The Tribune

Can you believe it’s “back to school” already? This can be one of the most chaotic times in the lives of teachers and parents. It can be equally as overwhelming for students, too. After all, they are the ones faced with going into new schools, new grades, meeting new teachers and new friends. That can be very unnerving for anyone.

One crucial factor can help calm the anxiety of back to school – being proactive. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” I’ll add that the success of our students is contingent upon how well we plan for their future.

In my first few years of teaching I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off. I was winging it daily. I didn’t set clear expectations for myself, my students or their parents. I am absolutely certain that didn’t help lessen the stress load of school. (To those parents, I’m sorry.)

Finally, one night, while marking a trunk-load of papers that piled up over the weeks, I had an epiphany. I realised that I didn’t plan ahead. As simple as that sounds, I didn’t think that it was that big of a deal. I spent years being reactive and unorganised until I had this “light bulb” moment. I decided to take a step in a different direction. I got out a sheet of paper and I planned. I took baby steps at first. Soon, my lessons were running smoothly, parents were informed about projects and filed trips well in advance, and I didn’t spend most of my day trying to figure out what to do next.

Incorporating these back to school tips and hacks that I’ve learned over the years into your planning will set you and your kiddos up for a successful this school year:

Teachers

Whether this is your first year teaching or you’re in your double digit years, these tips can help save you lots of time in the classroom.

1. Have a calendar planner with an overview of special days marked out like holidays, special assemblies, professional development days, et cetera. This way, you can be sure not to overlap any activities during the school year.

2. Map out clear expectations, routines and procedures that you’ll discuss on the first day of school. Include bathroom, homework and assignment procedures. Start your day discussing these things until students fully understand what you expect.

3. Get to know your students’ parents or caregivers. This is crucial. Building a rapport from the start is essential in creating that home-school relationship. I send home a “Parent Package” at the beginning of every school year with forms requesting in-case-of-emergency contacts, allergies the student may have, et cetera. The “Parent Package” also includes classroom procedures and ways to contact the teacher. You’d be surprised how handy this information comes in.

4. Lesson plan. Yes, the dreaded lesson planning! I assure you that lesson planning helps far more than it hurts. You have a clear idea of what the lesson entails and what materials you’ll need. In addition, at least for the first week, have extra worksheets with lessons that students can do independently for those unplanned meetings with parents or other faculties.

Parents

You’ve got a lot on your plate – buying school uniforms and supplies, registering your child before that deadline, preparing lunch and the list goes on. Proper planning will greatly lessen the load of the demands placed on you.

1. Set a schedule for your child. Let this schedule include regular weekday and weekend bed times, morning routines, extracurricular activities and homework times. Be clear about how much time your kiddos spend doing each activity and don’t forget to include play time in there.

2. Meet your child’s teacher. This is a huge step in being proactive. I can’t begin to tell you the amount of times I’ve met a student’s parent only after they got in some kind of trouble. Call the school and set up an appointment to talk with the teacher and find out what to expect for the upcoming school year.

3. Set goals with your child. Let your child know what you would like to see them achieve this school year. Include academic behaviour as well as life skill goals.

4. Breathe. This goes for teachers, too. Don’t forget to breathe. The reality is, you won’t get everything done, and that’s OK. Get a good night’s rest, wake up the next day and start again. You’re not alone. Establish a great connection with other parents and teachers and ask for help when you need it.

Let this school year be the most successful one yet by planning for it. This may not be as easy to some, but the overhead work pales in comparison to how smoothly the school year will flow. Also, it gets easier the more you do it.

Have a successful back to school!

For workshop inquiries or if you’re interested in the “Parent Package”, feel free to contact us.

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