August School Preparation

In these last fleeting weeks of summer before school starts, besides moving to a new building (wonderful, but lots of work), I am doing everything I possibly can to make my school year more efficient and orderly. Getting a few items in order for the entire year before school starts will save us teachers lots of time and trouble. There are so many tedious tasks, like tearing the tests out of the booklets. If we can get this done ahead of time, it streamlines our teaching time, much to our advantage.

 Here is my personal August to-do list:

• Make copies of the Bible memory program for each student for the whole year.
• Double check all textbooks and tests; make sure there are enough for each student.
• Collate all worksheets and tests; crisscross and paper clip them for easy retrieval.
• Speed drills, ditto.
• Choose program songs for the Christmas program. Order the music, hole punch it, assemble choir folders. (Keep a running list of songs that you might consider for a program all year long. Then you’ll have several ideas when it is time to choose songs in the summer.)
• Have an easily accessible list of art projects and any needed supplies. Choose the ones you want to do for the first few weeks, at least.
• Make a schedule for P.E. and have it on a clipboard. Will you do something different every day and have variety? Will you play basketball or tennis for two weeks at a time?

Besides being more time efficient and organized, deciding all of these things ahead of time prevents the student suggestion/pleading/begging nightmare. If you have already planned and made your decisions, and if you stand your ground, there will be much less (or none, ideally) discussion or cajoling from the students. And you shouldn’t allow it if there is, unless it is presented very respectfully by the students.

Photo by Michaela St on Unsplash