Every fall, teachers everywhere excitedly and anxiously look forward to a new school year. They prepare supplies, write lesson plans, and attend meetings to ensure that everything runs smoothly on the first day. But how do teachers truly prepare themselves to set foot back into the classroom? Here is a guide for teachers to help you start the new school year on the right track.
Take Time to Rest and Recharge
Contrary to popular belief, teachers do not spend the entire summer on vacation. They plan and write the curriculum, spend time gathering necessary supplies, and set up the classroom. However, in completing all of these required tasks, it is easy to get too wrapped up in the excitement and anxiety of a looming new school year. It is essential to take time to relax, unwind, and disconnect from school-related tasks over the summer. This will allow you to hit the ground running with the right mindset and with sufficient energy for the marathon, which is the first month of the school year.
Find Ways to Relax and Reset
As important as it is to take advantage of the summer months, it is even more crucial to make time for yourself once school begins. Since many tasks will quickly take over your time and attention once you are back at work, it is important to plan ahead for ways to get some relaxation during the busy school year. Something as simple as a few laps around the building at lunch, using CBD products to help you sleep, or a brief meditation before bed can be enough to help you put the difficult parts of the day behind you and reset for what comes next.
Get Organized
It is hard to be an efficient teacher without being organized. The amount of information and papers that teachers need to track and have ready to go on a daily basis requires a significant amount of advanced planning and sorting. A new school year throws an additional wrench with brand new students, different schedules, and potentially new policies or curricula that have been recently adopted. Developing or honing a system of organization at the beginning of the new school year will keep your records, parent communication, and instructional materials handy and up to date so that you are always prepared.
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Set Goals
While your school and administrators will set a lot of goals for you and your students, it’s important to reflect on what you want to get out of your school year. It is easy to get sidetracked and discouraged by the often obscure benchmarks that you are expected to shepherd your students toward, and it can lead to burnout and apathy for the job. Selecting one or several goals for yourself can help you avoid a teaching rut. Something as simple as spending more time talking with your students about their interests or sending two positive parent emails a week can help you feel in control of and successful with the year ahead.
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