Are you ready for it? We are entering the back to school zone.
Before diving into the five things that will help back to school scaries, I wanted to share some very unscientific data. I polled a small group of teachers to find out who is a planner and who is not. The results are in and the majority of teachers prefer to have a plan. I have to agree, I work better with a plan. My need to plan eliminates some of the decision fatigue, which frees space for more creative thinking. However, I want to shout out to all those teachers who crush it without a plan!
Let’s dive into the five things to do in July to make going back to school better!
Looking for resources to help with the back to school planning? I have what you need. Read on!
5 things to do in July to make back to school a breeze:
- Have a plan for classroom set-up and decor
- Plan lessons for the first week
- Have a plan for the flow of each class
- Draft your syllabus
- Map out the year, or at least the first quarter
Back to School Classroom Set Up and Decor
Have you stood in your classroom and planned it all out in your head? Making all the configurations of your desks, classroom library, supply storage, and felt like Good Will Hunting?
It makes my head spin, and I have wasted too much time standing in the middle of my room trying to visualize the next step.
Sketching out the configuration will save time when it comes to setting up. It also helps with intentional planning before moving all the desks and tables, only to have to move it all again.
Then there’s the decor. Some teachers keep it the same every year, some like to change it up each year, some are minimalist, and some have to have all the decor.
Whatever your style, having an idea of what you want your class to look like will eliminate some of those last minute runs to your favorite school supply store and save time.
Consider making a mood board, because changing up decor can lead to hours scrolling the web or searching stores for that just right idea in your head. Having a mood board will streamline searching on the web and even allow you to make some of your own decorations – if that’s your thing. No matter what, it will focus your efforts. Want a mood board template? Click here to grab an example and get started!
Back to School First Week Plan
Having the first day planned is a huge win, but nothing beats first week teacher tired (okay maybe holiday and end of year teacher tired ranks up there). But, that first day always leaves teachers TIRED. Your future teacher self will thank you for having the entire week planned with copies and lessons ready.
Teachers may not know what the first week is going to “look like” until they speak with teammates and administration.
That’s okay, plan something anyway, it’s so much easier to change plans then to make plans last minute when exhaustion and frustration are involved.
Need plans for the first week? Check out back to school stations and other back to school activities here.
Flow for Each Day
In the past, Monday was library day, this was a glorious thing…Monday was planned. We did bell ringer, first chapter Monday, library, and finished with silent reading. No Sunday scaries, because Monday was planned!
Planning the flow for each class and planning repeating topics for specific days will alleviate decision fatigue.
When planning a flow for each class, think about how to start class, what happens in the middle (is it the same every day, are other days different?), and how to end class.
- For example, bell ringer (do now), instruction for the day, work time, silent reading.
- Then plan how much time for each element of class time.
- Using my example from before and planning for a 50 minute class:
Bell ringer (do now): 5-10 minutes
Instruction: 10 minutes
Work time: 20 minutes
Silent reading: 10 minutes
This can feel idealistic because students always take longer to complete work than expected, but guide students to manage their time. Timers are a big help.
Make Mondays a grammar day, reading skills day, writing day, or whatever works for you and your students. There is no better feeling on a Sunday night than knowing that Monday is planned, and it benefits students to start the week knowing what they are doing.
Back to School Syllabus Template
Drafting a syllabus before going back to school is a quick task for the summer months.
Even if you are a new teacher, moving to a new grade, or are waiting to collaborate with a teammate, draft a template so it will be easier to fill it, instead of creating a syllabus at the last minute.
If it turns out that you have to use a different template, there is benefit to thinking through expectations and how you want your class to run. It clarifies your thoughts on late work, grades, etc.
Need an editable syllabus template to save time? Take a look at these Editable Syllabus Templates.
Map Out the Year for Back to School
Map out the entire year, or at least the first quarter. This is not meant to be a specific daily lesson plan type of planning. It is a 30,000 foot view of the year.
- Insert days off, holidays, testing dates, and anything else you know will happen.
- Layout the timeline for major units and attach standards.
It is guaranteed that things will change, things will happen, and the plans you made will have to be amended. That’s okay. Having an idea of the pace for the year will save a lot of stress. It is easier to know the plan and move it, than have to deal with a change and planning.
Back to school can fill teachers with joy and dread, but taking items off the to-do list can help limit the dread and help start the year off right.
