With the school year starting any week now (maybe any day), it’s a good time to start pulling together some essentials to get your classroom up and running. The key to a smooth start is having some key elements in place BEFORE students arrive. Here are 5 things new teachers (well, all teachers) should have for a smooth start.
1. Calendar -
Find the school calendar with the dates of school holidays, modified schedules (think school assemblies or other days when the normal school schedule will be different, and beginning/end of term dates.
2. Classroom Expectations -
Sometimes called “rules” or “norms”, start thinking about overarching behavior expectations. Whether you will co-create classroom expectations with your students, or have them already established get an idea of what those will be. Think big picture expectations, such as “be kind” or “respect yourself and others”. Find a list of possible expectations here. If you want to co-create the expectations when your students arrive check this out.
3. Procedures and Routines -
Brainstorm procedures your classroom will need. For example, what does a student do when they need to sharpen a pencil (yes, this seems a little basic, but without a set plan in place students will constantly be up and about using the sharpener throughout the day - including during your lesson). Here are 12 procedures and routines to consider.
4. Curriculum Guides
Find out what curriculum you are expected to use (or even if there is one) and how to access it. Talk to another teacher at your school that teaches the same grade or course and see if they have any tips on pacing the lessons.
5. Supplies
Now is the time to start gathering those supplies! If you can get into your classroom look around and see if anything was left behind, then start scavenging. You will need lots of pens, pencils, rulers, paper, and a lot of other supplies. Download a list to get you started here.
For more, check out the FREE New Teacher Crash Course! It comes with a workbook and video lessons to get you up and running for a smooth and effective school year!