on a few students to check for understanding at the end of the lesson.

—Practice, practice, practice!

I hope that you found these tips and the example questions helpful! If you have any questions, I would love to help you out! I would also love to know if these tips and questions help you get a job!!! Keep me updated. The best way to reach me is to DM me on Instagram or to email me at [email protected]

If you are a cooperating teacher or student teacher looking for advice, checkout this BLOG POST!

PS. Shout out to my principal for teaching me everything I know!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

Winter is often known as a “sweet spot” in education. The year has been going on long enough that students understand the expectations and routines. Additionally, teachers are able to focus on new content as students have fully adjusted from summer break. However, this area does have some tough spots. For instance, many teachers have to be flexible with snow delays and closings. Furthermore, attendance may be an issue due to illnesses that spread in the winter. Thankfully, the winter resources round-up will ensure students always have rigorous and engaging lessons no matter what! 

Winter Resources Round-Up Resources 

To ensure students love the winter season in the classroom, these resources will be sure to help!

• Winter Basic Skills: Boom Cards and Google Slides 

Students love working on technology! Thus, these Boom Cards and Google Slides will engage all students while practicing essential skills. For instance, students will work on counting and identifying colors and shapes. Furthermore, they will practice identifying uppercase and lowercase letters. If using the Boom Cards, students will receive automatic feedback on whether they answered correctly or incorrectly. If incorrect, students will answer again in order to ensure they know the content! 

Be sure to check out the Identifying Shapes FREEBIE to see how incredible this resource is! 

• Identifying CVC Boom Cards

CVC words are vital to practice! On each Boom Card, students will be given three pictures. Then, they will listen to or read the CVC word. To answer, they will click on the picture that matches the word. Various CVC words are included in the winter resources round-up, including sun, run, and jet. 

• Basic Skills Worksheets

These no prep, engaging activities practice multiple math and literacy skills. There are 17 different worksheets included. Even better, the resource includes a Google Slides version! Students will practice numbers 1-10 and matching colors and shapes within the activities. Additionally, students will practice multiple lowercase and uppercase letters.

• Winter Resources: Matching Worksheets

This resource is filled with differentiation! It includes 2 levels of matching worksheets for letters, numbers, colors, and shapes. Students will become confident at these skills with the help of these worksheets. 

• Matching Counting Activity 

The winter resources round-up will ensure students become strong counters. Here, teachers will have 17 sets of number matching cards from 0-10 to use throughout the year. For instance, there will be a set for multiple seasons and holidays, including winter hats and hearts. 

• Hanukkah Mega Pack of Activities 

This resource is packed with ways to teach about Hanukkah! There is a story to teach about the holiday, vocabulary activities, and a mini-book. Furthermore, there are comprehension questions, a BINGO game, and activities centered around the dreidel and menorah. Be sure to check out the Hanukkah FREEBIES for a Word Wall and reflection sheet. 

• More Winter Resources: Happy New Year Coloring Pages  and 100th Day of School Coloring Pages

Students love to color! Thankfully, both of these resources are FREEBIES! Both sets of coloring pages will help students celebrate the new year and the 100th day of school. 

The winter resources round-up will ensure that students practice essential skills during the cold months. You may also like this blog post. Students will be ready to review previously learned content in addition to challenging themselves with new content. No matter which options are used above, students will have a blast learning! 

JOIN MY FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY

If you do not want to miss any of the upcoming lessons, join my email list to be notified of all the interactive lessons coming up! By joining the email list, you will also receive freebies for blog exclusive subscribers!  

It’s that time again… Break is over, and it is time to head back to school. Before we head back, I just wanted to give you a few tips to make the transition a bit easier for you and your students!

TIP 1: DON’T ASK YOUR STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR BREAK

I know this sounds strange but hear me out. Some of our students might not have the best home lives, which makes being home on breaks tough for them. They might prefer school over home. Asking them about their break and about “all of the fun things” that they did over break might be anxiety provoking for them.
Instead of asking about their break try asking them how they feel about coming back to school and what they are looking forward to.

Use these morning check-ins to start the conversations!

TIP 2: REVIEW ROUTINES AND PROCEDURES

Treat the first few days/weeks back like it is the beginning of the school year. As much as we would like them to, our students will not remember all the routines and procedures that we worked so hard on in the beginning of the school year. It is time for a REFRESH!!

I have some great freebies for you in my free resource library that could help you with this!

TIP 3: REVIEW MATERIAL

Just like our students won’t remember our routines and procedures, they will not remember all the material we taught them. Plan on reviewing material from November/December before jumping into anything new.

TIP 4: BE PATIENT

Chances are that our students don’t want to get back into the routine of school like us. We aren’t looking forward to waking up early and doing work. Neither are they. Be extra patient with them and understand that this transition is very hard for all of them too.

TIP 5: START A NEW SYSTEM

This one is fun!! Start a new classroom management system, reward system, token board, etc. Students respond well to new, shiny things and starting a new system could be just the thing to get them motivated and ready to get to work!!

I have some great freebies for you in my free resource library that could help you with this!

I hope that you find one or more of these tips helpful. Have an amazing transition back!! WE GOT THIS!!