Sometimes it’s tricky to keep track of everything you have to accomplish before students arrive on the first day of school! Think about all the chores you need to accomplish to prepare for back to school:
- plan for the unexpected
- order and organize supplies
- determine classroom procedures
- decide on back-to-school activities
As I was brainstorming all the tasks I wanted to accomplish, I decided I would share them with you that way we can all get out ducks in a row.
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Plan for the Unexpected
I know this seems like a strange suggestion, but it’s important to prepare for back to school by preparing for a sub. The pandemic has taught us that life can change quickly, so it’s important to plan for the unexpected early in the process.
- First, make sure your emergency procedures are posted in your classroom. As soon as they become available, print rosters to leave near the door so even if something happens before you know student names, you can take attendance and account for everyone.
- Second, put together your Substitute Cover Sheet. This is a document that includes details you want to share with every substitute. To prepare for back to school, take 15 minutes to update your cover sheet for the new year. Grab my free cover sheet today!
- Finally, create a quick stack of emergency sub plans. If you end up quarantined in the first week of school, this stack of emergency options will keep your students busy. Check out my favorite emergency sub plans today!
Decide on Procedures
Since classroom procedures impact how the classroom is organized, it’s important to determine procedures early on. I like to nail down my procedures before I even set up my seating chart because procedures can affect where students sit and how the room is oriented.
- For me, bell work is my most important classroom procedure. Bell work sets the tone for the entire class period, so once I have bell work nailed down, I feel like I’m ready to go.
- Next, teachers need procedures for classroom management. These kinds of procedures include little things like sharpening pencils and larger things like going to the restroom. Read about the 5 Procedures Every Classroom Needs.
- This year I have to spend some extra time thinking about procedures for Preventing Students from Lining Up at the Door. Our classroom furniture has changed recently, and that is going to affect this procedure for me.
- Finally, determine how you will communicate procedures to students. How will you design your syllabus? Do you have a Syllabus Template in mind? What will your Syllabus Day look like?
Prepare for Back to School by Gathering Supplies
I love school supplies! I think my love of sticky notes may have factored into my love of close reading and annotation. If you are shopping for classroom supplies, I have you covered!
Before you spend any of your own hard-earned money on supplies for your classroom, please read this Back-to-School Message.
Classroom Community
Every decision you make about your classroom will affect your classroom community. Details like decor, organization, procedures, and lighting can affect how students feel in your classroom. For these reasons, here are some ways to establish classroom culture early:
- First, decide what activities you will do in the first week of school to build classroom community. I really enjoy these four writing activities to build classroom community. I also work hard to avoid these three classroom community killers.
- Second, decide where you will place your teacher desk. I ditched my teacher desk a few years ago and haven’t looked back. Without my desk, I spend more time engaged with students and, as a result, am better able to build relationships with them.
- Finally, decide how you will arrange your student desks. I am a big believer in seating charts, and this is something I spend a lot of time studying. This is a key part of preparing for back to school.
What other steps to you take to prepare for back to school?
