5 things to do before the start of the new school year

As the new school year approaches, teachers often think about their first lessons and prepare to meet new students. What should you pay attention to? How to make the year start smoothly and without unnecessary worries?

Of course, lesson planning and organisation are important. However, it is much more important to prepare yourself for the start of the new school year. After all, even the best plan cannot compensate for a teacher who is exhausted and burned out.

According to wellbeing expert Hugh Clench from OLT International, there are many different definitions of wellbeing that we need to consider when exploring the challenges teachers may face, such as:

• Cognitive wellbeing — how we process information to succeed in everyday life and work, and to gain knowledge and understanding.
• Emotional wellbeing — self-awareness and emotional regulation as reflected in how well we cope with life’s challenges.
• Social wellbeing — establishing positive social relationships and the ability to empathise with others.
• Physical wellbeing — feeling of physical health, security and safety in our environment.
• Spiritual wellbeing — our sense of meaning and purpose in life, which may be related to culture, religion, or society.

Would you like to know how to prevent this? Keep reading.

Take the time to not only list, but also celebrate your accomplishments over the past school year. Knowing what you did well will help you better understand the challenges you faced.

You should evaluate both your achievements and your problems. Next, move on to what you want to improve in the new school year.

This is how, for example, you can reflect using glows & grows:

It is best to write everything down on paper, then you will definitely not miss anything. When you complete the task, do not forget to mark what you did and write how exactly.

Determining what you want to change or improve will help set goals for the new school year. Make sure they are specific and achievable. Vague goals are difficult or impossible to achieve, which will ultimately affect your accomplishments and success in the new school year.

This task may seem difficult. But this way you can at least warm up your brain and decide on a starting point for more in-depth lesson planning – online, offline or a combination of both.

The first few days of teaching will be filled with rules and procedures that can be really boring for students. So make sure you have no issues with classroom management.

Summer is a great time for self-study because you can better focus on learning the material. Consider taking online teacher training courses, improving your English, re-reading the teaching blog or relevant books.

During the summer, find time to communicate with other teachers from your city/area or find a conversational partner on the Internet. Talking to colleagues about your teaching challenges and achievements can give you new ideas and rekindle your passion for teaching.

Unicef recommends taking time away from work to spend it with your family or enjoy things you enjoy.

Set aside some time not only to prepare for teaching, but also some time when you are not preparing. 

Use the last month of summer to spend time with family and friends and, of course, to just relax. Make time for yourself by exercising more, eating a balanced diet, and doing things you don’t spend a lot of time on during the year is also a great way to recharge for the new school year.

Even a short 10-minute walk will improve your mood and give you an incredible feeling of happiness. If you can’t go to the gym every day, play with the kids, sing karaoke or have a dance party.

Also, trying something new is a great way to reduce stress and grow as a personality. Make a plan to go somewhere you’ve always wanted to go or learn to cook a new recipe.

Think positively and enter the new academic year with enthusiasm!