The Ultimate Back to School Guide for Teachers: Part II

Welcome back, friends. Today we will be moving on to part two of our back to school guide for teachers. We recommend you read part one of this list before you continue, so if you haven’t yet, you can click this handy link here. Now that we’re all caught up and ready to go, let’s get right back into the list!

Create a Daily Routine for Yourself

Last time, we spoke about preparing your lesson plan for the beginning of the school year, as well as getting your classroom all set up with all the necessary equipment, supplies, and features. Having a routine to follow each day will allow you to place your focus on your students and their work, and will provide a sense of structure in your classroom.

Once your students have left for the day, take note of any behaviors that stood out or that you otherwise wish to address. It can be easy to forget certain moments during the day with everything else that’s going on, so writing things down will be a big help. Next, make a list of things you need to accomplish on the next day, in order of priority. Lastly, before you leave for the day, take some time to straighten up the classroom so you that you’re all organized and ready to go when you return.

During the day, if you realized you’re missing supplies or anything else you might need the next day, stop on your way home to pick them up. This way, when you get home you can take the time to think about how you’d like to relax and unwind, rather than stressing about work. It is very important that take enough time for yourself, so do your best to end the workday as soon as you cross the threshold into your home.

Stock Up on Things You Need

Now that you’ve got all the supplies your students need each day, it’s time to think about yourself for once. It’s going to be a long year, and you’ll no doubt feel stress from time to time, so treat yourself to some nice accessories such as a shoulder bag or attaché case. Additionally, if your cell phone or any school-provided planner won’t suffice, find one that works for you so that you can carry it around in your trust new bag.

You’ll be in the classroom for the majority of the day, so keep plenty of snacks on hand (or in that cool new bag), and make sure you’ve got yourself an extra phone charger in your desk just in case-you never know when the need to make an important call might arise, and if you’ve forgotten to charge your phone at home or it’s low on batteries, it could be a problem. Try to think of your classroom as a smaller home away from your actual home, and stock it with any other essentials you feel you might need.

Be Good to Yourself

You’re performing one of the most important tasks each and every day by teaching others, but what about taking care of yourself? A healthy diet, exercise, and the right amount of quality rest are integral to being energetic and maintaining a positive outlook. Another important aspect of your life you should take care of is your social life. Don’t forget to make time for activities, and friends and family.

You put a lot of time into keeping your classroom neat and clean, so make sure you treat your home with the same amount of care. Coming home to a tidy house each day will set your mind at ease, and will help you to relax. Taking good care of yourself will help alleviate stress and will prevent burnout, so you can continue to take on each day with the same energetic and positive attitude.

And with that, we’ve reached the end of our back to school guide for teachers. It cannot be overstated how important it is for teachers to make sure they’re prepared and well rested. The school year can be busy and stressful, and they’ve got a big task ahead of them. So, if you’re a teacher, here’s to a great year, and if you’re a student that happens to be reading this, be good to your teachers because they are doing their very best for you.