Going #BackToSchool isn't only about the children! The start of the new school year is equally exciting, challenging and—at times—daunting for teachers, too.
At this time of year, many teachers reflect on their previous mistakes and successes. It's only natural to do so when preparing for the start of term – we all want to improve year-on-year!
Although the first few weeks of term are especially challenging for new teachers, experienced teachers are always looking to improve too. Regardless of experience, our aims are broadly the same. We all want to provide fantastic learning experiences for our pupils. We all want to improve our own teaching. If we can also save time and avoid mistakes made by ourselves and other teachers, that's a bonus too!
To help make sure you have a great start to the new school year, here's 37 tips kindly shared by teachers who entered our #BackToSchool 2019 giveaway:
Get to know your class well. Learn their strengths and weaknesses and build a classroom environment where every child feels comfortable to learn.
Get your bag ready the night before. Get up 15 mins earlier than normal so you have a relaxed start to the day
Be organised and prepared. Think ahead, but don’t forget to have fun and make time for yourself and your family!
Keep a journal and write something positive/funny in it from each day. When you are having a tough day you can read over them to remind you of happier days.
Have first two weeks planned and ready to go! Set your expectations at the beginning high and don’t let them drop.
Take time to reflect and be brave enough to go with the flow.
Make sure to give yourself time to settle back in as well as the children. We invest so much into preparing the room and the lessons for the children… remember it's another new start for us too! #worklifebalance
#BackToSchool top tip: DON'T PANIC! The wise words of Corporal Jones, Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and now – Ruth Naylor, too:
Don't panic, it will get done! ALWAYS ask for help and take it, act on it! Smile and remember why you love the job.
Make time for yourself! Prioritise and put the children first. If it doesn't impact on the children and learning it's not valuable.
Relax and spend time getting to know every child in your class.
Get your first week fully planned so you can get an early night once school starts as it’s always a shock to the system!
Don't feel afraid to ask others for help or advice. You don't have to do it all on your own.
Get a good night's sleep. Try and print all resources at the start of the week. Live marking when possible.
Always remember that September feels hard for both you and the children!
Start preparing before you need to so that you feel really ready.
Ensure you have a good work life balance - your personal life is just as important as your working life!
Keep hydrated & make sure you have lunch. Read to your class and enjoy the day!
Pace yourself as this school term is a marathon not a sprint!
Form opinions of children based on your own experiences, not others!
To know that it’s ok to feel scared about going back or starting back. I’d so say to try and plan roughly ahead as it makes weekly planning easier to do. Also to be strict with yourself about work life balance because if you don’t start off well it will only get worse and more unmanageable.
Remember you need time for your wellbeing. Take more time for what you are really there for: to educate children – not endless paperwork.
No matter how anxious you are about starting back, it will all be ok! Don't ruin the last few days of the holidays worrying about it - enjoy the break!
You will never get everything done. Do enough to not be behind and to be the teacher that your children need, but make time to sleep, eat and have a glass of wine. You can’t teach well if you are burnt out and in a constant state of panic!
Be well-planned before term starts to save time in the evenings and at weekends.
Pace yourself! It's too easy to burn out too quickly. The year will be long, the workload will be tough but we need to enjoy it or else what's the point?
Don't worry too much about everything being perfect. Lots of people post up Insta perfect rooms… they won't be like that by the end of the first day.
Get as much planning as you can done in the school holiday so you feel organised when you go back!
Be prepared to change everything you’ve organised at the drop of a hat.
Always make plenty of time for yourself (and family). Teaching is only a job!
Stay calm, and remember, keep it simple during the first week back!
Top up your secret stash of chocolate for when you get the munchies at the end of the day.
Go in with a positive attitude. Remember, you are only human, do the best you can and be proud of what you do!
My top tip: make sure you take a drink as setting up is busy and you forget. Make notes of the important dates and smile your way through. For the children greet them all on the first day with a smile and hello. Make them feel wanted.
Get plenty of sleep on the weekend before the start of term to keep you going over the next eight weeks.
Healthy snacks for break time and remember to drink lots of water!
Keep a good work and life balance. Work closely with your colleagues, you need each other.
Have places set up for all of the paperwork that will otherwise stack up on your desk, trust yourself to make the right choices for your class, and don't beat yourself up if everything doesn't always go as planned!
Is there anything better than teachers helping other teachers? Join the conversation and add your #BackToSchool tips by replying to this tweet:
37 teachers shared their advice about preparing for the start of term: https://t.co/khcEIod93o#EduTwitter: what are your top #BackToSchool tips for teachers, new or experienced?
— PlanBee (@PlanBeeTeaching) August 29, 2019
I, and the rest of the team here at PlanBee, wish you all the very best of luck for the new school year.
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