Tips for Teachers
1. Set up your room early. You know exactly what I mean. The cleaning crew came through during the summer and put most things back where you like it, but there's always a few things to rearrange. I started one week early this year. I'm slowly weaning myself away from vacation time to set up my room. You may want to change up your posters or bring in some new photos. Getting this done before you have to be back will make your life easier when school actually starts.
2. Check out your class rosters and emails. Sounds simple to take some time at home to glance at your classes and emails, but I'm sure there are teachers who wait until they are at school. During vacation I try to check my email at least once a week. I like to know what's happening. There are multiple reasons to check your class rosters; maybe you get a student you've heard stories about. Well, now's the time to talk to last year's teacher and get some insight and strategies. In my case, I noticed I had students in my 7th grade class that were 8th graders. Better to nip it in the bud, to quote Barney Fiff.
3. Prepare as much paperwork as you possibly can. I'm not joking here. Everyone has their own open house and first few days agenda. I use important websites, syllabus and a student survey. You don't want to be waiting on the copy machine the day before school starts. Get all those items updated and copied early. You will be patting yourself on the back later.
4. Refresh your memory about board policies. I know this probably sounds ridiculous to some of you, but your school board has voted on lots of situations. If nothing else, look up teacher expectations. This is a must for teachers at a new district; and it doesn't hurt veteran teachers, either.
5. The more stuff you have done early, the easier it will be. I don't know about you, but when all my co-workers come back, I want to spend some time finding out how they spent their summer. I want to feel caught up on my home away from home. Having done some important items early, gives me the freedom to chat and spend time with the people who support me in my job.
Tips for Parents
1. School supplies are important. You went to your local store and purchased way more than you thought; I understand. But (insert child's name) will have a much smoother transition into the next grade with all the supplies. If you are looking to cut back, I might suggest clothes. I know your kid grows like a weed; they all do, but do you have to buy to expensive jeans, designer tops, etc? And since I'm talking about clothes here, please find out about your school's dress code before major purposes. This could prevent some problems later on and save some money.
2. Don't bother bringing the big items to school on the first day. I know you bought everything on the list. But if you know it won't fit into your child's locker, don't send it. The teacher will inform the entire class when the item is needed. Remember we had to get a list out for everything we need students to have for the entire year. Waiting won't hurt. I promise!
3. Please take the time to attend Open House. Honestly, teachers love to see you on a positive visit. It's also nice to have an idea about who you are if a phone call is needed later in the year. Tell us your expectations for your child's year. What it provides for us is knowledge. I can remember that Johnny's mom expects him to make at least a B in class. So I can have a chat with him if he scores a C.
4. Don't expect everything to be perfect. The first few days of school are CRAZY! Buses are slow; kids don't know where to go. It's not going to be easy. If you expectations are low, guess what; you can feel positive about what does go right.
5. Set a positive note for your child. Any doubts you might have, please don't pass them on. Your child knows you are supporting them, let them know their teachers are also. You may have heard one teacher is mean or (insert any other nasty comment), but that teacher could become your child's favorite teacher. Give them a chance to form their own opinions. Many of my students told me they heard I was mean, but loved being in my class, anyway. Rumors are just rumors.
School is a time to educate and I love education. I hope all of you have a wonderful beginning of school. #backtoschool #tipsforteachers #tipsforparents
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