The end of summer is here, which means it’s time to get my classroom ready for a new school year.
While I really enjoy my Summer Break, I also love the anticipation of a brand new school year and seeing all of my students.
This year I feel like I have a jumpstart on getting my classroom ready. My room was used for Summer School so many of the furniture pieces are already in place.
Things to Do Next Week
First on my list of things to do in the classroom is just simply finish organizing my space. I have a couple of new benches/storage bins that need to ‘find a home’ in the classroom. I then need to take care of some of the manipulatives that were used for summer school so that I don’t have a lot of materials out that first week of school. I’m able to be more productive personally once my environment is set-up and ready to go. After my room is organized and clean, I can then work on the important pieces of looking at the actual structure of what my school day will look like.
Scheduling Student Time
I am a Special Education teacher. My students will come to me at different times throughout the day, depending on how much time they need in order to help them be successful. I will also be working in classrooms to make sure that whatever is needed will be in place and ready. To do this, I need to sit down next week with some of my fabulous co-workers and see what will be the best times to provide the extra support/instruction. It sounds like a simple task, but creating the daily schedule takes time and never seems to come out right the first time around. The schedule never seems to be finalized until after the first or second week of school is complete.
Remembering the Necessities…
My classroom environment is a place I’ve created where children can feel safe and loved. It has been a ‘work in progress’ over the years, but I’m finally really happy with the layout. I have a kitchen table in the middle of the room where students sometimes choose to sit and do their work after the lesson. I also have a dresser that is full of socks, hats, gloves, etc… in case there is a need for such things.
The children know that if they forgot a snack or a water bottle, I typically have extra available for anyone that needs them. Next week, when I head back for the Professional Development days, I’ll be taking a grocery haul to the classroom to make sure that I have everything there.
Excited to Get Started!
This year will be my 21st year in the classroom. While I am not going to say that I love every single minute of it (I’m not a fan of paperwork), I do enjoy going back in the fall and seeing the kids again. My main goal when I walk into my classroom each morning, is to be able to help each and every student that I see succeed in some way. I want to make sure they are happy, that they know they matter, and that I’m there for them.
The students start their fist day on Monday, August 28th. I will be ready.
Goals for Today:
- Trim some more around the side yard
- Hang curtain rods in the Writing Cabin (I already did this, but if I put it on here, I can check it off quicker)
- Fold clothes – Laundry never seems to be done