If you are like me, you want to get your room set up and get as much prepped before the students hit the door. But what can you do when class lists are changing daily or you can’t even walk into your classroom before you are officially reporting back?
Prep what you can. Here is a list of a few things that I get done before I even get back in the classroom.
Prepare Student Binders
Every year I provide binders for my students for all of their work to be stored. Each binder has dividers, rules sheet, and lined paper. I also print a cover sheet for each one. So I put them together and the only thing I have to do when the students arrive is put their names on it. I print all students name on labels so it is really easy to put them on the cover sheet when school starts.
Prepare Friday Folders
In my classroom, I sent home folders on Friday with all school work and information from the week. So creatively called Friday Folders. Each folder has a sheet explaining how it works and a place for parents to sign. These need to be laminated and reinforced with duct tape. They take a beating during the year. Again, I assemble them and then when school starts, I put labels with student’s names on them.
Number All Supplies
My students are numbered which makes it convenient in the classroom. On things like their Friday Folder and binder, I use their names with their number, but on supplies like glue, crayons, markers, etc. I use numbers. If a student moves, they will take the items personal to them, but the supplies will stay in the room and I can use those for another child who may join our class. So before school starts, I label all the supplies with numbers and have them ready in their bins.
Get As Much Copying Done As Possible
Finally, copy everything you possibly can before you start. My students have math packets that they use for each unit. I have to have those ready first because the first packet is used for the first three weeks of school daily. Next, I copy anything I think I will need for the beginning of the year. I want to be ahead on copying because it is always time-consuming and something I can’t take home with me.
As we all know the beginning of the school year can be crazy and we always have so much to do. Hopefully, some ideas here will help elevate the stress you may be feeling as you open up your classroom.
Karen
