School is Right Around the Corner
As summer comes to an end, it is already time to start thinking about the one coming up. Even with a summer “off,” it’s fair to say that we teachers are still on the lookout for new teaching plans, inspirations, and back to school ideas. Ever since I was little, I’ve helped my parents set up their classrooms, and now it’s finally my turn to set up my own! As I’m approaching my first year in my own classroom, I’ve already started brainstorming the things I know I’ll need and might too, to have a successful start to the school year.
8 Ways to Start Preparing Now for the Upcoming School Year:
Write little reminders for yourself. Write a note to yourself about why you decided to become a teacher. Keep this note in a special spot inside your desk to look at when you have a challenging day.
Build relationships with coworkers. Spend time getting to know each other this summer especially to help the transition for new teachers at your school. We are all in this together and can be a great way to share resources!
Gain knowledge of your new community. Understanding where our students are coming from gives us a little sneak peek into their perspectives and lives. Even if your hometown is close to the town you’ll be teaching in, it is important to do a little digging deeper this summer to get connected to the heartbeat of your community and its students.
Take time to nest. Preparing your classroom in August will help you feel ready for the year. In a sense, it’s sort of like nesting for a new kid!
Find a planner. Whether you are a “list person,” or not using a planner can be very helpful in the classroom. It can be used to note special dates for your district, like conferences, workshops, and beginnings/endings of quarters.
Read inspiring books. Look to incorporate fun reads into your classrooms learning and your personal life. Even though I’m not an elementary teacher, I adore children’s books, and so many of them are great for my language learners like me! Lucky for me, lots of children’s books I loved growing up have been translated into Spanish, and I’ve already started growing my library.
Use fun decor. Create a space where your students (and yourself!) feel comfortable and ready to learn. In my case, I’ll be incorporating colorful and helpful posters in Spanish. For example, jokes/memes in the target language, stuffed animals, piñatas, flags, and giant tissue paper flowers.
Incorporate fun supplies for student use. Buy mini whiteboards and whiteboard markers, or you can make mini whiteboards with white paper slipped inside a sheet protector. I’ll also be stocking my room with markers, scissors, glue, colored paper, etc., because seeing students’ creativity makes my heart oh so full.
What do you need to be successful? Stay tuned as Bulldog Solution will be offering many resources both free and available for purchase to help you jumpstart this upcoming school year on a good note! For additional tools or resources click on our link! Enter the code word summer and the worksheets are free: https://bulldogsolutioninc.com/toolbox/
Sarah Aldrich is a first year teacher from Jordan, MN. She just graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a degree in Spanish Education and a minor in Teaching English as a Second Language. Sarah will be teaching Spanish at Hidden Oaks Middle School in Prior Lake, MN, this fall. Sarah loves traveling to new places and spending time with her family & friends.