Schools are now on summer break, and educators have time to recharge. Take a moment to reflect before the school year begins and consider what you might do differently this year in order to make your students’ experiences more fulfilling.
With the coming of a new school year, educators can expect to see several changes in their day-to-day life. Here’s what you need to know about preparing for this upcoming academic season so it isn’t too stressful and your brain doesn’t get fried from all the work!
The “back to school teacher checklist” is a list of things that teachers can do in order to prepare for the upcoming school year. This includes organizing the classroom, setting up the curriculum and getting their students ready.
For educators, students, and families, the end-of-year festivities in 2021 certainly provided a stronger feeling of achievement than usual, but we understand the past few months may have been a haze.
How can educators effectively reset this summer to prepare for the next school year? Here are some suggestions from the NIET team on how to recover and refresh in the coming weeks.
Recognize your accomplishments and let go of your obstacles.
It’s easy for the lows to outnumber the highs in a year like this. List your “wins”—even little ones—and new learnings in a box on a piece of paper to counteract this mindset. Write down the difficulties from the previous year that were beyond of your control outside of the box. It will be easier to let them go if you remove them from your inner space. In the box, circle one accomplishment you’d want to replicate next year and write down the specific measures you’ll take to make it happen. This will help you concentrate on the good aspects of your job.
Thank your instructors and pupils with thank-you letters.
Acts of appreciation, according to research, may make individuals happy. Did a colleague go above and beyond to assist you this year? Which pupils made a nice gesture toward you or others? Consider sending them a thank-you letter to let them know that their efforts were seen and valued. Your kids and classmates will feel appreciated, and you will have developed important connections that will carry over into the next year.
Make a thankfulness notebook (or gratitude sticky notes) to keep track of your blessings.
Spend a few moments thinking about what’s going well and what you’re pleased of. Nothing is too insignificant. Before school begins, you might choose a few things to share with your team, and do so on a regular basis throughout the year to keep morale up. For example, you could make it a habit to reflect on what you are thankful for every Friday afternoon. Keep the notebook or notes close to you so you may refer to them anytime you need to refocus.
Choose a “word” for the next year.
Is there a term to describe the attitude you wish to cultivate in the next year? It may be a verb such as “motivate” or “accelerate,” or a personality characteristic such as “resilience.” When you’ve found your word, frame it and hang it on the wall of your classroom. Make a list of activities to help you stay focused on your word. Better still, offer activities that your students may do in conjunction with your teaching to help them “own” the word—and the learning—as well.
Make a positive affirmation a habit.
The most basic phrases may have the most profound implications. “This year was difficult, but I tried my best and made a difference in the lives of my students,” you may say this summer. Alternatively, “This year was different, yet the job I performed was important.” “You are compassionate,” “You are loved,” or “You have tremendous inner strength” are some examples for the next year. Create or choose an affirmation that speaks to you and practice saying it on a regular basis.
Refocus your efforts on your “why.”
Refocusing on why you chose to teach/educate, what your philosophy is, and what motivates you on a daily basis will offer a source of strength in a constantly changing environment. Make a list of why you became an educator this summer and return to it when you need to take a step back and reflect. This may also be a good team-building activity, as it allows you to encourage one another and keep everyone focused on your school’s goals and objectives.
Support instructors’ and students’ academic as well as social-emotional needs.
Consider how you might continue or expand on strategies for addressing the social-emotional needs of teachers and children this summer. The need to foster mental health will be equal to or greater than previously with the return to full-time, in-person teaching and effort to close learning gaps. Integrating social-emotional learning techniques into your teaching or leadership activities can assist instructors and students develop trust and create a safe environment.
Make the most of technology to help your school community form stronger bonds.
While “Zoom fatigue” exists, smart use of online platforms may bring the school and community closer together. Working families have benefited greatly from online parent-teacher conferences and neighborhood town halls in the last year. Teachers, students, and families have relied on platforms like Seesaw and Google Classroom to submit assignments, give comments, and monitor academic progress. Consider the advantages of internet technologies in your school and how you might use them to improve educational opportunities for your kids and foster community.
Make a “wellness buddy” list.
Have you depended on a colleague or friend for intellectual and/or emotional assistance throughout the pandemic? In the next year, think about continuing this connection or starting a new one. Participating in wellness activities with a trusted colleague or friend, enjoying achievements together, and facing difficulties together may offer much-needed comfort, strength, and emotional relief throughout the year. On Wednesday afternoons, maybe you could go for a walk together or hold each other responsible for not focusing on the bad.
As schools navigate new learning and build their communities during the epidemic, recharging and resetting will look different this summer. Educators, their teams, and students can prepare for a successful school year and enhance their role as lifelong learners by taking easy, practical actions today.
This article first published on the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching’s website.
The “first day of school procedures checklist” is a guide to help make the first day of school go smoothly. The list includes everything from how to set up your classroom, what supplies you’ll need, and what other things you should be prepared for.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do teachers prepare for school year?
A: Teachers prepare by doing things like setting up lesson plans, figuring out how they want their class structure to be laid out and what expectations they have for students. They will also set goals for themselves as far as grading goes.
How do you prepare for a successful school year?
What can teachers do to make students successful?
A: In order to make students successful, they should focus on the following areas.
-Making sure that homework is done and turned in on time.
-Encouraging student creativity through an exploration of new techniques and methods for project work.
-Making small changes in class activities or assignments based on what students would find most engaging 。
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