It’s back to school time! There’s so much going on that sometimes I don’t even know where to start. It feels like I’m being pulled in all directions. Well I need to remind myself that I’m not Superwoman and I need to stop and take a deep breath. I will do what I can and let the rest go. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that some things can be let go. So here are some back to school tips when you come back to a room that looks like this…
Tip #1. Breath: I know that sounds easy but it is really stressful when you walk into a completely empty room. You know you only have a short amount of time to get it ready for your kids. So just breath and look at the positive. The floors are really shiny!
Tip #2. Take one section at a time: Decide what you want to do first and stick to it until you finish. Maybe you want to go ahead and do all your bulletin boards while everything is out of the way. That’s what I do. Maybe you want to set up your desk first so you can have your computer ready to go. I work on this second. Whatever you do, taking one section at a time will help you keep your sanity and keep your classroom uncluttered.
Tip #3. Organize as you go: You definitely don’t want to just throw things in your desk because you will be upset with yourself all year long. Take the time to put everything where you can find it. Make sure you leave some extra room in a drawer for new things you will get throughout the year. Definitely use containers to keep paperclips and little things contained in one spot.
Tip #4. Make an emergency kit: I finally did this last year and it was a lifesaver. I put all the necessities I thought I would need in case of an emergency. You never know when you are going to have to stay at work late or need to freshen up during the day. Jessica from Time Out with Mom, has an awesome blog post on creating a teacher emergency kit. Make sure to check it out by clicking on the picture.
Tip #5: Make a sub tub: You definitely need an emergency sub tub. You never know when you are going to be out and won’t be able to get up to the school to get your plans ready. You can just have another teacher get your sub tub out and you are ready to go. If you would like my free sub plans to get you started click here.
I also have some sub plans that you can use with a favorite read aloud. Click on the picture below if you would like to check them out.
Let me know in the comments below which tip you are going to try out.
Thanks,
