6 Strategies for Teachers Going Back to School

Back to school time for teachers can bring a whirlwind of emotions, just as it does for students. For some teachers it could be feelings of excitement at the prospect of meeting a new class, or thinking about all the learning activities they’re planning on doing. For other teachers, the start of school could invoke feelings of anxiety and dread. In this blog post, I’d like to share some strategies that have helped me when gearing up for the year ahead. 

1. Build Relationships: There’s a reason why classroom management is a hot topic in teacher’s training programs–it’s top of mind for many teacher’s of things to master early on. The number one thing you can do to have outstanding classroom management is to make connections with students early on. Setting aside time out of every class to connect is a guaranteed winner. You’ve got to do this. These efforts always pay off in countless ways and is a must for building a strong classroom community built on mutual trust and respect. DO IT 🙂
2. Have Clear Expectations: Communicating your expectations to students should begin day one. Just remember to be clear in what you expect. You also need to be consistent in applying expectations and how you will address deviation from them. As always, use a progressive approach for students who repeatedly have difficulty following classroom expectations and respond with compassion. 
3. Plan Ahead: Personally this is a huge stress reliever for me. At the start of each school year I like to whip out my planner and map out the entire course. Don’t worry if dates need to get shuffled around a bit. Having a sense of what units, lessons, activities and so on that you will be doing each week is a great way to keep you cruising along with as little stress as possible.  
4. Keep it Relevant and Engaging: Whenever possible, try to incorporate the interests of your students into activities and discussions. This is a terrific way to keep students engaged and on task. This is where building those relationships we talked about in step 1 will really pay off. Knowing your students will help you create meaningful content that’s sure to resonate with your class.  
5. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel: You don‘t need to give up your evenings and weekends making activities for your classes. Let somebody else do it for you! Really though, there are so many great resources that you can find or purchase online that can be adapted for your classroom needs. That extra time can let you focus on other things, like being with family or just recharging for the next day. 
6. Don’t Forget to Have Fun: Be spontaneous. Have fun! Play a game. When students enjoy being in your classroom, you can tell and it makes such a difference. It’s palpable. Talk to your class. Make your students all feel like they’re part of a community, and remember, a small dose of laughter once in a while might be just the thing someone needs to lift them up. Your efforts may not be acknowledged right away, if ever at all, but rest assured that they’re making a difference. Have a great school year!