It is a good idea to prepare for back to school. For some teachers back to school season is fast approaching, for others they are casually thinking about the next school year and mentally preparing a list of changes they want to make.
This blog post is a collection of 20 popular posts that outline the following topics: Back to School Activites and Lessons, Classroom Set Up and Organization, Classroom Management, Technology, Parent Communication and Assessment Tips, and Teacher Self Care.
Within this collection teachers will find something that will help with their back to school planning and preparation. Click on the titles of each blog post to find more information.
Back to School Activities and Lessons
It is almost time for teachers to either go back to school or start the back to school planning process. This blog post will provide five useful back to school tips that any teacher can use and share with their fellow teachers.
Starting at a new school after moving to a new home in a new city can be exciting, but it can also be nerve-wracking and stressful. As a teacher (and in many cases, the first point of contact for these students), there are many things you can you do to help your new students during their first days.
Get students moving and meeting each other on the first day. Read about my favourite back to school activities.
Lots of teachers shared their thoughts and ideas on engaging back to school activities to make the transition from summer to school more enjoyable for students. Teachers are using their summers to prepare for their upcoming classes, organize their classroom, and learn new things through professional development workshops and books.
Classroom Set Up and Organization
A step by step humour filled blog post about how to set up and organize a middle school classroom. Lots of storage and bulletin board ideas are shared to help you get started on your classroom set up planning.
Setting up a middle school classroom can be challenging to ensure that the room looks visually appealing without looking too young for the age group. It is important that your room has enough space to accommodate middle school students. Ideas for organizing classroom tools, resources and books are shared.
I am frequently lending my supplies to students, teachers and other classes. Last year only some of the things I loaned out got returned so I knew I needed an easy system of tracking where my things were going.
I firmly believe that a clean and organized classroom encourages learning, whereas a cluttered and disorganized classroom discourages learning. The simple and easy ideas listed in the blog post can be implemented at any time in your classroom.
Classroom Management
It is essential for teachers to establish effective routines, procedures and learning structures in their classrooms starting the first week of school. During one of our weekly #2ndaryELA Twitter chat teachers shared that their routines were critical to a successful school year.
Students need consistent routines and structure to be successful. Seating plans can be time-consuming to create for the teacher, and they can cause students to be upset when they are not sitting with their friends. They are, however, an important part of a classroom management plan.
Managing absences can be very time-consuming. Read about this student absence buddy system a teacher can put into place in their classroom.
Technology, Parent Communication and Assessment Tips
When I am designing a unit I use the backwards design model referenced in the Twitter chat many times. I purposely plan out the final assessment so that I know my unit plan will teach the skills for students to successfully complete the assignment.
For anyone who uses a paper gradebook using codes to keep it organized will be a time saver.
As teachers, we are addicted to giving a mark to everything we ask the students to complete. But not everything they do needs to be formally assessed for a mark. If we follow the gradual release model, students need many opportunities to practice a skill or task before they are formally assessed on it.
Technology has dramatically changed the way we teach. Students and teachers can now collaborate with peers around the globe instantly. Another important use of technology is for parent-teacher communication. This is a very important part of classroom life that can benefit from the integration of technology.
Social media sites are a great place to look for new ideas and current education trends. I have outlined in the blog post how teachers can use a few different social media sites to enhance their teaching practice.
Teacher Tips and Self Care
Teachers are busy people. We don’t have time to drive from store to store thinking about what supplies we might need. Below is a list of ten essential school supplies teachers need to have a great start to their new school year.
Teachers are professionals, therefore it is important that we dress professionally. It can be difficult to find stylish and professional looking clothes on a teacher’s budget. Read on for 10 tips to help teachers dress for success.
It can happen to any teacher —– you go to bed feeling normal and you wake up feeling terrible. In those short hours of sleep, your body stopped fighting all those germs you brought home and raises the “it’s time to rest” flag.
Teacher burnout is a real fact of a career in teaching. Every year the demands increase, but no other tasks get removed to compensate for this additional workload. It is important that teachers recognize the early signs and practice self-care to avoid burning out.
Back to School Resources
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