Hi there! My name is Stef and I am a primary school teacher in Australia. I have been teaching for 8 years, working primary in Foundation and Foundation/Year 1 classes, and in 2017 I worked as a Foundation – Year 2 Literacy and ICT coach. I’ve also spent the last four years developing an extensive Graduate Teacher program within my school to support new teachers entering the profession, and have taken on further leadership roles within my school community.
My other passions in teaching include children’s literature, integrated ICT, art/craft and the role of developmental play in early childhood education.
I created this blog (originally hosted here) to share and connect with other educators around the world. Teachers are great at building networks, and through those networks we’re able to learn and grow as educators.
I began blogging in my early teens (albeit in a very different format) and the format has always appealed to me. It’s a great platform for sharing ideas, resources, and practical, every day tips and tricks. I’ve also built up many strong friendships through blogging.
My blog works in conjunction with my TeachersPayTeachers store, where I share a few resources that I have created. That being said, due to the nature of privacy and permissions, while I do share my teaching experiences, you won’t see my students using my items. This is to respect their rights and the wishes of their families and the school.
You will, however, hear lots about teaching. I love to share my experiences. I also love to help – so if you have a question, feel free to leave me a comment on any of my posts and I’ll do my best to help out!
Outside of teaching, I love to read, drink tea, plan (and decorate my planner) and craft.
I look forward to getting to know all of you through comments and conversation, so don’t be shy!
Hi Stef, I’m a graduate teacher about to take over a Prep class at the start of Term 3…and I’m extremely excited but also overly anxious – where do I start? Its my first teaching role, and all of a sudden I feel y years of study have not prepared me for this situation. Do you have any tips or tricks you can share with me about surviving the first week?
Thanks, Jo
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Hi Jo,
Congratulations! Term 3 is a wonderful time for preps! It’s really the time they start to flourish. I know it’s easy to say, but don’t be anxious. Go in with a plan for how you want to start. Do you get to meet them before the start of term? Find out if you can get photos with their names so you can learn them. Use the first week back to get to know the students (and their families). They’ll want to get to know you, too. If you’re going to be working with a team of prep teachers, find out what topics are being covered in term 3, and what they’ve done so far this year. Hopefully you’ll get a bit of handover from the previous teacher or the team on the class. But really? The first week should be getting to know students, establishing the routines of the class and your expectations. Start the day with a morning routine and use it to get to know the students.
At school, find out what is in place for planning. Also, find out what support processes they have in place for graduate teachers. You should also have a school induction/tour, which should give you quite a bit of info. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Out of the classroom, keep your schedule light – you’re going to be tired (teaching preps is amazing and fun but tiring). It sounds silly, but set yourself a bedtime and stick to it. It honestly makes a huge difference!
You’ll have an amazing time, and if you have any more questions, let me know!
Stef
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