Getting ready to start a new school year? Here are some tips and questions to help you.
Okay it is time to stop. Relax and take a breath. You have just completed one school year. Whether it is your first or your thirtieth, it is still an exciting time. You have said your goodbyes to your class and need to get ready to welcome another. As well as rest of course. This is extensive process. One that you need to put time and effort into. If the first few weeks go wrong, rest assured it would be difficult to climb back. It is important to reflect on your school year in order to move forward to another. I always make sure I do this because it helps me prioritise as well as clear my mind. I often think about:
1. What did I love and why?
2. What would I have changed and why?
3. What is the most important thing that I need to learn?
4. What stopped me from being a better teacher and why?
5. What professional development interests me and why?
6. What can I do to be more organised, efficient and effective?
I also find that the prospect of decorating and setting up a new classroom is exciting. The creative juices start to work on overdrive. Sad I know! So then, I start to think about the classroom displays and setup. The questions that I use to prompt my thinking are:
1. What theme would I like for my classroom?
2. What displays can I have in my theme?
3. What materials do I need to buy when setting up my classroom?
4. How will children access the materials?
5. How will students enter and exit the room?
6. What labels will I need to help students find materials?
7. How will I organise shared materials?
Once I have answered these questions, I direct my holiday energy into organising the above items. I hope that these questions can help some of you start to think about how to prepare for a new school year. Most importantly, remember to take the time to relax, rest and recover.
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