New Teacher Training Series Part Eight: How to Get R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy for Free

Click the play bar below to listen to this week's show now:

Show Notes:

If you're an elementary teacher teaching 1st - 5th grade, you're in your first, second, or third year of teaching, and you really want to join R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy, but you aren't sure you can afford it, let's talk about 6 ways you can get the Academy for FREE!

1. Reach out to your principal and find out if your school has unused PD funds that must be spent.

   To help explain the Academy and it's value for new teachers, download this PDF overview to show your principal when you're making your request.
   
   When you're talking to your principal about enrolling in the Academy, think about how your enrollment in this program can help your principal.
   
   With this in mind, you might want to bring up these key points to help your administration understand the value of the program:
   
   ✅ It will walk you through how to organize your classroom to help ensure student safety and maximize on-task learning (and you will get 70+ resources to set up your classroom easily).
   
   ✅ You will get the exact, practical, and classroom-tested steps you need to take to create and implement a classroom management plan in the first weeks of school to help minimize management issues that are so common for other new teachers.
   
   ✅ You will get access to planning and student data systems to help you stay organized all year long.
   
   ✅ You will get almost done-for-you first week of school plans and classroom-tested activities to help you create an inclusive classroom community.
   
   ✅ You will get Meet the Teacher Night resources and systems to establish and maintain parent communication and involvement throughout the year.
   
   

2. Ask your admin about enrolling in online PD for the coming school year to support you in the upcoming school year.

   Even with budget cuts, there is always funding allocated to PD that must be used for only that purpose – for the upcoming school year. Most districts will be prioritizing online PD again next year instead of face-to-face until the world opens up again, and your admin is going to quickly realize that the R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy is one of the most affordable options available online for new teachers.
   
   

3. Ask friends or family to sponsor you!

   If you just graduated from college, why not host a graduation party? Similar to when brides and grooms have a wishing well or a donation box for their honeymoon at their wedding, why not decorate a cute donation box and make a little display with your graduation cap and maybe a big bowl of fresh apples and ask for donations to the Academy to support you in this transition.
   
   If this idea appeals to you, click here to download these donation box designs to use at your graduation party!
   
   

4. If you have an upcoming birthday or other celebration, tell your friends and family that this course is the gift you need most.

   This experience is the equivalent of me bringing you a Starbucks every single week, sitting down at the child-sized table at the back of your new classroom, and walking you through it all, just like I wish someone would have done for me, and then sharing all my files and resources with you so you can enjoy this entire experience of preparing for your school year with confidence and with excitement.
   
   So if your family or your parents say to you, “Are you kidding me? We just paid for 4 years of education!”
   
   You can tell them that this course is the bridge between the theory you learned in college and the practical steps you need to take to finally do it all yourself.
   
   Consider this course as your training wheels that will give you the stability and confidence to ride on your own. 😂
   
   

5. Consider creating a simple fundraiser on Facebook!

   When I was thinking about and researching ways I could help you to get the Academy for free, I did a little digging, and I was able to set up a very simple fund-raiser on Facebook in less than 5 minutes. 😊
   
   Facebook now has the option to create a personal fundraiser for all different kinds of things, and one of those things is to raise money for education, which I think is incredible, and the money is directly deposited into your bank account.
   
   Facebook takes a 2.6% - 3% processing fee for holding a fundraiser, so you might want to ask for a little bit more than the cost of the Academy to cover those extra fees.
   
   And, if this is something that appeals to you, I’ve even created some fun, simple header art that you can use for your Facebook fundraising page cover photo that you can download by clicking here!
   
   To get started with creating your own private fundraiser on Facebook in 5 minutes, just click here.  

6. Participate in my Beginning Teacher Talk Summer Contest!

   Every year, I love coming up with creative ways to gift R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy AND my membership, The Classroom Management Club, to new teachers. So this year, we’re hosting a really fun contest that I hope you’ll be a part of! Here’s how it works:

   There are FOUR simple steps to enter the contest using a Google form:

    1. Follow me on IG @BeginningTeacherTalk and provide your IG handle so I can find you!

   2. Comment on the IG post that I’ll link to for you on the Google Form. 

   3. Leave your raving review for the podcast.

   4. Submit a one-to-two-minute video telling other teachers how my work has helped you. You can talk about how helpful the podcast has been, if you purchased my book, you can talk about how helpful that has been for you, if you’re a member of R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy, you can talk about how and why the Academy has been especially helpful for you, and/or if you’re a member of The Classroom Management Club, you can talk about how and why that has been helpful for you. But you don’t need to be part of any of my programs to enter to win.

Inside this week's show, you'll learn:

• A recap of the previous seven episodes in the series and what topics we've discussed
• 6 creative ways to get R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy for free before your first year teaching
• How your friends, family, and administration can help you in becoming a more prepared first-year teacher
• A fun, new contest you can participate in that we’ve never done before

Links & resources mentioned inside this episode: 

• Grab a copy of my book, Dear New Teacher, Here's Exactly What to Do: Your 5-Step R.E.A.D.Y. for School Roadmap for Elementary
• New Masterclass - How to Get Ready For the School Year in 5 Weeks or Less
• Beginning Teacher Talk Summer Contest
• Download the Academy Overview to share with school administration (or parents)
• Download your Academy Donation Box Designs to use at your graduation party!
• Download your Free Header Art to use with your very own Facebook Fundraiser!
• Learn how to get started with creating your Facebook Fundraiser in 5 minutes or less 😊
• Follow Dr. Lori on Instagram
• Follow Dr. Lori on Facebook
• Follow Beginning Teacher Talk on TikTok

I hope this information is helpful as you prepare for your first, second, or third year of teaching. Until next time, remember, just because you're a beginning elementary teacher, there's no need for you to struggle like one.

💛 Lori

Dr. Lori Friesen | Beginning Teacher Mentor

Creator of the R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy and The Classroom Management Club, Dr. Lori Friesen has mentored thousands of beginning teachers across the country through her workshops and courses. Host of the popular podcast Beginning Teacher Talk and author of Dear New Teacher, Here’s Exactly What to Do, Dr. Lori is dedicated to serving educators and inspiring learners. Learn more at drlorifriesen.com.

Want to listen on a different platform? Here are the links:

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts.

Click here to listen on Spotify.

Click here to listen on Stitcher.

Click here to listen on iHeart Radio.

Click here to listen on Audible.

Related episodes you might enjoy:

• New Teacher Training Series Part Seven: How to Know if R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy Is Right for You
• New Teacher Training Series Part Six: Why New Teachers Leave the Profession (And How to Avoid Being One of Them)
• New Teacher Training Series Part Five: 5 Keys to Making the Transition from Student to Teacher
• New Teacher Training Series Part Four: 4 Ways to Prevent Challenging Behavior in Your Elementary Classroom
• New Teacher Training Series Part Three: 6 Class Jobs Every Classroom Needs
• New Teacher Training Series Part Two: Choosing an Inclusive and Beautiful Classroom Theme
• New Teacher Training Series Part One: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Setting up (Or Re-Organizing) Your Classroom

Follow:

Are you following my podcast? I release fresh, new content every single week and I don't want you to miss out! 💛  Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts.

Leave a Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you are loving the podcast, I would be so grateful if you would leave me a review over on Apple Podcasts or on Audible. Each time you leave a review, Apple Podcasts or Audible recommends my podcast to other new teachers so they feel a little less alone as they navigate their first few years of teaching. 

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know how this podcast is helping you inside your classroom!

To leave a review on Audible, just click here. Under “More Options” you can select “Write a review.” I so appreciate your support in helping me get the word out to new teachers around the world.