4 Back to School Teacher Tips You Must Do

Let’s be honest, back to school is stressful no matter how many years you’ve been teaching. That’s why I’ve curated my top 4 back to school teacher tips you MUST do!

Use this blog post as a guide to simplify back to school whether you’re a new teacher or just looking for new ideas!

Back to School Teacher Tip #1: Get Organized!

Of all the back to school teacher tips I have for you, this one is at the top! Have a bin or spot for everything in your classroom. Glue sticks, pencils, folders, notebooks, crayons, turn-in bins, pattern blocks…EVERYTHING!

If organizing doesn’t come naturally to you, bring in your most organized friends (you know, the ones who watch The Home Edit on repeat) and have them help you figure out where everything will go.

Once your students bring in their supplies, you won’t have to stress over where to put those 30 boxes of pencils because you’ll already have a spot! BONUS TIP: Have extra blank labels on the first day for students who forgot to label their things!

Back to School Teacher Tip #2: Practice Classroom Routines Over and Over

It is important to have fun during the first few days of school, but it is just as important to start setting expectations. Students thrive on structure!

Starting from the first day of school, create a set structure with your students. Practice your classroom routines (lining up, carpet time, sharpening pencils, bathroom breaks, etc.) over and over and over again. Make sure to celebrate when your class masters a routine!

I know it can be hard to remember ALL of the routines and procedures you’re trying to teach at the beginning of the year, so I made this super helpful (and free!) checklist to keep track of everything!

Back to School Teacher Tip #3: Make a Plan With Your Curriculum

You don’t need to plan out every week of the year, but you should have an idea of the curriculum you’re teaching each month.

Once the school year starts, it is easy to get lost in the day-to-day routine! Time slips by quickly, so having your curriculum planned means you can stay on track and cover everything you need to throughout the year.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, download these free planning templates to help you organize every month and unit!

Set aside time each month to plan out the standards, instructional focus, and activity ideas for each subject. From there, you can create more detailed unit plans, small group plans, and more! This Curriculum Organizer allows you to keep track of everything, and you can utilize the templates to draft your plans!

Need help planning back to school activities for the first day? Click here to read about my 5 favorite activities!

Teacher Tip #4: Build Your Classroom Community

I love to use a ton of picture books to teach expectations and build classroom community. It is easy to keep a few extra read-alouds at your desk if you find yourself needing a time filler. If you’re looking for book ideas, check out this post with my 10 favorite picture books for building classroom community!

Be clear about what you expect from your students, and use picture books to help lead the discussion.

Work together with your students to create the class rules! Involve your students in creating the classroom expectations. Plus, being consistent with classroom management from the beginning will pay off in the long run!

Want more help with back to school? Check out this post all about my 5 favorite back to school activities for first and second grade!