Summer break is coming to end. We know that last year had its challenges and we are hopeful for a better year! The beginning of the year tends to be hectic, so here are 3 tips to help you get ready for the kids to come back to school and to help with first day jitters.

1.Prepare What You Can – Whatever you can prep before school starts, will help make those first weeks a smooth transition into the years schedule. If you know what students will be in your class, you can prepare name tags, a seating chart, assigned cubbies, paperwork for the parents and much more. If you can snag some great back to school deals on pencils and other supplies early, it can help build up your stock for the year. You can even prepare a letter for the parents asking for supply donations of things that you know you will need.

2.Get Organized – Start with your desk. This is an important space for you. Make sure that you have everything you need in or on your desk for the first day. Are there any old materials left in the classroom from last year, like in your desk or closet? If you have a computer in your room or a tablet, could the files be cleaned up? Can you reuse any supplies from last year, or will it create too much clutter to keep? If you have any bins or boxes at home, or even can pick up at your local dollar store, these are extremely helpful for organization for supplies and important papers.

3.Decide on Classroom Set Up – If you use bulletin boards in your room, decide displays that you know you want to use ahead of time. This will get you time to gather everything you need for that display. Decide where you would like your reading area to be, writing area, dramatic play area, how you want the desk arranged, maybe even a backup plan on desk arrangements in case you need to make changes, and small group area. What has worked for your room in the past? Was there a center that didn’t engage the children? Think about replacing that with something different. 

Excerpts found at WhatiHaveLearnedTeaching