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<\/p>\nThe beginning of the school year is filled with possibilities\u2014but also a lot of planning, prepping, and let\u2019s face it\u2026 a little chaos! After more than 30 years in the classroom, I\u2019ve learned that a few smart moves early on can make the entire year smoother, more engaging, and a lot more joyful\u2014for both you and your students.<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re a brand-new teacher or have been at it for years, I\u2019ve pulled together some of my favorite strategies (and classroom-tested resources) to help you kick things off with confidence. (Not ready to think about back-to-school yet?\u00a0 Pin any of these images to revisit later!)<\/p>\n
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Students learn best when they feel safe, seen, and valued. That\u2019s why I focus on building relationships and classroom community from the very first day.<\/p>\n
Here are a few simple ways to get started:<\/p>\n
Morning meetings<\/strong> are a powerful way to establish routines and connect.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Use math tasks with a social twist<\/strong> (like my back-to-school problem-solving challenges) to get kids collaborating while easing into content.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Try \u201cget to know you\u201d interviews, interest surveys, and student-created name tents to start learning about your students as individuals.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Want ready-to-use tasks that build community and<\/em> get kids thinking?<\/p>\n Speaking of building community…I seriously love this back to school pennant project<\/a>–and it’s WAY more than a craft project.\u00a0 While doing it, my students learn about my expectations for work quality as we build an anchor chart together.\u00a0 As we work, we get to know each other and start to build classroom community!<\/p>\n![\"cooperative](\"https:\/\/theteacherstudio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/cooperative-back-to-school-activities-cover.jpg\")
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