As the summer season ends, educators everywhere could use some Back to School tips! I asked my Facebook followers what their favorite back to school tips were and compiled a list. Here are my 10 favorite!
Back to School Tips
Karissa‘s advice was my favorite! She said “have fun with it! The first weeks are stressful and hectic just as much for the kids as for you. Just remember its all going to work out so have fun with teaching those babies, and they’ll have fun too.” So often we get caught up in OUR stress that we forget about the kids when we are really there for the kids!
Kelsey says “do all you can to get a good night of sleep before the first day and really the whole first month!!” Ahh sleep. Sleep is so important and often one of the first things to go when we get busy. You have to take care of yourself so you can take care of others.
Julie says, “seek out those veteran teachers and get advice from them. They’ve done many years of back to school and can help you get ready.” Yes! Please don’t forget to rely on the ones who have been there, done that.
Pam says, “do your best, but remember that things won’t be perfect and that’s okay. Stay positive and remember that every day is a new day!! Every. Day. You start new everyday.
Jennifer says, “It’s all good!” and go with the flow. Schedules might get mixed up, there might be lines in the cafeteria, kids might melt down and it may be too hot to go outside for recess (here in Oklahoma that’s a thing) but at the end of the day it’s all water off a duck’s back. Don’t sweat the small stuff!” Sweating the small stuff will stress you out! I like to teach my 2nd graders the word flexibility.
Carolyn says, ” Make sure you have the basics covered. Know how each child is going home, what your schedule is, etc The rest will fall into place.” Ahhhh…. I swear the most stressful thing I do on the first day of school is send kids home! I worry about getting their transportation right and think that is the most important thing.
Rhoda says, “Have your house in order before school starts so that isn’t stressing you either.” Uggg, I struggle with this All. The. Time. Seriously… I feel like I can have it together at home OR at school.
LaNessa says, “My tip is to remember to take time for yourself! Decompress after school.” Again, you can’t help others if you are empty. Check out my blog post that shares 5 ways to practice self-care on the first day of school!
Jacob says, “Figure out who is likely to cause problems and start building the relationship quickly.” The key to behavior problems is relationship building. If you can get that child on your side, you can change the dynamics of the classroom.
Angie says, “Start the year knowing your rules, consequences, procedures and expectations. Start strong with them from the beginning. It’s easier to lighten up if you realize you are being too strict but it’s difficult to get stricter.”
Bonus Back to School Tip
Here are a few tips from me!
- Make a list of priorities! The beginning of the school year can be overwhelming. Make a list of priorities and tackle those first!
- Relationships! Relationships! Relationships! Developing good relationships with families and students will help you tremendously!
- Focus on Classroom Routines! Check out my three favorite routines to teach students or how to build a morning routine for yourself.
Do you have any Back to School Tips to share? Drop them in the comments below!
