BACK TO SCHOOL PLANNING TIPS AND A FREEBIE!

The sun is shining. Summer is upon us. Back to school is a distant reality. But, what if you could prolong your relaxation? The back-to-school season can be both exciting and overwhelming. To set the stage for a successful year, careful planning is crucial. Let me help!

Here are 5 essential tips to help you with your back-to-school planning (And a FREEBIE!):

1. Create a Schedule: 

Start by noting down important dates, such as the first day of school, holidays, and reporting deadlines. Allocate specific time slots for curricular units and topics. This roadmap or pacing guide will help you maintain a clear vision of the overall progression of the school year, ensuring a cohesive and logical flow of instruction. 

Click to see more!

2. Establish Classroom Procedures and Expectations:

Set clear and consistent classroom procedures and expectations from the first day of school. Communicate these guidelines to your students and discuss them openly. Establish routines for transitions, materials management, and classroom behaviour. 

Click to see more! 

3. Organize Classroom Materials and Resources:

Determine what materials and resources are needed. Think about where things will be stored, how students will access needed materials, and how will they submit their work. Arrange student desks, bulletin boards, and small group instruction to maximize functionality and promote a visually appealing environment. Designate areas of the classroom for certain activities to ensure smooth transitions. Label and store supplies, books, and instructional materials in a logical manner for easy accessibility throughout the year.

Click To See More!

 

4. Develop Assessment Strategies:

Devise a variety of assessment strategies to gauge student progress and inform your instructional decisions. Plan formative assessments such as quizzes, discussions, and observations, as well as summative assessments like tests and projects. Create checklists and forms which will document student progress.

                                                                      

Click to see more!

5. Plan for Self-Care: 

Remember that taking care of yourself is just as important as academic success. Prioritize self-care activities such as exercise, healthy eating, and sufficient sleep. Incorporate relaxation techniques like meditation or hobbies into your routine to help reduce stress. Plan regular breaks during the week to recharge and avoid burnout. 

FREEBIE

Join my email list and I will send you a back-to-school FREEBIE!


With planning, you can kick-start the new school year on a positive note. Best of luck in the upcoming school year!  

Organizing Your Bookmarks

Visual Organization

I have included some tips for organizing your browser to help you find frequently visited sites quickly , obtain more space on your Bookmarks Bar, and to hide sites you may not want students to see when screen recording. Do students really need to see my Amazon order or that I bookmarked a wine lover site?

Organizing The Classroom BEFORE The First Day

Prepping the classroom can be overwhelming. Managing classroom materials, students, lesson plans, and organizing the environment… where to start?! 

Fear not, you are definitely not alone in this quandary. Teachers have more paperwork, activities, files, writing implements, paper, books, plans, books, stickers, and arts accessories than can possibly be fit into one classroom. 

While there are many ideas on how to organize, the act of organizing is a very personal endeavour. There is not a “one size fits all” implementation plan for managing classroom materials, students, or lesson plans, and much of it is trial and error.

However, some resources for helping teachers through the organization process can help prepare and define their classroom, while allowing for personalization of the environment.

I have designed three resources to help get your classroom ready:

1. Preparing the Classroom Before The First Day 
2. Classroom Planning and Management
3. Subject Organization

The first resource, Preparing The Classroom, focuses on organizing the environment before the students arrive for the first day of school. The included materials and suggestions help your students know where items belong and to identify designated areas in your classroom. Included in the resource are: 

1. Organizing Your Themes and Units
2. Organizing Students' Submission of Work 
3. Organizing Storage of Students' Notebooks and Duotangs
4. Labelling Designated Areas In the Classroom
5. Organizing the Classroom Library