We all know that phrase: “new year, new me” and September is the teacher’s New Year. So with it rapidly approaching Back To School time I thought i’d share some Back to School tips for anybody entering the classroom this September, be they new to the profession, an old hat or Long Term Cover or anywhere in between!
Be Organised
Scar from the Lion King had a lot of faults but one thing he did have right was the importance of being prepared! Forewarned is forearmed and you can save a lot of last minute panic if you’re ready for each day/week/term.
Stay Ahead!
Linking to the last tip, try to keep yourself a few days ahead with planning and printing to make sure that you know what it is you’re doing and you’ll be less likely to exhaust yourself running around at the last minute
BUT – Don’t be too far ahead! School life can be exhausting and things change pretty rapidly, so don’t get too far ahead only for things to change and end up doing the work again!
Borrow Things!
Lots of people like to use the term “magpie” and you should embrace your inner magpie. If you see a resource, technique, etc that you like then don’t be shy to ask that person to send it to you. Learning from others is really important in our students, so why not us?
Make a timetable
The Dreaded M Word (for me at least) is Marking. I absolutely needed as many tips as possible myself for this so I thought I’d better pass on one of my own. Make a Timetable. Then stick to it. Set aside a decent amount of time to do it and ensure that you complete it in that time! Minimise distractions during this time – your tweeting can wait until after you’ve finished!
Drink Plenty
Specifically, plenty of water. You spend most of the day talking so you need to protect your vocal chords. I spent about three months of last year struggling to speak because I had some damage to my throat and voice and drinking water was the only thing that helped me during this time! It’s also just a really good habit in general!
Well there’s my 5 quick back-to-school tips. Good luck teachers and don’t forget to comment if you have any tips of your own!