Prepping your classroom before the “big day” may be a bigger help than you realize. Classroom preparation help you feel settled and allows you to gather your thoughts. It also reflects the kind of safe, learning environment you provide and gives students a consistent environment from day one. The list below highlights some of the best things to do before you meet your students on the first day of classes.
Get Organized
Organization is your greatest ally. The first step you should always take to begin a new school year it to reorganize. Gather all unused material from the previous year, roundup lesson plans, and make sure you have everything you need to begin preparation for the new year. Once you have everything in place, you’ll know what you need and what you already have. After that, it’s time to start preparing for the new year ahead.
Shop for Supplies
Now that you’ve gone through last year’s supplies and salvaged what you could, it’s time to shop for this year. You’ll need to stock up on pencils and pens, not only for yourself, but for unprepared students. Do not be afraid of having too many supplies. You’ll most certainly need more than you think and anything left over can be used for next year.
Plan Ahead
It’s never too early to start planning your lessons. If you get ahead of lesson planning, it will make the first few weeks a much easier transition. Try to plan out the first three weeks of class. You’ll thank yourself down the line and you will be more prepared for the unexpected because the stress of lesson planning will be gone!
Learn Names ASAP
Try to learn names as soon as you can. Hopefully, your school portal includes school pictures from the year before. If they do, you can study up early in order to let those names sink in before you even officially meet your classes. Plus, learning and knowing names early sends a loud and clear message. You care. This message will resonate in a way that can really make a difference for your students.
Set Up Classroom
Setting up your classroom involves a ton of things. Before the first day of school you’ll want to redecorate, rearrange furniture to best accommodate your teaching style, as well as designating places for supplies. Doing all of this before the first day of classes will be a huge help. Your students will arrive the first day to an environment that is welcoming and will be consistent overall.