First Year of Teaching: Check!

I honestly cannot believe my first year of teaching is done. It FLEW by. I talked to my mentor this spring and commented about how fast it went. She laughed and said, "the following years just go by faster." That's one thing you never have to worry about when you're teaching primary grades - the days fly! You're never bored!
Anyways, enough about talking about how fast it went. Here are 10 things I wish I could have told myself, before the school year started!
1. Parent/Teacher Conferences aren't that bad. Before I started I was so nervous about them! I over prepared for them I think, with taking notes. I had a pretty good batch of parents though - I feel lucky! 

2. In between the good days, there will be bad days. And then there will be very bad days. When I got this teaching position, it didn't even cross my mind that I might come home crying. Or that the support from fellow teachers might be the only thing getting me through a school day. 

3. Figuring out behavior when it comes to kids is hard. The why and what causes the behavior and how to deal with it makes my head spin. 

4. Don't get behind on correcting. I didn't do a lot of worksheets and papers with the kindergartners, but when I did and got behind - ugh! Correct the afternoon of. 

5. Anything you tell your kids, it may and probably will get relayed back their parents that evening after school! :) I talked about my husband, my horses, and our future puppy to my kids and often when I would meet a parent in the grocery store, I would get asked "so when are you getting your puppy?!" or "how fun that you ride dirtbike with your husband!" or "I hear you're going to Minnesota next weekend!" 

6. Be. Consistent. 

7. Be very appreciative of your husband when he offers to make supper or grill. I sometimes think I should have shown my appreciation more when I came home from school, dog tired from being on my feet all day! Thanks, Aaron!
8. Don't worry so much about the principal, aides, or fellow teachers coming in to observe you. I know I got so nervous and I probably will continue to get nervous for a few more years. But, I need to remind myself to teach like I always teach - things will be fine!

9. Try to take your mind off teaching for an evening. My Friday nights were usually the nights I did no school work, lesson planning, answering emails, etc. 

10. Knowing you're impacting the lives of kids and building that foundation of learning for them is the best. It really is. You're with the kids, what, 180 days, 7 hours a day? That's a lot of influence you have on them. 

** Pretty sure the e-card above is not an exaggeration! :)