19 Must-Read Posts for a Successful Back-to-School Season

Professional Development and Inspiration

Back-to-school season is one of the most stressful and exciting times of the year! For teachers, back-to-school season is like the holidays and the Super Bowl combined! There’s so much to get ready, so much to plan, and so many possibilities. Teachers are getting ready to meet new students, start fresh, and make new memories.

Since there’s so much happening at the start of the year, I wanted to round up the 19 most-helpful posts about back-to-school season! Putting all these resources in one place has inspired me, helped me organize my thoughts, and put together a game plan for preparing for the first day of school!

Blue backpack, closed Macbook with stickers, open planner under black text that reads: 19 Must-Reads for A Successful Back-to-School Season

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Back-to-School Season Essentials

The Syllabus: For me, getting my syllabus organized and copied is one of the most stressful and important pieces of back-to-school season. Once I have the syllabus in order, I start to feel like everything is in place. Check out this post for Syllabus Design Tips and a freebie! Mix up Syllabus Day with these 3 Alternatives to a Traditional Syllabus Day!

Classroom Community: Once the syllabus is copied, I’m ready to tackle classroom design. The way teachers arrange a classroom, set up student spaces, and orient the room creates an important first impression for students and parents. Here are some posts to help you build the perfect classroom environment:

Teacher Inspiration: For me, one of the best parts of back-to-school season is reconnecting with my colleagues and meeting new professionals. There’s nothing like the energy of another engaged professional to get you excited for the new year! That’s why I wanted to share these inspiring posts with you:

Lesson Planning for a New School Year

Bell Work: In terms of lesson planning, bell work is what makes me feel most organized. I plan and copy most of my bell work before school starts. Having prepared bell works tells students that you’re ready for their arrival, and it says that you value their time. Read my 5 Favorite Bell Work Options.

Class Journals: Similarly, classroom journals are an important part of how I encourage students to write regularly. While I can’t predict exactly what journals I will want for the entire year, I like to line our journal prompts for the first few weeks. Check out this post about The Importance of Journaling in High School English.

Lesson Plans: Once I have my bell work well in hand, I turn my attention to more traditional lesson plans. My lesson plan template runs in Google Sheets and features drop-down menus for convenience and efficiency. A few years ago, I described and shared my Lesson Plans for the First Three Days of Secondary ELA. And I did the same the year before with Planning the First Weeks in Secondary.

Classroom Activities for Back-to-School Season

First Day Stations: Back-to-school season can be as nerve-wrecking for students as it is for teachers. For this reason, students often bring a lot of nervous energy into class on the first day, which is why I try to get students up and moving on Day One. Read this post about Back-to-School Stations to read about my plans for the first day of school.

Writing Right Away: When I build my stations, I like to include frequent writing opportunities. Even last year when the pandemic prevented me from using traditional stations, I still looked for ways to incorporate writing. Check out these posts for ideas about incorporating writing during back-to-school season:

Goal Setting: Metacognition is an important part of helping students figure out who they are and who they want to be. Since self-reflection is an important part of my classroom, we start discussing goals on the first day. Read about my Goal Setting Secrets for Secondary Students and get a freebie.