OTT 252: Teaching Sanity 101

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The back-to-school jitters aren't just for students—teachers face them too! As summer winds down and classrooms beckon, even the most experienced educators find themselves wrestling with familiar questions about those crucial first weeks.

This episode dives into three universal teacher concerns. First, we explore which classroom routines deserve immediate attention during those precious opening days. Beyond just covering the basics of lining up and supply management, you'll discover the game-changing "Three Before Me" strategy that transforms student independence while saving your sanity from endless interruptions. You'll learn practical ways to make routine practice engaging rather than tedious, and why focusing on just a few key procedures initially yields better results than overwhelming students with every classroom rule at once.

Next, we tackle the delicate balance of behavior management. Forget the outdated "don't smile until Christmas" advice—you can establish clear boundaries without becoming the feared disciplinarian. The secret lies in mutual respect and consistent kindness. Students who feel genuinely seen and appreciated naturally rise to meet expectations, creating a classroom culture where learning thrives. Discover specific language and strategies to redirect behaviors while preserving student dignity and strengthening your classroom community.

Finally, for those feeling overwhelmed before the first bell even rings, there's reassuring perspective about classroom readiness. The perfectly decorated, meticulously organized spaces showcased on social media represent an unrealistic standard. Real teaching happens in spaces built with flexibility, authentic connection, and responsiveness to the actual students who walk through your door. Your presence and relationship-building skills matter infinitely more than picture-perfect bulletin boards.

Whether you're stepping into your first classroom or your twenty-first, these honest, practical answers will help you approach the new year with confidence and calm. Remember—you bring the magic that transforms four walls into a place of growth and discovery. Here's to finding joy in the journey!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to One Tired Teacher.
Episode 252, three questionsevery teacher asks at the start
of the year and real answersthat help.
So today we are going to breakit down and we're gonna talk
about the beginning of the year.
We are at the end of July, soback to school is either about

(00:21):
to happen for you next week, orit's happening very soon, and
now we have no choice.
We've got to get into it.
So the start of the school yearit brings fresh notebooks, new
names to learn and a whole bunchof questions that every teacher
, new or seasoned, asks.
Today we're tackling three ofthe most common beginning of the

(00:41):
year questions and I've gothonest, heart-centered answers
to help you breathe a littleeasier.
So let's jump in.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Welcome to One Tired Teacher.
And even though she may need anap, this teacher is ready to
wake up and speak her truthabout the trials and treasures
of teaching here.
She is wide awake.
Wait, she's not asleep rightnow, is she?
She is awake right.
Okay, From Trina Devery,Teaching and Learning your host,
Trina Devery.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Hey, so we're talking , you got questions, I've got
some answers for you, so let'sjust get right to it.
So here's a question that Ioften hear and I've heard for so
many years, and that is whatroutines should I teach first?
Okay, so you want to start withwhat they need to do every

(01:37):
single day, the necessary things, whether it's like how they
enter the classroom.
You know, what are they doingwhen they enter the classroom.
Are they just coming right in?
Are you at the door?
Do they come to bell work?
Do they start with a soft start?
What are they doing when they,when they first come in, what do
you want this to look like?
Also, lining up this is a bigone for most people, like most

(02:01):
principals and schools have theexpectation that you're going to
walk down the hall quietly in asingle file line, and I don't
think that's changed much.
I feel like they've been doingthat for like forever, for
hundreds of years.
That's what it feels like.
I always wonder what it wouldbe like if kids were just
walking in a group down the hall.
You know, just chattingcasually.
It would probably be mass chaos, but anyway.

(02:23):
So what do you want it to looklike for lining up?
How about using supplies, likeare you going to have team
supplies, individual supplies?
Is there like a limit to howmany times they can get a new
pencil or sharpen their pencil,or are they allowed to get up in
the middle of you speaking?
What about having to go to thebathroom?
What's your procedure with thebathroom and getting water and

(02:44):
things like that?
Like those are the kind ofthings that you want to focus on
right away.
And also what's your procedurefor them asking a question or
for them needing help?
Let me give you one that's oneof my favorites and it is three
before me.
That's what it's called.
Three before me.
That means that the child whohas a question has to ask three

(03:06):
other people the question firstand they might have the answer,
and then it's solved.
If they, once they've askedthree people and all three of
those people don't know theanswer, those three people and
the child with the people don'tknow the answer, those three
people and the child with thequestion then can come to you or
raise their hands together withthe question.
This saves you so muchaggravation and you don't have

(03:28):
to answer every teeny, tiny,ridiculous question all day long
.
So I think three before me islike a miracle worker.
And then I would even say tothe child they came to me
without the three people.
Did you ask three before me?
And if they're like but, but,but, did you ask three before me
?
Or unless it's an absolute,like dire emergency, that would
be a little bit different.
But even then they could be likeI'm bleeding to three other

(03:49):
people and they go okay, let'sgo.
And if you've practiced thisprocedure it works like a charm.
So that's that procedure.
It works like a charm.
So that's that's one Irecommend.
But you want to keep it simpleand you want to practice often.
You want to make practicing funtoo, because that way they'll
remember it.
I always do like a reallyspecific non example of
something like I completely gooff the other end of the you

(04:13):
know spectrum with my behaviorof like this.
You know I'm like dragging myfeet to the line or I'm talking
or yelling or pushing or shoving, like I want them to see a
non-example and they also thinkit's funny when I'm acting like
this.
And then I want them to see areally good example and then I
let kids show a really goodexample.
So practicing is so important.
They're not going to be able toremember if they haven't

(04:35):
practiced.
And if you notice thatsomething is broken down, you
can stop, show it again, modelit again, teach it again and
then allow them to practiceagain.
As many times as it takesSomething to remember.
Procedures are the glue thatholds your day together.
Pick your top three and teachthem like content, model them,

(04:56):
practice them, repeat them.
You can always add more later.
So that is exactly what I wouldsay to start with.
All right, let's talk aboutquestion number two.
How do I handle behaviorswithout feeling like a drill
sergeant?
Some people will really worryabout being or coming across as
mean, and I know some people'sattitude about that is like I

(05:17):
want them to be scared of me atthe beginning and I want them to
.
You know, I want I'm going tocome across as as harsh and, you
know, disciplined in thebeginning, and then I relax a
little and if that's your style,you know you do you For me.
I'm like no, I want them torespect me.
I know they're going to be somuch better behaved if they

(05:40):
respect and love me and thatcomes from me respecting and
loving them.
That's a huge one.
So you don't need to be harsh,to be firm, and kids crave
boundaries and connection.
Focus on clear expectations andkind consistency.
That's why going over thoseprocedures and routines in the

(06:01):
beginning is so important,because you've set the
expectation.
Now, if they don't follow theexpectation, then we're going to
deal with the consequence ofthat.
But this is, let me remind youof the expectation.
Can we try again?
It goes much farther than youdidn't do.
That you know, that's it.
You're out of here or whatever.
So just be aware of that.

(06:22):
You want to narrate thepositives that you see, you know
the, I see so, and so doingthis like that, that whole
language, sometimes it feels soridiculous and you don't have to
say it like that.
You can be like I love that youpicked up your pencil and you
were ready to go.
I really appreciate that, timmy, that's really helpful.

(06:44):
And then you carry on.
You want to, and some kids somekids are really they get
embarrassed by that.
So we have to be careful ofthat too, because we don't want
to call kids out that we don'tknow yet.
We don't know their personality.
You know, maybe we just do agentle, like pat on the back and
we walk past them, or we.
You know, I have these cones ofsuccess.
They look like little trafficcones and I used to use them in
my classroom regularly and theysaid things like you're awesome,

(07:06):
you're great, you're asuperstar.
Way to go, that's what theysaid on the cones, and so they
would get like cones of successand they get to.
You know, put it on their, Iput it on their desk and they
get to keep it there for howeverlong In some cases it was an
hour, some cases it was the day.
It just really depends on howyou know how it works for you.
But anyway, so you want to, youwant to focus on clear

(07:29):
expectations and you want to bekind and consistent and you want
, like I said, you want tonarrate the positives.
You want to redirect gently andbuild relationships from day
one.
They will be so much better foryou if they love you.
They will be so much better foryou if they love you.
They will be so much better foryou when they know that you
care about them.
They will rise to meet you.

(07:50):
Most of the time, now, that'snot true all the time.
I mean, we still have peoplethat sometimes can't help
themselves or sometimes doesn'tseem like they care, but there's
always underlying reasons forwhy it feels that way or why it
seems that way.
So most of the time they wantto rise to the occasion, and

(08:10):
when they don't, that's okay.
It is a process.
It might require repeating andpracticing again, all right.
And so question number threewhat if I already feel behind.
Oh, that's the worst.
That's the worst If you werelistening to this podcast in
June, at the end of June,because you know I've taken a

(08:32):
break.
I've taken a long break.
I don't even think I said I wasgoing to, but I took a long
break in July.
I took a couple weeks off.
So welcome back in July.
I took a couple of weeks off,so welcome back.
But if you remember thatepisode, I was talking about how
I had friends that would waituntil the last second to like
come back when they had to, likethey wouldn't step foot in the
classroom before that becausethey were like no way, I am not

(08:55):
gonna.
I am gonna fight you know thisas far as long as I can.
So those people often did feelreally behind.
But this is the thing that Iwould remind them You're not
behind, you're beginning thePinterest.
Perfect classrooms are not thenorm and real classrooms are

(09:15):
built with time, love andflexibility.
If your bulletin board iscrooked or your centers aren't
ready yet, breathe, yourpresence matters more than your
prep.
You're doing enough, you areenough.
So that's the thing to keep inmind.
We want to hold on to ourboundaries and that's okay If

(09:38):
your boundary is not to stepfoot into the classroom until it
is time.
Then you hold on to yourboundaries and you'd be okay
with that.
But you had to remind yourselfit's going to your classroom is
going to look a little bitdifferent than somebody that
spent weeks in the classroomover the summer, but that's.
Their boundaries are different.
It's okay to have differentboundaries.
Everyone can do what works forthem.

(09:58):
Just remember you are enough.
All right, the questions willkeep coming, but so will your
confidence.
Trust yourself.
Take it one moment of time andremember you are the magic in
that classroom.
Thanks for tuning in today andI'll see you next time.
Until then, here's to calmhearts and strong starts.

(10:19):
Until next time, sweet dreamsand sleep tight.