3 Tips for Moving Forward Into the New School Year

3 Tips for Moving Forward Into the New School Year

Reopening schools in the fall is very much a part of our conversations as we move through the weeks of summer. And, the one thing we all seem to agree upon is that there are a lot of opinions. Rather than address those opinions from politicians, education leaders, healthcare professionals, the CDC, communities, parents, and students, I’ll use this blog post to encourage a few essential actions for teachers to prepare for the new school year.

1.  Relationship building is essential to teaching whether in person, in a hybrid model, or with a completely online distance program. There are several things you can do to start building relationships with your students, parents, and the educational team.

• When you get your roster of students, make a phone call to them and their parents/guardians to introduce yourself and assure them that you are committed and excited about being their teacher.
• Decorate your classroom and website. Will you have a student of the month? Will you have an area to display classwork? Will you have a folder or notebook available for daily assignments for absent students? What will you have posted...a calendar, agenda, birthdays, classroom management information, etc.
• Prepare a “cleaning station” for your classroom with hand-sanitizer, cleaning wipes, Kleenex, etc.
• Use technology to foster discussions among students and provide useful and timely feedback.

2. Reevaluate your lesson plans or more specifically, your delivery style and teaching protocols to help students make progress with academic standards while physically distancing or working online.

• A flipped classroom strategy can help keep your students learning. It does take additional planning and structure to record videos for instructional delivery, but can be an effective strategy for all grade levels.
• Try collaborative groups using online platforms such as Zoom’s break out sessions or Google Docs for group discussions and writing projects. You could also use small group rotations while other students are working on independent classwork.
• Be creative and limit the amount of paper that is transferred from student to student and student to teacher. Consider using Google Classroom or portfolios to collect assignments.

3.  Practicing self-care is paramount for work-life balance, and with the current Covid-19 situation, it’s even more essential for teachers, students, and parents as educational leaders make the lofty decisions whether to reopen schools with face-to-face instruction.

• Make sure you keep to simple routines. This would be monitoring diet and exercise, sleep, and activities.
• Limit screen time and exposure to news, video games, and endless social media searches.
• Strike the right balance for work and play. This may mean working from home, so set up an area that allows you to focus on the tasks you need to complete, then walk away from work. If you are also working to facilitate your own children’s education, setting a schedule and boundaries will help with overwhelm. Again, make sure to include play in your daily routines.

As the country, states, and districts make decisions about reopening schools, the uncertainty adds to the very real stress, overwhelm, and concerns we all feel, yet at the end of the day, we want what's best for all...this includes educating our students.

You are not alone...

I created Teacher to Teacher as a monthly online personal development and mentoring program to help teachers feel engaged, energized, and satisfied in all aspects of life. Learning to increase productivity at work, feeling satisfied and successful both inside and outside the classroom, and fully enjoying the greatest job in the world by being present and healthier in life is the best thing you can do to have a positive impact on your life and the lives of your students. You can find more information at www.teachertoteacher.net. 

Until next time...

Lisa