August is always bitter sweet. On the one hand I am looking forward to the new year, I am excited for my new lessons and to meet my new students and on the other I dread it because I know I am a different person during the summer than during the school year. A couple of years ago I was burnt out.  I needed a break.  I told myself no school work for the first two weeks of summer so I could really enjoy it.  Then those two weeks came and went and I still didn’t feel like working.  Honestly, it felt SO good to set it all aside and give myself permission to not work.  Those two weeks turned into the month of July.  Who has time in July anyways, right?  It is always so busy and I just want to be outside in the sunshine, not sitting behind my computer. Then, it’s August. And, it feels like summer is over, even if there are still over three weeks left.  I start to think about getting ready for the school year.  So here I am mid August and I have spent ZERO time working on any lesson planning (except stuff for TPT and the blog, but those are fun things I enjoy so I don’t count it as work) and it feels so freeing.  I’ve needed this time to relax and refresh my creativity so I don’t regret a thing.  But I am starting to look forward and at least THINKING about next year.  Here are some ways I am preparing for back to school.

1. Check my yearly plan

Our schedule is changing this year (another thing I am trying not to think about) and it will have a huge impact on our program and therefore curriculum.  We are going from a two year level one program, to every other day and the compromise was they would start in 6th grade and 4th and 5th grade would have WL as a UA to try it out.  So I spent a couple of workshop days at the end of school looking at our curriculum, what to cut, what could be moved and to what grade level so it would make sense.  I am so glad I did all of this right after school ended while everything was still fresh in my mind and I was in school mode and not right before school starts (If you want to learn more about the process leave a comment, I might write a post on that later).  But now, it has been over a month so I want to look back at it to see if the time and space has given me any new ideas or inspiration. I want to see the big picture. 

2. First two weeks daily plans (MINIMUM)

I like to have all of my slides completed with every link and what I am going say for each class for the first two weeks.   It makes me feel prepared and less anxious when all I have to do is click the next slide to remind me what is happening next. Having them ready helps to guide me back into teacher mode.  And I don’t know about you but I. AM. FREAKING. TIRED. the first week of school (Last year we started on a Monday and had a full five day week right off the bat, not sure who’s silly idea that was).  I already know I will be too exhausted to try to think about the second week of school.  Present Robyn is thinking about Future Robyn and I know Future Robyn will thank her.  

If I have the first two weeks ready then I can use my planning time to start planning ahead for the following weeks.  This is how you save yourself from planning day to day 90% of the time. 

3. Setting up my classroom (or at least thinking about it)

We’re required to spend one day over the summer preparing for the year ahead.  This can be planning or set up.  Usually I end up spending more than seven hours working over the summer but I keep whittling it down and slowly taking my summer back.  We also have one professional day during back to school workshops that is unencumbered, NO MEETINGS (this is an amazing day that is greatly appreciated).  I usually do some set up during that day but this year I had to move classrooms, again.  So I know it will take me a while to unpack the boxes and put everything away and set up the room for actual teaching.   I will probably pick a day to go in for a few hours and start unpacking so I am 90% there and can finish up during the back-to-school days.  But if I don’t make it in because there was something fun to do with my family I won’t feel guilty.  I will just be extra focused on the back-to-school days.  I am also going to have a plan of how I want it set up and where to put things so when I get there all I have to do is execute. I would rather plan from my couch with a cup of coffee. 

4. Enjoying the end of summer, soaking in every moment (ANTI-BACK-TO-SCHOOL)

Like I said earlier, I feel like a different person during the summer. I feel like I have time and space and energy.  I want to spend every minute I can with my family and friends doing things that give me joy to carry me through back to school season. So even if I had planned to do some planning that day if I have the opportunity to go kayaking, garden, walk my dogs or go to the beach I am absolutely going to do that instead.  What I am NOT doing – looking at back to school sales, checking my school email, doing any work on the weekends when my family is home. This is your time, you are not on the clock. The work will definitely still be there tomorrow…

Much love,

Robyn