Back to school is an exciting time for teachers and students! It can also be hectic and overwhelming too, especially for teachers!
I always love the start of the school year! Something about a fresh start, clean slate, setting up and organizing my room… It is always so rewarding.
Over the years, I have found what works well and what does not for me and my students when it comes to setting up at the start of the school year. Below are the things that I do and use during the first few weeks of school.
For myself:
- Set up my desk and classroom in a functional and organized way.
- Planner & Desk Calendar to keep track of important dates, meetings, PLC’s, grading periods, Pep Rallies, etc.
- Set up my “snack” area. (I always have a little table behind my desk that holds my percolator to make tea or coffee, water, and snacks to eat during the day.)
- Not over commit myself during the year. (It is okay to say no.)
- Use my planning time wisely during pre-planning and during the year. (The more you get done at work the better!)
- Create and store Emergency Sub Plans for at least 5 days. You just never know what is going to happen! Better to be prepared!
For my classroom:
- Set up lamps to use for softer lighting.
- Hang up lights around my whiteboard.
- Plug in air fresheners. (I like to use an air wick or similar to make my room smell nice. I also like to match it to the season.)
- Set up student textbooks, workbooks and turn in bins by class period and section.
- Set up Request to Retest, Missing Work Slip Forms, etc. on the bulletin board.
- Hang up Cell Phone Chart and Policy. (Large calculator holder, numbered 1-30. I got mine on Amazon.)
- Update wall posters if needed.
For the first week of school:
- Lesson Plans- keep it simple, fun and introductory. I start my curriculum the second week of school.
- Introduce myself with a PowerPoint.
- Students complete the Questions Pour Les Premiers Jours and the C’est moi! Presentation.
- Syllabus – Go over with students.
- Seating Chart – I do this around the 2nd or 3rd day of class.
- Assign Student numbers for Cell Phone slot and in class textbook.
- Go over rules and procedures – I do this on the 2nd and 3rd day of classes. I also reiterate the rules and procedures during the first few weeks of school too.
You can find the items I use in my classroom for back to school and more on my TPT Store during the site-wide sale. You can save 25% off with code BTS23, including bundles!
Happy Shopping!
As always, I hope that you have found this information useful and helpful to you!
Merci,
Amanda