Getting Ready for Back to School

Ahhh summer break, that magical time of year every teacher thinks about during the
stressful moments of the school year. Summer is the time of year that both teachers
and students alike, take some much needed time to relax, recharge, and get ready for
the next school year.
Somehow, summer break always seems to fly by faster and faster as the years go on!
By the time you get used to your summer schedule or routine with the family, it’s time
to get back into work mode again! The beginning of every school year can be
overwhelming and exciting at the same time. Here are some things you as a teacher
can do ahead of time to get ready for back to school.
1. Prepare What You Can
If you are fortunate to know your class roster in advance, this can be helpful in
getting ahead on preparing any materials you would like to have ready for the
students. Name tags can be personalized, as well as notebooks, folders, and
pencils can all be set aside, ready to go for when the students arrive.
Even if you’re not exactly sure which or how many students you will be teaching
next year, you can begin to gather the materials you would like each student to
have for the upcoming year. Each school district is different, so depending
on how your district handles student materials, you may not even need to be
concerned too much about the basic supplies. Anything else you might want for
the students could be added as an extra touch to start off the school year!
2. Decide on Classroom Set Up
I have used some fun and creative bulletin boards in the past yet each year I
always come across a new one that I would like to try. To help get ready for
back to school, decide which displays or bulletin boards you would definitely like
to incorporate into your classroom this year. Some bulletin boards are useful
year after year, however sometimes it is necessary to change things up a little
bit. Make these decisions in advance so you’re not stuck contemplating what
you would like to do during the first few days back into the building.
Designating certain areas for the classroom has always been helpful for
classroom flow and management. Before each school year begins, I like to
already have a place in mind for small group work areas, reading areas, center
work areas, or even the classroom library. I think it is has been helpful to reflect
on what has worked in the past. Then, decide whether to keep that area, move
it, or create a new space for certain learning activities.
 3. Get Organized
Did you leave any outdated materials, paperwork, or lessons plans in your desk
over summer break? What about your classroom closet? If you’re like me, you
might hang on to some materials for a while “just in case” you might need them.
Take some time to decide if these materials will really be helpful to you this year
or not. From what I’ve learned in the past, I tend to re-work or modify a lot of
different materials each year. Keep what you think is necessary and take some
time to recycle, donate, or simply get rid of things that you do not think you will
be using in the future.
Don’t forget about your digital items too! Is your computer desktop cluttered?
What about your work email or USB? Do you have files everywhere? Take some
time to get organized. Organize materials into easily accessible folders, freshen
up your classroom newsletter, class website, or create any new logs for this
upcoming year. These are quick changes that you can do prior to the school year
to give yourself more time during the official start of back to school.
When school is officially back in session, every teacher knows how long your To-Do list
grows. Carving out a little bit of time each week prior to the first day can really help
save your sanity during the first few weeks of school. These tips might not seem
world-changing now, but when you are back into the swing of things with beginning of
the year meetings, introductions, professional development, and back to school nights,
you will be glad you gave yourself a little bit of a head start. Try out some of these
suggestions this year and see what else you can come up with to help you get ready for
back to school.