For many of you tomorrow marks the first day back to school. For some of us (less fortunate ones), we've been at work for a couple weeks now. (*We envy you!) Either way these survival tips are good for any time of the year. Here's to another school year... may your class be filled with the most polite, sweet, and engaged children and may you never get an email from a parent late at night or on the weekends :)
1- Coffee
 |
| Found this adorable sign here. |
Oh bless you coffee! How I love you and need you in my life. I think it's important to treat ourselves to something simple like coffee. It makes my day that much more exciting and I consider it my personal reward for getting myself together each morning haha. Most people treat themselves once a week but I must confess that I have been stopping at Starbucks or Coffee Bean 3-4x a week. Yikes! It's so yummy though!
2- Work Wife
Find yourself a work wife aka a work best friend and hold on tight. These are the people who know you are having a bad day before you even open your mouth and will hug you or pray for you immediately. They make work so much more enjoyable! I have the best team in the whole world... okay I may be a little bias but I truly love working with Steph and Jenna. I always feel supported and cared for at work no matter what has happened in my day. They make me laugh and listen to my loooong stories. I must admit I never mastered the art of short-story telling. Whoops! Moving to a new state, let alone a new school is scary and these two made the transition so much better. Thanks girls!! Yay for year three together!
3- Food Prep
 |
| Photo source |
I think it's so important to "set yourself up for success" each week by prepping everything you can during the weekend. I like to wash and cut all my fruit and veggies on Sunday night. I then divide them into individual bags or containers. This helps me just grab a few snacks for each day to add into my breakfast or lunch. I find that this helps me feel less flustered in the morning because I'm not scrambling for something to pack. I also make my fruit bowls for breakfast and set out my yogurt to go with each. This saves me on those rushed mornings!
4- Pick Out Your Outfits
 |
| How cute is this color combo?? |
Do you ever find yourself staring at your clothes in the morning like something will magically jump out of the closet? I totally do! I have no idea what I'm waiting for but it seems like my brain just doesn't work at 5:30. I have been trying to iron my clothes at the beginning of the week and put together a few options for outfits. It helps me to move quickly in the morning and saves me time by not having to iron when let's be real, I'm probably already running late. And yes, I must confess, I am one of those people who irons EVERYTHING. I hate wrinkles! I am fine with them if they happen throughout the day but I need to start out with a wrinkle free outfit. Don't judge me! Also, finding a blog or two that have outfit ideas is also a lifesaver. It makes me combine new pieces in my closet instead of immediately thinking that I have nothing to wear. J's Everyday Fashion is one of my favorites!
5- Schedule and Desk
 |
| My work desk definitely doesn't look like this but this article will give you some great inspiration and some major space envy. |
I leave as soon as I can after school. Not because I am just dying to get out of there, it's because my commute is pretty terrible. The later I leave the worse it gets. Before I leave though I clean off my desk, filing away any papers, and organizing for the next day. My teaching partner Stephanie taught me to write my schedule (for the next day) on the board before I leave. This is a huge help because it mentally prepares you for the next work day and gives you a little extra time in the morning. I find that this also triggers me to remember when I need to pick something up for a special project or that I need to prep something specific. It's such a small thing but a big help!
6- Love Your Students
 |
| Photo source |
I know I know, this is a give in but I also know that at some point we all need this reminder. There will be days when our students drive us nuts (and I mean NUTS) so it's important to cling to the things we love about them early on. I like to make a connection with each child as soon as possible because they a) will behave better b) they will like me more because I know something special about them and c) they will trust me and want me to trust them. It helps the connection with the parents when they know that you truly love their child and want to encourage and foster their learning in any way possible. The teachers at my school are so great at showing love to each other and their students. I feel that I've truly grown as an educator since being hired. :)
 |
| Found this here |
Have a great week everyone!!
No Comments Yet, Leave Yours!