Discover essential tips and strategies for preparing for maternity leave as an elementary teacher. Learn how to ensure a seamless transition for your classroom and students.
There are few things that are more stressful than planning for your maternity leave when you are a teacher. Read the steps I took to successfully plan for my maternity leave (twice!)
Here are the four critical categories of maternity leave to-dos to think about as you plan your leave. Work through these, and you'll be all set.
My final Maternity Leave post is on the plans I left for my substitute, Katie. I only had to leave 2 weeks and I fully trusted Katie with my students, as she has a music degree and seems very organized as well as receptive to my teaching style. I do know that others have to write plans for their entire leave but hopefully this post can at least help you get started with a few tips! -Write them early! I had to finish writing plans the week after Henry was born because I wasn't finished. I had one week done, thank goodness, but still had to write the 2nd week. Everyone had been telling me to get them done but I didn't think Henry would decide to come at 38 weeks and thought I had plenty of time! -Make your plans as similar to the way you teach as possible while still leaving room for your sub to make them their own. This can help ease the transition for students. I was also able to use a combination of the plans I left for Katie my first week back to see where kids were and then I didn't have to worry as much about finding time at home to plan for my 1st week back- I just had to adjust what I had already written. This made my first week back in my classroom much less stressful. -Give time limits for each activity as a guide, but also make it clear that timing is flexible. Especially the first week, when Katie was introducing herself, outlining her expectations, etc. I aired on the side of over-planning and figured whatever she didn't get to in the first 2 weeks she could use later! -Link all needed files directly to the plans document. Because I was leaving Katie my school computer I was able to link SMARTboard games, youtube videos of dances, etc. directly into my plans so she didn't have to go searching through my computer (though I did leave an explanation of how to navigate my folders as well). -Be very clear about what students know and what they need to know so that your sequence and year plan can stay as close to on track as possible. I made sure to always mention what we were calling rhythm patterns and unknown solfa in every place possible in the plans as a reminder. -Leave a lot of easy review games to get the sub started. This way students can get used to the sub, but the sub can get a feel for what my students knew and how successful they would be with each concept at the same time. SMARTboard games or matching games (like Stacks Of Love or Do You Wanna Build A Snowman from my TPT Store) are a great way for the substitute to informally assess the students. Some concepts had just been presented a week or two before I left because baby boy came early so the review games gave her an opportunity to see what aspects of these concepts really needed to be worked on. They can branch off as they learn more about your students and use their own musical background to help. I am hoping to learn a few new songs when I return. -Leave information on where things are located directly in the plans so your substitute doesn't have to search all over the room! -Give access to all your favorite lesson planning materials. I made sure that all my favorite books- like 150 American Folk Songs, American Methodology, my Susan Brumfield and Jill Trinka books, Game Plan and more- were all at school so Katie could use them as needed. One final tip with your plans- be okay with letting go. It is hard for a lot of us music teachers to let go of our classes and be gone for 2 months- worrying about the pacing of the curriculum, etc. While I was in contact with Katie my whole leave, I also had to just let her teach (and she did great)! She was able to focus on what she is really good at teaching, like instruments of the orchestra, rhythms, and vocab and my students did not suffer one bit from her different teaching style. My students had so much fun with her and are always really excited when she is subbing in the building for another teacher! If nothing else, you want students to LOVE music so that when you come back they are still excited about learning to read, write, play and move- and finding JOY in it all! I hope these tips help!
Preparing for a baby is hard, but prepping for maternity leave is a project too! Learn all the steps to a successful maternity leave.
Planning for a teacher maternity leave can seem daunting, but Wife Teacher Mommy can help you come up with a long-term plan so you can focus on your baby!
My editable and complete maternity leave sub plans and units for my twelve week leave from my middle school ELA teaching job.
If you read my "Five for Friday" yesterday, then you know I am expecting. I am filled with both joy and anxiety. My due date is September 30th, so IF I make it to that date, I only have 4 weeks to prepare my classroom and students for my six week departure. Like the Type-A, OCD teacher
One of the first steps to being a millennial mom was saving for baby on one income. It was surprisingly easy, and here are the steps I took.
My editable and complete maternity leave sub plans and units for my twelve week leave from my middle school ELA teaching job.
For the past couple of days I have been talking about how to prepare for maternity leave. I will be leaving for my second maternity leave at the end of September and I am kind of freaking out that it will still be back to school season. As soon as summer began, I dove into
Get organized and be prepared for any absences, long term leaves, maternity leave, etc, with these sub folder templates and lesson plan templates! Creating these helped make my transition for maternity leave last year seamless! There are so many options included in the sub folder templates, along with a cover and tabs to organize all of your classroom information for any substitute. All of the sub folder templates, lesson plan templates, and planning page templates are editable for you to customize to your classroom. Included Templates: Sub Folder Cover Page Sub Folder Tabs Class List Schedule Specials Schedule Student Information Student Birthdays Parent Information Student Technology Computer Passwords Behavior Management (2 styles) Classroom Procedures (2styles) Classroom Supplies Health Information Class Phone Extensions Emergency Procedures Additional Information Monday Dismissal Tuesday Dismissal Wednesday Dismissal Thursday Dismissal Friday Dismissal Dismissal Student of the Week Schedule Seating Chart Carpet Spots Seating Chart Table Spots Seating Chart Curriculum Cheat Sheet Reading Cheat Sheet Literacy Cheat Sheet Math Cheat Sheet Writing Cheat Sheet Phonics Cheat Sheet Science Cheat Sheet History Cheat Sheet Social Studies Cheat Sheet Literacy Centers Literacy Groups Math Centers Math Groups Sub Plans (3 styles)* Lesson Plans (3 styles)* Monthly Curriculum Map Sheets* Weekly Overview Lesson Plans* *These templates are available to be edited on Powerpoint and on Google Slides. I hope you find these templates as helpful in organizing and prepping as I have! Happy Teaching! XO, Melanie
A great post on how I planned and prepped ten weeks of lesson plans BEFORE I take my teacher maternity leave. Not taking leave soon? You will still find easy tips on long term unit planning and storage solutions for resources, stations and more!
Can you afford to go almost 3 months with no paycheck for 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave? That was my reality and this is what I did to get through it without going broke.
Congratulations, you're having a baby! Once you find out you're pregnant, you should follow these 5 steps to Financially Prepare for Maternity Leave.
A great post on how I planned and prepped ten weeks of lesson plans BEFORE I take my teacher maternity leave. Not taking leave soon? You will still find easy tips on long term unit planning and storage solutions for resources, stations and more!
The first day teaching after maternity leave can be tough. Use these easy, fun activities to ease back into teaching and enjoy time with your students.
My editable and complete maternity leave sub plans and units for my twelve week leave from my middle school ELA teaching job.
For the past couple of days I have been talking about how to prepare for maternity leave. I will be leaving for my second maternity leave at the end of September and I am kind of freaking out that it will still be back to school season. As soon as summer began, I dove into
The first day teaching after maternity leave can be tough. Use these easy, fun activities to ease back into teaching and enjoy time with your students.
Preparing for maternity leave? These proven tips from teacher moms will help you get ready for your maternity leave now so you can enjoy your bundle of joy!
Out of all the topics I get emails about etc., this is probably the most popular… I have a lot of teacher-readers, and it seems everyone is looking for tips/advice on preparing for maternity leave and turning their classroom over to a long-term sub while they adjust to life with a new baby at home....Read More »
6 Ways to Successfully Prepare for Maternity Leave From a Real Life Teacher.
It’s hard for me to believe that this sentence is even true, but I just had my fourth baby. I’m a second grade teacher, and I just had my FOURTH baby. Who does that??? Hahah. He’s the most precious, perfect angel of a baby and I’m completely in love with him. But, even though this was my fourth
Planning your maternity leave can be overwhelming when you're unsure what to do. Learn to plan your leave in 10 steps!
Learn what a postpartum plan is and why it's key to create one before the baby arrives for a calm and smooth transition to motherhood.
Tired of having to scrounge together plans at the last minute for a sub (especially one who usually can't teach your content!)? Going on maternity leave and need to leave some filler assignments for your long term sub? High School Choir Concert Program Project Age: Developed for high school, but could be adapted for middle school, middle/high school band, and any other ensemble that performs concerts. Included in your purchase: Instructions with details and requirements to share with students Example completed program for them to model after Google Sheet with columns designed to help them meet the requirements and visualize their concert order Printable rubric, with point designations for different levels of completion This is easily pushed out remotely, including a Google Doc with the instructions/sample program and a Google Sheet with 2 tabs (Visual Aid for Students and the Rubric). Simply email to your students and then you (or long term sub, etc) can print the rubrics or grade them online once the project is submitted.
Transform your photography with the enchanting beauty of our Angel Wings Digital Backdrops. This stunning digital backdrop set features a pair of digital detailed wings in soft shades of blue, creating a heavenly and elegant atmosphere. Ideal for newborn photography, maternity shoots, and family portraits, which allows a touch of magical realism to your portraits without the need for physical props or backdrops. Instantly elevate your photos and create breathtaking works of art with this beautiful and timeless digital backdrop set.Purchasing this set of digital templates gets you:20 JPG FilesNon WatermarkedDimensions: 8000W (or wider) x 8000HResolutions: 300DPIOnce your order is finalised, you'll receive a PDF File that contains a link that allow you to instant download your files.How to useCustomize with any photo editing software that works with layers, such as Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Canva, Paint Shop Pro & many more. Proficiency in basic Photoshop skills such as masking and layering is essential when working with digital products. Luckily, our Digital backgrounds are user-friendly and simple to learn. If you're new to working with digital backdrops or need a refresher, there are countless free step-by-step tutorials available on YouTube or other platforms that can serve as a helpful reference.
Looking for thing to do on maternity leave with baby? Here you'll find a huge list of fun things to do on maternity leave!
How to Survive Having a New Baby Without Paid Maternity Leave*This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my affiliate disclosure here.This post was hard to write. I'm certainly not shy about my distaste for the US's lack of support for women and mothers, and writing this post only furthers that. Women are expected to do […]
Today, I am sharing tips and tricks for maternity leave! But first, let's face reality. There is a HUGE amount of responsibility placed upon teachers who are
One new mom's example of the routine she established with her newborn during maternity leave. Create a predictable, consistent schedule for you + your baby.
Hey, friends! I feel like it's been forever since I chatted with y'all...we currently have no internet at my house (long boring story that we hope to remedy soon!) which means I've not been able to share with you. So I'm staying late this afternoon to post a recent lesson I created for my students (this is actually a sub video! My sub and the kids LOVED it!). I was inspired by a lesson that Mr. DeWilde shared on his blog. In fact, you can purchase his lesson plan (which is different than mine and, honestly, probably better!) over on his page. DO IT. I saw his kid's projects on Instagram and immediately knew my kids would love doing it! So here's my version...feel free to use in your art teacherin' world: My sub and the kids did a great job with this! They created their sketches first and then started creating. Most did not finish...which means that next week, they will be wrapping up their big mouth's with me before heading off on Thanksgiving Break! Leaving videos for my sub that s/he is able to use with ALL grades is one of my most favorite things ever. It means one lesson for them to remember, one set of art supplies, one easy day! I have a TON of sub lessons on my blog and my YouTube channel...you are more than welcome to use in your art teacherin' world. Have a great week, y'all!
Planning for a teacher maternity leave can seem daunting, but Wife Teacher Mommy can help you come up with a long-term plan so you can focus on your baby!
For the past couple of days I have been talking about how to prepare for maternity leave. I will be leaving for my second maternity leave at the end of September and I am kind of freaking out that it will still be back to school season. As soon as summer began, I dove into
Today, I am sharing tips and tricks for maternity leave! But first, let's face reality. There is a HUGE amount of responsibility placed upon teachers who are
Check out this guest post from Alyssa Veneklase, CED-PIC, NCS, who co-authored a fantastic new book titled Supported: Your Guide to Birth and Baby!
