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Dear First Year Pernille,
You did it! You got the job you set your heart on and now comes the part you have been looking forward to; teaching! I know life has a lot in store for you this first year, already you are 4 months pregnant on the first day of school, and yet there are just a few things I want you to know before you start.
Stop stressing over your room! Now is the time to be outside going for a walk, not laboring over the placement of posters, bulletin boards or welcome signs. The kids will hardly notice it so give yourself a break. Even if it feels like a hallway bulletin board competition at times - it's not.
Ask more questions. Your teammates are some of the kindest and smartest people around. Don't feel that you are a burden or that you should already know. You are new, don't feel like you have to act like you already know the answer.
Trust your gut. Feel that little tingle in your stomach? Besides the baby, that's your intuition trying to tell you to listen to it. So absolutely go ahead and use some of those same programs but then spend some time finding yourself as well. Make this your room with your teaching style, not a watered down version of someone else's.
Allow yourself to fail. The students love it when we fail, why? Because it shows we are humans. The sooner you embrace your failures as another step in learning, the sooner you can get over it, and the more you will be a role model for the kids.
Don't beat yourself up. Not everything will be perfect, even for an overachiever like yourself. Some days will be amazing, others will not. Don't worry there will be more good than bad but when those bad ones come around - give yourself a break.
Smile. Love. Laugh. Share. Think. Reflect. Question. Be kind. Be brave. Be you. Everything is going to be just fine. Oh, and do get on Twitter.
