It's that time of year again — time to leave summer behind and get ready to head back into the classroom. There's so much uncertainty surrounding education these days, but that doesn't mean you can't control something, and that thing is how you prepare for the back-to-school season.
We've got some helpful hacks that will help you get ready to welcome students back and start teaching them everything they need to know while hitting all your educational goals.
Get Organized
How can you tell your students to be organized if you're not organized? The answer is that you can't, which is why you need to take some time to get your classroom in order in the weeks leading up to the beginning of the school year.
This could mean deciding how you want to arrange your student’s desks or taking some time to move other things like your desk and bookshelf around. You'd be surprised to know some desk patterns will optimize the space of your classroom and help children stay engaged when in your classroom.
Remember, during the first few weeks of school, your students will have difficulty focusing because they're swapping summer stories with their friends whom they've not seen in two months. So, start out with lessons and activities that will excite them and capture their attention!
Plan Your Lessons, and Then Plan Some More
The only certain thing about the school year is that there will be several uncertainties, so you should create your lesson plans with flexible options. Always have a backup plan! The better prepared you are for anything that comes your way, the less stressed you'll feel if there's a wrench thrown into your plans for that specific time period.
For example, if you're a biology teacher and you've planned your dissections for the second nine weeks, but when the time comes, several kids are out of school, you should have optional lesson plans. Doing this ensures students aren't left without anything to do, and you won't have to scramble to figure out something to do at the last minute.
Join Forces With Other Teachers
Before the school year begins, you'll have a meeting with the other teachers in your department and determine the tactics you will use to achieve the goals for the school year. During these meetings, propose that teachers join forces.
You'll find that you can do more together than separately. Besides, when things become overwhelming, having other teachers back you up will provide you with the confidence you need to command your classroom and ensure students receive the information they need to succeed in the long term.
Communicate With Parents
Parents want to be involved in the academic environment as much as possible, so you must find different ways to communicate with parents. Communicating with parents will ensure that nothing gets lost in the crosshairs, giving parents a chance to be proactive about getting their children the help they need if they are struggling with certain subjects.
You might wonder how you're supposed to communicate with parents outside of emails and phone calls, but there are many ways to accomplish such a monumental task. You could send weekly reports on which parents can leave feedback or request a meeting if necessary.
Be sure to add a line where parents must sign stating they've seen the weekly report. You can also start a blog for the classroom that is shared only with parents. This way, they're aware of what their students are learning and doing while at school.
We understand you've got loads to get done before your classroom is ready for back to school, but don't forget to check our blog for more teacher tips and free activities that you can use with your class. Also, don't miss out on our weekly Back-to-School sales this August, where you can get your hands on useful classroom resources for this year!