With September just around the corner, many teachers are looking for ways to make sure the year runs smoothly. Whether you’re looking for ways to keep your stress levels down, new ideas for the classroom or just how to get organised in time, we’ve got some tips to help. So make yourself a cuppa and relax, you’ve got this school year in the bag!
Keep cool under pressure
One of the hardest parts of the school year is dealing with stress. Between being in the classroom, grading papers and planning lessons, it can be hard to find a moment to take a deep breath so here are a few tips to keep your stress at bay this school year.
1. Pencil time for yourself into your diary
Schedule some time to yourself into your busy schedule (even if it’s just 20 minutes each evening) and stick to it. Use this time to do something that you really enjoy, like reading a book, listening to music or relaxing in a hot bath. This will give you time to relax each day without worrying about anything else – did someone say me-time?
2. Try mindfulness
There are lots of apps available to download which are designed to help you focus on mindfulness and your mental health. Apps like Buddhify have short meditations that you can do before bed, while walking or even on your lunch break!
3. Eat right
Even though it can be difficult some days, finding the time to eat a good meal can be the difference between a long, sluggish day and a day where you feel like you can take on the world. Even if you can’t spend ages each evening prepping meals, try to make sure you have a nice breakfast and maybe even some protein packed snacks to keep you going.
Keep the classroom fresh
Looking for ways to freshen up your classroom activities or new ideas to engage students? We’ve found a couple of great ideas to try in the classroom if you haven’t already!
1. Start a Literature circle
Put the students into small groups and allow them to pick a book to read (kind of like a book club). Once a week, let the students get in their groups to discuss what they’ve read. The idea is to get students excited about reading outside of the classroom.
2. Make a space for visual reflection
Put up a place where students can add sticky notes of their favourite thing they learned that day or something they’ve improved at since being in class. This gives students the opportunity to absorb information from the day more deeply and can be a benefit to the students adding notes as well as the other students.
Get organised
Ensure the start of the school year goes smoothly by making sure you have everything ready to go!
1. Clear your personal to-do list
Take the time to catch up on your personal to-do list so you can start the year with a clean slate.
2. Plan ahead
It’s always helpful to have some lesson plans prepped and ready to go – in fact you’ve likely already started planning your first couple of weeks of lessons plans. But it you haven’t already, you still have time to start!
3. Make a substitute teacher folder
There’s no avoiding it – sometimes we get sick or unexpected things pop up and we need the day off. It can be stressful trying to make sure that everything will be taken care of while you’re away. Make it a little easier on yourself by making a substitute teacher folder and update it from time to time. You can include as much or as little in your folder as you want.
Here’s some ideas to get you started:
- Outline the topic your class has been learning about or include your lesson plan
- List a few things you’d like the substitute teacher to cover while you’re gone
- Your seating chart if you’re students have allocated seats – not only will this help the substitute teacher ensure students are sitting where they’re supposed to but will also help them out with names.
- Classroom rules – having a copy of your classroom rules helps the substitute teacher know what is normally expected of your students.
If you are looking for a new role this academic year, then why not register with Simply Education today? We can help find the perfect position to suit your needs!
References:
https://www.canva.com/learn/19-ideas-to-promote-more-creativity-in-your-classroom/
https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/20-tips-more-organized-classroom/
