Back to School Checklist for a Teacher {22 things + 3,000 more}

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Ever feel this way about back to school time as a teacher?

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

I know that I do. Which is why I’m totally writing this post. This is my collection of back to school posts and things I generally do each year to prepare my classroom. It does not include the list of 53 nitty gritty things like adding names once I get my class list {fingers tapping} or something small I wanted to remember to do this year… but it’s a good place to start.

If you’re a new teacher, do not be overwhelmed. Just take it one day at a time. The above picture does not apply to you. If you’re a veteran teacher, well then thanks for checking out my ideas and do be sure to tell me what I’ve missed!

These are in no particular order… I do prioritize based on what needs to get done to make my room “look” ready and then what I need to have done in order to “feel” ready. That prioritizing changes every year based on how much or little work I actually need to do when putting my room back together or freshening things up.

Lesson Planning

1. Hit up last year’s lesson plans that I bound together. Review what we did and remember that it’s okay to start off so small… flip forward a few pages and remember that you’ll get there this year too.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

2. Eventually make a copy of my lesson plan for the first day or two and cut it into bracelet form. A la lesson plan bracelet.

Potentially take it home the night before so I can review the order and play it out in my head with transitions to get them from one spot to another.

Yes, I do that…

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

3. Lay out my Pete the Cat school tour items. Laminated and with double sided sticky tape on the back. Unstick from the back of the book where I stored them from last year.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

4. Group my first week of school books that I’ll be reading aloud. These go behind my easel, which usually gets reorganized every year. I try to improve on it. I try not to dump behind it. Every year I think I’ll do better.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

This would include making any changes to my old social story books or make a new classroom procedures book.

Back to School Checklist for a Teacher - Classroom Procedures Social Story Books

Last year I whipped out three and felt like super woman.

Maybe if I added one more each year… then I’d really be working smart!

6. Get copies made of their rainbow handwriting books and create a place to turn them in that is unique since they’ll use them every morning… but not so unique that you can’t remember on the third day of school where you wanted that place to be.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

7. Refresh my planning binder with a new cover {if I’m not into the colors or pattern of my old one} and contemplate what I might want to rearrange in this year’s routine/daily schedule.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

8. Make sure my guided reading binder has been cleaned out from last year’s papers. Prep with new copies and await getting class list patiently.

Then remind self this doesn’t need to be ready for at least a couple of weeks. {Chill out… make mental note: not everything has to be ready on day one… Phew}

Add to the to do list for a couple of weeks from now.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

9. Make sure my guided math binder looks spiffy and then remember I’ll not need it for at least 3 weeks. Look at it.

Marvel at the fact that I’ll use it to help grow kinders this year to where we left of last year and then put it away… just for now.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

Classroom Prep

This is just the short list, but it covers roughly most of my classroom surfaces.

10. Make sure that my calendar wall or calendar binders are looking good. Stuff used daily by me ends up looking so gritty – I’m just as hard on stuff as the kids.

Mentally review what it’s like to start out with just one-two calendar things to introduce this time of the day.

Review your routine from last year to get back into the groove.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

11. Make sure bulletin boards are plain but ready for planned, easily changeable and functional items. Boring for now, but there is plenty for new kinder eyes to look at.

Duct tape borders… still loving them.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

12. Get your beginning of day and end of day icons ready and off the wall. You can add them back onto the bulletin board once they know them by heart and you don’t need to have them in your whole group teaching space.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

13. Make a list of what to do to get student folders ready… and make extra. Stash those away for later in the year for when the inevitable new student(s) arrive. Print student behavior calendars and add making a parent September calendar to your calendar so you won’t forget before Labor Day arrives.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

14. Hit up the dollar store {yippee!} to get creative and add new projects {a little love, a little hate} to your back to school to-do list.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

15. Restock your supply of smelly spots as you avoid “back to school” sales while shopping for groceries. Peek at the back to school stuff. Reward self with chocolate for only checking out what’s new this year.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

16. Prep this year’s magnets for your new class list. And jot down the list of the 27 other place you’ll plaster their name or print labels to have at the ready…

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

17. Add fresh organization labels for your lost items since you found cute new bins as you rushed through the Target dollar spot and promptly used them as blinders to walk past the back to school sales on your way to finding some chocolate.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

18. Cut construction paper in half to create student work spaces in place of name tags. And… wait for that {ahem} class list. Prepare mentally for bringing home the first load of lamination what will follow the arrival of the class list.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

Mental Prep

19. Review the 12 things that help make a school year successful… and add those to your to do list. Yep, it seems to grow as fast as I can knock stuff out. Working smart on the front end does pay off in the long run, though. {Just keep swimming…}

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

20. Review your sight word chants and number formation poems… gird up self to remember that we definitely start the very beginning.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

21. Remember that McDonald’s is your friend. Well, outside of having a sweet tea in hand as I work in my classroom to get all of this done… their drive thru may just help make things go smoother when we line up on the first day of school.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

22. Dig into my stash of chocolate… and get pumped for a year of new memories to come! While feeling the chocolate take hold, add the 3,000 other things {I want to do} to my list.

KindergartenWorks:: Back to School Checklist for a Teacher

So now tell me, what did I miss? Are you ready? Do I need to ship you some chocolate?

If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.

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10 Comments

  1. Love your blog! I also love that you used the ecard that I created last year! I was shocked that anyone else felt the same way as I do about a super cute and organized room 🙂 Wishful thinking, right? Happy prepping!

  2. Leslie….perfect timing on this post. You are such a hoot…talented, wise, loving. All rolled into one special package. I’ve purchased lots of your awesome products and use and appreciate your freebies as well. I’ve taught for over 30 years. I’m pitching my list and using yours. It’s just right! God bless you and all those you love.

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