How to Organize All Those Ideas for Your First Classroom

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Show Notes:

We still don’t know what our classrooms are going to look like when kids go back to school in the fall, and I know that that may be contributing to some of your overwhelm as you think about how to prepare for the school year.

However, as I always say to my R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy members, there is so much that we can do - even if we don't know what the guidelines are going to be exactly, even if you don't know what grade you're going to be teaching, and even if you can't get into the school right now.

So much of the preparation for the school year is about us getting organized and getting clear about how we want to do things inside our own classrooms.

We need to ask ourselves: What kind of classroom manager do we want to be and how are we going to organize all the things?

One of the biggest questions and the biggest concerns that keeps coming up in all my work with new teachers is the work that goes into trying to figure out how to get organized.

It starts out as being so much fun - you have so many great ideas (you've probably been surfing the Internet for the last couple of years gathering ideas), but now you just don't know where to start when it comes to putting it all together.

Sometimes, a big part of the overwhelm that many new teachers are experiencing is just because there are so many things you want to do that making decisions on where to get started can leave us feeling completely frozen. So today, we're going to talk about it - how you can start getting your ideas organized for your first classroom. 

Here's what you're going to learn in today's show:

•  My simple 6-step process to take you from "Oh my gosh I have all these ideas and I have no idea where to start!" to putting a plan in place.
• How to house and categorize all your ideas so you can get a birds-eye-view of all those possibilities and make smart choices.
• What to do with all those ideas that are keeping you up at night and causing those teacher nightmares (yes, we all have them)!
• How to prevent the overwhelm that comes with deciding on classroom decor and worrying about classroom management.

I hope that this episode is helpful for you as you start thinking through how to best prepare for the school year. Until next time, remember, just because you're a beginning elementary teacher, there's no need for you to struggle like one.

💛 Lori

Dr. Lori Friesen | Beginning Teacher Mentor

Creator of the R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy, Dr. Lori Friesen has mentored thousands of beginning teachers across the country through her workshops and courses. Host of the popular podcast, Beginning Teacher Talk, and creator of the innovative literacy program for 1st and 2nd grade, Dogs Help Kids Read and Succeed, Dr. Lori is dedicated to serving educators and inspiring learners. Learn more at drlorifriesen.com and at howdogshelpkids.com.

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Links & resources mentioned inside this episode:

• Download my FREE Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist.
  
  
• Check out my Ultimate Amazon Wishlist for New Elementary Teachers.
  
  
• Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private Facebook Group.
  
  
• Follow Dr. Lori on Instagram.
  
  
• Download the FREE Complete Interview Guide for New Teachers.
  
  
• Learn more about R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy.

Related episodes you might enjoy:

• 6 Things to Do This Summer to Ensure You are Ready for Your First Year: The New Teacher Guide

• How to Prepare for Your First Day and Week of School: Four Steps to Success 

• How to Choose a Classroom Theme: 7 Considerations
  
  
• 4 Mistakes New Teachers Make with Classroom Management (& How to Prevent Them)
  
  
• 3 Summer Must-Reads for New Teachers

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