When the end of the school year is close, I think of a few ways to set myself up for back to school success. Then I’m able to make the most of summer (even if I am teaching summer school!). Plus, getting things in order before the end of the school year gives me a chance to ease back into the new year.
Here are three easy things to do to give yourself a better chance of back to school success. And these apply even if you don’t know exactly what you’re teaching next year! Read on for the tips and tricks from one teacher to another!
Review the Year
I write notes on this year’s course outline. What worked, what didn’t, and what changes are needed and where?
Over the last few years things have been all over the place so I have done my best to make note of what worked in what circumstances – in-person, online, hybrid. There are things I know I will be taking into a future classroom regardless of circumstances. This includes more SEL check-ins as part of the start of class routine. The “where are you on this scale”-type check-ins were really helpful. The internet has lots of options if you search “what’s your mood today?”
And there are things that didn’t work. I did a new short story and film comparison activity that will need work. I made notes about adding student choice and diversifying the options. Then, I can read stories and watch movies this summer – not a bad thing to have to do to prepare!
Get Organized
I love to lesson plan – that type of idea organization is joyful for me. Regular organizing is less joyful. I only want to organize when the mood strikes and it’s not often. Case in point, my desk at work during an end of year clean-out! It’s not *usually* THAT messy during the day-to-day of the school year!
But with that said I do like to do a final push at the end of the year to clear stuff out and to organize. I go through returned books and put them in their proper spot. This is also when I do a quick inventory to see what might be needed for next year. (I do literature circles rather than full class novels so if I only have a few copies I’m not too worried unless it’s a popular choice!)
Finally I make copies of a monthly calendar in 11×17 for my desk and 8.5×11 for my teacher binder. I don’t buy a fancy planner, these pages are my planner. I then go through to include key dates – aka when are holidays and staff development days. This is a small step that sets me up for a bit more back to school success!
What Do I Need in the First Days
Regardless of the classes I’m teaching, I will always do a get to know you form to start the course. Sometimes it’s in print but more often than not it’s digital, which makes it much easier to reference from anywhere. I make sure the form is up to date and/or photocopied if I plan to hand them out. (Here’s a link to make a copy of a digital get to know you form using a Google Form.)
This form is often part of a series of stations students complete on the first day. The stations include a review of the course outline, contributions to class rules, setting a SMART goal (to be reviewed at midterm), and all about email etiquette. Click here for ready-made stations and read more about how to get them working in your classroom in this post.
I also do a diagnostic in that first week so I often prep a couple of short stories. They NEVER go to waste!
What story would work for the transition back-to-school? What story sets a tone or sends a message for the type of classroom I’m hoping to have? I love using stories from Fresh Ink and Take the Mic.
One of my favorite stories is “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros. It’s not in one of these collections but it’s always a hit with my students! Here’s a FREE diagnostic using the Cisneros story you can make a copy to use for your classroom.
and 
Buy a copy of Fresh Ink in Canada or the US. Buy a copy of Take The Mic in Canada or the US.
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So before I leave for summer break, I elbow in on the photocopier or set up my Google folders with everything I’ll need. That way, when I return I can take a deep breath in those first days and avoid the rush on the photocopier too.
Here’s hoping these tips and tricks help you with your end of year planning and ultimately your back to school success!
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