Tips for running labs as a new science teacher

One of the most overwhelming part of being a new science teacher is having to run labs with teenagers. It’s terrifying!

Apart from there being so so so many things that could go wrong, you are also required to be able to watch all students at all times while predicting problems and responding to things as they happen. 

1. Practice labs before you do them with your class

It is impossible to be able to practice every lab or activity before you do it with your class. There simply are not enough hours in the day. However, if they are particularly dangerous, require preciseness or you are unsure about how they work, then I highly recommend you take the time to run through them yourself first. Even though I am not a new science teacher any more I still try to practice labs that are new to me.

Why?

Because:

• It will help you predict potential issues the students will have
• It will help you identify the safety precautions that will be necessary for the particular experiment 
• It helps you realize if you forgot to buy/order any necessary equipment or materials, and,
• It helps you gain a deeper understanding of what the experiment is demonstrating

2. Order your experiments well ahead of time

If you are lucky enough to have a lab assistant or, even if you’re not, you will do yourself a lot of favours if you order your experiments and materials ahead of time.

I like to put all my orders in at least a week before doing the experiment. This allows me time to check for the materials we have, buy the materials we don’t have and practice the experiment if I need to.

3. Ensure students know emergency procedures

Make sure you constantly revisit emergency procedures including evacuation procedures, where the fire blanket and extinguishers are located, where the emergency gas cutoff, emergency power shutoff, and emergency showers are located, and how to use them.

4. Spend your first few lessons drilling in safe practice and classroom routines 

A big part of being able to run your classroom well is to ensure the safety of your students and yourself. By establishing and enforcing strict, clear lab safety rules and routines right from the beginning, you can run safe and smooth lab lessons. 

Every classroom will be different, but here are some clear things to consider when setting up your classroom routines:

1. How will students enter the room?
2. Where will students sit?
3. Where will students put their bags?
4. How will students complete labs?
5. How will students clean up after a lab?
6. What is the expectation for homework?
7. Where do students find the work they missed?

   New Science Teacher Advice

My favourite all-year-round posters

New Science Teacher Advice

5. Use poster and anchor charts 

Posters and anchor charts are excellent to have a visual reminder and reference point each lesson. I love using lab safety posters and these FREE science variables posters in my lab all year round. 

6. Have students sign a lab safety contract 

It is important that students hold themselves accountable for their own actions. I like to have my students sign a lab safety contract at the beginning of the year to hold them accountable. It helps them to understand the seriousness of working safely in the lab and it gives you a reference point if students are misbehaving or acting unsafely. 

7. Share expectations with parents

It is a good idea to share the expectations of students with parents. This includes expectations for homework, class behavior, and assessment tasks. You could even consider having them sign the lab safety contract as well to say that they understand what is expected of their child and that measures will be taken if students do not adhere to the contract. 

I like to send home this Meet the Teacher page at the beginning of the year to share a bit about myself as well as my expectations for students for the year. Feel free to grab a FREE copy of my template here.

8. Don’t be afraid to make students miss out on labs if they are unsafe

It is your responsibility to look after the safety of all the students in the class. If a student is behaving in an unsafe manner then don’t hesitate to make them miss out on the lab. I would follow this up with a chat with the student to ensure they understand exactly why they are not able to participate and a phone call home. If you are nervous about the phone call home, I often phrase it in terms of the student’s own safety and the safety of others in the room. 

9. Have multiple lab groupings on hand 

Sometimes labs call for work in pairs, other times in groups of fours. Sometimes you will want students to work with their friends, other times in ability-based groups, and other times in mixed-ability groups. Having these lists on hand makes these groupings quick to allocate and communicate with students.

I often have these groupings printed on A3 paper that I can quickly put up around the room so students can check their groupings rather than me having to call the names out individually every time. 

New Science Teacher Advice

10. Utilize teachers aides with explicit instructions for lab time

Often teachers’ aides want to help but are unsure when it comes to experiments. Give them clear objectives to follow so they are helpful and feel a sense of purpose too.

It may be that you want them to stay with a particular group of students and re-read the instructions to them one step at a time.

It could be that you want them to roam around the room reminding students of safety protocols or helping you ensure they are on task. 

11. If you are unsure about something – ask

There are so many things that can go wrong when teaching science, particularly if you are a new science teacher. If you are unsure how an experiment works, how equipment should be set up or whether you can substitute one chemical for another – please ask! Ask your lab assistant (if you have one), another teacher, or someone you follow on Instagram or look it up on youtube or google.

There are also many credible sources of information out there now so if the internet is your only option then don’t hesitate. You could also look it up online first then just double-check with a colleague as well. 

12. Ask to watch another teacher complete new experiments

As a new science teacher, if you are completing a lab for the first time, don’t hesitate to ask for help or to watch another teacher do it first. 

I don’t specialize in biology, however in Australia, the way our timetable is set up means that I teach all sciences in years 7-10 before specializing in years 11 and 12. When it came to doing my first pluck dissection I asked my lab assistant to come and demonstrate it for me with my class. She had a lot of experience in biology labs and was more than happy to come and show my class.

Not only was it fantastic having her expertise in my classroom, it also meant I got to watch and learn from her and my students also had the opportunity to learn from another scientist too. 

13. Utilize youtube videos

Not every opportunity for an experiment can be used as such. While I love hands-on learning, sometimes there aren’t enough lessons, isn’t enough preparation time, you don’t have the equipment, or the class’s behavior has made the experiment impossible.

In these circumstances, I highly recommend utilizing available YouTube videos and virtual labs. 

The other reason to check out YouTube videos as a new science teacher is if you need a refresher of the content or you are teaching outside of your subject area. There are many great tutorial videos out there to help you. 

14. Label everything 

Label everything so students know where things are and where to put them away. Draws, cupboards, boxes, and tubs should all have a label on them. 

15. Keep a shopping list

When you are in the middle of an experiment or lesson and you notice that your materials are running low or you need more of something you need to make note of it then. Otherwise by the time you go to order things you will have forgotten important items. 

My suggestion is to use an electronic ‘note’ or document to keep a running list that you can quickly add to on the go. 

New Science Teacher Advice

Tips for teaching science as a new science teacher

16. Review vocabulary as often as possible

Teaching science is often like introducing a whole other language with the amount of new vocabulary for students. Some fun ways to review science vocab include racing games, self-marking quizzes, escape rooms and murder mysteries. 

17. Use modeling as often as possible for complex concepts

As many concepts in science can be abstract or hard to visualize, modeling provides students with a way to visualize and make sense of them. Use lollies, modeling clay, dioramas, and role play. 

For example, Le Chateliers principle in Chemistry and the concept of a chemical reaction reaching equilibrium is difficult for students to grasp because they cannot see what is happening at a particle level. I love to use m&m’s to model this concept as seen here.

18. Learning intentions for each lesson with success criteria including relevant labs

Help give students clear directions by providing learning intentions and success criteria for each lesson. If you are completing a lab, my suggestion is to include a skill in the success criteria relevant to the lab as well. For example:

• Students can perform an experiment safely using appropriate equipment
• Students can choose the most appropriate equipment for accurate measuring. 
• Students can design an experiment to determine…

19. Organise your lab

An organised lab is safer, easier to tidy and will help your students feel safe. 

20. Utilize free resources 

As a new science teacher it can feel like you have to start from scratch with resources. But don’t forget that there are so many free resources out there now that are well worth having a look at. PHeT, Kahoot, Quizlet, and YouTube. Utilizing these resources is a great way to provide variety in your lessons as a new science teacher without creating extra work for you.

New Science Teacher Advice

21. Find a mentor

Having someone mentor you in your early years of teaching is a great way to grow as an educator. It provides you with someone to go to with questions and to run your ideas by. If your school hasn’t set you up with a mentor already then see if there is an experienced teacher you connect with to ask if they would mind. They don’t need to be in your faculty.

22. Don’t recreate the wheel

Don’t feel that you have to create your own resources or come up with new ideas. Your first years of teaching should be focused on learning the content and working out your classroom management routines. Feel free to use pre-made lessons, worksheets, textbooks and resources. 

23. Skip labs if you need to

Organizing labs is time-consuming and can be exhausting to run. If you are feeling the pressure of time and energy then it’s okay to skip a lab every now and then. Potentially swap it for a virtual lab online that doesn’t require the same level of preparation or cleanup. 

24. Show your excitement

Enter the classroom with a smile on your face and let your students see your excitement for teaching and for science. Students will vibe your energy and it will help your students connect with you as a person.

25. Be confident

Students like to know you are in charge. It’s okay to fake it til you make it. 

New Science Teacher Advice

Conclusion

Being a new science teacher can be overwhelming and hard work. Try these tips to help make your job a little more manageable. 

Are you a new science teacher? Make sure you join my email list for top tips, free resources and classroom ideas. 

New Science Teacher Advice

How to start the school year off right

1. Be organized

This shouldn’t come as a surprise when we are talking about how to start the school year off right. But how do we do it? I guess this looks different for everyone.

For me, I prefer to give up some of my holiday time in order to prepare for my first two weeks of teaching including lesson planning, assessment task writing, setting up my work diary and admin tasks.

While a lot of teachers don’t like to work in their holidays, I find it gives me a better work-life balance throughout the year if I do. 

2. Check your wardrobe

There have been so many years where I have started the school year realizing that so many of my ‘good’ work clothes are definitely not ‘good’ anymore. They are worn out, stained or don’t fit properly anymore.

It is worth doing a quick run through your closet and allowing yourself some time during the holidays to keep an eye out for those staples you want to replace because once term starts there will be many other things that will take priority over this. 

I don’t enjoy online shopping for clothes as I prefer to look in shops and try them on first. During school term, I don’t have any time to do this (particularly with 2 young kids in tow), so holidays are the only time I can do this. 

3. Set routines for your workload

I find this important for staying organized and saving time during the term. I map out when I am going to lesson plan for each year level, and when I will set aside time for assessment writing, grading, and report writing.

Setting routines is a really important time-saving hack for teachers. To see my full list of 49 time-saving hacks click the link here!

How to start the school year off right 

4. Schedule ‘you time’

It is important when setting your routines that you also include time for family, exercise, rest, and the things you enjoy. For me, having a scripted timetable for each week ensures I maintain a balance between work and home. 

Yes, there are definitely times these routines need to adjust to suit variations in workload or family needs, but if you have one to start with then, it allows you to make those adjustments in a sensible way as well and also to be aware of when the balance starts to go off.

5. Get to know your students before you meet them

What do I mean by this? Data. 

Have a look at the data you have on your students before you meet them in class. This is even more important if you haven’t taught them before.

At my school, we have a range of data collected on each student including NAPLAN (Australia), CogAT, PAT tests as well as class and subject-related data and reports.

This data helps me to make my class groupings, seating plans and differentiation options ahead of meeting my students face-to-face. 

I also find it helps me learn my students’ names faster and cater to their learning abilities right from the outset instead of just guessing for the first few weeks. 

How to start the school year off right

6. Have your assessments written 

Having your assessments written ahead of the term starting or within the first few weeks is important for multiple reasons.

1. It ensures you know where you are heading with your classes so you can plan your learning sequence appropriately
2. When the term gets busier and workload starts to pile up, it takes the pressure off knowing it is already completed. 
3. Parents and students will often enquire about the assessments early in the term. This allows you to answer their questions honestly which will help build their confidence in you as the teacher.

7. Set routines with your students 

Classroom routines are important for you and your students to start the school year off right. They help the students feel that you have control over the classroom and they know what to expect.

Routines also help you to save time as you don’t have to explain yourself every time as students get to know what the ‘normal’ is. 

For instance, some routines I have in my classroom include:

• Where students are to wait to enter the room
• Where they place their bags
• Where students sit when they enter the room
• Where to find work if they were absent, 
• How to turn in homework, 
• What to bring into every lesson 
• How to find important notices and assessment notifications
• How to contact me if needed 

8. Introduce yourself to your students and their parents

While a lot of teachers introduce themselves to their students, they often forget to introduce themselves to their parents. 

I like to send home a ‘meet the teacher’ page so that both my students and their parents feel they know who I am, what is expected, and how to contact me appropriately if needed. This ensures a positive first interaction and it goes a long way to start the year off right with these important stakeholders.

How to start the school year off right

9. Invest time to build relationships with your students

No, I don’t mean do heaps of ice-breakers (I hate those!) 

Now that you are meeting your students in the first week of school, get to know them! 

I actually hate ice-breakers. I feel uncomfortable with them, the majority of my students feel uncomfortable with them, and they are just awkward and a waste of time. 

Instead, I created this ‘all about me in science lab bunting’ resource to get to know my students in a less threatening way whilst also creating some free decorations for my lab! If you aren’t a science teacher, I also created this non-subject-specific bunting too! (And it’s FREE).

In addition to this activity, and actually more important than the above activity is just making time to chat with your students. Plan some activities in the first week which allow you time to walk around and have a chat with students in pairs or small groups. Ask them how their holidays were. What was their favorite memory of their holiday time? What friends did they catch up with? What sports or games or activities did they do? What are they looking forward to this year? What is their favorite subject? 

10. Sketch out your lesson sequence

Sketch out your term so you see well in advance gaps you might have in resources so you either have time to create them / find them or buy them.

While I don’t have time to lesson plan an entire term before I start back at school, often I will map out my learning intentions for the term and make a note of any sections where I don’t have my own resources or I want to update my resources.

This gives me an idea of whether I have time to either create the resource myself, update an existing resource, or purchase a new resource.

When I have planned this it also allows me to take advantage of things like Teachers Pay Teachers sitewide sales so I can grab the resources I want at a discount rather than getting to the week I want it and having to pay full price.

11. Think about how you can prepare healthy lunches 

This may not be on the normal ‘start your school year off right’ blog post – but I guarantee it is actually one of the most important.

Eating a well-balanced lunch every day is essential for your energy levels throughout the day and for sustaining you throughout the term. It also helps you to maintain a healthy immune system and makes you less susceptible to the many illnesses that walk through the door with your students. 

Need some ideas? Read my post on 33 easy lunch ideas for teachers here!

Conclusion

If you start the school year off right, it sets the tone for the year. It can make a huge difference in your energy levels and confidence throughout the term.

What do you do to start the school year off right? Please share your top tips below!

How to start the school year off right

How to build positive relationships with students using the 5 love languages

We often talk about differentiating our teaching to meet student learning needs, however, I’ve never heard anyone talk about differentiating the way in which we show students we love and care for them. I believe this is key to building positive relationships with students in your classroom.

Chapman (2016) believes there are five key ways in which people care for others and want to be cared for. He calls these The Five Love Languages. 

These include: 

1. Words of affirmation: a person likes to be told that they are loved and cared for in words. 
2. Gifts: some people feel loved and appreciated by receiving gifts.
3. Time: refers to spending quality time with the people they love.
4. Touch: is not referring to anything sexual, but rather other forms of physical contact.
5. Acts of service: refers to a person feeling loved by the thoughtful actions of others. 

While most people tend to favor one or two of these methods, using a range of these in the classroom will ensure that all students feel known and loved. 

How to use the 5 love languages to

build positive relationships with students

Here are some suggestions for how you can implement these ‘Love Languages’ into your classroom:

Words of affirmation: praise students by telling them what a great effort they had put into a particular project or tell them how you appreciate the attention they paid to detail.

When they achieve something, be sure to tell them how proud you are of their commitment and perseverance. 

It is important when using words of affirmation to also encourage a ‘growth mindset’ as coined by Professor C.S Dweck. Dweck (2010) encourages teachers to emphasise challenges and to praise hard work as opposed to praising success or ‘smartness’.

Gifts: In a classroom setting, students could be rewarded with lollies, stickers or merit awards.

For my senior Chemistry class, I made them ‘survival kits’ to help them get through their exams.

These don’t need to be expensive or lavish gifts. Rather, it is providing something concrete they can take away with them. 

Below are some of my favourite affordable Amazon finds:

Scratch it bookmarks

These are a great gift as students can personalize them themselves!

100 pack of cute erasers

These are actually great for both primary and secondary students. Again I thought my high school students would think they were silly, but I was wrong!

Time: students whose love language is time may appreciate you taking the time to have a conversation with them or playing handball with them out in the playground.

Touch: showing a student you value them or congratulate them using touch appropriately could look like a handshake or a high five. I like both of these methods as it offers the student the opportunity to accept or decline if they don’t feel comfortable.

We know we have to be so careful in the ways we interact with students; I think these two options allow us to still meet our students’ needs while also protecting ourselves.

Acts of Service: Show a class you appreciate them by treating them with a particularly fun activity or educational game such as a kahoot or quizlet at the end of a lesson.

Show individual students you appreciate them by inviting them to help you perform a cool science demonstration or by allowing them to choose how they want to finish the lesson, where they want to sit, or who they want to work with. 

How to build positive relationships with students in high school or middle school

Conclusion

Building positive relationships with students can be a daunting prospect. However, if you have an idea of the different ways people feel loved then it might help you to identify these in your classroom as well.

The 5 love languages provide us a great template for how we can use various methods in our classroom to ensure all students feel cared for and appreciated and therefore build positive relationships with students.

Comment below with your favourite way to build positive relationships with students in your classroom!

References

Chapman, G., 2015. The 5 love languages: The secret to love that lasts. Northfield Publishing.

Chapman, G., 2016. The 5 love languages of teenagers: The secret to loving teens effectively. Northfield Publishing.

Best science lab decoration ideas on a budget

Back to school checklist for teachers:

What to purchase

This list will vary from teacher to teacher but here is a list of essential things that are relevant for most teachers.

In addition to this checklist, read my blog post on teacher must-haves 2022 here.

1. New teacher planner

This is my #1 when I am getting ready for the next school year. It helps keep me organised and I can easily look ahead to see what important dates are coming up for my school or classes. 

2. Diary

I usually have a diary in addition to my teacher planner. This is where I keep all my personal life appointments and activities. This is just as important as having your teacher life organised. 

3. General supplies

A teacher can never have too much stationary. Whiteboard markers, pens, highlighters and post-it notes are what I stock up on at the beginning of each school year. 

4. Subscriptions

Now may be the time you need to renew any subscriptions you have or decide to purchase new ones to suit your needs this year. Here are some that may interest you:

• • • STEM Club subscription

If you are pressed for time and don’t have the capacity to keep up your creativity throughout a long and difficult term then this is a must have! This subscription gets you at least 52 STEM projects throughout the year that you can use in your own classroom or with a STEM/Science club.

• • • Canva (free version available)

Canva is perfect for all sorts of templates from worksheets to presentations to newsletters – there is a FREE version as well as a paid version. Get your account set up and ready to go before school returns.

• • • Magazine subscriptions

I know many teachers who love to have their yearly magazine subscription to things like Science Focus and National Geographic that they can use in the classroom. 

But this is also a great time to grab a subscription for something that is just for you! Something you can look forward to and unwind reading each month. This could be a part of your own regular mental health care.

• • • Screencast-o-matic

Screencast-o-matic is an excellent (and affordable) way to record your lessons, information, demonstrations etc for students. Whether you use it for flipped learning or when you are away sick, this is an excellent tool for teachers. 

5. Teaching resources

If you are teaching a new grade level or subject this coming year, it’s a good idea to see what is out there in terms of free and paid resources to help reduce your planning time. 

This is particularly important if you are going to need the time to teach yourself the content required in a new subject area as you won’t have time to develop your own resources as well. 

My favourite places to find high quality teaching resources are:

• • • Teachers Pay Teachers
    • Amped Up Learning
    • TimeSavers for Teachers

6. Classroom decor

This list will vary from teacher to teacher depending on what grade level you teach and how much autonomy you have in setting up your classroom. 

If you are someone who loves to ‘theme’ their room or decorate it each year, here are some items worth checking out for your space:

• • • Wood Wallpaper 
    • Pretty globe lights
    • Bulletin board decorations

The essential back to school checklist for teachers

8. Work clothes

If you are like me then during the school term you can never find time to go shopping for work appropriate clothes. 

When you are on break now is the time to get a gauge of your wardrobe and the items that need replacing, updating or adding. This may be seasonal wear or just wardrobe staples like a nice pair of black pants. 

Break time could give you opportunity to visit a factory outlet or two which you may not have time for during school term. 

If you aren’t into going to the physical shops, I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised by how many great teacher options there are on Amazon! 

The essential back to school checklist for teachers

Back to school checklist for teachers:

What to brush up on

Before school returns, you may need a few days to get your head back in the game. If you are starting at a new school then some of these things will be completely new to you and so it is important to take the time to review them. 

1. Content knowledge

Even if I am teaching the same content as the previous year, after a long break I often need a couple of days to just brush up on my content knowledge and how I want to teach it. 

2. Fire escape and emergency procedures

This is super important if you are starting at a new school. However, even if you are at the same school, it is a good idea to check evacuation routes for each of the classrooms you are scheduled in as well. 

3. Get to know your new students

While you may not meet your students until the first day of term, you can’t appropriately plan if you don’t use the data you have access to already. 

Check their student plans, testing scores, allergies, and any other data you have on them so you can appropriately differentiate for your class. My 53 Easy Differentiation Strategies might be helpful for you! The essential back to school checklist for teachers

Back to school checklist for teachers:

What to organise before the first day back

1. Seating chart
2. Bulletin board
3. ‘Meet the teacher’ handout for parents / students (get my freebie)
4. Lesson introduction slides (get my freebie)
5. Classroom decorations 
6. Coffee and snack supplies (should probably put this at the top of the list!)
7. Your own planning and work routine or schedule to maintain work/life balance
8. Check your technology works e.g. that your device can connect to an interactive whiteboard etc. 
9. Set up Google classroom or online portals
10. Ensure student textbooks or programs are accessible
11. Print class lists
12. Order necessary materials (e.g. science experiments, food tech ingredients)

The essential back to school checklist for teachers

Back to school checklist for teachers:

What to cover during the first lesson

1. Go through emergency procedures

It is so important that you don’t get caught up in the excitement of the first lesson and forget to go through emergency procedures with your students. 

This includes evacuation plans, location of fire extinguishers, and classroom emergency expectations. 

For those teaching in a high-risk “classroom” such as a science lab or woodworking workshop, it is important to go through the subject and room-specific requirements.

2. Classroom procedures 

To ensure your classroom runs smoothly for the year it is important to plan your regular procedures in advance. This includes:

• seating plan arrangements, 
• where students should leave their bags, 
• what students are expected to bring each lesson, 
• where they should look for work they missed when absent
• where homework and classwork can be found
• how you will get their attention after groupwork etc
• safety procedures

3. Teacher expectations 

It is important to set clear expectations from the beginning of the year as it will set the tone for the whole year. Your expectations of them should include:

• Homework (how much and how often)
• Behaviour, including respect of classmates, teacher and school property
• Consequences 
• Talking – when is it ok and when isn’t it?

4. Get to know you activity or ice breaker

I hate ice breaker activities and never do them in my class. Instead I opt for a ‘get to know you’ activity that is less confronting. My favorite is this ‘all about me in science’ lab bunting that students can fill out for me and their classmates to see, AND it becomes decoration for the classroom at the same time!

5. Introduction to the course

Help students get a picture of what they will be learning this term or year with an introduction to the topic. This is a great time to build excitement with them about what they are going to learn and some fun activities they might look forward to. 

6. Assessment tasks to expect throughout the year 

In addition to the above point, its also good to let them know how their learning will be assessed through the year, both formally and informally. I usually have my students record their formal assessment task dates in their diaries during the first lesson.

The essential back to school checklist for teachers

Conclusion

Planning to return to school can be much less stressful if you have a checklist that ensures you don’t miss anything!

Did you find this back to school checklist for teachers helpful? 

Best back to school checklist for teachers 2022

1. Worksheet free templates for teachers 

Did you know you can subscribe to Canva for free as a teacher?

Canva has heaps of awesome templates and ideas for worksheets, slides and posters that are perfect for any grade or subject level.

Create your free account here.

2. Tarsia puzzle free templates for teachers

Tarsia puzzles are a great way to help students review and consolidate key terms related to your subject.

The idea is that students cut out the shapes and paste them so that the edges line up to match the definition and keyword.

Alternatively, it could be used by writing a question along one side and the answer on the other. This works great in subjects like maths!

Grab your free tarsia puzzle template here.

3. Printable board game free templates for teachers 

Board games are a fun way to consolidate learning in a collaborative environment.

Using task cards, question cards, or even just a list of vocabulary words, you can make your own quiz cards. Grab some dice and some small counters for game pieces.

Grab your free board game template here.

4. Report writing free templates for teachers

Report writing sucks. But having a template for report comments will save you so much time!

Over my years of teaching, I have built a bank of sentences that can be combined to create comments that include information on academic performance, attitude towards learning, areas of improvement, and areas that need attention. 

These comments are based on middle and high school students but they are fully editable to feel free to add your own flair to them!

Grab your free report writing template here.

5. Email templates

Did you know you can save email templates with most email providers?

If you are a year advisor or a teacher who likes to send emails home when students don’t complete homework or assignments, then these types of templates can save you a lot of time!

Here are some tutorials I found for you to save your email templates. 

Outlook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSlfhjbIoK8

Gmail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG8rjxYBfFg 

6. Email signatures

As with above, it is worth making sure you have your email signature set up. Many schools will require you to add the school logo or web address to the bottom of your emails but it is always worth adding your name. It might seem trivial but if you have to send as many emails as I do – those seconds add up!

Outlook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzjutBcGkBc 

Gmail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4k77veybI0 

7. ‘Meet the teacher’ free templates for teachers

Meet the teacher handouts are a great way to introduce yourself to the parents of the students in your class. 

There are a lot of really cute and free ‘meet your teacher’ templates out there for various grade levels and themes.

The one linked below can be used for any grade level or subject but it is worth looking around to find one that suits your personality too! 

 Grab your free ‘meet the teacher’ template here.

8. Presentation Slides free templates for teachers

Whether you use Google slides or PowerPoint, having a good template can save you hours of time.

Here are some of my favourites:

• • • canva 
    • slidescarnival
    • slidesgo 
    • slidesmania

9. Lesson starter free templates for teachers 

These are specific slides that are ideal for communicating key lesson information and reminders for students as you begin or finish a lesson. They include things like homework due, upcoming assessment tasks, upcoming excursions, and the learning intention for the lesson. 

This freebie has 6 different colour options!

Grab your free lesson starter slide here.

10. Award templates

There are an abundance of awesome and free award templates.

If you click the link below it will take you to Teachers Pay Teachers where there is a list of many great options. Just have a look and find the ones that suit your needs!

Alternatively, Canva is again a great place to search for award templates and certificates.

Grab your free award templates here.

11. Lesson planning free templates for teachers

I always use a template when designing my lesson sequence and lessons.

I designed mine as a live google document that is constantly being updated and changed.

I actually also share this with my students so they have access to all the materials and links I use in class in case they are away or want to come back to it for further study. 

This video explains my template as it was being used during Covid online learning.

Grab your free lesson planning (Google Doc) template here. 

Want more time-saving hacks for teachers?

1. Batch your lesson planning

2. Use a lesson planning schedule

3. Don’t set homework

4. Have students peer mark

5. Use class time to give feedback

Read the full list here.

Conclusion

Templates are fantastic time savers for teachers and you don’t even have to create your own! Download the free and editable templates from this list and make your life easier!

What are your favorite templates to use? Comment below!

13 Things I wish I knew

before my first year of teaching

1. Taking a day off is more work than going to work sick

This one sucks. And its 100% true. It is more work having to create, explain and leave lessons for a casual teacher to take when you are unwell. And when you are unwell the absolute last thing you feel like doing is trying to replan all your lessons for someone else to teach. 

No one warned me about this and I wish I had known before my first year of teaching so I could have been more prepared by having some easy to-go lessons on hand for these circumstances.

My advice –  put aside a few easy lessons that can be included at any point in your teaching and learning program when you are absent. Some of my favourites are:

• Researching a famous scientist (or someone related to your subject)
• Educational video with supporting questions
• Textbook lesson 

2. There is no magical bookshelf with all the teaching resources

My very naive beginning teacher self thought that every school must have had a bookshelf that contained all the different worksheets, textbooks, resources and activities that teachers use daily. THIS IS NOT TRUE! 

Not only is it not true, but those activities and worksheets mentioned in the programs are also probably long lost by now. 

In my first year of teaching, the majority of my time was spent trying to work out how to teach the content and then trying to make or find the materials to go with it. 

If you are lucky you will end up in a faculty or team of teachers who are super generous in sharing their resources with you. If you are not then you will struggle to get through each day as you are left to find or make everything yourself. 

This is reality.

My advice – Don’t hesitate to spend money on buying ready-made resources.

I know this can be hard to hear, and as a beginning teacher, I did not want to part with my hard-earned money – because it was hard-earned. 

But reflecting now I wish I had spent a few dollars here and there on a worksheet or activity to give me a night off working from home.

Buy some resources to give you a head start in the topics you are teaching first term.

My favourite places for resources are:

• Teachers Pay Teachers
• Amped Up Learning
• TimeSavers for Teachers

What I wish I knew before my first year of teaching

3. You will waste many hours in meetings that could have been done in an email

This is a real pet peeve of mine actually. But it is true. You will sit in meetings and be so frustrated because you are drowning in marking and admin only to be stuck in a pointless meeting that could have been sent as an email.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about this. 

My advice – I would suggest taking in your laptop or notebook so at the very least you can be making to-do lists or writing down lesson ideas while you’re ‘listening’. 

4. You will spend more $ on stationary and class supplies than you will spend on yourself

I LOVE new stationery! I had no idea the amount of money I would spend in my first year of teaching getting myself ‘set up’ with pretty new gear and my classroom decorated.

My advice – don’t walk into Officeworks or Spotlight without a plan and a budget!

5. You will stay awake at night thinking about your students 

I definitely was not prepared for how emotionally involved I became with my students. I loved them. I truly loved them. Their many personalities, quirks and senses of humour. But this also meant that I cared about their problems and heartaches (of which there were many). This would often keep me up at night. 

I wasn’t prepared for this and I didn’t have the tools to be able to separate myself from the trials of my students. It almost broke me when I became a year advisor. I felt like I couldn’t save them all. But since then I have learned a lot. 

My advice – if you are a praying person then I suggest praying for your students at night and handing over their problems into the hands of God. 

If you’re not a praying person I suggest writing down the names of the students you are concerned about, folding up the paper and putting it away. This might sound silly but it will help you know you haven’t forgotten them while also allowing you to put their troubles aside for yourself. 

What I wish I knew before my first year of teaching

6. University does not prepare you for the real world of teaching

My university degree was very much a means to an end. Unfortunately, this seems to be quite common. 

While my degree was filled with educational theory, it did not prepare me for the day-to-day life of a teacher. I had very little experience in lesson planning, resource creating, writing assessment tasks, programming or even navigating difficult parent conversations and interviews. 

My first year of teaching was full on and I definitely felt like I was drowning at times.

My advice – if your school hasn’t already organised a mentor/teacher buddy for you then try to seek one out yourself. Partnering up with an experienced teacher who can help direct you and give you feedback will be such an invaluable resource for you. 

7. Not all other teachers will like you

Some teachers may find your youth or vibrancy intimidating. They may see you as a threat. They may see you as fresh meat to be taken advantage of.

I wish it wasn’t true. But in my experience, and in the experience of my other teacher friends, this is quite common. 

My advice – put your head down and stay in your own lane. Easier said than done, but try to focus on your own students and your own workload. Try to avoid anyone who drains more of your energy – you will need to save all the energy you can to get through your first year of teaching. 

8. You will be exhausted most of the time

Teaching is exhausting. The teaching workload is enormous. The emotional toll of the job is relentless. Fighting the many germs and diseases students bring to you will run you down. 

This is important to be aware of as it is essential that you carve out resting time in your week. 

My advice – In your first year of teaching it is important that you are protective of your rest time at all costs. If you decide that you won’t work on Saturdays then don’t let anything get in the way of that. If you decide you are not going to work after 5 pm on weekdays, then make sure you stick to that. 

This feels impossible at certain times in the term. But rather than adjusting how much rest time you have, you need to adjust your expectations of what you get done for work instead. 

9. You are as much an entertainer as you are a teacher

You cannot teach unless you have your students’ attention. 

This doesn’t mean you need to be a show pony as such, but trying to keep your students’ attention can often feel like more work than the actual teaching itself.

My advice – Try to keep explicit teaching sessions short and break them up with activities that allow movement and talking. 

What I wish I knew before my first year of teaching

10. It is ok to say no.

In my first year of teaching, I didn’t feel that I had any right to say no if something was asked of me. Especially by a superior. 

However, when you are in your first years of teaching it is actually imperative that you do say no. 

While your administrators and other teachers might see your energy and enthusiasm and want to capitalise on it, it’s important to say no to anything extra you are asked to do. 

If you say yes to the debating club, yes to organising the fundraising day or yes to running the school musical then you will burn out quickly and have less energy and time for your students. 

My advice – have an answer like this prepared: “Thank you so much for thinking of me for this opportunity. I would love to be considered for it in the future, however, this year my focus is on building my teaching skills and learning how to best support my students”.

11. It is ok to take a sick day (even if you aren’t “sick”)

In your first year of teaching, apart from the fact that you will probably end up sick from building your immune system to all the germs students bring into the classroom, you may also find yourself needing a “sick” day to recover from exhaustion. Because let’s be honest – you will be exhausted. Emotionally, intellectually and physically. 

An IT IS OK TO TAKE A SICK DAY.

Yes, as previously mentioned, it may feel like more work (see point #1 for my tips about that). 

But it is also important that you look after yourself and your mental health. 

My advice – take a sick day when you start to feel run down. Don’t wait until you feel like you are buried 6 ft under. 

12. You don’t need to grade everything

Oh, how I wish I knew this before my first year of teaching! I felt so much pressure to set and mark homework and make sure every little class activity had been checked over. This is not necessary! Informal assessment can take many forms and does not always require marking. 

My advice – don’t set homework unless you are required to. If you are, then make it easy short tasks. Only pick a few key pieces of work to mark throughout a term to keep your workload manageable. 

13. Your students will remember the way you make them feel – not what you teach them

Your relationship with your students will be more important than the content you teach. Your students will remember the way you treated them and the way you made them feel. 

My advice – invest in building positive relationships with your students early on. Try to take the opportunity to chat with students during class time, out on the playground, and at sport or extracurricular activities you might be involved in. 

What I wish I knew before my first year of teaching

Conclusion

Teaching is a difficult profession. But it can be made easier if you are well prepared for the day-to-day life of a teacher. I hope these 13 things I wish I knew before my first year of teaching have been helpful for you as you prepare to start your teaching career. 

You may also enjoy reading my blog post 33 top tips for beginning teachers.

Are you a teacher?

What are some of the things you wish you knew before your first year of teaching?

Please comment and let us know!

What I wish I knew before my first year of teaching.