I just signed all of my paperwork to begin teaching first grade next year! Yayyy? I feel so blessed to have a job next year right out of college, but I'm so nervous! Like, I have no idea where to even start! I've been reading the posts from previous summers to see what others have worked on before school starts, but I still feel so unprepared! Please tell me I'm not the only one! Anyone?? :help:
If you know the school go visit before the year ends (provided the school year is not done). If it just ended it may still be open. Ask the principal for the teacher's edition of the language arts and math curriculum. Ask to look at the soon to be classroom of yours. If the room has already been emptied of the previous teacher find out if there is lots of left stuff or a little. Take notes of what you notice in the room, the furniture, supplies, library, textbooks, rug... If the previous teacher is still there find out from them how much of their stuff will be left for your to use. If there is a very limited class library or other supplies you might spend time going to yard sales getting books and other things like stuffed animals. Investigate your state standards. If you can not check out the room or school at all then find out if there is district curriculum that you will be using. Then check out the web site for that curriculum. Take a look at the First Day of School.
Congratulations! I know it's nice not only to know you have a job, but also to know what grade you will be teaching. First is a great place to start-it's tough, but you'll learn a lot!
Congrats! I would also find out a little about the team of teachers you'll be working with. They will be your best support next year.
Thanks, everyone! I feel like I sound crazy because school is not even out some places yet. It is here thoough. The principal will be at the school until the 22nd so I will try to get the TE of the books and take inventory off the classroom. Thanks for the starting points!
I feel your concern. I'll be beginning my first year of teaching next year in a first grade classroom. I called to ask if I could come see my new room and take inventory tomorrow. Does anyone have any suggestions of things to look for or questions to ask? Is there anything else I can do over the summer to start to prepare more or resources I should request from the principal or other team members?
Ask for the TEs and curriculum guides to review over the summer. Also take inventory of the room- see what is there supply/material wise and ask if you have any budget for supplies. Then take note of the furniture in the space so you can start thinking of how to design the room. Then ask if you can be called when the room is cleaned and all set so you can get a head start on organizing/setting up. Also ask if that furniture stays- maybe ask if you can take some pics, so you can really start planning out the room. This is precisely what I did today. Cannot wait! Good Luck!
I went into my room on Monday and took pictures and got the TE of the curriculum that I will be using. I am in the process of reading the stories and writing down the objectives they hit for ELA and looking over the units in the Envision Math Series. The previous teacher left a lot of things for me, but I havent really gone in an taken inventory or organized the space. I will probably do that towards the middle of July. I'm super excited but nervous at the same time. First grade is such a stepping stone and I don't want to fail any of my students!
You will LOVE first grade! Just getting the TE's for your curriculum will help you begin to lay out of plan of how you will get started. We are getting all new curriculum this year and I am eagerly awaiting my TE's so I can begin learning new material!
This will be my first year in first grade too! I am moving from pre-k. I also have Envisions for math. Do you happen to have Journeys for reading? It is very overwhelming!!!
No I don't have Journey's for reading. I have Scott Foresman Reading. We are moving to Common Core in K-2 this year so I know the math will be different. I am not as nervous about Common Core though because when I was student teaching all of the team meetings were about getting prepared for teaching Common Core even though I was in a different district. I'm so excited! I love teaching!
I have Journeys for reading, and next year will also be my first year teaching in 1st grade! I agree, the Journeys curriculum looks very overwhelming. I'm still trying to figure out what to teach and when, but other teachers have told me you kind of have to pick and choose. I've been collecting TONS of books this summer, mostly at garage sales and Goodwill. I'm planning on doing the Daily 5 next year (well, it will probably end up being the Daily 3). Good luck to all the new 1st grade teachers!
I will also be teaching my first year in first grade. I just signed my contract today! My school also does the Daily 5. I'm hoping to get the TE curriculum guide very soon. I'm thrilled, but I'm already getting so worried and excited that I can't sleep at night!
The summer before I got my job I started working on my student information sheets, newletter template, student transportation sheets, I did a thing I called "all about first grade" that just highlighted things parents needed to know. I just made rough copies and then I filled in the detailed stuff after I knew what grade I would be teaching. I made sure to also work on labels for my math manipulatives and classroom library. That was all stuff that you can do before you even step foot in the classroom. Those will be things you need. I made a lot of stuff on vistaprint that would cater to any grade. Buisness cards with my information for parents to contact me. I saved it on vistaprint and filled in details later. I know people advise against it but I started buying things for my room as well. Not major things but just things like borders and nametags that I saw on sale. Once I found out the school and grade I asked if I could come and see the room and then I got a sense of what I needed to buy. Do not go too crazy. I had so many teachers come along wanting to help me out and donated a lot of stuff to me.
Would you mind showing us what your student information sheets and newsletter template look like? My CT told me to have those things, but I am just not very techy at all .
I just got 'moved' to First Grade as well! I was supposed to be signing paperwork for Kindergarten this week but they realized they had an empty spot in 1st that was more important... so here I am! I'm even more nervous now since I feel I was all prepped for K! I just hope the things I have so far will work in 1st grade..
Soleil00, when I was student teaching I observed in a kinder while I was student teaching in first grade. I felt like I could never teach kinders! It takes such a special person to do it, and me personally I'm not that special. But first grade is fun too. The maturity level is higher and they can do more independent work, but they still need you (especially in the beginnning of the year). I hope you love it and start feeling the excitement of first grade fun!
JustWannaTeach if you want to pm me your e-mail address I will send it to you. There are many online if you search for them.
I hope so JustWannaTeach! I'm super nervous, but so far I've been reassured that it's not all that much different from Kindergarten. It's just they're a little more independent and are less.... "needy" than the Kinders tend to be.
I got my first job 4 years ago teaching first grade. I have loved every minute of it! Now granted, there are times where I could lose my mind but they are too funny. The worst part is the beginning of first grade because they are still in kindergarten mode but by the end, it will be hard to recognize them. They mature so much! Enjoy your firsties. They are very blunt and hysterical!
I think a really great way to spend your time would be to envision how you want your classroom to run. How do you want them to enter? How do you want them to come to the carpet? How do you want them to walk in halls? How do you want them to ask to use the bathroom/drinks/etc.? How do you want to organize the subjects? (I have colored folders for Calendar work, science, social studies, etc.) How will you pass out lunches? Morning procedures etc. Start by really envisioning what your room will be like and make some notes. This way when you go into your room in August you will have a clear idea of how you want it to run which is super helpful. It's something you can do without curriculum that will help to make the beginning of the year more smooth.
Congrats on the job! You are fortunate to get hired so early so you have time to really plan and think about things. I was hired hours before Meet the Teacher night a few days before school started; talk about stay on my toes! I agree with other posters who say if you can get into your classrom and get your TE's do it now. Never be afraid to ask questions and good luck!
