How to Survive the Back-to-School Rush
Where has the summer gone? Back-to-school season is upon us, and teachers and parents are finding themselves with another long to-do list. Keeping track of all the school supplies to purchase, meetings you must attend, or people you need to contact, may seem like an impossible feat.
There is no easy way to get everything done—and still stay sane—but, there are some steps you can take to make your hectic days simpler. Check out these tips to help you survive the chaos and busyness that comes with back-to-school time.
Make a list and prioritize.
Writing down the tasks you must accomplish is the first step to managing your day efficiently. (Also, who doesn’t love to cross things off a to-do list?!)
We prefer the old-fashioned way of writing things down on an actual piece of paper. (Print out a free back-to-school list template here.) Granted, we won’t have our physical list with us at all times. If you think of another task while you’re away, simply type it to the ‘notes’ section of your phone until you can write it down on paper.
At the top of your list, jot down your top three most important tasks of the day. If possible, accomplish your top three first thing in the morning.
If you can do it at home, do it at home.
Don’t waste time trying to do things in the classroom that can easily be accomplished at home. Classroom time is precious, and you want to use it wisely. For example, if you need to create a new worksheet for your next lesson, do it at home.
Classroom time should be limited to doing things that can ONLY be done in the classroom—such as laminating, decorating, or making copies.
To step up your organization game, differentiate the tasks you can accomplish at home vs. those you can only do at school on your to-do list.
Check Weekly Ads
A main part of going back to school is buying stuff. And lots of it. If you haven’t already, set a back-to-school budget for yourself. Then, scope out the best deals in the paper.
Office supply stores usually have amazing back-to-school deals on select items. Our local OfficeMax offers weekly featured items for only a penny! It’s important to read the weekly ads thoroughly, since great prices are often in the fine print. The store may also require you to purchase a minimum amount before you can snag these deals, or you may just have to show a teacher ID.
The point is: do your homework before you buy those full-priced book baskets for your classroom library.
Make a Pinterest Board
If you don’t already have a Pinterest, create one. There are hundreds of ideas and resources for teachers, and you can save all the cool ideas you find in one place.
If you’re already an avid ‘Pinner,’ create a new board dedicated to ideas for the first days of school. Pin the ideas that you plan to incorporate into your lessons early in the year. You can also save products that you want to purchase for your classroom (especially if you plan to purchase them online).
