Top 10: Things to do Before Student Teaching

For some of you, you're just days away from your first official day as a student teacher.  Emotions are probably high- excited, sad, nervous, and the list goes on. Some of you are probably over prepared while others are wondering where to even begin to prepare.  It was only one semester ago when I was in your shoes, so I know exactly how you're feeling (check it out here).  

Take a deep breath- it. will. be. okay! 

Today I wanted to share some things you can do in the following days to make sure you are prepared for your very first day. Here's my list of ten things you can do in the upcoming days in order to head into your semester of student teaching prepared. 

One: Gather your supplies

Take a little inventory on your school supplies. What do you have and what do you need?  The supplies you need for student teacher are a little different than if you were taking classes. You'll want a large binder to keep your lesson plans in,  pencils, black pens, colored pens, highlighters, post-it notes, agenda, notebook, markers, and anything else that makes you happy. You can check out my recommendations for supplies from my blog post back in August all about school supplies for student teaching.

Two: Checkout your wardrobe

Yesterday I shared with you my tips and tricks for dressing in business casual.  Spend some time going through your wardrobe mixing and matching different outfit combinations.  The more outfits you have created the easier it will be to get dressed. Make a list of items you need to get and items you want. Remember you're on a college budget and there is a difference between wants and needs. 

Three: Begin to create a portfolio

This sounds a little intimidating and overwhelming.  You don't have to have this perfected, but you will want to start. Begin by gathering supplies and figuring out what format you want to you. My portfolio is a digital one that is hosted by weekly.  If you have questions about this, let me know and I'd be happy to help you. 

Four: Update your resume/ cover letter

By now you should have created a resume. Take a few minutes to update it and make sure it is error free. Throughout this semester you'll have the opportunity to interview for jobs, so it will be easier if you have this done now rather than rushing to get it done later on.  The same goes for a cover letter. Begin to draft one, if you don't have one yet.  It doesn't need to be perfect, but chances are you will be working on it during one of your seminars. 

Five: Social media clean up

This should have already been done by now, but just in case it hasn't get on it.  When getting hired, your social media accounts will be viewed.  Just because you have them set to private doesn't mean that they can't be viewed.  Make sure everything you are tagged in and have posted is appropriate. The grandma test will help you (if you'd be embarrassed for your grandmother to see it, then it probably shouldn't be posted). Check for alcohol, foul language, etc. If you want to be proactive, then you could also create a professional twitter. This is a great way to showcase your digital citizenship, projects you've done with students, accomplishments you've had, etc.  

Six: Get organized

Starting off the semester organized always brought me inner peace and clarity. It's one way to feel like you have your life together, even if in reality you don't.  There's lots of different things to organize, but there's several items I definitely would.   Clean up the files on your computer, organize your room, organize your closet, and organize your bathroom. Doing this will make you feel much better. 

Seven: Go shopping

Who doesn't love a little retail therapy? Grab a friend or your mom and head out to your favorite stores. If you're stressing or have a little anxiety, it might calm your nerves.  I'm sure you've figured out somethings you need to be ready (school supplies, groceries, a lunch box, clothes, shoes). Take advantage of this time to go out and buy these items.  At the very least, you need to go grocery shopping so you can meal prep for the week.  

Eight:Do something fun 

Seriously. This is a must. Call your friends and plan something fun for the weekend.  This is your time to let loose, laugh, make a few more memories, and enjoy the time you have with friends.  Maybe go to a winery, visit an aquarium, go shopping, enjoy brunch, a night out, or watch that movie you've been wanting to see. This semester you'll feel isolated from your friends as they will be taking classes on campus and you'll essentially be adulting.  Remember it's your senior year, so you should be making memories and having fun with your friends. Use this time now before you're swamped with grading, lesson planning, applying for jobs, and all of that fun stuff. 

Nine: Meal Prep

Head over to pinterest for a little inspiration.  The more you cook now, the easier your nights will be during the week.  Start with something easy, then work your way up to more challenging things.  Checkout my pinterest board if you need some help getting started. 

Ten: Treat Yourself

The day before you begin, do something for yourself.  Get a manicure, a pedicure, buy a latte, binge watch your favorite Netflix show, etc.  Do something for yourself that will make you feel relaxed.  In the upcoming months you won't have much time to do these little things, so take advantage of your time now and #treatyourself. 

If you're still feeling lost be sure to checkout my following links for help:

Student Teaching Survival Guide

Teacher Outfits

Thursday Thoughts to Inspire Teachers

What's in my bag: Student Teaching Edition

Work Week Breakfasts

School Supplies for Student Teaching

Monday Motivation

Walk in my Week: Student Teaching Week 2

Walk in my Week: Student Teaching Updates

Good luck!

XOXO