It has been exactly 9 weeks and 2 days, since my first class kiddos finished for the holidays. True, we were kept in another week  until the end of June, but I swear it feels like only a week ago (well two) since we called it for our well deserved break.

Anyways, no time for reminiscing ,school starts next week and you have a lot to prepare.

1.Get yourself a planner!

Planners are a must. This is a personal preference, whether you prefer to keep it simple and to the point, or you want to go all out and invest in phenomenon that is the Erin Condren. If you want something similar to the Erin Condren planner but can’t justify the price, you can always opt or for a more affordable option in The Plum Paper  planner or better again D.I.Y it! The choice is yours.

Having a specific place for your calendar, planning, checklists, contacts etc, is essential!

If you want to stay organised and a few steps ahead, this is the way to go.

 

2. Checklist

Being organised is key! I always begin with a checklist of what needs to be done, in order of importance. Assuming your classroom is all set, and you have spoken with the previous teacher regarding your class, you need to get a head start on planning. For me, checklists are essential as they make staying on top of your workload easier.

Here is an example of one I might write before school starts;

• Discuss and decide on themes for the year with parallel teacher (this will depend on your school and their policies).
• Write out yearly plan draught with parallel teacher.
• Speak with resource teachers if you have children with IEP’s.
• Write out your Cúntas Míosúil.
• Write out you Fortnightly Plan.
• Decide on First Day  activities.
• Research new ideas or methodoligies you might like to try based on what you have agreed to teach for the first month back.
• Write out a list of resources for the first week.
• Print off worksheets for the first week.

I like to draw in a little box after each one so I can tick off what has been completed as I  go along. It makes it clear and visual which is what I need, and also it’s nice to feel like you are getting somewhere.

Teacher Tip!

If you are hitting a wall and you feel like you could add a bit more to your lesson, a good idea is to have a look at some of the fabulous teacher blogs out there.

Awesome Bloggers

I find Catherine or Bridget  great for younger class ideas, where  Tammy is my go to for 4th class upwards. These ladies are quite inspiring and provide awesome lesson ideas that are both fun for your class and relevant to their learning.

A good place to go for guidance if you have children with ASD is The Autism Helper.

Best of luck for the new school year.

Happy Teaching!

Múinteoir Amy