The summer holidays are almost here, which is not only a time for students to have a break, but also a time for teachers to relax and unwind. Teaching lessons, being a good role model and ensuring students get the best result that they can, can be very stressful. Which is why making sure you give yourself the break you deserve over the summer is so important, so that you can go back to work with a new mindset and a clean slate. Another way to ensure you return back to school refreshed, motivated and ready to work is ensuring you’re prepared and organised, because after a few weeks off, going back to school after the summer break can be nerve racking, and hectic for teachers. That is important as the beginning of the school year is the most critical time of the year, therefore this can also make it the most stressful.
However, we have a few tips up our sleeve to make the transition from, summer, sleep-ins, and relaxation to early mornings, work, and 30 new restless students, that little bit easier.
Plan Ahead
All teachers should plan ahead, because being a teacher is all about time keeping and planning lessons even before school has started because this will definitely save you lots of time in the long run.
But this doesn’t just stop at lessons, planning events such as fundraisers and field trips before school even begins can save you loads of time later on in the year. Not only will it save you crucial time but if an emergency occurs and you have to be off for an extended period of time, you won’t have to worry about lessons as it will already be planned, set up and ready.
Make sure you have everything you need
It’s no secret that teachers will need A LOT of stationery. From pens to rulers to pads, to folders the list goes on. Making sure you have everything that you need before the first day of school is important. Things that you probably would expect such as green pens for marking, spare black pens for forgetful students, perhaps even sweets to reward well behaved students.
Get to know your students
Getting to know your students, should be very high up on your to do list when returning back to school. Letting students know you are on their side is important, because students can often view teachers as if they are out to get them and in turn will cause mayhem and make it hard to teach but getting to know them and paying an interest in their lives, person to person rather than teacher to student should help to prevent this because students will then see teachers as someone who want to help them rather than someone who just wants to give them lots of homework.
Set the Tone
The first few days and weeks of school will often set the tone for the entire school year. Respect is often won or lost in those first few days and weeks. A teacher should seize that opportunity to establish a solid rapport with their students, but at the same time respectively show them who is in charge. Use those first few days and weeks to drill components such as procedures, expectations, and goals. Start out hard as the classroom disciplinarian and then you can ease off as you move throughout the year. Do not think that you cannot spend the time to set the tone for the school year. Make these things a priority early and your students will learn more in the long run.
Be Confident
Students can smell fear, and therefore weakness, if they think that they can get away with things such as not completing homework on time, not concentrating in lessons, or not meeting coursework deadlines, they’ll try. So on your first day with your new students make sure feel confident in yourself. Make your self look good so that you feel good. Know that you are starting a job you love, and don’t let nerves get the better of you. If you can just feel good about what your going to be doing, it will make everything a lot easier.
