My Survival Tips for Future Student Teachers

I know I have not finished student teaching each but I thought I would start a continuous list of tips of survival for student teaching:

1. Establish a great rapport with your cooperative teaching.
1. Your cooperating teacher is the greatest tool you will have and establishing a great relationship will make this transition and learning experience a great one.
2. Network, Network, Network.
1. One of the greatest things I did was attend the IAFCSEP conference and meet a bunch of Iowa FCS teachers.  I learned different apps and websites helpful in the classroom, and also meet a lot of people to follow on Pinterest.
3. Get Pinterest.
1. While many probably have it for personal use it is a great resource for new and creative ideas for the classroom.  It gives you a chance to follow other Family and Consumer Sciences teachers and see whats going on around Iowa classrooms and also teachers from all over.
4. Look out for Job Openings.
1. As a FCS teacher we are very much in demand, and while this might be a topic you might think you will deal with after graduation you can actually secure a job before student teaching.  The advisors at Iowa State are wonderful at sending out information about job openings and I would pay close to this.  I had a great opportunity to interview and accept a job following my student teaching.  Many FCS student teachers have this luxury as the demand is higher than the supply.  I posted my resume at iareap.net, and then waited for a reply or a tip from Iowa State.  I am blessed to have a job before I graduate, and also the chance to student teach where I will be employed.  
5. Keep all of your lessons or ideas!
1. We are starting out at scratch with our materials and resources.  Hopefully your school will come with materials you can use, but if not it is important to keep the materials you used so when you start you have somewhat of a start.  Dropbox, google drive, or a usb are great tools to keep all your files together.
6. Smile!
1. After my first lesson I got really discouraged, but I had to use a lot of positive talk to help my self esteem and tell myself it will get better.  You will have days you want to cry and that is NORMAL, and sometimes needed.  SMILE, tomorrow is a new day.
7. Clothes
1. BUY TEACHER CLOTHES IN COLLEGE.  I was advised to slowly buy teacher clothes every time I went shopping.  Well as a poor college kid I took that information and threw it to the wind.  Well now when I have no income during student teaching I am scrounging for appropriate clothes to wear.  Buying clothes for teaching can be hard it has to cover your chest and not show your lower back when you bend down.  If you do it slowly you will have a collection instead of going on a shopping spree for clothes with very little money.
8. Supportive Shoes
1. Buy shoes that you can stand in during long hours!  Also if you buy new shoes make sure to break them in before student teaching starts.  Blisters are horrible and you just have to teach through them!
9. Find time for bathroom breaks.
1. I never realized that as a teacher it seems I never have time to use the restroom!  I have to set up for each class between classes because I have so many different preps.  You have to know when you can use it and do it quickly.  It sounds silly but it does cause a problem!