Starting kindergarten for the first time can feel exciting, overwhelming, and just a little intimidating. Whether you’re a brand-new teacher fresh out of college or you’re transitioning from another grade level, there are a few things every new kindergarten teacher should know before the school year begins.
The truth is that teaching kindergarten is different from teaching any other grade level. Many kindergarten students have never been in a school building before. They don’t automatically know how to line up, sit on the carpet, transition between activities, or use classroom supplies appropriately. That’s why preparing for the first week of kindergarten requires more than lesson plans and classroom decorations.
In this episode of The Kindergarten Toolbox Podcast, Amy shares the biggest lesson she learned during her first year teaching kindergarten and the advice she wishes someone had given her before those first five-year-olds walked through her classroom door.
If you’re searching for new kindergarten teacher tips, first year kindergarten teacher advice, beginning of kindergarten strategies, or first week of kindergarten ideas, this episode will help you focus on what matters most and avoid some of the most common mistakes new kindergarten teachers make.
One of the biggest surprises for new kindergarten teachers is realizing just how much kindergarten students need to be taught. It’s easy to assume that children already know how to follow classroom expectations, line up, walk in the hallway, use classroom materials, or ask for help appropriately.
But the reality is that many kindergarten students are walking into a school building for the very first time.
They aren’t intentionally ignoring directions when they don’t line up correctly or sit on the carpet the way you expected. Often, they’ve simply never learned those skills before.
That’s why Amy’s biggest piece of advice for new kindergarten teachers is simple: assume they know nothing and teach everything.
When you shift your mindset from expecting students to already know these skills to intentionally teaching them, you’ll find yourself feeling less frustrated and much more successful during those first few weeks of school.
Many teachers spend the summer planning literacy lessons, math activities, and center rotations. While academics are certainly important, the beginning of kindergarten is really about something else.
It’s about building relationships and establishing routines.
Before students can successfully learn letters, sounds, sight words, and numbers, they need to understand how your classroom works. They need to know what happens when they arrive each morning, how to transition between activities, where materials belong, and what classroom expectations look like.
When students feel safe and understand the routines, learning becomes much easier.
Strong kindergarten classroom management starts with consistency, predictability, and clear expectations. That’s why the first week of kindergarten is often less about academic content and more about teaching students how to be successful members of your classroom community.
The time you invest in teaching routines early will pay off all year long.
One of the most valuable things you can do before school starts is think through the little details of your day.
What will students do when they walk into the classroom?
How will they line up?
How will they use the bathroom?
How will they ask for help?
How will they use crayons, pencils, scissors, glue sticks, and other classroom tools?
For many new kindergarten teachers, these procedures seem obvious until students arrive and demonstrate that they truly don’t know what is expected.
That’s why explicit instruction, modeling, and practice are essential in kindergarten.
Kindergarten students need to see what success looks like. They need opportunities to practice classroom routines repeatedly. They need clear expectations and patient guidance as they learn new skills.
Amy also shares why teaching students how to use school tools appropriately is one of the most important things you can do during the first weeks of school. When students understand how to use and care for classroom materials, they become more independent, more confident, and better prepared for academic learning.
š FREE Editable Classroom Management Plan
Need a place to organize your classroom rules, consequences, procedures, behavior systems, and communication plan?
Grab the free editable Classroom Management Plan and walk through all five classroom management decisions discussed in this episode. You’ll see examples from a real kindergarten classroom and create a plan that fits your own students, routines, and teaching style.
Creating a classroom management plan is the first step.
Kindergarten Behavior Blueprint shows you how to implement that plan with real five- and six-year-olds. Inside, you’ll learn how to teach expectations, use visuals effectively, build routines that stick, encourage positive behavior, and create systems that help your classroom run more smoothly all year long.
If you’ve ever thought, “I know what I want my classroom management plan to be, but how do I actually teach all of this to kindergarten students?” this training was created for you.
Teaching Exceptional Kinders Links and Resources:
The Kindergarten Writing Toolbox
The Kindergarten Management Toolbox
Follow me on Instagram @teachingexceptionalkinders
More about The Kindergarten Toolbox Podcast
Welcome to The Kindergarten Toolbox Podcast, your go-to guide for creating calmer classrooms and more confident writers in the wonderfully unique world of kindergarten.
Iām Amy Murray ā former kindergarten teacher, Type C āorganized-in-pilesā human, and vanilla-latte enthusiast. After years of helping teachers streamline their classroom routines with tips and tools that actually make sense for 5- and 6-year-olds, I created this podcast to support you with the practical strategies youāve been craving.
Each episode is short, actionable, and designed to help you:
ā simplify classroom management
ā reduce behavior chaos with systems that stick
ā teach writing in a way that meets beginning writers where they are
ā build routines that make your day flow
ā use visuals, tools, and expectations that really work in K
Whether youāre a brand-new kindergarten teacher or a seasoned pro looking for clarity and calm, youāll find step-by-step support to help you feel more confident and in control.
Because kindergarten isnāt just the new first grade, itās a world all its own, and you deserve tools that actually work.
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Hereās to calmer days and more confident writers!
