Preparing for the New School Year
There are plenty of articles to help parents help their children (and themselves) navigate the uncertainty and anxiety that comes with the first days of a new school year. But what about us teachers? I'm glad you asked! As summer winds down, it's natural for families at your school to start experiencing nervousness and excitement about the new school year; it is also an exciting time for educators. After all, the new year means new faces, personalities, challenges, and more. Luckily, there are several things you can do to prepare yourself for the year to commence. Below are eight tips to help you prepare to welcome students into your classroom for the 2022-2023 year.
Spring clean in late summer. Last year's student artwork has likely come down, but your bulletin boards might need to be spruced up. Also, go ahead and recycle all the old paperwork you have lying around and throw out broken crayons and dried-out paint. Now's also a great time to think about your classroom layout - perhaps you want to move your reading zone to a different part of the classroom. Finally, you might want to give your room a nice deep clean before the kiddos arrive.
Get organized. While fixing up your room, channel your inner "Container Store enthusiast" and make sure you have systems to keep everything in its place. Including a filing system to help you stay organized and plenty of storage for classroom supplies, toys, and more.
Reset your expectations. The difference between the group leaving your environment and the one entering it can be surprising. The 4-year-olds you had at the end of last year are more advanced than the 4-year-olds who will enter your class this fall. If possible, review children's portfolios from last year to understand their interests and capabilities. Avoid the pitfall of setting expectations based on past groups. The new group will possess a unique dynamic and contain individual children with special needs. You will have to meet them where they are, rather than expecting them to function like a group from the past.
Send out surveys. To create a sense of security and comfort, send out a survey to enrolled families to gather information about children's interests and favorite things. Use this information to make activities available during the first few weeks of school to make transitions easier. For example, you could post images of children's favorite things in their cubbies, including pictures of their family members or pets. In addition, you can use the feedback from these surveys to outline possible projects and explorations you could implement in the first weeks of school.
Community building. Create a list of community-building activities encouraging children to collaborate, get to know one another, and learn more about you! Activities could include group discussions about classroom expectations, cooperative games, cubby/bulletin board decorating activities, and picking a class mascot or motto to guide interactions throughout the year.
Revise the daily schedule. The new children entering your room will likely need more time for activities, especially clean-up, meals, and other transitions. In addition, they will need time to learn new procedures. This time must be built into the daily schedule to prevent rushing and frustration.
Plan for yourself. Don't lose sight of what YOU need while thinking about your students and families. The beginning of the year is chaotic. Consider meal prepping for yourself (and your family) to avoid running out of time and resorting to unhealthier options. Now's also a great time to schedule regular me time for yourself to help prevent burnout.
Don't forget your own development goals. With everything else happening, don't lose sight of your own learning. By taking professional development, you will learn new knowledge and skills you can apply to your classroom. At ChildCare Education Institute, we offer over 150 courses in English and Spanish on topics ranging from health, safety, and nutrition to diversity and inclusion, curriculum and assessment, and more. Best yet, all our online courses are available 24/7/365 and can be taken on any device at your convenience.
Leslie Coleman has over 25 years of experience in the early childhood education (ECE) field. She has held positions ranging from preschool teacher to professional development consultant for ECE professionals. Her training content is used to help educators reflect on and make enhancements to their interactions with children and families.