Episode Details

Are you a new kindergarten teacher preparing for your first year in the classroom? Or maybe you're switching grade levels and wondering what makes kindergarten so different from every other grade?

In this episode, I'm sharing my biggest piece of advice for new kindergarten teachers: assume they don't know how to do anything.

From lining up and walking in the hallway to using the bathroom, sitting at the carpet, and using school supplies, kindergarten students need explicit instruction for routines, procedures, and expectations that older students often take for granted.

I'll share stories from my own first year teaching kindergarten, the mistakes I made, and what I wish I had known before those five-year-olds walked through my classroom door.

If you're preparing for the beginning of kindergarten, the first week of school, or your very first year as a kindergarten teacher, this episode will help you focus on what matters most: building relationships, teaching routines, and creating a classroom environment where students can succeed.

In this episode, we discuss:

• My unexpected journey into teaching kindergarten
•  Why new kindergarten teachers should assume students know nothing
• The importance of explicitly teaching classroom routines and procedures
• Common beginning-of-kindergarten surprises
• Why relationships and routines matter more than academics at the start of the year
• Preparing students to use school tools successfully

Resources Mentioned:

🔗 Free School Tools Worksheets

🔗 First Week of Kindergarten Blueprint

Show Notes: https://kindergartentoolbox.com/new-kindergarten-teacher-episode-24/